The South Carolina House voted Tuesday to override most of Gov. Nikki Haley's vetoes, including $2 million for elderly caregivers.
The House voted 103-6 to keep the money in the budget for programs designed to help seniors live at home independently. It was among $18.5 million the Republican governor struck from the Legislature's $7 billion spending plan for state taxes that takes effect July 1.
Of her 76 vetoes, the House sustained just 15 of them, tallying $1.4 million. Eight of those items designated no money.
The Senate is expected on Wednesday to take up the 61 items the House voted to restore. It takes a two-thirds vote by both the House and Senate to override.
The House voted 79-21 to retain a $1,000 monthly increase for lawmakers' in-district expenses, which would double the stipend that hasn't changed since 1995 to $24,000 yearly. Haley, a former three-term House member, said legislators should ask voters if they deserve a raise.
Rep. Nathan Ballentine, R-Chapin, agreed with the governor.
"Voters talk to me about roads, schools and jobs, not more money for the General Assembly," he said.
But Rep. Jim Merrill, R-Charleston, said that couldn't take effect for at least four years. The Charleston Republican said the Legislature needs to increase pay to attract good candidates. Legislators' base salary is $10,400, also unchanged since 1995. They also receive mileage reimbursements for driving to Columbia and stipends to help cover food and hotel rooms while here. Merrill said that doesn't nearly compensate for the time involved.
"More and more people are saying they simply can't afford to serve in the General Assembly," he said. "People say they want better folks in the House of Representatives and Senate but nobody wants to pay them to come here. We're creating a scenario exactly the opposite of what people who want change are trying to achieve."
Lt. Gov. Glenn McConnell said Tuesday he was stunned Haley vetoed money for the Office on Aging, which the lieutenant governor oversees.
Haley said there's legitimacy in the program, but the agency is growing too fast. Even after her veto, she said, the office gets nearly $13 million next year from the state, compared with $4.5 million four years ago.