Senate OKs massive budget cut

COLUMBIA --- South Carolina state senators approved $488 million in budget cuts Thursday that carve into health care and college spending plans.

The 60-page bill won key approval in the Senate on a voice vote and agreement for a final OK today that will send the bill to Gov. Mark Sanford. The House approved it Tuesday with a 109-3 vote.

Health care-related programs lose $160 million and universities and technical colleges give up $123 million out of a $7 billion state spending plan that fell short as soon as it took effect in July when state sales tax collections stalled.

The plan mostly spares spending on Medicaid programs for the state's poorest children, but other children did not fare so well. For instance, $21.5 million is cut from the state's Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, including $3.3 million for care of children with autism and $2.3 million to help families cope with spinal cord injuries.

When federal matching funds are included, the programs for people with disabilities will lose more than $60 million, said Lois Park Mole, who handles the agency's dealings with the Legislature.

Some families of children who have autism say they depend on intensive therapy program that will run out of money in July.

Delilah Bonnert, a 38-year-old single mother in Columbia, says it has helped her 10-year-old son, Tristan, make progress and succeed in school. "I don't want society to take care of him," Ms. Bonnert said. "I want him to have a job. It's kind of a slap in the face for the kids, if you ask me."

Chris Landrum, a 29-year-old software engineer in Manning, said his 6-year-old son, Christopher, used to stare at Disney logos for hours, scream at the sound of can openers and barely respond to him.

Mr. Landrum paid for the first year of therapy on his own before getting help from the state, including up to 35 hours a week of individual therapy. Christopher now calls him "dad," counts and goes to school, Mr. Landrum said.

"It's given my son a chance -- a chance to close the developmental gaps," Mr. Landrum said. "It's given him an opportunity to one day have a meaningful career, to have meaningful relationships, to be self sufficient."

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman said the intensive therapy program, only a couple of years old, has enough money on hand to absorb the cut and keep treating current patients.

But Mr. Landrum said hundreds of parents are on a waiting list for slots to open up to care for their children. "You have a large number of children in this state that are not going to see this essential service," he said.

The agency will try to spread the remaining cash it has as far as it can. Because the agency can't turn people out of residential programs, Ms. Mole said, the 80 percent of its clients receiving services at home are the ones most likely to see services reduced or eliminated.

"During a tough year, no cut is easy," Mr. Leatherman, R-Florence, said. "I didn't want to make any cuts." Nonetheless, he warned legislators that more spending might need to be lopped early next year to keep the budget in balance.

While health programs took the largest hit, colleges will lose more than 14 percent of their state funding and more than $10 million aimed at spurring research at Clemson University, the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina. The universities also lose cash for new high-speed data networks. And Clemson gives up $1 million -- half of what the state had put up for an automotive research facility in Greenville with ties to BMW.

Agency leaders are planning how to face reductions, including whether they'll need to cut jobs or send workers home for days or weeks without pay.

In a debate that lasted more than three hours, the Senate voted on just one amendment. It failed with a 37-6 vote. Authors scrapped a handful of other amendments, including a proposal to shorten the legislative session next year and save taxpayers at least $1 million.

The Legislature plans to return Oct. 31 if needed to take up any vetoes Mr. Sanford issues.