Haley Asks Lawmakers to Pass a Budget

With only four days left before the end of the fiscal year, Gov. Nikki Haley criticized lawmakers Tuesday for not sending her a budget.

"We are going to push. We're going to push hard," Haley said. "They need to give me a budget."

The House and the Senate are still deadlocked over an income tax break for small business owners.

In a $6.7 billion budget, the House wants $60 million in tax relief, while the Senate proposed $20 million, according to a report on WSAV-TV. The House then suggested a compromise of $40 million in tax relief, but the Senate wouldn't accept it. 

Sen. John Land, D-Manning, criticized the House proposal, saying that it favored the wealthy, according to an Associated Press report.

About 44 percent of the tax cut would benefit businesses bringing in $500,000 a year or more, according to the report. 

Haley criticized Land and the other conference committee members Tuesday for not wanting to give tax relief and for delaying the budget. 

"They don't want to give it. Sen. Land doesn't want to give the tax relief period," Haley said. "This is all distractions. All they're trying to do is talk about big money and small money when the bottom line is you've got four Republicans and two Democrats that don't want to give it at all." 

If lawmakers can't reach an agreement, different versions of a continuing resolution passed by the House and the Senate would keep the state government running under the current budget, according to the report from WSAV-TV. 

Negotiations will continue Tuesday.