I wanted to share the following AP article with you and urge you to demand the Governor do what's right for the people of South Carolina and our Public Schools - not what best positions him for a Presidential run in 2012. Our fellow South Carolinians are hurting - we have the 2nd highest unemployment rate in the nation and have already seen drastic cuts to our public schools and other vital services. Even members of his own party are calling the Governor's stance on this issue "callous" and "hardhearted" saying that he has "absolutely no interest in this state and the people that he governs."
Please, call the Governor's office (803-734-2100) or his home (803-737-3000) and tell him South Carolina needs our share of the federal stimulus money. Also, if you are near Columbia, please attend the People's Stimulus Rally today at 5:30 at the State House.
Thank you for your continued support of Public Education.
Best.
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Stimulus standoff shifting - Attorney general backs Governor
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
AP Story
COLUMBIA --- South Carolina is poised to become the first state to shrug off federal stimulus money intended to help recession-battered schools, throwing hundreds of teacher jobs into jeopardy because lawmakers doubt Washington can mandate how the state spends money.
For a week, legislators threatened to write an annual budget without $350 million in federal cash as a way to build pressure on Gov. Mark Sanford to take the money. Rallies have been held in cities around the state, and one is planned for today at the Capitol.
But on Tuesday, the political theatrics appeared to crystallize. State Attorney General Henry McMaster said the Legislature can put the money in a budget, but the governor still is in control of spending the $700 million targeted for the state over two years. "The Legislature cannot compel the governor to act against his will. Only a court could do that," Mr. McMaster said.
Lawmakers, still hoping the governor will change his mind in time to take the money by a Friday deadline, said the nonbinding ruling had changed the game because of the threat of legal action. They said they still plan to pass a resolution to accept money the governor won't take -- but they have no plans to try and spend it.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman said he'd now have to write a budget without the stimulus cash because of the potential legal challenge.
That budget would cut public school spending by $161.6 million, college spending by $44.2 million and law enforcement and public safety agency budgets by $39.4 million.
"Based upon what we've heard this morning, if this governor can be so callous and so hardhearted to not draw down these funds for the benefit of our people, in my opinion, the governor has absolutely no interest in this state and the people that he governs," said Mr. Leatherman, R-Florence.
Mr. Sanford has raised his national profile and talk of a 2012 White House run with his outspoken opposition to the $787 billion federal stimulus.
He has control over $700 million of the $2.8 billion headed to the state and insists he won't use the money for anything other than repaying debt, a position the White House has rejected twice.
South Carolina, which had the nation's second-highest jobless rate in February, cut $1 billion from a $7 billion spending plan as tax revenues slumped last year.
The governor proposed an austere spending plan for the next fiscal year that keeps many of those cuts, such as ending the construction of wheelchair ramps for the disabled and limiting meals for the homebound.
On Monday, he blamed the needed cuts on lawmakers spending too much. He contends stimulus money will devalue the dollar and ultimately increase taxes.
Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer reiterated Tuesday that federal money would be requested only if lawmakers agree to use the same amount of money to pay off state debt.
He said dire cuts to teaching payrolls and prison closures aren't needed if legislators embrace the governor's budget.
School officials and lawmakers have predicted chaos without the cash. Schools chief Jim Rex has said 1,100 positions are open right now, and he doesn't know whether public schools can remain viable.
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