Governor addresses budget decisions
By ERIC WALKER
Editor
Gov. Ernie Fletcher wrapped up a western Kentucky tour late Friday afternoon with a stop at the Murray Ledger & Times. Fletcher had visited editorial boards in Owensboro and Paducah before stopping in Murray to discuss the recent biennial General Assembly budget that included several projects for Calloway County and the Jackson Purchase.
Fletcher recapped the efforts in Frankfort which resulted in numerous new laws including primary seat belt usage and tougher sex offender legislation, as well as educational projects involving technology, full funding of preschool education, improvements in student assessments, and teacher pay increases to equate better with surrounding states.
On the local front, the governor also noted $15 million in funding for the Phase III portion of the science complex at Murray State University. The physics building was a controversial subject when Fletcher made his initial budget proposal in January.
At that time, Fletcher did not have the Phase III building in his budget plan, although the biology building had already been completed and construction was in its beginning stages on the chemistry site.
The initial budget drew almost immediate fire from the community and university, especially MSU Interim President Dr. Kern Alexander, who publically criticized Fletcher and his finance and administration cabinet secretary, Robbie Rudolph, a Murray businessman with strong ties to Murray State.
Despite back-and-forth verbal volleys, Fletcher said he wanted to “overlook egos” and fund the additional science complex through state-issued bonds, thanks to a larger capital budget.
“I also wanted to send a message to Murray that we weren't going to let bad acting and egos get in the way,” he said, adding, “Robbie Rudolph is extremely supportive of Murray State and you won't find a stronger advocate for this part of the state, and I regret any accusations made against him.”
Meanwhile, the budget cleared the path for Murray State to use $13 million in university bonds to replace Richmond College dorm building. Another $13 million to replace Franklin College, as well as $750,000 to renovate the Curris Center T Room, were cut in the governor's vetoes that tallied $370 million.
To read the entire article, pick up a copy of Saturday's Murray Ledger & Times.
Story created Apr 29, 2006 - 02:45:08 EDT.
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