Friday, April 03, 2009

Guv. Sanford gives in on stimulus; Will seek funds for S.C.

WASHINGTON — Gov. Mark Sanford will comply with a midnight Friday stimulus deadline and become the last governor in the nation to seek millions of dollars in federal economic-recovery funds for his state, aides said late Thursday.

Sanford will continue contesting $700 million in education and law enforcement money for South Carolina, but his 11th-hour move to meet the deadline buys time for schools fearing mass teacher layoffs and draconian cuts.
Sanford's month-long fight over stimulus money placed South Carolina in the national spotlight and put him at loggerheads with President Barack Obama.

"Tomorrow the governor is going to send the (Section) 1607 certification for everything except the stabilization funds," Sanford's spokesman, Joel Sawyer, said Thursday evening. "The governor will apply for that (additional) money if the General Assembly is willing to compromise and pay down some debt with it."
Read on.

From South Carolina Recovery Act website:

On March 12, 2009, Governor Mark Sanford issued an Executive Order creating the Stimulus Oversight, Accountability and Coordination Task Force.

Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom has been named Chairman of the Task Force, which aims to ensure the federal funds are spent as intended and with full transparency and accountability

1 comment:

airJackie said...

Stanford is still trying to fix his budget debt with the Stimulus and he just might be the first Govnenor called out for misuse. When and if that happens the people will look to remove him.