By Ben Garbarek - bio | email | Twitter
Posted by Jill Lyman - email
OWENSBORO, KY (WFIE) - Legislators in Kentucky are set to go back to Frankfort Tuesday and face a potential $1.5 billion budget shortfall once they get there.
Local legislators say the commonwealth doesn't have a way to make up for that money.
With high unemployment rates and shrinking revenues, legislators in Kentucky have their work cut out for them trying to balance the state budget.
"I've never observed an economy and a budget as drastic as the one we're fixing to undertake here in the next few months," said Sen. David Boswell.
Local lawmakers say an extra $500 million dollars in stimulus money will help balance the budget in 2011, but the stimulus funds end in 2012.
"All the stimulus money is gone. If the economy is still in a contracting mode, unemployment is up and our state revenues are down, that's when it's going to be really difficult," said Rep. Tommy Thompson.
The governor has vowed not to increase taxes.
"I do not anticipate any new tax increases. With the economy the way it is and unemployment as high as it is, people are just stressed out how much they can pay," said Boswell.
Legislators last year struck down measures to expand video gambling.
"With no taxes and no gaming, the only thing we can continue to do is continue cutting the budget and balance it with the revenue," said Rep. Jim Glenn.
Now areas like education and safety could see more cuts.
"The governor indicated everything is going to be on the table, and he means everything. So we're going to have to look at all the various departments and try to determine what we're going to cut," said Glenn.
Some lawmakers say Kentucky's fate is tied with the rest of the country.
"We're facing basically the same problem most states are, until the national economy turns around our state will not," said Thompson.
Legislators will also consider new measures possibly banning texting while driving, reforming state pension plans and controlling surging prison populations and costs.
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