Sanford working to prevent loss of child-care vouchers for some moms

COLUMBIA — Gov. Mark Sanford's staff is working to prevent the loss of child-care vouchers provided by the Department of Social Services for mothers in shelters and foster parents.

"We're in the process of working with DSS to come up with a solution that prevents these children from being affected by a cut," Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer said.

Rep. Tracy Edge, who handles the budget for DSS, said he didn't find out until Wednesday that the voucher program would be cut by nearly 900 slots. The Myrtle Beach Republican said he knew only that the agency wanted $6 million less than it had originally sought in new state spending. The state budget passed later that day before any changes could be made.

About half of the $6 million came out of a program that now provides nearly 22,000 child-care vouchers for women on welfare programs and parents living below the poverty level, including foster parents and women living in shelters who earn less than 65 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $930 monthly for a family of three.

"They really have nothing. They have no other help and they're basically hiding from someone that they're afraid of," said state Sen. Linda Short, who praised Sanford's efforts to expand the program last year.

Last year, budget writers expanded the program by adding 1,600 vouchers at a cost $5.2 million. With the House done with the budget, it will be up to the Senate to decide what to do.

"We'll look very closely at that. If we feel the need's there, and I bet it probably will be, then without question we'll be working to restore that," said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman.

DSS is part of Sanford's Cabinet and the cuts were driven by his fiscal philosophy. Last year the Republican governor wanted the program expanded. This year he wanted it cut because legislators had not paid for the expansion with a steady source of revenue in the face of a weak economy, Sawyer said.

"As we've said, we believe there's a real value to this program, which is why this administration originally proposed expanding it. If our recommendation to use recurring money had been followed, this wouldn't be an issue today," Sawyer said.

Leatherman has disagreed with the governor's spending philosophy for years.

"To me, this is picking on the people who can least afford to be picked on, and I don't understand anyone's philosophy who would do things that are detrimental to those kind of people who need so much help," Leatherman said.

During the Senate's budget hearings, DSS openly discussed the voucher cuts, Short said.