Post by Logan on Apr 11, 2016 1:26:11 GMT -6
After weeks of intense lobbying against any budget cuts, Kentucky’s college and university presidents joined with House Democrats on Friday to agree to spending reductions if it would end the gridlock over state spending.
But the apparent breakthrough does not appear to have moved state lawmakers any closer to reaching a budget deal, which if not enacted by July 1 would result in a partial shutdown of state government.
Kentucky’s state budget includes $21 billion in state tax dollars. Lawmakers agree on how to spend all but $120 million of that money. Republicans, who control the state Senate, insist they need to take that money from the state’s colleges and universities and use it to help pay down the state’s public pension debt, estimated at more than $30 billion. Democrats, who control the state House of Representatives, have until now refused any cuts to public education.
On Wednesday, college and university presidents had a private meeting with Republican Gov. Matt Bevin and House and Senate leaders at the governor’s mansion. Two days later, nearly all of Kentucky’s college and university presidents signed a letter to Bevin, Republican Senate President Robert Stivers and Democratic House Speaker Greg Stumbo, saying they would agree to cuts of 2 percent this year and 4.5 percent over the next two years.
Read more: www.state-journal.com/2016/04/09/democrats-college-leaders-agree-to-cuts-of-varying-levels/
But the apparent breakthrough does not appear to have moved state lawmakers any closer to reaching a budget deal, which if not enacted by July 1 would result in a partial shutdown of state government.
Kentucky’s state budget includes $21 billion in state tax dollars. Lawmakers agree on how to spend all but $120 million of that money. Republicans, who control the state Senate, insist they need to take that money from the state’s colleges and universities and use it to help pay down the state’s public pension debt, estimated at more than $30 billion. Democrats, who control the state House of Representatives, have until now refused any cuts to public education.
On Wednesday, college and university presidents had a private meeting with Republican Gov. Matt Bevin and House and Senate leaders at the governor’s mansion. Two days later, nearly all of Kentucky’s college and university presidents signed a letter to Bevin, Republican Senate President Robert Stivers and Democratic House Speaker Greg Stumbo, saying they would agree to cuts of 2 percent this year and 4.5 percent over the next two years.
Read more: www.state-journal.com/2016/04/09/democrats-college-leaders-agree-to-cuts-of-varying-levels/