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Kentucky Governor Says State Budget 'Won't Be Pretty'

Associated Press

Kentucky's GOP governor says the state's first two-year spending plan crafted by Republicans in state history won't be pretty.

The state legislature is scheduled to convene on Jan. 2. Lawmakers have until April to decide how to spend public money over the next two years, and for the first time in state history Republicans control the governor's office and both chambers of the state legislature.

Gov. Matt Bevin told reporters during his annual year-end news conference the state will have to cut budgets, including areas that have traditionally been exempt from cuts. He did not say what those areas would be.

Bevin blamed Democrats for the budget crisis. Republicans have controlled the state Senate since 2000, but Democrats had a majority in the House of Representatives until this year.