Kentucky state agencies resist or drag their feet on Gov. Bevin's budget cut request
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Some state agencies asked by the Bevin administration last month for plans to slash spending by a whopping 17.4 percent have pleaded to be spared, and the legislative and judicial branches of government have not even submitted any cutback plans.
Bevin’s budget office wanted the plans by Sept. 25 as an initial step toward cutting spending by $350 million. But as of Thursday at least $114 million in requested cuts has been answered with either a plea to be spared or no cutback plan at all, according to a review of responses of several state agencies.
State Budget Director John Chilton did not respond to a phone message and email seeking comment, so it is not clear whether the resistance and other issues raised in response to the big cutback request might affect an anticipated administration order to cut spending later this fall.
But the resistance shows that some agencies are saying that such a big cut – on top of a series of budget reductions that began with the Great Recession in 2008 – would make it impossible to carry out legally mandated duties.
Read more: http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2017/10/12/kentucky-state-agencies-resist-drag-their-feet-gov-bevins-budget-cut-request/749233001/