After slashing 3% from state funding for higher education soon after taking office, Governor Beshear is now asking for an additional 12% cut in the new budget. And if that happens, it'll be a tragedy.
I understand the tough challenges facing this Commonwealth. But no state that's been ranked as consistently low in education as Kentucky can afford to sink any deeper.
Beshear and his supporters say the cut is part of an overall belt-tightening. But all spending programs aren't being cut in his proposed budget - at least not at the same significant rate. And even if they were, this move assumes all public spending is of equal value.
And that simply isn't so.
Recent successes with programs such as U of L's "Bucks for Brains" have shown what we can accomplish with the proper resources. The Cervical Cancer vaccine we've heard so much about came out of the "Bucks For Brains" program. But an overall 15% cut in one fell swoop - which would cost U of L alone around 25 million dollars - would severely cripple, if not kill, such initiatives.
Starving higher education - even in hard times - is foolish. But improving it is the real key to boosting Kentucky's economic outlook for the long term. And if other priorities have to take a back seat for now, so be it.
What do you think? Call and let us know.
I'm Bill Lamb, and that's my...Point of View.
