Agencies file plans in line with new budget

COLUMBIA --- School bus drivers and mechanics as well as people engaged in farming and research jobs have the most to lose from budget cut proposals.

In October, legislative budget writers asked agencies how they'd deal with losing 15 percent of their budgets in the fiscal year that begins July 1. By December, sagging state revenues had prompted a 7 percent across-the-board cut, bringing the total spending reductions to $1 billion as tax collections fell short of the $7 billion needed to run government.

The Education Department is set today to talk to the House Ways and Means Committee about its $2.2 billion budget, the largest single chunk of state spending. Education Superintendent Jim Rex will renew calls to allow districts to be flexible in programs and schedules, perhaps running four-day weeks of school, agency spokesman Jim Foster said.

The agency passes more than 90 percent of its spending on to local school districts. That means a 15 percent, or $349 million, budget cut for the Education Department saddles school districts with a $317 million problem.

The department said it would cut about 107 jobs, with 66 of those coming out of school bus maintenance operations at a savings of $3.3 million. But the news is bad in the driver's seat too: The department said it would shave $7.8 million from pay supplements for drivers -- forcing districts to make up the difference. The other 41 cuts would be in jobs that support school district operations.

Meanwhile, teachers would lose $1.2 million from national board certification incentives and schools would lose $5 million from programs that, among other things, buy textbooks and help prevent dropouts.

Clemson University runs agriculture, extension service and other research operations through its public service arm. Those programs would lose $6.7 million from an expected $44.6 million budget. Clemson said that would mean salary reductions and losing up to 70 jobs.

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford will release his spending plan later this week, but isn't offering much in the way of details.