Thursday, April 24, 2008

Beshear Warns Education Group of Future School Funding Cuts unless Revenue is Raised

This from Pat Crowley at the Enquirer:

Beshear asks for help
ERLANGER - Unable to get his plans to raise revenue through the General Assembly, Gov. Steve Beshear is now looking outside of Frankfort for help.

During a speech Wednesday to the Boone County Education Foundation in Erlanger, Beshear asked members to help convince legislators to pump more money into the state budget.

"I need you to communicate with legislative leaders and the public at large the impact of this budget, a budget full of disappointing numbers," Beshear said. "Let them know there are viable opportunities for additional revenue."

To add revenue, Beshear proposed two measures: putting casino gambling on the ballot and raising cigarette taxes. Both were rebuffed by lawmakers.

Beshear said the state faces more cuts, including in education, if money can't be raised in the future.

"You in the trenches, in our schools, know what I'm talking about," Beshear said. "But many of our elected leaders appear to be unaware of, or unmoved, by these inadequacies." ...

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