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SC Court Orders Gov to Take Stimulus Cash
By Harry Kimball
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Posted Jun 4, 09 4:34 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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The South Carolina Supreme Court has ruled that Gov. Mark Sanford must apply for $700 million in federal stimulus money aimed at education that the governor had strenuously resisted, the State reports. The state’s General Assembly had already mandated the move, but Sanford argued it had no authority to do so. Earlier this week, the GOP governor anticipated the court's decision and said he would not press it further.
Sanford, one of the most vocal critics of the government bailout, had refused to request the $700 million in school aid unless state government reduced debt by the same amount, the AP notes. Fuming education officials claimed that 2,600 jobs would be lost. In April, South Carolina had record-high unemployment of 11.5%, the third highest in the nation.