The Nerve

By RICK BRUNDRETT In touting Gov. Henry McMaster’s proposed fiscal 2022 state budget, his office in a recent news release contended it “significantly invests in the state’s core functions of government” while “maintaining his commitment” to “fiscally responsible practices.” But although emergency spending in response to the coronavirus outbreak in South Carolina likely will continue […]

By RICK BRUNDRETT Buried in the latest $32.3 billion state spending plan for next fiscal year is a $19 million expenditure for a proposed downtown Greenville convention center, and another $7.5 million to renovate the Sumter Opera House. The total $26.5 million – which is larger than the overall proposed fiscal 2020-21 budgets of at […]

By RICK BRUNDRETT S.C. Reps. Bruce Bannister and Dwight Loftis want $5 million in state funding to help build a convention center in downtown Greenville that Bannister says would house a large art collection that had been displayed at the private Bob Jones University. Rep. Leon Stavrinakis, who has donated to the nonprofit South Carolina […]

By RICK BRUNDRETT S.C. Senate president pro tempore Hugh Leatherman appeared relaxed and confident before last week’s votes, at one point smiling and giving a thumbs up. Leatherman, R-Florence, didn’t make any long speeches in asking his Senate colleagues to override Gov. Henry McMaster’ vetoes of parts of a state budget proviso directing a total […]

By RICK BRUNDRETT Update: The S.C. House on 10/3/18 voted to continue Gov. Henry McMaster’s veto of a state budget proviso authorizing the creation of the “South Carolina Industry, Workforce and Education Data Warehouse,” effectively sustaining the veto. The S.C. House and Senate on the same day overrode vetoes of parts of another proviso authorizing […]

By RICK BRUNDRETT As the S.C. House debate last week on the $28 billion-plus state budget dragged into the evening, Rep. Bill Bowers filed an amendment seeking to direct $400,000 for the purchase of 107 acres next to Lake Warren State Park in Hampton County. “This is a win-win all on the state side,” the […]

By RICK BRUNDRETT At least three S.C. House members – and some of their favorite nonprofits – were probably happy with today’s early morning passage of a $28 billion-plus state budget. Buried deep in the 2018-19 budget, which passed the House by a 117-2 vote and now goes to the Senate, are nearly $1 million […]