South Carolina Governor: I Won't Use Stimulus To Stimulate

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford wants to use $700 million in federal stimulus money to pay off state debt, not increase spending on programs or services.

Sanford has long railed against federal bailouts, and on Tuesday sent lawmakers a letter saying he wants to use the money to pay off some of the state's $20 billion in unfunded liabilities. While he doesn't specify in the letter, the governor has used that figure when referencing what is owed the state retirement system.

Sanford did not control most of the $2.8 billion in federal money for South Carolina - and $1 billion is being considered by lawmakers for the state budget being crafted this week.

The governor in his letter warns that using stimulus cash for the state budget is reckless.

Comments

[timafi]

04:58 PM on 03/12/2009

he shouldn't get a red cent if he's not gonna use it to stimulate SC

[ljc]

06:18 PM on 03/11/2009

Sanford needs to go. Today it was reported that their are four states with over 10% unemployment. South Carolina is one of them. This guy didn't want the unemployment part of the money and now he wants to use 700 million to pay down his debt? For your own servival, South Carolina, get rid of him.

[StL]

04:25 PM on 03/11/2009

For people to comment on this without having read that it wipes out Clinton's welfare reform is naive. If this would involve raising my taxes in 2 years to cover what the stimulus has put in place is NOT a FAIR trade. The little that is put in the pocket now will not cover what comes out later when the state has to tax me more .

[DrBillo1]

03:57 PM on 03/11/2009

Typical southern blockhead thinking of his future and not of the people of his state---

[nansei]

03:25 PM on 03/11/2009

You have to grow up the South to unnerstand it. I was razed in Georgia. The electoral system thar was declared Unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the U.S.A. only within the last 50 years.

The Southern Politician keeps people from votin'. Keeps people from readin' and writin'. No health care. No Retirement. Feed em up on Donuts. Sugar Shock em every few hours. One Hospital every 50 miles.

Now your ready to govern y'all. All the yankees got educated workers, but those workers are unionized They grow in crowed conditions, they never seen a house with land and trees. Taxes are astronomical. So you import those yankees to down South!. Land is every. Taxes are low. Houses are big. Schools are new. Unions are outlawed. And all those poor people are somewheres else, sugar shocked, and on the other side of town where the yankees don't have see em unless they make a special trip.

That's what all these Republican Governors and Senators and Congressman have done. They are bad, ugly men. Reminds me of Huey Long, very popular, then come to a bad, ugly end. What else is new? I don't have no magic formula to fix the South. It has a long long history of Strange Fruit. Just ask Billie Holiday and Martin Luther King.

[blkcat x lady]

05:59 PM on 03/12/2009

"Keeps people from readin' and writin'! LOL I agree with everythin' you writed, ceptin' you forgetted rithmic! lol Gotta know how to counted the pigs and cows! I grew up in Texas so I can relate to what you've said. I've not read it yet but, I believe Perry is going to do the same dang thing. My nephew lost his job on Dec. 1 and I've been providing for him since he's not been able to find another job. He was working 10-12 hour days and still I had to supplement his check as he just wasn't making squat. Rent, food, clothing, auto insurance, phone (that he has to have to find out about possible work). He was turned down for emergency food stamps and unemployment. I just think of how much we put into the system thinking that it will be there for us when we need it, HA~! Know what else? We who can maintain our sense of humor in this day and time will make it...those without will probably make it as well but, not be very happy about their change in circumstance. I'm just happy that my retirement allows me to be there for my nephew.

[Niijii]

02:52 PM on 03/11/2009

Read Ron Paul exerpts regarding the dumping of worthless fiat dollars into the economy. All this will do is accelerate and extened the problem. We don't need more Fed dollars from an already crippled, bankrupt government that is in bed with the banks. By taking these dollars, we as a REPUBLIC get short term satisfaction and long term slavery. By suckling up to the Money Bottle now, you will have to pay in loss of freedom later, as the federal government, along with the banks will OWN you.

My congrats to a governor with long-term vision, even if he is a republican...

[nirek]

02:36 PM on 03/11/2009

If they will not use the stimulus money for the expressed purpose , they should not get the money ! Vermont could use that money and stimulate a lot of jobs.

[Blufftonian]

02:34 PM on 03/11/2009

Way to go Gov. Sanford. We love you in Bluffton!

[javaJimmy]

02:16 PM on 03/11/2009

Is that what Rush told you to say when you were groveling to him a few weeks back?

LONG LIVE CHAIRMAIN LIMBAUGH!

[babyboomerorig]

02:11 PM on 03/11/2009

Hey Stanford....SC is over 10% unemployment........where are your priorities????

Sorry...forgot....you're a Republican so you don't care about how your people suffer.

[babyboomerorig]

02:16 PM on 03/11/2009

Sorry,.,...no "t" in Sanford.

[traveler501]

02:50 PM on 03/11/2009

It seems like whenever someone nitpicks a typo, they make a couple themselves. In your case, punctuation (or whatever that odd collection of commas and periods is). Dr. Freud?

[greenberetcpt]

02:02 PM on 03/11/2009

South Carolina needs to impeach the govenor now. He is not concerned about the citizens of South Carolina. Wonder about his history of membership in organizations that do not admit blacks.

[workingboy]

01:59 PM on 03/11/2009

Mark Sanford and Rudy Giuliani have the same birthday: May 28.

[McleanMe]

01:34 PM on 03/11/2009

Good we can use the money in Michigan.

[4real]

01:01 PM on 03/11/2009

SC is one of four states with 10% unemployment rates. This guy is a lewser.

[nomobull]

12:59 PM on 03/11/2009

i didn't vote for this jerk and don't personally know anyone who did. but i doubt seriously if he could win if he ran now.

[Blufftonian]

02:33 PM on 03/11/2009

I did, and after reading this I will again.