Lawmakers: Sanford Controls $700 Million
A top Republican lawmaker conceded to FITS today that S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford has the final say on whether or not $700 million in federal bailout boondoggle funds will go toward recurring expenses or paying down debt.
“Everybody in the General Assembly thinks these are funds we can appropriate as we see fit,” said the lawmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “That’s not true. These are funds administered by the chief executive that Sanford has the final say on.”
Late last night, Sanford appeared to have caved to intense bureaucratic pressure when he agreed to sign a certificate paving the way for the state to accept this particular pot of “stimulus” cash.
This morning, however, Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer told FITS that the governor remained opposed to using the $700 million to fund recurring expenses.
Sanford has scheduled a press conference for later today to clarify his position on the money – which represents less than a tenth of the bureaucratic bailout monies headed to the Palmetto State.
Sources tell FITS the governor is expected at that time to announce that he is legally empowered to use the money to pay down debt – as he has indicated is his preference – if lawmakers don’t go ahead and use the money for that purpose.
“Even if the governor pulls down the $700 million, it may very well be that lawmakers have absolutely no say in how that money is spent,” said the lawmaker we spoke with. “Unless they meet the governor’s threshold for paying down the debt, he is under no obligation to release the funds. Everybody thinks if we just bully him into pulling down the money, we’ll get it for whatever we want it for. Again, that’s not true.”
Another lawmaker who opposes Sanford’s position concurred, saying “it is my understanding that he has complete authority to release those funds, although I certainly hope he would do so in the best interest of people, not politics.”
If true, this would be a stunning reversal of the budgetary process in South Carolina, which typically features Sanford riding in the backseat as lawmakers decide where and how to dole out taxpayer dollars.
Obviously, stay tuned for more on this rapidly-evolving debate …
Comments
By TK on April 3rd, 2009 at 1:07 pm
He has the power to hold up the funds – just as he already has – but not to spend them as he sees fit.
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