From Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeighKentucky Gov. Steve Beshear says all options are on the table, including layoffs and furloughs, to balance the state budget.Talking to reporters about his first two years in office, Gov. Beshear says the state has made substantial progress despite the tough economy. His administration has already overseen $800 million in spending cuts and more are on the way. But Beshear hopes furloughs and layoffs won’t be necessary.“Certainly I hope we don’t have layoffs, but that’s an issue that is too speculative right now to really address one way or the other.”Beshear says he will continue to push for video slots at horse tracks because a constitutional amendment on expanded gambling, even if it passed, would take too long to implement. He says the state’s horse industry is in crisis and needs immediate help.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.
