Legislative Good Will = Wrecking the Commonwealth
There has been way too much written implying that this session of the General Assembly was the happiest session ever.
Page One Kentucky posts a ridiculous joint statement from Speaker Greg Stumbo and Senate President David Williams:
On Friday, Governor Steve Beshear, Greg Stumbo and David Williams released a joint statement:
"We have conferred throughout the day today about the remaining issues confronting this session, determined to end this process as we began it - with a spirit of cooperation and resolve to move forward.
...
This session began with a commitment to work together to address the significant issues confronting the commonwealth. Today, we are continuing to honor that commitment and move forward in a way that will create jobs and economic opportunities for more Kentuckians."
So everything must be all puppies and rainbows, right? Even Reginald Meeks is acting like everything is a-okay. We raised taxes on several occasions and instead of working together, both sides of the aisle sold out for personal gain. It's all good, right?
We've saved our budget and our economy and the state retirement system!
Oh, wait. We haven't done anything of the sort.
That's too right.
So far, they've created four new taxes (HB 236, HB 347, HB 144, HB 374). They've spent $400 million of a $214 million "rainy day" fund to avoid cutting spending. They've put off funding the retirement system (HB 117), and borrowed an additional $50 million out of it (HB 143). They've created such a hole, that they're taking about coming back to raise more taxes.
This could be the worst session in the recent history of the commonwealth, and it's time to stand up and say something about it.
