Haley Oks Borrowing Money for Roads; Anderson to Get $1.7M

Gov. Nikki Haley has signed legislation designed to jump-start improvements to South Carolina's deteriorating roads through borrowing, and some of the money will make its way to Anderson County.

Approximately $1.7 million dollars will go for work on state secondary roads in Anderson County, according to Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns.

Haley reluctantly signed the law Wednesday, calling it a better option than nothing.

She says the law provides a step forward in highway funding and marginal improvements to the Department of Transportation's governance.

The bill allows for $2.2 billion in borrowing over 10 years for infrastructure, funded with $200 million annually in existing fees and vehicle sales taxes.

Opponents of increasing gas taxes, including Haley, insisted on first restructuring the DOT.

The law includes leadership changes, but Haley says they're "little more than window dressing."

It removes her ability to appoint the agency's secretary and keeps a commission she wanted abolished. While it gives her input into the commissioners, legislators will approve them.