“We have the ability to come together to make this state the best version of itself”, said Gov. Bevin.
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Bevin, who took office last month, grew up in the Granite State.
His spokeswoman, Jessica Ditto, says the governor has been “directly involved in the management of this snow storm”. The governor plans to exempt K-12 public education, programs for military veterans, health insurance for the poor and disabled and drug treatment programs.
Bevin proposed allocating nearly $600 million to the Kentucky Teachers Retirement Systems, which manages the pension plans of 120,000 current and retired teachers, over the next two years.
After Bevin’s speech, Stumbo said the governor’s plan doesn’t identify enough money to help the pension system. The cuts are necessary to address the ailing state pension system, which Bevin said faces $30 billion in unfunded liabilities.
Bevin said Tuesday he would also issue an executive order to cut state spending by 4.5 percent across the board during the current fiscal year, which ends in June.
The Kentucky Arts Council is part of the state Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet and promotes arts statewide through a variety of grants, programs and services.
Rep. Leslie Combs, D-Pikeville, said she hadn’t read Bevin’s Road Fund proposal yet, but she believed the legislature “put together an excellent four-year road plan” in 2014 and she hopes the governor respects it. Continuing former Gov. Steve Beshear’s commitment to widening and extending the Mountain Parkway is very important, Combs said.
The Republican also wants to invest $39 million in education and says he wants to commit 100% of lottery proceeds toward schools.
Other areas with increased dollars in the budget include higher salaries for social workers and state police, a reduction in caseloads for guardians, more public defenders and money for cleaning up backlogs of untested rape kits.
Bevin also proposed phasing in “outcomes-based funding” for state universities over the next few years.
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The Democratic-led state House will vote on it first, followed by the Republican-led Senate if passed.
