Beshear Responds to Williams Challenge

John Stamper at Pol Watchers has more on Senate President David Williams' challenge of Governor Steve Beshear's authority to cut the state budget.

...Before Beshear can alter appropriations made by the General Assembly, he must first apply any available surplus to the problem, according to KRS 48.130(4)(b)...

..."He's executing the same authority that prior governors have executed," said state Budget Director Mary Lassiter.

Beshear maintains that the total shortfall is about $434 million. Most of that amount is caused by higher-than-budgeted spending -- not a revenue shortage.

Lassiter said the budget surplus is no longer sufficient to cover the $117.5 million revenue shortfall because lawmakers and former Gov. Ernie Fletcher authorized spending $138 million from the surplus account...

...Williams stopped short of asking Beshear to reverse his actions. Instead, he said the Senate will "closely monitor" Beshear's cuts over the next few weeks...