By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | South Carolina House members will consider something new next week in the state’s $10 billion budget -- a single line item that sets aside $500 million to keep agencies from making midyear cuts that could be brought on by unexpected pandemic expenses.
“That is General Fund money (or money from state taxes) that was set aside as a first line of defense should revenues not continue to remain positive and stable,” said S.C. House Ways and Means Chairman Murrell Smith, R-Sumter.
The state currently has two reserve, or “rainy day,” funds. But rules on those funds restrict spending to balancing the state budget at the end of the fiscal year. In other words, if an agency had a shortfall during the year from something, like say a pandemic, then it would have to make program cuts, lay off workers -- or both.
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