S.C. House votes to reduce Comptroller’s salary to $1

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WMBF) - The South Carolina House of Representatives approved an amendment to reduce the Comptroller General’s salary to $1.

It was a rare “tri-partisan” majority vote, Democrats, Republicans and members of the “Freedom Caucus,” with 104 votes for and only seven against cutting Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom’s salary by over $150,000.

In February, Eckstrom announced his office double counted cash sent to colleges and universities for a decade. The error resulted in a $3.5 billion overstatement of the state’s cash balances in annual comprehensive financial reports.

Eckstrom revealed the accounting error to the Senate Finance Committee.

“Due to his $3.5 billion whoopsie, Comptroller General Eckstrom must be held accountable,” State Representative Heather Bauer (D-Richland) said, “In addition to this amendment, I co-signed the bill to impeach him because he has failed to do his job.”

In early March, Representative Gil Gatch (R-Summerville) filed a resolution directing the South Carolina House Judiciary Committee to begin an inquiry into if Eckstrom should be impeached.

Eckstrom was elected in 2002. If he were to be replaced the salary would return to the normal rate for the new Comptroller General.