Damnit to hell. You try to host a fancy party and get sucked into working because the Governor and everyone else in Frankfort try to bury the bad news on Friday evening. How original.
Here’s Steve Beshear’s complete statement about the projected/alleged $996 Million budget shortfall and the special session he’s calling for June 15th:
“The Consensus Forecasting Group has made clear today the significant budgetary challenge before us. We now face a $996 million shortfall for the General Fund and a $239.1 million shortfall for the Road Fund next budget year, beginning July 1, 2009.
It is the largest budget shortfall in modern Kentucky history. And it represents the third year in a row that projected revenues have not met projected needs in our state – also an unprecedented occurrence. It is our responsibility to address this challenge and do so quickly. Agencies and departments throughout state government that provide vital services need time to adjust their budgets. School districts have to make decisions before the start of another year. Universities and other areas that depend on us need time to plan.
By law, the legislature and I must approve a new budget. So, I will be a calling a special session, starting June 15, to take on that challenge. In the next few days, I will be issuing the official call for the special session and announcing my budget proposal for the General Assembly’s consideration. There will be pain associated with further spending reductions, on top of the nearly $600 million we’ve already cut in the past 18 months. But that’s no different than what families across the Commonwealth also are facing. Our priorities will be holding the line on taxes for working families already struggling to make ends meet; maintaining investments in our school children; preserving commitments to the health care needs of our most vulnerable and the safety of our people.
Now, once again, is the time for us to come together as leaders, regardless of party label, position or branch of government. We must make tough decisions that are fiscally responsible, while being mindful that tough times will not end with this budget. The consensus group’s planning estimate for the next biennium makes clear that we are in the midst of a significant three-year budget challenge. How we handle this coming year’s budget will, in large part, determine what resources we have to deal with future budget challenges.
I’m confident that, as before, we will come together in the best interests of our state and our people.”
Never to be outdone, here’s Greg Stumbo’s statement about the same:
“Today’s forecast should not be a surprise, given the extended downturn in the nation’s economy. The main hope is that economic conditions are beginning to improve and we can now begin the long, slow climb back to prosperity. Fortunately, the federal stimulus money will help cushion the impact of this deficit, though no one should expect the next two years to be easy. Our goal in the House is to continue doing all we can to maintain essential health services and education spending, and we will try to do just that during the special session. As I have said before, now is not the time to raise taxes on Kentucky’s working families; just as they have had to tighten their belts, so will we as a state.”
Don’t even have the energy or desire to bitch and moan about this. Because we all know it’s a flustercuck waiting to happen.
So. You do it. Commence the bitching and moaning.
9 responses so far ↓
1 Thunder Storm // May 29, 2009 at 7:31 pm
What about the $922,000,000 in back state income taxes not collected by Governor Beshears Revenue Dept.
2 anon // May 29, 2009 at 7:38 pm
Nothing should be off the table including collecting the taxes T-storm mentions above – although collecting back-taxes usually costs about 15-20% of the tax collected; a tax increase should be in the works of some sort for somebody.
Richie Farmer gets one day closer to being governor every day the governor gets one day closer to the 2011 election.
3 Mike // May 29, 2009 at 8:13 pm
what would Richie Farmer do ? we have to have jobs before you can raise taxes. we have to have jobs before we buy all the new cars ford going to make.
4 Taylor // May 29, 2009 at 8:57 pm
I know that we’re all stupid enough to vote in Beshear, Fletcher, McConnell, Bunning, etc., but I refuse to believe that we’re dumb enough to vote for the ‘stache for governor. Just. won’t. believe. it.
5 Thunder Storm // May 29, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Mike- WWRFD What would Richie Farmer do? I would say he would not keep hiring the same damn people over and over to work for him like ever Governor has.
Have you ever noticed how every governor (Fletcher bragged about it too!) keeps hiring the same non merits to lead state government as the previous one. And whats the one constant every Governor shares.
NOT A DAMN ONE OF THEM HAS DONE ANYTHING TO IMPROVE OUR STATE! Not One! Kentucky couldn’t even improve during the Clinton years.
There are 4 million people who live in this state but each Governor keeps the same people from one administration to another.
Old stale people lead to old stale ideas. Governors hire people who who are there to just draw a check, not make this state better.
If Governor Beshear wanted to save taxpayers money, he would eliminate half the non merit work force. The merits are hindered by all the non merits lack of wanting to do anything for the betterment of state government.
I’m voting for Richie Farmer or anybody other than Beshear and his stale stable of non merits.
WWRFD – Lets hope we find out!
6 correction // May 29, 2009 at 9:25 pm
sorry to break it to you but Farmer has already hired a bunch of worn out retreads. He has non-merits from previous Dem administrations working for him too…in fact that’s all but about one of them I think…folks from Wilkinson admininistration like the Harper guy from over in Mercer Co., the Roberts kid who is son of a Brown cabinet secretary, a former Dem state rep who maxed out to Baesler against Farmer (he’s now Farmer’s top guy)…and they all maxed out to Beshear. Same old crowd!
7 Thunder Storm // May 29, 2009 at 10:16 pm
I am now depressed. Names Correction, I need names?
8 Joey Wilson // May 30, 2009 at 10:04 am
Eliminating the stupid prevailing wage requirements on public-funded construction projects would save a lot of money in Kentucky. This was done by Patton as political pay to the unions, and all it does is insure that construction workers who would work for $12 an hour make double that on construction projects paid for with our tax dollars.
Fixing this wouldn’t solve the complete budget problems but it could save as much as $150M per year. Of course, I doubt you’ll hear much about that from Stumbo or Beshear in coming weeks.
9 bestmid // May 30, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Should have invited me… I’ve have prevented ALL of this :)
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