State budget to go under the knife
Legislators will attempt to cut about $490 million
Lawmakers will return to Columbia Monday to begin hacking away at the state’s $7 billion budget.
The state’s Board of Economic Advisors last week cut revenue estimates for the fiscal year by 6 percent, setting the stage for the Legislature’s special session. House Speaker Bobby Harrell and Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell said in a statement they would seek to reduce spending by 7 percent, or about $490 million.
“We’re literally plowing new ground here,” said Sen. Harvey Peeler, R-Gaffney. “We’re going in to make targeted cuts, and the entire budget is the target.” Read more
Kelly: Making Ballentine’s bill better
For a bill that won’t be pre-filed until December, Rep. Nathan Ballentine’s proposal to require candidates to disclose all contributions online within 48 hours during the two-week blackout period before elections has generated a lot of discussion.
I saw Rep. Keith Kelly, R-Spartanburg, tonight at the Spartanburg County GOP Bronze Elephant do-dad. It seems there’s a friendly game of one-uppance afoot. Kelly said he read about Ballentine’s bill and figured out a way to make it better: Require disclosures within 24 hours.
“I like what Nathan’s got, but if we can get it down to 24 hours, that would be great,” he said. Read more
