Published: March 14, 2008 06:44 pm            

Beshear experiences 'bumps in the road'

Beshear was expected to bump heads with Republican leaders in the Senate but he’s also had problems with Democratic House leadership

Frankfort — Gov. Steve Beshear acknowledges there have been some “bumps in the road” in his first few months in office, including some misunderstandings with lawmakers.

But he expects to work cooperatively with members of both parties and both legislative chambers to pass a budget and “move Kentucky forward.” And he said in an interview this past week that he’s enjoying the job of governor.

The bumps in the road started in the House which is controlled by members of his own party, first over an expanded gambling amendment and then over the budget. As late as Friday, House budget chairman Harry Moberly, D-Richmond, made a floor speech chastising the governor for “fear mongering and whining” about savings the House budget takes from anticipated retirements of thousands of state employees.

Beshear said when he put together his original budget proposal, he told state agencies to prepare not to replace many of those retiring employees and the agencies’ baseline budgets already reflect those savings.

“With the House action, what it would require these agencies to do is to take even further cuts,” Beshear said. “At some point, you are in danger of not being able to deliver services that people expect.”

Moberly disagrees, saying there are units of government where managers supervise as few as three and five employees and the expected retirement of about 5,000 employees represents an “unprecedented opportunity to restructure state government.” He said the budget gives Beshear great flexibility in moving funds among agencies in order to manage that restructuring and streamlining.

Beshear also wants a higher cigarette tax increase than the House proposes and he thinks his idea of using half of that increase to issue bonds which will generate $600 million over the next two years is more responsible than the House alternative of a 25-cent tax and refinancing existing state debt.

Because his plan creates a dedicated revenue stream to pay off the bonds, Beshear said it’s more responsible than pushing out debt into future years as he claims the House plan does. And his higher cigarette tax will discourage people from smoking, he said.

Beshear was expected to bump heads with Republican leaders in the Senate led by President David Williams, R-Burkesville, but he’s also had problems with Democratic House leadership. He said part of the reason is House Democrats spent the last four years opposing a Republican governor and haven’t adjusted to having a “friend here and understanding how to work with a friendly governor.”

On top of that, Beshear said internal differences among House leaders haven’t helped. But he won’t be involved in any leadership struggles, he said.

“The last thing I’m going to do is get involved in their leadership squabbles,” Beshear said. “Because that’s their business. But suffice it to say, I think part of the bumps in the road that we’ve experienced is because of internal tensions in the House leadership. There are times when not everyone is on the same page.”

Beshear said he wants a good relationship with Williams who has complained Beshear doesn’t communicate with the Senate on major issues.

“I’m hopeful (the relationship) will be very good and I want it to be very good,” Beshear said. “Obviously, most of the action so far has been down at the House end. Now that many of these issues have moved to the Senate, I certainly plan on working very closely with the Senate leadership.”

Williams said he met with Beshear early on after Beshear took office but has had little or no communication with the governor since.

“I did see him on one occasion at a UK basketball game,” Williams said.

Beshear said he and the House have cooperated on several major issues such as pension reform and ethics reform and he believes he can work with the Senate on the pension reform plan and how to finance mega-projects such as the bridges over the Ohio River in Jefferson County.

“I look forward to working with them on the budget and ethics reform, too,” he continued. “Will we be successful on all of those? I don’t have any idea, but it’s not going to be because I’m not willing to work with folks.”

During his campaign, Beshear openly talked about taking control of the Senate from Republicans down the road, something which caused Williams to chafe.

Beshear said while he’s a proud Democrat, “People didn’t elect me to come up here and be a Democratic governor. They elected me to be governor. And they elected me to come up here and work with both sides of the aisle and try to get things done.”

”We’re going to disagree at times and when we do, I don’t take it personally,” Beshear said about his working relationship with lawmakers of both parties. “We will work through these kinds of issues and establish a good working relationship, understanding they’re one branch of government and I’m another.”

Beshear said his closest advisers are Cabinet Secretary Larry Hayes, Senior Advisor Tommy Preston, Chief of Staff Jim Cauley and Deputy Chief of Staff Vince Gabbard.

He also listens closely to his cabinet secretaries.

“They all bring a wealth of knowledge to the table,” Beshear said. “I’ve got a lot of trust and confidence in them, so I listen to them.”

So, in light of the “bumps in the road,” is he enjoying his new job?

“Yes. Yes,” he responded, laughing. “I asked for this job and I got it and I’m enjoying it.”

RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. He can be reached at rellis@cnhi.com.



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