Gov. Henry McMaster vetoed more than $56 million in spending included in the state's budget for next year, while using his pen to restore the state Commission on Higher Education's authority to vet new building projects on university campuses. Which is why I vetoed a wish list of future projects to be funded by the lottery. His office staff says this is because McMaster believes the lottery fund should only go toward scholarships for students.
S.C. lawmakers often spend lottery dollars on education-related expenses other than the scholarships. Earlier in the year, McMaster stymied a almost $500 million bond bill that would have allowed the state to borrow $30 million for school buses, after he called on lawmakers to borrow $1 billion for roads instead.
"If we need more money for school buses, I know we need a lot of new school buses, then we need to appropriate it from the regular sources and see to it that we can plan in advance", says Governor McMaster.
Seventeen public school buses have caught fire or dangerously overheated since August 2015.
With the entire $28.9 million, the state's Education Department would be able to buy 298 buses and lease another 116 new buses.
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Unless the General Assembly overrides this veto, that reduces some $29 million lawmakers allowed for buses to $11 million.
State schools Superintendent Molly Spearman said she was deeply disappointed with McMaster's veto and planned to work with lawmakers to have the money restored to the budget. We remain hopeful that the General Assembly will override the veto. The new budget year starts July 1. It's unclear how when lawmakers we begin working on the vetoes. "We are discouraged by Governor McMaster's veto regarding funding for new school buses". They include $6.2 million for Parks Recreation and Tourism revitalization, $3.3 million for sports marketing grants, and $4.9 million for medical contracts.
"We rely heavily on the states provided bus and we've got almost 300 of them now, unfortunately, a significant number are well over age, Borowy said". Lawmakers had proposed spending one-time money on the bank, which is set to disband next year.
Governor McMaster spoke after Tuesday's Financial Accountability meeting, reaffirming his decision to veto the bus funding.
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