Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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'iChc (Bamecock Saga CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 Carolina’s $5 billion budget. In past years, the legislature had used one-time money, such as the state’s share of the tobacco settlement, to fund recurring expenses, which would return year after year. In addition, the economic slowdown combined with tax cuts and lost revenue from the banning of video poker to lower the estimates of how much the General Assembly would have to spend in 2001-2002 budget. as tne snortraii oecame puDiic, Hodges said he would shield K-12 education from the cuts. All other agencies — including colleges, who get some of their budget from the state — would see their budgets cut 15 percent. Palms and other college presidents went on the offensive, holding press conferences and speaking to reporters at other high profile events, such as the opening ceremony of USC’s bicentennial celebration. They also began lobbying state Republicans. “Simply put, the effects of such budget cuts would be felt by this institution and our state for decades,” Palms wrote in a Jan. 5 letter to Donald Hottel Jr., chief of staff of the House Ways and Means Committee, where the state budget begins its trek through the legislative process. Less than two weeks later, Hodges gave his State of the State address, in which he vowed to protect K-12 education, but remained largely silent about higher education. He also threw his support behind the food tax cut he would later veto. “We must also fulfill the promise of food tax relief,” he declared. “The legislature has temporarily cut the sales tax on food by one penny. I propose we make this food tax relief permanent, with a $25 million food tax credit.” A week later, Palms promised the faculty in a special meeting that the university wouldn’t quietly accept the budget cuts. “To cut the source of enlightenment ... is just not something that we’re going to accept without putting up a good fight,” he said. But Provost Jerry Odom warned against provoking Hodges. “We don’t need to whine, we don’t need to pout, we don’t need to be confrontational with the governor or with the legislature,” he said. The legislature wasn’t much more generous. The House Ways and Means Committee in late February passed a budget slashing USC’s state funding by almost 12 percent. But the lobbying of state colleges and universities was beginning to pay off. Hodges gave indications in late March that he might be open to protecting higher education. Then, on March 22, he released a plan that used money from the clean-up fund from the Barnwell low-level nuclear waste site and additional budget cuts, among other sources, to protect higher education. “We’ve put a plan on the table tat fixes college budgets without raising taxes,” Hodges declared, flanked by college and university presidents, including Palms. USC officials were elated. “It appears the governor has heard and accepted the message that the college and university leaders have made,” university spokesman Russ McKinney said. In remarks on March 26, Hodges agreed. uver tne last lew montns, l ve heard from students and parents, college professors and university presidents,” Hodges said. “They’ve made a compelling case ... that even in a tight budget year, we must do everything we can to fix higher education.” Hodges also vowed to fight any efforts to cut higher education. “As we continue to write this year’s state budget, I will continue my efforts to stand up for higher education in South Carolina,” he said. Higher education’s plight improved in the Senate Finance Committee, which reduced the cuts to 8.7 percent. But in June, after months of debate and a prolonged process that dragged the legislature far beyond its normal session, a bill landed on Governor Hodges’ desk that still cut higher education. It was then that he vetoed the budget cuts, restoring higher education funding and sparking GOP complaints. The Associated Press contributed to this article. Reach the news desk at gamecockudesk® hotmail.com "My Part-time lob at UPS is Really Working Out." ■ ■ — 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ “UPS is paying me almost $10,000 a year to get in the best shape of my life. See, I work part-time loading and unloading packages, about three to five hours a day. After sitting in class all day, it feels good to get some exercise. It’s like doing a couple of hours in a gym- except you get paid to work out. That’s not the only advantage of working at UPS. There are other benefits-like choosing your own work schedule and getting paid holidays and vacations. No other company understands students like UPS. And no other company offers more. They make it easy to work your way through school. If the whole student body - -. worked at UPS, everybody would be in better shape physically and financially.” • I Interested applicants should contact United Parcel Service @ 822-6294. An equal opportunity employer, m/f/h/v