COLUMBIA --- The House's chief budget writer said Thursday he wants to redirect grant and research money to partly patch the state's budget but would otherwise mostly let agencies decide how they'll deal with budget cuts ranging as high as 15 percent.

The House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees will meet today to discuss plans to fill a nearly $500 million hole in the state's $7 billion budget.

But it now appears the Legislature will return Monday to take up a revised spending plan that falls short of Gov. Mark Sanford's call for lawmakers to target specific programs that can get by with less taxpayer money.

Ways and Means chairman Dan Cooper said $10 million can be pulled from the endowed chairs program that is used to stimulate research at Clemson University, the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman said his panel is looking at that pot of cash, too.

Mr. Cooper, R-Piedmont, said $8 million can be removed from a competitive grant program.

The state Medicaid program would get greater flexibility to use $52 million it has in reserves.