South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is chastising legislators for not sending her a budget yet, a day after her spokesman said it's unacceptable for the Legislature not to pass a budget within their six-month regular session, which ended June 7.
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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is chastising legislators for not sending her a budget yet.
Haley has scheduled a news conference for Tuesday morning, a day after her spokesman said it's unacceptable for the Legislature not to pass a budget within their six-month regular session, which ended June 7. The fiscal year starts Sunday.
The House and Senate are at an impasse over an income tax break for small business owners. Negotiations broke down Monday over the amount and method of distribution. In a $6.7 billion spending plan, the stalemate is over $22.5 million.
When the committee adjourned late Friday, the stalemate was over a $40 million difference in the chambers' $6.7 billion spending plans. The House wanted a $60 million immediate cut. The Senate wanted to phase it in over three years.
The House offered Monday to split the difference, giving $40 million immediately and phasing in the rest.
But the Senate rejected that, saying the relief needs to be targeted to small business owners reporting lower profits. House members accuse senators of introducing a new idea late in the process.
Meetings resume Tuesday.
If the Legislature manages to pass a spending plan Tuesday, the fiscal year could still start without a budget in place. The law allows the governor five days, excluding Sunday, to issue vetoes.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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