Johnathan Walker:As South Carolina population booms, governor wants to fix aging bridges with extra budget money

COLUMBIA,Johnathan Walker S.C. (AP) — Rapid population growth is driving the South Carolina governor to suggest more funding for infrastructure projects as the Southern coastal state seeks to keep pace with an influx of newcomers.

Equipped with a state-record $1.6 billion surplus, Republican Gov. Henry McMaster unveiled his budget proposal for the 2024 fiscal year on Friday. State lawmakers have a stronger relationship with the seven-year incumbent than his predecessors, giving some extra weight to McMaster’s recommendations when budget writers begin drafting their spending plan.

South Carolina experienced the highest population growth rate of any state last year, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. The governor’s office said the boom underscores the need to shore up aging bridges and build on job growth.

With more road travelers expected, McMaster wants to use $500 million in surplus funds to fix around 150 to 200 bridges throughout the state.

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The South Carolina Department of Transportation reports that over 1,500 bridges are between 60-70 years old, with more than 470 bridges surpassing 90 years. The governor’s office hopes to prevent scenes like the recent two-day closure of a major interstate highway’s westbound span across the Wateree River.

The governor also proposed putting $50 million toward expanding commercial airports.

The Associated Press left a phone message seeking comment from Republican state Rep. Bruce Bannister, who chairs the powerful Ways and Means Committee that leads the budget process in the South Carolina House.

McMaster’s budget reaffirms his embrace of the electric vehicle industry. State leaders have courted four major manufacturers, highlighted by last year’s announcement that Volkswagen-backed Scout Motors Inc. would build its new $2 billion plant near the state capital of Columbia.

But the governor said the demand for these jobs is outpacing the number of qualified applicants. To ensure that South Carolina workers have the skills to hold those positions, the governor wants $50 million for electric vehicle training in technical colleges.

As local leaders report a growing population of chronically homeless people in Columbia, the governor’s office said its leaders have asked the state to help fund a “compassionate and realistic” pilot program. McMaster suggests allocating $10 million for a one-stop wraparound facility where people could obtain services to combat addictions, receive emergency care and get driver’s licenses.

Like the second-term governor’s previous requests, the budget is heavy on education spending. McMaster suggested using $250 million to boost starting teacher salaries to a minimum of $45,000. Over $13 million would fund 175 new school resource officers. For the fifth straight year, nearly $50 million would freeze in-state public college tuition.

However, negative enrollment headwinds have triggered a call for a study committee that could overhaul higher education in the state. Citing drops in both the birth rate and the percentage of students pursuing higher education, the governor’s office said it’s worth looking into consolidating the state’s public institutions. McMaster proposed $3 million for national and state experts to examine possibilities such as merging the University of South Carolina Sumter with Central Carolina Technical College, or absorbing Winthrop University into the USC system.

Recent national trends in state tax cuts are expected to slow this year as pandemic-era revenue surges recede. The governor proposed $99 million to slash the income tax rate from 6.4% to 6.3%, as required by a 2022 state law.

New tools and personnel could also be coming for law enforcement officials.

More than half-a-million dollars would add three state agents dedicated to combating animal fighting. The crime is a priority for law enforcement authorities. More than 20 people were arrested and more than 300 dogs were rescued in September 2022 raids on South Carolina dogfighting kennels.

The South Carolina Department of Corrections has recently sought to jam cellphones in state detention centers, seeking $34 million to help end their illegal usage behind bars. The governor’s budget includes $23 million to begin establishing technology at major facilities that would allow providers to disable cellphones detected in state prisons and jails.

In a first, McMaster has proposed direct funding for the Anne Frank Center on the University of South Carolina campus. One of four in the world and the only one in North America, the museum aims to fight antisemitism by highlighting the story of Anne Frank, whose world-famous diary details the more than two years that her family spent hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam.

The governor’s staff said McMaster visited with Jewish faculty and students at the Anne Frank Center after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel. He is now suggesting that lawmakers dedicate $1 million to improve operations and bolster security.

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Pollard is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.