South Carolina legislators return to Statehouse to deal with budget problems, taxes
By APTuesday, January 12, 2010
SC budget, taxes among legislators’ top issues
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina legislators will get a briefing on how state revenues are creating a $563 million hole in the proposed spending plan for the next fiscal year as they return to work.
It’s one of the first things facing lawmakers Tuesday as they return to Columbia for their January-to-June session.
Closing that gap likely will involve less money for schools, social services, health care and law enforcement. Legislative leaders have said they won’t pass a general tax increase, but instead will concentrate on raising the state’s reserves as a buffer to future economic slowdowns.
The House is considering a resolution rebuking Gov. Mark Sanford after he confessed an affair and investigations showed he used state planes for personal and political trips.
