Legislators Close to Handing Control of ESC to Gov.

(AP) _ South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford isexpected to have control of the state’s unemployment agency by theend of the week. Legislators expect to give final approval to the compromiselegislation on Thursday and send it to Sanford. Under the final deal, Sanford would within about a month appointa new executive director for the troubled Employment SecurityCommission that is renamed and becomes part of his Cabinet as aWorkforce Department. Auditors found the commission didn’t do enough to head off thestate’s jobless benefits trust fund going broke. And they said theagency was inept at handling responsibilities, including accountingfor income tax payments withheld from jobless benefits checks butnot sent to the IRS or state Revenue Department. (Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)