Final Senate debate on South Carolina's nearly $6 billion proposed state budget has started as a Beaufort lawmaker says extra cash in the spending plan needs to go into taxpayer rebates instead of into Medicaid or college spending.
Republican Sen. Tom Davis said the state can't sustain spending for the health insurance program for the poor, elderly and disabled. He wants to remove $100 million from the program's budget.
Davis says the state's colleges should lose 10 percent of their non-classroom budgets and says he's tired of hearing that colleges drive the state's economy.
Davis also wants to shut down the Department of Consumer Affairs. He also said legislators and statewide officeholders should lose 10 percent of their pay.
Legislators expect to debate the budget into the evening.
