Due to the current hard economic times, our state, like your family, is facing a budget crisis. The Budget and Control Board recently met and assigned all state agencies budget cuts across the board of three percent. This cut has been and will continue to be extremely tough for our state agencies, especially as it impacts our local offices.
Many have wondered why the Budget and Control Board did not issue targeted budget cuts. Targeting specific programs and agencies with cuts would be changing the state budget by reallocating resources. These types of changes cannot be made by this board.
Gov. Sanford wants the Legislature to return to the Statehouse to cut $188 million from individual agency budgets. This could compensate for an economic slump that threatens to leave the state short on cash. Members of the General Assembly agree that targeted cuts, rather than cutting every agency equally, are better. However, our hands are tied. We do not have the power to come back into session at this time.
Although we are technically in session until Oct. 31, the wording of the Sine Die resolution states that we can return, only if revenue shortfalls grow to four percent or if we need to deal with budget vetoes. This is not the case.
If we were to return to Columbia to address the budget shortfall now, we would end up spending additional taxpayer dollars, due to the administrative costs involved with a special session.
Targeted budget cuts would provide for a long struggle in the legislative process. It is a wise and prudent choice to plan to come back in as a body in January. At that time we can address the shortfall or continue on the course that the Budget and Control Board has been following. One thing is for certain, next years’ budget will face even more challenges and shortfalls due to the struggling economy of our state and nation.
I can be contacted in my Columbia office in the 602 Gressette Office Building, at (803) 212-6008 or by fax at (803) 212-6011. My district office is at 137 Airport Road, Suite J, Mullins, 29574 and the telephone number is (843) 423-8237 and the fax number is (843) 431-6049. You may also email me at WILLIAMSK@scsenate.org or call me at (843) 423-3904.
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