Airports, Military Museum Among Losers of $10M Budget Cut

FILE

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – South Carolina’s chief accountant says a revenue shortfall has cut $10 million worth of spending from the state’s $7.5 billion budget.

State Comptroller Richard Eckstrom says the surplus for the fiscal year that ended June 30 came in $10.3 million less than the Legislature expected. That means projects toward the bottom of a priority list for one-time spending can’t be funded.

The state’s Aeronautics Commission takes the biggest loss of $7.5 million. Most of that was intended for maintenance and upgrades at the state’s 51 publicly owned airports.

Agency director James Stephens said Wednesday the cut means airports may miss out on federal grants that provide 90 percent of a project’s costs, benefiting competing airports in other states.

Other cuts include $380,000 to the South Carolina National Guard’s museum.