We are just a few days away from the inauguration of Governor-elect Matt Bevin, and we are excited about what the future holds for Kentucky as we enter this new era of conservative leadership in Frankfort.
But this week’s news has brought a grim reminder of the mess Governor-elect Bevin inherits from Gov. Steve Beshear’s outgoing administration. There is a massive budget shortfall, a pension crisis, and millions in looming Obamacare expenses because of Beshear’s failed administration.
As we look ahead to this next legislative session, consider the problems the Beshear Administration leaves behind for Republicans to solve:
- A budget shortfall of at least $500 million, a figure derived from documents produced by Gov. Beshear’s own budget director (http://www.scribd.com/doc/291858445/Budget-Document-Draft)
- A pension mess created by years of inaction by the Beshear Administration that has left our state’s pension system just 17% funded, which is among the worst in the nation and caused a downgrade in Kentucky’s credit rating (http://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article47814515.html)
- Looming Obamacare expenses, which media reports characterize as Kentucky “facing $575 million in additional Medicaid expenses, which includes $212 million to cover the cost of the Medicaid expansion” under Obamacare. (http://wfpl.org/kentucky-financial-crisis-bevin/)
We are very confident in Governor-elect Bevin, Senate President Robert Stivers, and House Republican Floor Leader Jeff Hoover as they seek to remedy the problems left behind in Frankfort. We are grateful for your support as Republican Party leaders seek to restore financial sanity in our state government, create jobs, and expand educational opportunities for our children.
Thank you, and we hope to see you this week in Frankfort as a new day dawns for Kentucky.
