Traci Simms hadn't given any thought to the state's budget shortfall of $554 million and how it might affect her until we told her it would likely mean state agencies laying off workers. She was in the Lexington DMV office where there were few customers and she waited just a few minutes to be helped. But the DMV might lose 77 employees to the budget cut, and the agency is also considering ending Saturday office hours at the Lexington DMV, along with offices in Greenville, Charleston, Florence, Aiken and Rock Hill.
She remembers how long lines at the DMV were six years ago, and doesn't want to see longer lines now. "You were sitting waiting for hours. It was just people running into each other and no parking no spots out there. And there's been times when I got up and just left and come back 'cause it was just so busy," she says.
The state's budget advisers recently revised their estimate of how much the state would receive in taxes this year, cutting $554 million out of the budget lawmakers passed earlier this year. The legislature will go back to Columbia October 20 to make a 7 percent cut.
Besides the DMV, the state Department of Education says it'll be up to local districts to decide how to make cuts. Spokesman Jim Foster says, "School districts have reserve funds that they use when they have hard times like this. So what you probably will see is districts drawing down those reserve funds during this school year, but then, when it comes time to renew teacher contracts for next year, not filling positions that come open, which will lead inevitably to larger class sizes."
He says districts are already cutting back on things like building maintenance and repairs and student field trips.
The state Department of Health and Human Services says it might have to end a program that helps children who don't have health insurance, as well as end a program that provides medication for AIDS patients.
State colleges and universities are likely to freeze hiring, furlough or lay off workers and possibly raise tuition.
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