Kentucky lawmakers pass budget scaled back due to virus
Associated Press | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 9 months AGO
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky lawmakers gave final approval Wednesday to a slimmed-down, one-year state budget without pay raises or increased education funding — priorities that fell victim to the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The budget sent to Gov. Andy Beshear reflected the grim reality that state tax collections are expected to plummet with many businesses closed in an effort to slow the virus's spread. Layoffs have caused filings for unemployment benefits to skyrocket.
“We have no way to know how far this recession is going to go, how deep it will truly be and what it will mean to the coffers here in Frankfort,” House budget committee Chairman Steven Rudy said.
Summing up the difficulty of crafting a budget amid so much uncertainty, Senate President Robert Stivers said: “We’re taking a shot in the dark.”
Lawmakers traditionally pass a two-year budget. But the uncertainties led them to opt for a one-year budget, which will require them to pass another one-year budget next year.
The new budget maintains the current level of per-pupil funding under SEEK, the state’s main funding formula for K-12 schools. It provides no pay raises for teachers or state workers. It continues most spending at current levels but allows cuts as necessary depending on revenue trends.
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