S.C. high court to hear stimulus funds case today
The final battle over $700 million of South Carolina's stimulus aid comes to a head today. The state Supreme Court will begin hearing the arguments in the cases filed by two students and the South Carolina Association of School Administrators Wednesday morning. The court will then make the final decision whether the state legislature can require South Carolina Republican Gov. Mark Sanford to take $700 million in stimulus cash from the federal government.
Sanford has waged a long fight against the federal stimulus, becoming one of the GOP's most outspoken critics of the $787 billion recovery package. South Carolina's share of the stimulus package is $2.8 billion, but Sanford has been steadfast in his rejection of the only funds under his control -- the $700 million set aside for education and law enforcement spending. The governor and his attorneys argue that federal law gives him the sole authority and control over how that portion of the aid is spent. Nonetheless, the state legislature passed a budget last month that included the money, and the governor vetoed it. The legislature overrode that veto, and that's where the court comes in today.
Sanford has waged a long fight against the federal stimulus, becoming one of the GOP's most outspoken critics of the $787 billion recovery package. South Carolina's share of the stimulus package is $2.8 billion, but Sanford has been steadfast in his rejection of the only funds under his control -- the $700 million set aside for education and law enforcement spending. The governor and his attorneys argue that federal law gives him the sole authority and control over how that portion of the aid is spent. Nonetheless, the state legislature passed a budget last month that included the money, and the governor vetoed it. The legislature overrode that veto, and that's where the court comes in today. If the high court rules against Sanford, the money would begin flowing to public schools, law enforcement programs and colleges and universities on July 1. If the court rules in favor of Sanford, education advocates say the state would lose some 3,000 jobs, more than half of which would be classroom teaching positions.
Sanford has claimed that the state legislature overreached its power in its attempt to force him to take the money, thus upsetting the balance of power in the state. But stimulus advocates say that Sanford is simply playing politics at the expense of the educational health of his state. Sanford, who is not running for re-election, may be preparing for a presidential bid, observers speculate. To this end, critics say Sanford has used his opposition to the stimulus package to boost his national profile for a presidential run while South Carolina suffers from the nation's second-highest unemployment rate.
Although several Southern Republican governors have also made their voices heard against the stimulus, South Carolina is the first state where the governor has taken his opposition to the federal aid to state court.
Sanford has said he will not appeal if the court rules against him.
