Kentucky needs to priortize 2008 resolutions

Kentucky is facing a budgetary shortfall of $289 million, according to newly elected Gov. Steve Beshear.

Words like “dire” and “extreme” are being used to describe the financial situation and cuts at the state level will work their way all the way down to local institutions, like schools and colleges.

All of which will be used by Beshear and his supporters to make his pitch for legalized casino gambling all the more appealing.

Beshear pushed for this pot-o-gold solution to Kentucky’s problems throughout his successful campaign to unseat Republican Ernie Fletcher in November. He claims casinos would generate $500 million a year in additional tax revenue. A claim that deserves some close scrutiny.

The General Assembly is due to reconvene Jan. 8, so you would expect “close scrutiny” would be high up on the agenda.

Well, maybe they will get to it after they finish with some of the more than 200 bills on other subjects that have been pre-filed for the legislative session. Such as:

*Criminalizing consensual sex between teachers and older teens, offered by Rep. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington. A teachers having consensual sex with high school kids already is a firing offense in pretty much any school district.

*Jack Westwood, R-Erlanger, has a bill to require physicians do ultrasounds on pregnant women and then require the women to look at the pictures before they could have an abortion.

*A proposal to allow active-duty soldiers who are at least 18 to be able to legally buy and drink alcohol, being offered by David Floyd, R-Bardstown.

What we need here are a few priorities. How about requiring legislators to figure out ways to adequately fund the state’s schools and colleges, to pay for needed health care and public improvements, and otherwise balance the state’s budget before they do anything else. Only after these basic chores are accomplished should they be allowed to introduce pet bills sex, alcohol and other issues.