(Published January 8‚ 2004)

Key points in Gov. Mark Sanford's first executive budget:

- Raises and saves a combination of $344 million, mostly closing the projected $350 million gap between expected revenues and spending demands.

- Asks agencies to cut 15 percent out of their travel, meals and phone expenses. It also makes other targeted cuts and calls for operational changes to save money to generate $82 million. The Legislature is spared from cuts.

- Generates $94 million from sales of surplus property, including a Columbia Mental Health Department facility and nearly 6,200 cars from the state's fleet.

- Combines or eliminates agencies. The state, now with 87 agencies including colleges, would have 72, under Sanford's proposal. The University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie, USC-Union and the John de la Howe School all would be eliminated. Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School and the School for the Deaf and Blind would become part of the Education Department.

- Raises the state's per-pupil spending by $67 to $1,810, partly by using state lottery funds.

- Cuts $4.6 million from the National Board Certification program by barring new entrants. Teachers in the program would continue receiving benefits.

- Imposes higher fees on the insurance industry to replace the $3 million eliminated from the Insurance Department's budget.

- Saves $1.4 million by turning over management of some state parks, cabins and golf courses to private companies.

- Cuts Clemson University's extension programs and redirects money to agriculture-related programs. That would involve closing urban extension offices and curtailing programs that help residents with food safety.