Budget

Beshear Names New State Budget Director

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 17:54:44 +0000

Come January, a new woman will be in charge of the Kentucky budget for the Governor’s Office. Since 2007, Mary Lassiter has been Governor Steve Beshear’s budget director. And in 2009, she took a promotion as Secretary of the Cabinet as well, serving both roles. But Beshear has now hired Jane Driskell, a longtime budget director for state and local government, as his new state budget director.

Tennessee Governor Wraps Up Budget Hearings

Shelly Baskin and The Associated Press — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 13:37:51 +0000

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam wraps up budget hearings for fiscal year 2013-2014 tomorrow. Despite improving state revenues, Haslman has asked state departments to develop plans for a fallback 5 percent spending cut.

The Morning Cram [polite polities edition]

Shelly Baskin — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 14:45:02 +0000

From NPR: For most of us, Election Day marks a welcome end to months of relentless political ads and partisan bickering. But in an age when the rules about when it's OK to express one's political opinion seem to have frayed, what if someone decides the line at the polling station is the place to talk politics?

Tennessee Budget Meetings Start this Week

Shelly Baskin and The Associated Press — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 13:01:53 +0000

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam is starting the annual state budget hearings for the next fiscal year this week in Nashville.

Kentucky Reports Increased Tax Revenue

The Associated Press — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 19:24:06 +0000

Kentucky’s General Fund receipts increased by more than 5 percent in September, thanks in part to a big increase in corporate income tax revenue. Those receipts increased by more than 26 percent. Lottery and individual income tax receipts also rose by more than 8 percent. State Budget Director Mary Lassiter says those increases helped offset losses in property, cigarette, and coal severance tax revenues. She says the coal revenue fell about 19 percent due to a downturn in the state’s mining industry.

Flat Growth in State Budget Causing Some Concerns

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 19:14:23 +0000

State budget officials say they are paying close attention to revenue as the state budget sees a flat growth at the start of the fiscal year.

Budget director Mary Lassiter says in her monthly briefing that August revenues ticked up, helping make up 2 percent of losses in July. But that leaves revenues flat, while forecasters had expected an almost 3 percent growth this year.

Lassiter says while warning alarms aren't going off yet, steady declines in income and sales taxes is giving her office causes for concern.

Health Department Budget

Heidi Couch — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 21:30:47 +0000

Hopkins County school clinics may be the latest casualty in a series of budget cuts to the County Health Department.

Convention Center Corporation Set To Enter Next Fiscal Year with Balanced Budget

Casey Northcutt — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 14:50:00 +0000

The Paducah/McCracken County Convention Center Corporation will enter the next fiscal year with a balanced budget.

Top House leaders face off over budget, pensions

Todd Hatton — Thu, 31 May 2012 14:35:08 +0000

The top Democrat and top Republican in the Illinois House traded jabs yesterday in a heated confrontation over state budget issues.

State Judicial Budget Woes

Drew Adams — Fri, 11 May 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Some of Calloway County’s 12 deputy court clerks are entering data at their desks and filing paperwork in massive filing cabinets while others assist county residents at walk-up windows. The clerks, like many are leery of state budget which cut most state agencies 8.4%.