SC senators plan to spend more than $1.2 billion in surplus taxes and fees.

None of it will be refunded to taxpayers.

Instead, senators would:

• Spend $4.2 million on its own needs.

• Give another $2.2 million to House leaders.

According to state comptroller general records that’s on top of:

• $23.7 million for the House.

• $5.8 million for the Senate.

The fiscal 2022 state budget under the Senate’s version totals $31.8 billion. That includes state, federal and other funds.

We reported last month that senators want to spend nearly $108 million in earmarks.

This money for lawmakers’ pet projects is passed through state agencies.

In addition, lawmakers would receive $500,000 for unspecified security.

Our review of the Senate’s budget found that $4 million of the $1.27 billion in state surplus would go to the Senate for reapportionment and unspecified operating costs.

The House would receive $2 million for reapportionment.

Reapportionment is the process of redrawing state and congressional district lines based on census population counts.

It is a convoluted process aimed at protecting incumbents.

The 2020 US Census shows that South Carolina’s population grew by 10.7% since 2010 to 5,118,425.

That increase wasn’t enough to gain another US House seat as was done after the 2010 Census.

The House last year proposed adding $1 million each to the 124-member House and 46-member Senate chamber budgets to cover reapportionment costs.

Those amounts could double for each chamber under the Senate’s 2022 state budget.

We sent written requests to Senate clerk Jeff Gossett and House clerk Charles Reid for details on the proposed additional millions in spending.

Neither responded.

State agencies are required by law to submit spending plans to the governor by Nov. 1.

Lawmakers often ignore the law about their own spending plans.

Lawmakers also ignore another law requiring that the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees hold joint public hearings on the governor’s proposed state budget.

A bill to repeal that law passed the House in March. The Senate last Tuesday gave it final approval.

In addition, the House and Senate are exempt from reporting the salaries of their staffs making at least $50,000.

Last November we reported that 15 Senate staffers, including Gossett, received pay hikes of up to nearly 34%.

Gossett, the Senate’s toppaid staffer, made $225,000, an increase of 7%.

Reid, the House’s topearning employee, made $212,250.

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