By Molly Parker
mparker@scbiznews.com
Published June 3, 2009

Gov. Mark Sanford vetoed the S.C. State Ports Authority restructuring bill, arguing it unfairly yanks power from the state’s chief executive.

“At the end of the day, this bill will do little to ensure that the SPA is a well-managed agency and will, in fact, only further entrench our state government in its antiquated structure of control by unelected, unresponsive and unaccountable boards and commissions,” Sanford wrote in his veto message to lawmakers.

The bill prescribes a number of governing changes to the SPA, including establishment of resume requirements for board members, timelines for the sale of land and requirement of a searchable database of expenditures.

But what irks Sanford is language in the bill that would take away a governor’s ability to remove members of the SPA board at will.

“The bill moves our state one step further toward yet an even more imbalanced political system with the General Assembly imposing its will on what has been the decision-making authority of the executive branch,” Sanford wrote.

Lawmakers will meet in Columbia the week of June 16 to consider the bills that Sanford has vetoed. A two-thirds majority in both chambers is required to override the governor.

This particularly legislation, S.351, passed the House and Senate with veto-proof majorities. Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Bonneau, said he expects his colleagues will sign off on the veto override.

“I think that an overwhelming majority of the General Assembly understands just how important our ports authority is for the economic well-being of our state, and that’s reflected in the overwhelming support in the House and Senate for the version of the bill we now have,” said Grooms, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.

Grooms said the ports authority’s major shipping customers, including Maersk Line, have been watching the progress of this bill. He said the removal of the governor’s ability to boot board members at will is an important component to the steamship lines.

“We can’t have a brand-new board every time we have a brand-new governor, particularly in dealing with Maersk and other international shippers,” Grooms said. “They are looking for stability with our ports authority. They are concerned we might take a radically different direction of where we’re headed when we get a new governor.”

Grooms is among a host of Democrats and Republicans who are exploring a run for governor. Sanford’s term expires in 2011.

Reach Molly Parker at 843-849-3144.