News 12 @ 11 o'clock --- February 25, 2009

JOHNSTON, S.C. --- In the small town of Johnston, South Carolina, the self-proclaimed "Peach capital of the world," when the word budget comes to mind it's anything but peachy.

"If we keep cutting, cutting and cutting; a whole lot of us going to get cut out and it could be me.The money being like cut like it is, people just ain't going to be able to make it," said Barry Hill.

Barry Hill is a custodian at Johnston Elementary and says the possible 42-percent budget cut to the town is just too much.

Mayor Willie Campbell tells News 12 just last year town council members gave up their pay to help balance the budget. But with a possible cut of more than $30,000 from a already hurting budget, it's a serious blow to the community.

"When you get to the point you can't pay them, what are you going to do? You got homes, you got bills to pay and so forth,"said Hill.

And just less than eight miles up the road, Trenton is dealing with the same possible cut. Town administrator Al Harvey says if the bill passes the 42-percent cut won't cost his town as much as Johnston. But says their main concern is where will the cuts stop.

"If we keep on cutting, what are we going to do? We just have to continue to do what we can to live. I tell you, it's just a mess."

For now, all Johnston can do is hold on until the state decides the fate of this town's budget.

The possible cuts would not just affect Johnston and Trenton. Edgefield County in it's entirety could take the 42 percent hit.