S.C. governor cuts less from budget than in the past
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) - Gov. Henry McMaster vetoed 11 items from the state’s 2023-2024 budget, a dramatic decrease from past years.
The vetoes amount to $1.5 million, which he said highlights “the successful collaborative approach” that he and his staff used to craft a “budget partnership” with the General Assembly.
“Over the last six years, our successful partnership with the General Assembly has produced resounding win after win for the people and prosperity of South Carolina,” he said at a Tuesday afternoon news conference at the State House in Columbia. “From the beginning of the budget process to right now, we have communicated, collaborated and cooperated with the legislative leadership. It has been unprecedented and it is my hope that in the future, this will become the rule rather than the exception.”
The governor said the budget the General Assembly ed includes a record number of 283 of his Executive Budget proposals that total $3.3 billion. Those proposals include an income tax cut, teacher and law enforcement pay raises, school safety initiatives, a college tuition freeze and what he called a “transformative investment in preserving our state’s environmental and cultural heritage.”
McMaster did criticize lawmakers’ failure to close what he called “the revolving door” for people who commit violent crimes and then commit another violent crime while out on bond for a previous charge.
“I wanted to have and law enforcement wanted a five-year mandatory penalty for that crime,” he said. “I just wish they’d closed that revolving door while they were here. They did some good things, but that door’s still open.”
McMaster began the news conferencing praising the state’s economic growth, saying that last year was the most succesful in the state’s history for economic growth. He noted the record for the largest capital investment project was broken twice in the same year.
“This year, we’re off to a great start in the first six months this year, 2023,” he said.
He said 46 projects announced will create more than 9,400 jobs and represent nearly $5.5 billion in new capital investment.
He vetoed 73 items from last year’s budget, totaling more than $52 million in cuts.
Among the vetoes:
- McMaster cut out $275,000 that was supposed to go to a group called the Mental Wealth Alliance founded by entertainer Charlamange tha God, saying the rent, operating costs, massage chairs, yoga and healthy cooking classes planned for the money were “not an appropriate use of state funds.”
- The governor knocked out $250,000 for a local cable channel that would broadcast South Carolina State University, Vorhees University and Claflin University sports as well as high school games in Bamberg, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties. McMaster said the organizers of the channel should South Carolina Educational Television for help.
- There were vetoes for a duplicated proposal and a few items that had already been dealt with before the spending plan landed on the governor’s desk earlier this month.
Among the items that weren’t vetoed:
- Along with a pay raise of at least 5% for every state employee, the spending plan also covers any increase in health insurance s.
- Some law enforcement positions, like state troopers, state agents, and officers and nurses in prisons, could see 10% or more in raises.
- The budget includes more than $1 billion to help Volkswagen-backed Scout Motors build a plant for electric SUVs near Columbia and about $120 million in a fund to help rural districts build schools.
Patrick Philips from WCSC contributed to this report
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