SHE WON'T GO!
Steve Beshear called for a special session for the Kentucky General Assembly yesterday, with some extra fun language (PDF):
WHEREAS, I proposed rebalancing the Medicaid budget by transferring $166.5 million from the FY2012 Medicaid budget to FY2011, then capturing savings through expanded managed care programs and other program efficiency measures; and,WHEREAS, this proposal was passed overwhelmingly in a bipartisan vote in the Kentucky House of Representatives during the 2011 Regular Session of the General Assembly; and,
WHEREAS, the proposal I offered was rejected by a partisan vote of the Kentucky Senate, which would instead cut $148.5 million from the non-Medicaid areas of the current budget, with 81 percent of the cuts coming from the priority areas of education, health care and public safety; and,
WHEREAS, the House overwhelmingly in a bipartisan vote rejected the Senate proposal as requiring unnecessary cuts, including specifically cuts to SEEK funding, the basic funding formula for K-12 education; and,
WHEREAS, although 114 of the 138 members of the Kentucky General Assembly rejected the unnecessary cuts proposed by the Senate, the Senate nevertheless refused to recede from its draconian proposal; and,
Kind of puts things in perspective when you point out that it’s Beshear, House Democrats, and the House GOP vs. David Williams and his Senate Republican colleagues on this one. 114 to 24. United House vs. the Draconians!
Beshear and Williams traded some barbs afterward:
“Senator Williams has apparently declared and decided that he has better things to do,” Beshear said of Williams decision to end the legislative session on Wednesday rather than continue negotiating with House members during the planned veto recess.“It is time to hold him accountable,” Beshear said. “It is time to remind him of the job he is elected to do.”
*****
“This is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve seen in my entire life,” Williams said.
“The guy has gone from the sublime to the ridiculous,” Williams said of Beshear, adding that he is “embarrassed for the governor.”
I wonder if Williams is also embarrassed for 100% of the House GOP that unanimously rejected his budget proposal, too?
Anyways, get ready for our gubernatorial race special session Kentucky drama to continue Monday.
THE DAILY YONDER
