COLUMBIA - Gov. Mark Sanford has vetoed plans for a Statehouse memorial for law enforcement officers.

Sanford vetoed the measure late Wednesday, saying the $500,000 for the project could be better used by law enforcement agencies during the state's budget crunch. He said he does support putting the monument on the Statehouse grounds.

In explaining his veto, Sanford said a $29 million shortfall at the Corrections Department and a $2 million shortfall at the State Law Enforcement Division would mean there are higher spending priorities.

"Our point was not that I was against the law enforcement memorial," Sanford said. "But in these budget times ... that $500,000 could go to Public Safety, it could go to SLED to deal with that shortfall."

Sanford said some of his staffers were unhappy with the veto, as were many lawmakers.

"I think it's grandstanding by the governor," said Rep. James Merrill, R-Daniel Island. "Some things kind of transcend fiscal policy."

Merrill said Sanford's veto doesn't put money into other agency's accounts.

Doing that requires the General Assembly's approval, he said.

Legislators will override the veto, Merrill predicted.

And Sanford will suffer a bit by having a bill he's pushed to include conduct grades on student report cards delayed. "We're going to hold that up for a little while to get his attention," Merrill said.

Some legislators weren't perturbed by Sanford's veto.

"I agree with the governor's rationale," said House Speaker Pro Tem Doug Smith, R-Spartanburg.

Private money could be used for the project as for other monuments and memorials on the Statehouse grounds, including the recent Strom Thurmond and African-American History monuments.

"If we have to go out and do it privately, we'll go out and do it privately," he said.