Published: November 21, 2008 10:07 am      

Times are tough all over

State, counties both looking for money

LEXINGTON, Ky. — By Ronnie Ellis

CNHI News Service



LEXINGTON, Ky.



Steve Beshear went to Lexington Wednesday to enlist the support of county officials gathered here for the Kentucky Association of Counties convention. He told them the state faces tough economic times, something they know well.



Perhaps tellingly, the only two applause lines he delivered were about the expectation of the public that lawmakers and the governor put aside political differences and get something done. But none of the county judge/executives or magistrates applauded when he asked them to contact their legislators about the need to come up with more money to fund state services.



They didn’t applaud when he said he didn’t know when the state might be able to help with most counties' biggest problem – the cost of county jails. County officials have their own problems and jails top the list in most counties – but that’s not the only worry they have.



Carter County Judge/Executive Charles Wallace says the jail is his biggest problem, but he’s worried about the entire budget. He said a lot of his constituents work at AK Steel in Ashland which has announced layoffs of 650 workers. He’s not alone.



“We’re not spending anything extra,” said Rowan County Judge/Executive Jim Nickell. “I told the court (Tuesday) that we need to hold pretty tight.” He said so far the bad economy hasn’t hurt tax receipts but part of that is due to the timing of quarterly payroll tax collections. He’s worried about what those receipts will be in April.



Warren County’s Mike Buchanon is watching the debate in Washington about an auto industry rescue. He’s concerned about jobs at the Corvette plant in Bowling Green, but he’s also worried about jobs at car dealerships. He said if GM finds itself in bankruptcy – “even for one day” – some of those dealerships won’t survive.



Buchanon said his south-central area of Kentucky, along the Tennessee state border and bisected by I-65, usually withstands economic slowdowns comparatively well. But maybe not this time.



“Within the last week or so, I can honestly say I am concerned about the world economy and how it affects south-central Kentucky,” Buchanon said.



So it’s understandable local officials want their representatives in Frankfort to do something. But listening to a couple of legislators who stopped by to visit, it wasn’t clear much help is on the way. Sen. Dan Kelly, R-Springfield, said the Republican Senate is “ready to work with the governor and the (Democratic) House.” But that requires both deliver on promises and agreements.



He was talking with Rep. Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, who would like to displace Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green, as Speaker. Asked about prospects for cooperation, Stumbo smiled and said: “We like working with our governors.” And the other side, the Republican Senate? “Well,” said Stumbo, smiling again, “they like working with their governors.”



They each had an idea to help with the state budget. Stumbo wants to place slot machines at race tracks. Kelly wants to get about 4,000 state inmates whose primary offense is substance addiction out of prisons – and jails – and into treatment. He’s right. It’s good policy and it will save the state a lot of money.



But it’ll save state money, some of it at county expense – because a lot of those 4,000 will come from county jails and the per diem of $31.50 the state pays counties for each of them will go with them. That won’t help those counties very much.



Times are tough all over, it seems.



Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort, Ky. He may be contacted by email at rellis@cnhi.com.