Saturday, February 13, 2010
KACO And Kentucky League Of Cities Subjects Of Bill
KENTUCKY...
Lawmakers face a revenue shortfall of more than $1 billion for the next two years and they’re waiting for word from legislative leaders on how they plan to deal with it. That has slowed the usual pace of legislation. One measure that is steam rolling however is an effort to clamp down on abuses at the Kentucky Association of Cities and the Kentucky League of Cities, both of which were humiliated last year by state audits which revealed exorbitant salaries, lavish entertainment – including escort services and trips to strip clubs – luxury cars for staff, and conflicts of interest. The Senate has already passed a measure to require more transparency in the quasi-government agencies’ operations and the House Friday unanimously passed House Bill 325, which incorporates nearly all of state Auditor Crit Luallen’s recommendations to improve oversight at the two organizations. A measure of how determined legislators are to get the attention of those who run the organizations is the ease with which Simpson’s bill passed out of the local government committee and the House. Each vote was unanimous, and committee members chastised representatives of the groups who were in the room as they discussed the bill.
Lawmakers face a revenue shortfall of more than $1 billion for the next two years and they’re waiting for word from legislative leaders on how they plan to deal with it. That has slowed the usual pace of legislation. One measure that is steam rolling however is an effort to clamp down on abuses at the Kentucky Association of Cities and the Kentucky League of Cities, both of which were humiliated last year by state audits which revealed exorbitant salaries, lavish entertainment – including escort services and trips to strip clubs – luxury cars for staff, and conflicts of interest. The Senate has already passed a measure to require more transparency in the quasi-government agencies’ operations and the House Friday unanimously passed House Bill 325, which incorporates nearly all of state Auditor Crit Luallen’s recommendations to improve oversight at the two organizations. A measure of how determined legislators are to get the attention of those who run the organizations is the ease with which Simpson’s bill passed out of the local government committee and the House. Each vote was unanimous, and committee members chastised representatives of the groups who were in the room as they discussed the bill.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 4:42 AM 
