LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: March 20, 2006

 

by State Representative Addia Wuchner

With budget in Senate, House still busy with important issues

Greetings from Frankfort, we have eight remaining legislative days left in the 2006 Session.

As you are aware, over a week ago we passed HB 380 (Budget) out of the House and it now rest in the hands of the Senate. By the time this column goes to print we should be in our final days in Frankfort and ready to either concur or not with the Senate version of the Budget. As you read this article, somewhere tucked away in meetings called, "Free Conference Committee", members from the Senate Leadership, Democrats in House Leadership and very few House Republicans will badger for hours dealing and trading projects, revenue and dollars. Most likely they will emerge in the wee hours of morning to bring the rest of the Members the final proposal for a vote. We will have a short time to review and then comes the words from the Speaker, "are you ready to vote?”

I remember this same point in the 2005 Session and wanting to say “No, I am not ready to vote.” I have been here for weeks and now when we get to the crucial moment Mr. Speaker you want me to rush. I would like to go through these documents with a fine tooth comb and see where the funds are coming from and where they are going. Is there anything for Boone Countians, who over the many years have never been given there fair share in return for the tax dollars confiscated from them and sent to Frankfort?

Most likely we will be voting as the hands on the clock in the House Chamber approaches midnight. You know they say, years ago on the last day of session the House would get into late night negotiations and they would simply unplug the House clock as they continued to work out the differences. By law and with modern electronics we are bound to end the 2006 at midnight on day sixty.

As far as the Budget is concerned, it will mostly likely return to the House a different version from the one voted out of the House. I was not pleased with the House version for many reasons: no Gateway, no Ready-Set-Success, no match for Walton Vernona Schools and no Big Bone. While the match for the for Boone County Schools construction nickels was not actually in the budget, a provision prompted by my proposed legislation and efforts made it into the House budget. A group is to be established to study and distribute up to 50 million in bonding dollars that was set aside to address the needs of special categories and especially to address an accelerated growth districts like Boone. The study group will report findings in June so that funds may be allocated. Included in the budget was funding for Boone County road projects, an additional judge for the Circuit Court and deserved salary increases for teachers and state employees. I was troubled with the House budget put forth by the Democrat House Leadership; I found it to be fiscally irresponsible. There were many projects, millions and millions of dollars worth. The rainy day fund had been raided and the major funding mechanism was the state employee healthcare plan, which added up to in excess of $100 million. So how could we vote on such a budget? To get it out of the House and give our colleagues in the Senate time to work on the problems would be challenging.

As I have learned, this is a five part drama. Act I begins with the Governor's proposed budget, ACT II the House version, Act III the Senate, Act IV Free Conference Committee, and the curtain closes with Act V in which Governor will either sign Bills, allowing some to pass into law, or exercises his Executive privilege of VETO. Somehow out of this system of checks and balances, political gaming and horse trading a budget will emerge that meets many of the needs and demands of the Commonwealth and allow us to operate for another two years. Not all wishes will be granted though; some will be left for another day. The needs and demands in the Commonwealth are many! Education must remain a top priority if we are truly committed to our children's future. We must have a keen focus on economic development that encourages business to invest and develop in Kentucky . This is of paramount importance if we are to provide opportunity and well paying jobs for Kentuckians. The State also carries a huge responsibility to individuals entrusted to our protection and assistance. All must be accomplished while keeping the tax burden on Kentuckians low enough so they have more money in their pockets at the end of the week.

I will continue to update you on our progress until we adjourn the Session. In the meantime, I can n be reached at home on the weekends while in Session or through the toll- free message line in Frankfort at 1.800.373.7181.