COLUMBIA--A string of controversial vetoes has earned Gov. Mark Sanford the reputation of a guy who talks softly and carries a big pen, and that has caused some lawmakers to worry about how much ink he might use on the $5.3 billion state budget sitting on his desk.

But Sanford, who has begun perusing the 500-page appropriations bill, said Wednesday that he might surprise some legislators by giving them less to do in a veto override session than many expect.

Sanford said he will use his line-item veto power "not as much as I normally would" because he doesn't want to come in at the end of the process that began before he took office in January. The number of line-item vetoes he actually makes, however, "still may be relative," he concedes.

Sanford said that instead of illustrating his priorities with a long series of line-item vetoes, he plans to hold hearings on next year's budget over the summer to give state agencies and General Assembly budget writers an idea of his spending priorities and a notion of how he thinks the state should do business.

"This allows us to get ahead of the learning curve," Sanford said. "We want to reform the way money is spent, and that's easier to do on the front end than in some line items, which sometimes have several things tied up in them. We don't want to throw out the baby with the bathwater."

That idea was well-received by key lawmakers, who said that having to deal with fewer, targeted vetoes would be better than being inundated with hundreds of changes in a veto override session that most want to hold down to two or three days.

"That's the right way to do it," said Rep. Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. "The governor can have his strongest impact on South Carolina's budget on the front end. People have been concerned that as bad as the budget process has been that the governor had the potential to make it even worse with his vetoes."

The more diplomatic lawmakers have attributed this concern to Sanford being a new governor, but in reality some have been irked by vetoes on seemingly uncontroversial legislation.

Early in the session, Sanford vetoed a handful of local bills, including Charleston County's measure to combine its Election Commission and Board of Voter Registration, that he and his legal staff deemed unconstitutional. This week, he vetoed a similar bill for Dorchester County.

He recently upset some lawmakers by vetoing a bill authorizing a monument to fallen police officers on Statehouse grounds. Sanford said the money to build such a marker should be raised privately and not spent from public coffers during a budget crunch.

The Legislature this week overrode the police monument veto. Rep. Shirley Hinson, who sponsored the bill, said she wouldn't be surprised to see Sanford strike the monument again.

"He told us no surprises on Day 1, and we've been surprised every day," said Hinson, R-Goose Creek. "It doesn't make for good relations. I would hope this year he would rely on the 170 members who have worked on this budget for months."

The idea of fewer vetoes doesn't sit well with some lawmakers, however. House Democratic leader James Smith said vetoes are fine as long as Sanford explains why he thinks various items should be struck instead of just striking them. Smith also said he hopes that the governor will take a broader stroke.

"I hope he vetoes the entire budget," said Smith, D-Columbia. "House and Senate Democrats have opposed the mismanagement of the state's revenue."

The Republican leadership in the House and Senate said they hope Sanford's approach marks an era of cooperation between the legislative and executive branch. Harrell, whose committee writes the state budget, said he wants the governor in on the process.

Senators said Sanford's remarks bode well for the veto session expected to open June 17. Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, said if the governor targets his vetoes instead of laying down a line of fire, "it will allow the Legislature to be more reflective and analytical in our decisions."

He also said it was a good diplomatic move for a governor still building his relationships with lawmakers.

"He's shown he has been willing to work with us instead of fighting us on everything," McConnell said.