South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley answers questions during an interview with FOX Carolina. (File/FOX Carolina)COLUMBIA, SC (AP) -
Several Democratic lawmakers said South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley was reckless with budget vetoes last week that effectively shut down the South Carolina Arts Commission and threw $10 million of pay raises for teachers to local school boards to pay for.
The legislators held a news conference Monday in the sweltering parking lot of the Arts Commission's building to emphasize that the agency was left in limbo when Haley rejected all of its $2.4 million funding for this budget year.
Haley says people, not the government, should choose what art gets money. She also says teacher raises shouldn't have come from one-time money.
Rep. James Smith says the vetoes show Haley makes decisions rashly and runs the state on her own whims, rather than what is best for its citizens.
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