FRANKFORT — The Commonwealth’s two-year budget plan continued to dominate much of the Senate’s attention this week.
This is the most important work of any even-year 60-day legislative session, as well as the most time-consuming. Arriving at a two-year spending plan the Senate, House and governor can all sign off on is never a simple task. But this year — after five years of an ailing economy and the end of the federal stimulus money we used to patch together a balanced budget during the worst recession in memory — it seems even more daunting.
There is some good news. State revenues are finally rebounding from the economic downturn that began in 2007. That is welcome news, yes, but it still only puts us back at pre-recession revenue levels. And, in those intervening years, just as your household expenses have increased, so has the cost of programs and services funded by the state.
We are left with a shortfall of more than $700 million and the stark reality that agencies and programs having already endured 10 rounds of cuts, face even more cuts in the next budget cycle. Most, with the exception of critical areas such as Medicaid, and base funding for public schools, would endure another 8.4 percent cut over the next two years.
We protected education as well as we could. Under the latest version of the plan, our public universities and Education Cabinet were spared the full impact of the 8.4 percent cut. The Senate added provisions to provide relief for school districts impacted by the recent tornadoes, including additional disaster days, and a special process to calculate SEEK funding for 2012-2013. Even with a tight budget, members of the General Assembly feel it is important to help storm-ravaged communities to get back on track.
Legislative and judicial branches of government, not included in the $19.5 billion executive branch budget, will face the full 8.4 percent cut, as well.
More money was eked out in a few essential areas, including social services, in response to frontline workers’ overwhelming caseloads. We also provided additional funding for transitional living for developmentally disabled Kentuckians. Even in the dire situation we are in, we must ensure that our most vulnerable citizens are protected.
While our bleak financial situation squelches any substantial hope that major funding changes will occur in the budget plan, it is important to keep in mind that the details are not yet final. They will not be until a conference committee, comprised of members of both chambers, iron out the differences in the two plans.
We are hopeful the final version of the budget will reflect a responsible level of debt and carry us through the next two years, to a better economy where Kentuckians are back at work and all businesses are thriving.
We also unanimously passed House Bill 390, in an effort to decrease the theft of copper or other valuable metals. The measure forbids cash payments by metal recyclers for items, too often stolen, such as catalytic converters and copper parts from air conditioning units. It requires payment be made by mailed check the day after the purchase.
Under the provisions of the bill, secondary metal recyclers would also have to register with the State and undergo a background check. The bill also establishes misdemeanor and felony crimes relating to the destruction of property for the intent of stealing valuable metals. We hope this will help prevent homeowners, churches, builders, and others from dealing with vandalized and damaged property stripped by thieves of valuable metals — a growing problem that has already plagued many Kentuckians.
We passed House Concurrent Resolution 129 that establishes a task force to study our juvenile code that dates to the mid-1980s. The task force, would comprised of judges, lawyers and other juvenile justice officials, would study issues ranging from status offenders, to the use of community resources, to the feasibility of establishing an age of criminal responsibility. The task force would report to the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary and LRC no later than Jan. 7, 2013.
This session is winding down but there is still time for important measures, such as those addressing substance-abuse issues.
To learn more about the General Assembly visit www.lrc.ky.gov., or call 1-800-633-9650 for a taped message containing information on legislative committee meetings. Information on the status of each bill is available at 1-866-840-2835. To leave a message for me, call the General Assembly’s toll-free Message Line at 1-800-372-7181. You may e-mail me at rj.palmer@lrc.ky.gov.
