Pressure is mounting on state lawmakers to overcome a stalemate in budget negotiations.
With daylong budget talks yielding no breakthroughs Monday, Senate President Robert Stivers says the window of time for the General Assembly to pass a budget and maintain their ability to override a gubernatorial veto has closed.
At a press conference Tuesday morning, Bevin laid the blame squarely on House Speaker Greg Stumbo, whom he accused of refusing to budge on education cuts Democrats want completely restored.
"There will be tremendous pain inflicted upon the people of Kentucky if the speaker does not sit down and come up with a budget. It is up to him. If the pain is inflicted, it will be because the speaker is unwilling to negotiate in good faith," Bevin told reporters.
The governor argues the 9 percent annual cuts to higher education and some public school programs are necessary to stop the bleeding in the state's woefully underfunded pension system.
But House Democrats did arrive for negotiations with a compromise in hand, one that returns $250 million to the so-called "permanent fund" for pensions while holding firm on education spending. The speaker had few words for the chief executive, who released a video Monday night urging action.
"You know, if he quit doing silly videos and pick up the telephone and call and try to work something out, it might be more productive," Stumbo said briefly before returning to the talks.
Bevin and GOP leadership maintain their doors are open any time, but all parts of the $65 billion spending plan should be on the table.
Today marks the 58th day of the 60-day even-year session. Stivers says the legislature will adjourn as scheduled on April 12th and Bevin is offering no indication he's open to calling a special session.
Update - 3:30 PM
State budget negotiations remain heated in Frankfort as Republicans and Democrats trade counterproposals with little movement on a key sticking point. This afternoon Senate representatives returned with a new offer, reinstating - among other things - dollars cut from public school programs and halving the reductions made to the state's constitutional offices. It would also pour another $273 million into the pension system.
"The Senate has made substantial movement toward the House's proposal at this point. There will still be miscellaneous items that have to be worked out, but we've made substantial movement. So the ball's in their court," Senate Budget Chair Chris McDaniel said.
For now, lawmakers appear to have reached agreement over the amount to place in the governor's recommended permanent fund for pensions. Yet House Democrats see no progress on their top objective, undoing deep cuts to higher education. Talks deadlocked as House Speaker Greg Stumbo quickly dismissed the Senate offer.
"We have met you on your main proposal and what you told us was important yesterday, but you haven't come to the point where you've met us where we are on our main proposal," the Prestonsburg Democrat declared.
McDaniel notes the Senate did allot $19 million to use at the House's discretion, a fraction of the $215 million in recommended cuts to colleges and universities.
Few are holding out hope for a compromise tonight and just two working days remain for the General Assembly to reach a deal that's palatable to both chambers and the governor.
