Beshear reacts to education cuts ruling during Lexington stop

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- Kentucky’s attorney general knew he’d be bombarded by questions regarding a judge’s ruling to uphold education cuts made by Governor Matt Bevin, so he stepped aside after a press conference about scams to answer questions.

Wednesday evening, just before newsrooms across Kentucky hit deadlines, they learned a judge in Franklin County upheld the cuts to public colleges and universities Governor Bevin demanded more than a month ago.

The amount totals to more than $18 million and academic institutions depending on state money across Kentucky immediately starting cutting budgets. Attorney General Andy Beshear has fought the cuts since they were announced, calling them an abuse of Bevin’s power and outside of his authority. He says he’ll continue the fight as it goes where he expected, the Kentucky Supreme Court.

“Well, while I respect Judge Wingate, I believe his ruling is inconsistent with numerous Kentucky Supreme Court precedents To the degree that I think it contradicts controlling precedent, then yes, it surprised me but regardless of how the ruling came out at this stage, it was always going to the Kentucky Supreme Court,” says Beshear.

He also addressed students attending colleges and universities feeling the pinch.

“We’ve learned in the past day of over 160 layoffs, actually 560 layoffs between Kentucky Community and Technical Colleges and Northern Kentucky University. We cannot balance the budget, especially through means I don’t think are legal, on the backs of our college students and their families.”

Beshear says he immediately appealed the judge’s ruling but it could be months before it reaches the Supreme Court.