Repug Austerity Harming Public Safety in Kentucky

For four and half years, congressional repugs have refused to fund President Obama's requests for stimulus programs that would prevent state government layoffs like these. And Kentuckians keep suffering for it.

Valerie Honeycutt-Spears at the Herald:

Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer confirmed Monday that the agency had laid off 20 troopers as a result of a projected $5.8 million budget shortfall.

Brewer said the troopers laid off Friday were involved in the Trooper R program, which brought veteran troopers out of retirement and back on patrol for up to five years on an annual contract. The troopers who were laid off had signed new contracts July 1, Brewer said.

He said he started the Trooper R program, which state lawmakers approved in 2009, to save the state money. The retired troopers were rehired at a starting salary, and there were no training costs associated with hiring them.

Eight of 16 Kentucky State Police posts were affected by Friday's layoffs. Five troopers were laid off at Hazard, four at London, three at Frankfort, two each at Ashland, Harlan and Elizabethtown and one each at the Bowling Green and Pikeville posts, Brewer said. "In late May or early June, we began to do some forecasting on our budget for fiscal year 2014," which runs July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014, said Brewer.

In late July, state police officials realized there was a projected $5.8 million shortfall for fiscal year 2014. The overall annual budget is $184 million.

"There weren't many options on the table," Brewer said, noting that more than 90 percent of the state police budget consists of salaries and benefits, vehicles and fuel. The layoffs will save $1.25 million, said Brewer.

The Trooper R program had been "a big boost" for Kentucky State Police because of severe manpower shortages, he said. Even before Friday's layoffs, Kentucky State Police suffered from a manpower shortage of about 100 troopers, he said.

Yes, the conservative plan to reduce government to the point that every citizen needs an arsenal of military weapons to protect herself is going swimmingly.