If you are a two term Governor then the smart money says you don’t address issues like tax reform until the second term. Maybe, that’s the reason Governor Steve Beshear hasn’t put forward a plan for dealing with Kentucky’s chronic budget problems.
So far the Governor’s preferred method of balancing the budget appears to be on the backs of state employees, ($24 Million), borrowing against the future by restructuring debt ($67 million) and operations cost reductions ($30 million) while hoping that casino gambling becomes legal.
Casino gambling is not going to happen, at least not any time soon.
“House Speaker Greg Stumbo said Wednesday that the legislature is unlikely to tackle any gambling related legislation this session, which begins next week.
Proponents of expanded gambling have pushed the legislature to change the law to allow for video lottery terminals, or VLTs, at the state's race tracks. However, those efforts have been stymied by the Republican-controlled Senate in recent years.”
So the Governor is left with hacking away at the state budget to make ends meet unless he can come up with some other plan. Unfortunately, with David Williams securely in control of the Senate and running for Governor, the chances of any plan put forth by Beshear being adopted are about as good as the proverbial snow ball in hell.
