Where grant money goes

While the state prisons and schools face state funding shortfalls in a tough budget year, a legislative grants program is paying for a variety of festivals and other local projects throughout the state. A detailed list of beneficiaries of the "competitive grants" program shows funding at variance with the state's priority needs.

Lowcountry grants were listed in our recent news report, but a few more from across the state are worth mentioning.

For example, grants were provided for the Great Southeast Balloon Fest in Anderson County; "Christmasville," a four-day holiday village and outdoor walking art tour in Rock Hill; the Round the Fourth Festival in Conway; the Christmas Prelude Festival in Holly Hill; Freedom Weekend Aloft in Simpsonville; the Fall Festival and Professional Rodeo in Swansea; the Pecan Festival in Florence; the Scottish Games in Greenville; the Peach Festival in Lexington; the Neighborhood Festival in Pine Ridge; Bike Town Events in Spartanburg; FestiFall at Walnut Grove Plantation in Roebuck; and the Blues Festival in Rock Hill. Civil War battle re-enactments for Honea Path and Liberty also were supported.

Most of those grants were in the $5,000-$20,000 range, but the four-day balloon festival in Anderson obtained $100,000. Additionally, grants were made to three sporting events: the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach ($50,000), ESPN's 2008 Bassmaster Classic ($20,000) on Lake Hartwell, and the Sanction USA Cycling Professional Championships ($150,000) in Greenville.

Greenville's Bob Jones University Museum and Gallery received $50,000 to help with renovations — work that will "promote economic development and tourism," according to the state's list of projects. The town of Coward received $20,000 to resurface and otherwise refurbish its tennis courts. Also provided was a $28,000 grant for a skate park in Spartanburg. And the Junior League of Greenville obtained $20,000 to repave the parking lot for, and make other improvements to, its Nearly New Shop.

All of the funded programs have merit to their local sponsors. And the grants committee provided support to a variety of local public works projects, including water and sewerage, that are more essential.

But it's hard to defend the general expenditure of $10 million when the state's prisons and schools face what Gov. Mark Sanford says is a $30 million deficit. Amply providing for prisons and schools is an essential responsibility of state government. Providing grants to balloon festivals, and the like, isn't.