COLUMBIA, SC (WSPA) – The South Carolina House voted Monday night to reduce the salary of the state’s Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom to $1.
The House passed an amendment to its budget proposal in the wake of what the bill’s sponsor, Democratic Rep. Heather Bauer of Richland County, called a “$3.5 billion whoopsie.”
Bauer was referring to an accounting error lawmakers learned about last month when Eckstrom told informed senators about a $3.5 billion overstatement of the state’s cash balances.
The number was reported in his office’s annual financial report. According to Eckstrom, it was corrected last fall.
Over the last few weeks, a Senate Finance subcommittee has been investigating the error.
“We’re hearing that it’s a mapping error and a coding error, but clearly the responsibility with this report lies with the state Comptroller General,” Republican Sen. Larry Grooms of Berkeley County said.
The subcommittee finalized recommendations in response to the error Tuesday afternoon. They are expected to be released on Wednesday.
