By Graeme Moore
Thursday, March 12, 2009 at 12:06 a.m.
Read more: Local, Sanford, Stimulus, Funds, Debt, State, Clyburn, Jim, Congressmen, Unemployment
Governor Mark Sanford is once again trying to reject money from the federal government unless demands are met. The last time he did it was when he threatened to let the Employment Security Commission go bankrupt.
This time he wants to forego some of the $2.8 billion in stimulus money that South Carolina is supposed to get, unless it can be spent to pay down the state's debt.
Sanford has discretion over about a quarter of that $2.8 billion or $700 million, according to his office.
But his opponents say there's an easy way to strip him of his discretionary power.
With charts, graphs and a bunch of big numbers the governor criss-crossed South Carolina Wednesday to hammer home why he thinks receiving federal stimulus money is a bad idea.
"If solving the economic crisis was as easy as writing checks for money you don't have in the bank, all kinds of problems would be solved," he told the media on Wednesday.
He argues, among other things, that receiving stimulus money will mean more debt to future generations.
But there's a large chunk of the money that Sanford has no say over -- in fact 75% of the $2.8 will be distributed by the SC legislature and other government agencies.
The remaining $700 million is up to his discretion so long as it's spent on education and state services. But Sanford wants to use it to pay down the state's debt instead, and he ask President Barack Obama for permission to do just that.
"We think that would be a better use of the money for a stronger financial footing it would put our state in," said Sanford.
South Carolina's highest ranking member of Congress, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, said Sanford's plan is an awful idea that won't help schools or help resolve high unemployment.
That's why he included a loophole in the stimulus bill known as the Clyburn Amendment.
"In any section of the law, with a concurrent resolution, any house of the legislature with the other house concurring, can claim this money and work around the governor's authority. They've got complete authority to do that," Congressman Clyburn said.
The governor's office said it will send a letter on Thursday to President Obama to request a waiver.
