Stumbo: No pay raise likely for state workers and teachers
House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg
By Jack Brammer – jbrammer@herald-leader.com
FRANKFORT — The General Assembly will produce a slim, workable budget for the state that probably will not give raises to teachers or state employees, House Speaker Greg Stumbo said Friday.
“I don’t know of anybody who is getting a raise in this economy,” Stumbo said during his weekly news conference with Senate President David Williams.
Stumbo and Williams stressed that they have “not reached an accord” on the final budget.
“Government employees from top to bottom — whether they are in education or anywhere else — cannot be expected to be completely insulated from the situation that we find ourselves in economically,” Williams said.
Legislators are trying to address an expected $1.5 billion shortfall in the state budget over the next two years.
Both Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, and Williams, R-Burkesville, expressed doubt that the legislature will respond to Gov. Steve Beshear’s letter Thursday to House members, asking them to revisit his proposal to allow video lottery terminals at Kentucky racetracks. The proposed budget assumed $780 million in gaming revenues over the next two years.
Stumbo said the governor has the right to push gambling but that he didn’t read the letter.
Williams, who opposes expanded gambling, said Beshear’s letter was “very confrontational.
“I think that’s what his approach is going to be — trying to alienate the public as far as the legislature is concerned.
“He’s made certain statements to members of the legislature that if he doesn’t get expanded gaming when we leave here he’s going to continue to blame any cuts or efficiencies contained in the budget on the legislature and call us back immediately (for a special session).”
Williams called Beshear “a one-trick pony” for his focus on expanded gambling and said a freshman economics student could have come up with a better budget.
Kerri Richardson, a spokeswoman for Beshear, said the budget debate isn’t about gambling.
“It’s about preserving our core priorities: education, health care for vulnerable citizens and public safety,” she said.
“The governor has offered the only proposal that doesn’t make drastic cuts, raise taxes or rely on more stimulus money we may never get,” she said. “There is still plenty of time for the General Assembly to consider this proposal.”
Stumbo also said Beshear is not fairly characterizing a possible legislative plan to rely on more federal stimulus dollars to balance the budget. The governor called it “a hope and a prayer.”
He said it’s realistic to expect Congress to extend stimulus funding for another six months.
Williams agreed, adding that it “wouldn’t be prudent” to expect more than six additional months of federal dollars.
Stumbo said lawmakers are focusing on how they can best spend the dollars available to them.
He said they are looking at “a whole spectrum of things,” including personal service contracts, the number of employees in state government and agencies’ spending.
Stumbo said there will be no tax changes this year to deal with the budget.
Williams said he does not think Beshear ever will participate in enacting tax reform because of his push for expanded gambling.
Filed Under: David Williams • Greg Stumbo • KY General Assembly • State Budget • State Government • Steve Beshear
About the Author: 
How much do you want to bet that the Legislature still increases their part-time salaries through additional days related to “duties”.
Increase their out-of-state meetings that are either state or “privately” funded by lobbyist.
Authorize more “block 50″ pay during session.
Increase their salaries either this year or next year in an amendment to an obscure bill.
At least they have jobs and great benefits, I am should some people would change places with them.
Here’s the problem, guys, why didn’t we get raises last year, or the year before that, or the year before that?
You’re POOR leadership is why!! This year you happen to have a can’t-argue-with-you economic environment.
What was the EXCUSE when the “economy” was booming? Didn’t see any raises then! Actually saw my insurance costs go up, my benefits go down and my salary stay neutral (which means means a loss due to cost of living increases).
Sounds like more pitiful excuses to me.
And you actually want us to think that this group of clowns can decide a budget? That is the responsibility of the Governor and not YOURS! Stop being politicians and start leading this state.
We are tired of your political speeches and postering!
Williams is always good for a laugh… The governor is a “one trick pony”, like Williams has any ideas? He is a master of using the legislative rules and that is about it. He knows how to STOP bills, how to DELAY bills, how to impose his ideology on others. No real substance just morale legislation.
Apparently you can PUSH through your OWN budget so why not PUSH through your OWN tax reform? Wait, that would mean that you couldn’t just point your fingers and blame someone else.
TAX REFORM is REQUIRED. Do your JOB and make it happen since you haven’t done it yet!! Don’t use the excuse of the economy to delay it.
Stop making idiotic bills that reduce my freedoms and start working to increase my wallet!
The horse guys are going to have go to Thayer and say thank you. Let’s vote.
Everytime I have spent money that I thought was a sure thing, I didn’t get it. Same thing will happen here. Vote them all out for not doing their jobs.
I’m a teacher in Fayette county and I would much rather do without a raise and have my collegues not get laid off than to get 1 or 2 percent and have staffing cut.
I am a state worker. I don’t not mind not getting a raise this year on account of the economy and the knowledge that most employees in the private sector are not getting raises this year either. So, I certainly don’t expect to be “completely insulated from the situation that we find ourselves in economically,” as Williams puts it. I would note, however, that state workers do find themselves conspicuously “completely insulated from the situation that we find ourselves in economically” when the economy is doing well. We do not receive our statutory raises then, nor do we receive raises on pace with our private sector counterparts. If we are not going to be “completely insulated from the situation that we find ourselves in economically,” that should be true in both the lean times and the times of plenty.
Teachers and other state workers are not the only ones with salary stagnation. It is happening in the private sector too. But… if the Governor’s pay, the pay of elected officials, and their benefits were tied to what happens to the rest of us, they would all take pay cuts — and this mess would be fixed real quick.
The unfortunate part of this is that State Employees have not had a 5% raise for the past 7 or 8 years and it’s getting old. We are working harder with reductions in staff, paying more for health insurance as well as groceries and gas, etc. and we are always left out in the budget when it comes to pay raises. I know times are tough, but how many people in the private sector have gone 7 years without a pay raise?
The only way that David Williams is elected each time is that his constituents are far enough away from Frankfort that they don’t hear about most of the crooked stuff he does to the detriment of us all. He has done more to inhibit Kentucky from righting its budget the last five years since I’ve had to be around him than the rest of the house and senate combined. The reality is that the Governor of Kentucky has very little control over the budget and most people don’t realize that. He submits a “proposal” and then the legislature does whatever they want to and people like David Williams are the true reason we are in dier straits right now. It works similarly on the Federal level…make a change, vote anti-incumbent.
Tom,
Actually, many have not had a raise in years. Also, add to it the huge number of people who have been laid off and have no job or lesser pay than they did before. Look at my first post. I was not defending no pay raise for state workers, but advocated tying the Governor’s salary and those of the state legislature to what happens to pay/benefits for everyone else. If that were done, Stumbo takes a pay cut and this mess would get fixed quickly.
No raises? Well color me surprised. No raises for MERIT workers, yet Bershear is STILL making new positions that pay LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY for non-merit employees. Politicians = liars, plain and simple.
I am a state worker and don’t mind not getting a raise, it is paying $469.52 a month for my family’s insurace that is killing me. It goes up every year. When a state worker qualifies for KCHIP, we are in trouble. There are several girls in my office that qualify for public benefits and are state employees.
Something needs to be fixed !!!!
The economy will not support pay increases. Meeting the funding requirements of continuing services and obligations will more than eat up anticipated revenue.
Citizens say they want leadership as do state employees. What about Ernie Fletcher’s first attempt to reign in employee health care costs in his first budget?
Until we get past the emotions of “who” is presenting solutions to the costs of government, health care, retirement, and tax reform our fiscal crisis will not be resolved.
Better make hay while the sun shines ’cause it’s all going to hell.
I am a concerned teacher who can’t understand why we can’t get a decent pay raise, yet they raise our insurance premiums, copays, etc. It bothers me that we work hard and pay taxes, and the people who draw disability checks (some who are not really disabled) get to reap the benefits with raises, free heat, and many other free rides. I realize some of them deserve all the help they get, but I know some who just squeeze the government for all they can get from my tax money. I also think they should have to report what they spend the money on. I know plenty who use their government checks to play bingo instead of buying their children what they need. I’m just saying that the tax payers always get the bad end of the deal and teachers usually get it most.
concerned, Feel your hate coarse through you. It’s those cursed disabled! Yes, they are the cause of it all. How dare they hobble past you, you poor dear. They are probably wasting their treasure troves on extra crutches or eye patches. Who do they think they are? Let your feelings overtake you. It is your destiny. Maybe, we’ll get together, and we can go cut the power to a nursing home or replace a blind guy’s dog with a pig, and we’ll just laugh and laugh at those disabled pigs. I guess what I’m really saying is that your post sounds a little bitter. You might want to pull back a bit there.
Ernie Fletcher OMG he was spending $5 million dollars on a industrial park in graves county when the tire plant just 10 miles south was closing down.. and the field still sits empty.
http://www.e-archives.ky.gov/_govfletcher/records/pressreleases%28dec.03-june04%29/20040519GravesCounty.htm
That’s fine and dandy but STOP RAISING THE COST OF LIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!And begin with KU. They’re electric bills are ridiculous.
Tom, In the private sector, if we think we are not getting paid enough, we quit that job and go find a better one or start our own business…..too many state workers just hang on for those great benefits that last a LIFETIME!!!!!!!!!!
“I don’t know of anybody who is getting a raise in this economy,”
Let me think hard…politicians, Lee Todd and the top CEO’s at our beloved healthcare and wall street firms. But other than that probably nobody you know.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ells_toohey, Do you even read the comments before you post? What’s it your business if the guy just let’s off some steam? He didn’t blame all disabled people he made it clear it was the people who cheat the system. I’m against that too. Are you for people who cheat the system?
Are you the moderator of the boards? Just give your opinion on the story and don’t worry about somebody else’s opinion unless they direct it towards you. Yes, I directed this towards you. Stop trying to be the bully O’ the boards.
Let people speak their mind without you judging them. Just some friendly advice. Take it or leave it.
Geez…O’ Pete’s,
Looks like the three of us were just letting off some steam, huh?
I love that you tell me to stop telling people what to do by telling me what to do.
Interesting.
Yeah, I overreacted to concerned. Probably shouldn’t have.
And, I read every letter of what I write before I post. You may not like it, and that’s ok. I’m glad it influenced you to respond. That was my intention.
beggers should not be choosers. Kentucky should not have so many legislators from rural counties. rural counties are beggers suviving on taxpayers from other area. they cannot support their own schools, courthouses, local government, policy, entitlements, on and on. Ironically, those beggers decide the state past, today, and future.
One thing is fore sure, stevie is a one time governor and the state employees will vote against him and abrahamson, so you hitched your wagon to a loser abrahamson, he has already lost and it has not started yet, VOTE ALL DEMOCRATS OUT.
If it was not for these rural counties with the coal severance money, the state would be in 10 times wors shape, I can’t wait for a Republican to run and beat this one time governor, just wait till they shut down toyota, the state will be broker.
Republican as governor? you are kidding. forgot how incapable and corrupt of Fletcher and his administration?
I wish the “law makers” could follow a teacher around for a week. The endless hours they have to spend doing “paper work” to satisfy the unnecessary laws, reforms, etc. that these law makers have imposed on the public education system. What other occupation requires an employee spend endless hours working at home, after the work day ends, before the work day begins, attending meetings, etc.? If a teacher’s salary was calculated on the hours they work, they would not make minimum wage. We need to “reform” the politicians and make them aware of how their “meager” tax $$$$ are being spent on teacher’s salaries. Begin reforming school systems by eliminating so many small independent systems, in the state. Just think of the millions of tax dollars that could be saved if those systems were “grouped” with the public systems.
Fletcher and his administration incapable, corrupt? That’s funny. Fletcher left the state with at $265 million dollar rainy day fund (that Beshear blew through in the first year when revenues were still up). State workers got raises every year based on a teared system, so the bottom salaries got more than the 5% required by statute and the teachers got the biggest raises they’ve received in the last 10+ years! You call that incapable? Oh, forgot about the so called corrupt part. That must be you reading and believing the Lexington Herald Liberal. The merit system scandal was a bunch of set up BS and everyone knows that. Should have given him another 4 years, maybe we wouldn’t be in this situation. You get what you vote for…Go Stevie!
ok ellsworth…I wish I could control myself and not let you manipulate me but darn’t you’re the puppet master….arrrrgh, I feel for it.
Anyhoo…you’re welcome
I feel terrible for all the state employees and teachers who are not getting raises while living costs go up. Teachers in particular are exempt from overtime and work numerous hours while being paid a flat salary. If you break down the hours worked and the pay received some would barely make minimum wage. What a sad state Kentucky is to treat such a valuble commidity so poorly. Kentucky politicians are by far the worst I have ever seen, hands down. Good luck to all the state employees and teachers, I wish the best for you all.
The Senate already voted the casino amendment 2 weeks ago and not a single Democrat voted for it. All Republicans voted for it; therefore , it needed 23 votes and only got 22.. for a constitutional amendment. The Democrats blew it off and they can tell the state employees why they do not get a raise..
I am a democrat and i will not vote for anybody that in office right now.
John caffee,
I have started a movement, and am gathering steam to not vote for any incumbents, rep or dem. Never! It is the only way to start fresh, minimize graft, corruption, pandering, bribes, etc. The money will eventually corrupt again, but we might have some time to correct things in the mean time. Have the guts to stand for it. Vote against your own party for a new guy come November. We’ll all do it, and we’ll see a change. Term limits are a possibility, if we choose it. Just vote for the non-incumbent. Have the courage!
Evidently “Mister Stumbo and Company” don’t understand that NO increase in pay for state employees, means the affected person actually realizes a DECREASE in their take home buying power!
Try telling the grocer, the landlord, the utility company, the day care center, and others that you will pay them no more for the goods and services you receive this year than you did last year, “because I am a state employee, and they have decided that I don’t even need a cost of living increase”! Good Luck on that one!
A simple ‘across the board’ cost of living increase, reflecting the admitted rate of inflation in America over the past year, would be the only REAL lack of increase for state employees; in other words, that would leave the affected employees ‘just breaking even’ with a year ago. To not offer a COL increase to state employees, at the very least, is to cut employee’s pay! PERIOD!
THEN when additionally you raise the amount of money deducted from paychecks for employee’s contribution to the state insurance plans, (while lowering the benefits of those plans), Kentucky REALLY is cutting the pay of all their state employees, .. . . “big time”.
“Mister Stumbo and Company” need to get in touch with reality! They should also realize that not all “voting decisions” take place in the polling booth, lots of state employees will vote against “Stumbo” and his ilk, by voting “with their feet”! A real brain drain is unfolding in Kentucky, ‘as we speak’, as those with optional opportunity make decisions to leave their state jobs with Kentucky, and seek better pay, and fairer treatment elsewhere.
In the end their departure from the Commonwealth is Kentucky’s loss, all due to the short-sightedness of those making decisions in Frankfort and the legislature!
well said AllFaiths–A real brain drain is unfolding in Kentucky. But it happened long time ago. Kentucky seems not needing brain. The most talented and brightest are leaving poor Kentucky which has little appreciation to skills, knowledges, and talents. And Kentucky is paying big price for short of brain. The new example is state personnel system that failed with tens of millions. No one tells the most importent reason is state doesn’t have qualified professionals to negotiate and manage the project. If you look at major state projects, more or less you would find similar problems.
I have one daughter teaching school in Tx and the other, who works for the AOC has been looking at Tx.. guess my old retired butt needs to start looking for a Realtor
The Insurance Companies are getting raises STUMBO! My individual policy went up 32 percent this year or $900 a year for a $3500 deductible.
No wonder this politicians in Washington do not want to have the same insurance as small business does. They know we get screwed. Not everyone works for a big company, a union or the government.
It is my hope that Congress will have the guts to do away with the Antitrust exemption enjoyed by the Insurance Industry, so this will force competition between in companies. This is why there are 2 sometimes only 3 insurance companies in most states. Its government protection against competition. Every other business in the USA has to follow the Antitrust laws of the USA—-why shouldnt the Insurance Industry?
Lets try this and see if we can save some money in State Government, Introduce this bill folks!
to get a Senator to introduce this bill in the US Senate and a Representative to introduce a similar bill in the US House. These people will become American hero’s..
Thanks,
A Fellow American
***********************************
Congressional Reform Act of 2010
1. Term Limits: 12 years only, one of the possible options below.
A. Two Six year Senate terms
B. Six Two year House terms
C. One Six year Senate term and three Two Year House terms
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
2. No Tenure / No Pension:
A congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security:
All funds in the Congressional retirement fund moves to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, Congress participates with the American people.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, server your term(s), then go home and back to work.
4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan just as all Americans.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
6. Congress looses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
7. Congress must equally abide in all laws they impose on the American people.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
8. All contracts with past and present congressmen are void effective 1/1/11 .
The American people did not make this contract with congressmen, congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
I’ve just started off a blog, the knowledge you give on this site has aided me extremely. Thank you for all your time & work….
Of course, what a great site and informative posts, I will add backlink – bookmark this site? Regards, Reader…