Kentucky's Capitol
(2010-02-18)
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House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, outlined for reporters some of the major parts of the budget plan. Hearings will now begin on the proposal in the Appropriations and Revenue Committee, with a floor vote on the budget expected in early March.
Photo courtesy Legislative Research Commission (Click image to enlarge)
FRANKFORT, KY (WEKU) - Kentucky House leaders have unveiled the broad outline of a new state spending plan.
(CLICK ARROW ON BAR ABOVE TO HEAR TONY'S REPORT)
The budget proposal depends on a second round of federal stimulus dollars, includes no pay raises, requires no layoffs, but rolls back non-merit positions to 2007 levels. State universities will see two-percent spending cuts in each year of the biennium, says House Speaker Greg Stumbo.
"A lot of people believe that the universities have received quite a bit of money during the last 10 or 12 years," says Stumbo. "I'm not saying that...you know, they can obviously justify their own budgets. They do need some M&O money."
But Stumbo says they won't be getting money for capital projects. House Democrats and Republicans have been briefed on the budget outline, as have Senate leaders. A House floor vote on the budget is expected in early March.
(ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON THE BUDGET PROPOSAL)
Speaker Stumbo says the plan omits funding for university capital projects.
"They do need some M&O money," says Stumbo. "And we are going to try to get them some M&O money for the new buildings that are coming online. You know, that part of the puzzle is probably the one that's most up in the air at this point."
Stumbo says the budget plan was generally well received.
"Obviously, this is just the blueprint," says Stumbo. "This is the starting point. And I think we have a blueprint that we can start the regular budget process or looking at it in more detail and running it through the gauntlet of the regular budget process."
Hearings on the spending plan, which also trims state personal service contracts, now begin in the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee.
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