Free Republic

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - The state legislature could begin work next week to override Governor Mark Sanford's announcement that he would turn down $700 million in stimulus money for our state. Much of the money would go for education. State Senator Hugh Leatherman is head of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, and says public education in our state would be devastated without the money. Leatherman said if we don't get the stimulus money, we could lose at least 4,000 teachers across the state.

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - The battle continues in the stimulus standoff as Gov. Mark Sanford refuses to budge in his refusal to accept federal stimulus dollars. The stimulus discussion took up a good part of Thursday's session, as lawmakers try to figure out what to do if the stimulus money doesn't come through. "I have never in my 29 years tenure seen what have facing South Carolina this year," said state Sen. Hugh Leatherman, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Leatherman explained his decision to ask for two drafts of the budget. One budget version will contain federal stimulus money,...

Senator Hugh Leatherman of Florence has issued a statement regarding Governor Mark Sanford's rejection of the federal stimulus money. Leatherman says in a release,"The governor's decision not to accept the $700 million is irresponsible and threatens to throw into chaos public education and other core state responsibilities."

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina legislators will see a plan to get around Gov. Mark Sanford's opposition to the federal stimulus money. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman of Florence says he'll introduce a resolution Thursday to allow the legislature to spend the money that Sanford opposes. Leatherman says he isn't happy about the need to use the stimulus money, but says the state has no choice. He says without the stimulus money, key state programs would be cut.