Legislators who adopted the compromise spending plan Thursday acknowledged the budget likely satisfies no one, but said it’s the best they could do during an economic slowdown without raising taxes.

“It’s not a mean budget but a lean budget,” said Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler, R-Gaffney.

The plan covers rising medical costs for state employees, so they don’t lose benefits or see premium increases. And it continues to send money collected through fees on property sales to the South Carolina Conservation Bank to preserve open space statewide — a major sticking point between House and Senate members hashing out differences in their plans.

Most agencies were cut between 2.5 percent and 5 percent. Senate Minority Leader John Land was glad the Education Department got more money. Legislators noted it was the only agency to get more.