Gov. Beshear Cuts Executive Branch Budget by Nearly $80 Million

FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Governor Andy Beshear is cutting the executive branch’s General Fund budget by nearly $80 million in an effort to address the commonwealth’s budgetary shortfall.

The reduction represents a three percent cut to the executive branch’s enacted budget.

According to the governor, improved economic activity across the state led the Consensus Forecasting Group to revise its earlier projection of Kentucky’s budget shortfall. The estimate was lowered from $305 million to $156 million.

Beshear says both his office and the lieutenant governor’s office will take part in the budget reductions to help manage the shortfall.

However, the governor says other constitutional offices have either declined or have not responded to requests to participate in the reductions.

State leaders continue to monitor revenues as they work to balance the budget moving forward.