Post by Logan on May 4, 2016 21:37:11 GMT -6
FRANKFORT, Ky. - After hearing more than two hours of arguments Wednesday, Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate said he will rule "as soon as we can" in the case of whether Gov. Matt Bevin has the authority to cut funding to state universities in the current state budget.
One reason Wingate said he wanted to rule soon is that - however he rules - he expects the case to be appealed up to the Kentucky Supreme Court for what would be the controlling decision.
On March 31 Bevin directed his administration's finance and budget officials to reduce the annual funding for the current fiscal year to state universities and community colleges by 4.5 percent. Bevin has said the move and cuts to other executive branch agencies this year are needed to deal with the crisis in funding state pension systems.
Attorney General Andy Beshear filed the suit challenging the university cuts. And on Wednesday, Beshear argued that the separation of powers provision in the Kentucky Constitution gives the "power of the purse" exclusively to the legislative branch. "The Constitution is clear, both in its text and in every Supreme Court case that interprets it, that the legislature and the legislature alone determines how funds shall be spent," he said.
Read more: www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2016/05/04/judge-ruling-bevin-university-cuts-soon/83926560/
One reason Wingate said he wanted to rule soon is that - however he rules - he expects the case to be appealed up to the Kentucky Supreme Court for what would be the controlling decision.
On March 31 Bevin directed his administration's finance and budget officials to reduce the annual funding for the current fiscal year to state universities and community colleges by 4.5 percent. Bevin has said the move and cuts to other executive branch agencies this year are needed to deal with the crisis in funding state pension systems.
Attorney General Andy Beshear filed the suit challenging the university cuts. And on Wednesday, Beshear argued that the separation of powers provision in the Kentucky Constitution gives the "power of the purse" exclusively to the legislative branch. "The Constitution is clear, both in its text and in every Supreme Court case that interprets it, that the legislature and the legislature alone determines how funds shall be spent," he said.
Read more: www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2016/05/04/judge-ruling-bevin-university-cuts-soon/83926560/