Wednesday, May 26, 2010
House Passes State Budget
KENTUCKY....
The House voted 94-4 Wednesday to pass a two-year $17.1 billion budget which includes cuts to most state agencies, limited borrowing, but no cuts for the state's main funding formula for schools although it does require school districts to pay for one school day. The House deleted the measure to provide some state funding for the replacement of Category Five school buildings because there was not enough money to replace all the Category Five schools in the state. There are cuts to education programs such as family resource centers, gifted and talented programs, adult education and programs for the deaf and the blind. Representative Joni Jenkins, D-Shively, one of four who voted against the budget bill, said she could not support the measure because about $100,000 in coal severance money was going to a private Christian school in Breathitt County although a recent state Supreme Court opinion said the state could not give money to private religious institutions. House Budget Chairman Rick Rand, D-Bedford, said the $100,000 appropriation will be taken out of the budget by the Senate and it was an oversight that it was not taken out before Wednesday.
The House voted 94-4 Wednesday to pass a two-year $17.1 billion budget which includes cuts to most state agencies, limited borrowing, but no cuts for the state's main funding formula for schools although it does require school districts to pay for one school day. The House deleted the measure to provide some state funding for the replacement of Category Five school buildings because there was not enough money to replace all the Category Five schools in the state. There are cuts to education programs such as family resource centers, gifted and talented programs, adult education and programs for the deaf and the blind. Representative Joni Jenkins, D-Shively, one of four who voted against the budget bill, said she could not support the measure because about $100,000 in coal severance money was going to a private Christian school in Breathitt County although a recent state Supreme Court opinion said the state could not give money to private religious institutions. House Budget Chairman Rick Rand, D-Bedford, said the $100,000 appropriation will be taken out of the budget by the Senate and it was an oversight that it was not taken out before Wednesday.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 6:45 PM 
