SC lawmakers are considering spending $1.1 billion more than they did before the pandemic.

That’s a 3.7%, increase, not including billions more in federal covid relief money, much of it for public schools.

The House Ways and Means Committee has approved spending $31.1 billion in tax money, including $9.8 billion in state funds, $9.1 billion in federal funds, and $12.1 billion in “other” funds.

Other funds include fees and fines, state gas taxes, college tuition, lottery proceeds and a sales taxes for K-12 education.

Two Lexington County delegation members, Chip Huggins and Nathan Ballentine, serve on that committee.

More than half of the money comes from a $623 million or 6.7% increase in state funds.

But it doesn’t include South Carolina’s share of about $350 billion in federal funds for state and local governments in the $1.9 trillion covid-relief President Joe Biden signed into law.

South Carolina’s estimated share is $3.869 billion to be split among state, county and local governments.

Another $3.05 billion in federal covid-relief money was approved for K-12 schools.

At least 20% must be used for “learning loss” as a result of school lockdowns.

Remaining money can be used to improve indoor air quality and repair buildings to “reduce risk of spreading the virus.”

In January, we found lawmakers awarded money to non-profit organizations whose primary missions don’t help South Carolinians get food, pay utility bills, receive medical services or aid domestic violence and child abuse victims.

These financial windfalls show why supporters of a longstanding state spending law contend lawmakers shouldn’t ignore the law as they routinely have done for years.

The law requires that the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees hold public hearings on the governor’s spending proposals to help public understanding.

The process is now divided among multiple subcommittee hearings. This gives citizens little opportunity to understand the whole plan.

Brundrett is the news editor of The Nerve (www.thenerve.org). Contact him at 803-254-4411 or rick@thenerve.org .