Haley asks SC agencies why they don’t use all their money

S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley has told all state agencies to begin giving an explanation if they have money left in their budgets at the end of the year.

Haley issued an executive order with the requirement Monday.

When passing this year’s budget, the Legislature asked agencies to provide a report of all fines and fees they collect as part of their budget and how that money is spent. The money is called the “other funds” budget.

Other funds, which include college tuition payments and a host of fees, have grown to $10.4 billion a year, eclipsing the state’s annual general fund budget of $7.6 billion, made up of sales tax, and state and business income tax revenues, Haley said.

State agencies had more than $2 billion from other funds unspent at the end of each of the last four fiscal years, Haley added.

Haley says her order builds on that requirement and on her request last month that agencies report on programs that would reduce or eliminate if their budgets were cut by 3 percent.

The governor says she wants to help agencies with long-term planning the next time the economy slows.