Governor’s veto denies funds to extend recreation trail

Walhalla’s bid to become known as one end of the South Carolina Palmetto Trail hit a snag with the stroke of the pen by Henry McMaster, the governor. Walhalla’s state lawmaker Rep. Bill Whitmire made the announcement in front of city officials who were taking part in today’s Rotary Club meeting. Whitmire said he worked to place $300 thousand into the current state budget, enough to extend the mountains to the sea hiking and biking trail from its current terminus in the vicinity of Stumphouse Tunnel and the Oconee State Park into downtown Walhalla, ending up on the grounds of the Community Depot at Kaufman Square. The lawmaker did not blame the governor. Instead he quoted his budget analyst in the House of Representatives this way: “She seems to think PRT (the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism) went to the governor and asked him to veto that. So when I say PRT, folks, I’m going to have a word of prayer with them on that,” Whitmire told the Rotary Club audience. The Palmetto Trail has been championed by the statewide nonprofit Palmetto Conservation Foundation dedicated to, among other things, promoting active outdoor recreation.