Governor Andy Beshear thoroughly examined the differences between his proposed budget and the budget put forth by the House this week. He expressed concern over significant reductions in funding across various sectors, such as state government, natural disaster response, prisoner housing, public safety investments, and public schools.
During his Team Kentucky Update Thursday, Gov. Beshear expressed his concern regarding the proposed budget from the House, highlighting unprecedented restrictions on essential government expenditures. Notably, the budget includes a $50 million limit for response to natural disasters.
click to download audioFurthermore, he pointed out that the House budget includes a “massive reduction” by cutting 95% of funding for state personnel without conducting any prior study or analysis.
click to download audioAccording to Beshear, this includes a $16 million cut for the Department of Corrections, a $17 million cut for Community-Based Services, a $14 million cut affecting the Department of Juvenile Justice, and an $18 million funding cut for Veterans Center Facilities. He said this is a “significant major reduction” when the state has record revenues.
click to download audioHe said the House budget also adds more governmental “paralyzing red tape” than he has seen in his lifetime that will require executive orders to go before the General Assembly.
In addition, Beshear said the House’s proposed budget fails to invest in our public schools in the way we need, with $1 billion less in SEEK funding and $1.5 billion less for the Kentucky Department of Education’s General Fund.
click to download audioGov. Beshear further expressed his concerns about the proposed budget from the House, stating that it would hinder new job growth and infrastructure development. Additionally, he highlighted funding cuts for crucial areas such as healthcare, including Medicaid, as well as community development projects and state parks.
In conclusion, Governor Beshear acknowledged that the proposed budget for the House is preliminary, and he expressed hope that there would be amendments made.
To listen to his budget comparison in its entirety, click on the audio below:
