Leatherman: Gov. Haley should use 'good common sense' on roads bill

South Carolina Senate President Pro-tempore Hugh K. Leatherman Sr. told a crowd of more than 150 at a campaign event Thursday evening that Gov. Nikki Haley should “use good common sense one time” and sign the House- and Senate-approved roads bill into law.

The plan puts more than $4 billion toward road and bridge repairs over the next ten years and includes comprehensive Department of Transportation reform.

The bill had little opposition in both chambers.

Leatherman took a jab at Haley—who heavily criticized the 36-year incumbent in Florence on Wednesday during an endorsement of one of his primary election opponents –and said the governor should think twice before vetoing a widely supported bill.

“Over the past couple of years I would hope that she’s learned her vetoes don’t carry too much weight in the General Assembly,” Leatherman said. “If she was paying any attention I would think she understands that the General Assembly is not necessarily going to just bow down and do what she wants to do.”

He said even if Haley decides to veto the bill, there will likely be enough votes to override her veto.

“I hope the governor will use her common sense and see fit to not veto that. I think it would be horrible for the state if she did,” Leatherman said. “But with the kind of votes we had in the House and Senate to pass it, I think there’s a good chance that we’ll override it just like we did with her decision on the farm aid bill.”

Leatherman took time to talk about the General Assembly’s progress on roads, flood recovery and farm aid.

He also spoke to the crowd, gathered at Floyd Conference Center on the campus of Carolinas Hospital, about the growth Florence has seen under his leadership. He said colleagues in Columbia had no problem sending unproportioned funds to Columbia, Charleston and Greenville while the Pee Dee went largely ignored.

“For too long Florence County was left out,” he said. “I finally got into a position to do something about that and I have. When that money was going to the rest of the state, I didn’t hear any complaints.”

This story was originally published June 2, 2016 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Leatherman: Gov. Haley should use 'good common sense' on roads bill."