By Tony McVeigh
Frankfort, KY – In Frankfort, a special session of the Kentucky General Assembly remains on schedule, as a new state budget clears the House on the session's third day. There was lots of grumbling about it being a lousy budget, and many lawmakers said they were holding their noses to vote for it, but in the end, the new two-year spending plan cleared the House 94-4.
Among opponents was Louisville Rep. Jim Wayne, who said the compromise budget was "crafted behind closed doors by a power elite of people who are scared."
"There was no participation by the members of the Appropriations and Revenue Committee at any level. We didn't even have subcommittee reports during the session, or subcommittee meetings to vote on this. So, the process is terrifically flawed. It's really dysfunctional."
The $17 billion biennial spending plan, which cuts most state agency spending by 3.5% the first year, and another one percent the second, and includes language allowing furloughs of state workers if necessary, now moves to the Senate.