COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- South Carolina legislators have advanced a $5.7 billion budget that would force Gov. Mark Sanford to take $350 million in federal stimulus cash.
The Senate's second reading approval came Tuesday on a voice vote moments after the Republican governor's allies failed to secure support for repaying debt and cutting spending. Their alternative state budget plan called for spending $200 million to repay federal loans and was an effort to get Sanford to request stimulus money that he says must be used to reduce state debt.
The White House twice rejected that idea.
The budget that lawmakers approved puts $185 million of stimulus cash into public schools to help head off teacher layoffs; nearly $100 million for two- and four-year colleges; and the rest mostly for police and prison agencies.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
APNP 04-28-09 1741EDT
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