South Carolina Governor, Mark Sanford
South Carolina's fund to pay unemployment benefits is running out of money, but Governor Mark Sanford hasn't decided yet whether he'll ask for federal help.
In the meantime, those collecting unemployment checks wonder if they'll find work before the state runs out of benefits.
These days, the lines at the Horry County unemployment office are longer than anyone there can remember.
"You can ask anybody in the office and they'll tell you, they've never seen it like this before," said Mary Nell Smith, executive director for the Horry County office of the SC Employment Security Commission.
Some of those collecting benefits, like Catherine Foy of Conway, are concerned the unemployment checks might run out before they land a full-time job.
"Yes, I am, that's why I came down for the extension, because my regular benefits ran out," Foy said.
The head of the South Carolina Employment Security Commission said his agency will be out of money to pay benefits at the end of the year.
A spokesman for the governor says Sanford hasn't decided yet whether to ask for a federal loan that would let the state continue writing checks after January 1st.
South Carolina now spends $14 million a week on unemployment benefits and officials said the state will need $146 million to keep going through March.
Smith said she thinks most of the folks getting checks now aren't worried yet about running out. They just want to get through the holidays.
"The concern more right this very minute is, when am I going to get my check?" Smith said.
A few other states have asked for federal loans to keep unemployment benefits going. Sanford said, before he'll do that, he wants the unemployment agency to be audited and give more information to the Commerce Department about where and why people are out of work.
Meanwhile, those folks collecting benefits are hanging on.
"Hours got cut back and the bills still keep coming, so we try to make ends meet," said Hunter Onley, who applied for benefits Thursday.
Sanford has been consistent in opposing federal help during this slump, leading the charge against bailouts for Wall Street and the auto industry.
