PROPOSED BUDGETS TAKE AIM AT COUNTY JAILS

County jails would take a hit as would drug enforcement and prevention
under proposed budgets from the Justice Cabinet and judicial branch
submitted to the House Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice, Corrections
and the Judiciary.

It has been estimated the state would have to make a 5.2 percent
across-the-board cut in programs and services in the next fiscal year to
make up for an expected shortfall of $398 million, according to the
Legislative Research Committee. The governor has already said he wants to
keep the state's K-12 system of education off limits to budget cuts. If
that is the case, the rest of the state government would have to accept 9.1
percent budget cuts.

"We certainly don't anticipate or hope these cuts have to be made," said
Rep. Tom McKee of Cynthiana. "But we have to prepare ourselves for the
possibility and take a hard look at some of these things."

"With the way the economy and the revenue stream are, everyone is getting
prepared," said Rep. Mike Denham of Maysville.

Justice Secretary Ishmon Burks has proposed a number of cuts, including
reducing payment to county jails by as much as $1.40 per day which would
place more of the cost burden on county governments.

"That's a real concern of mine," said Denham. "I don't like push-down
budgetary solutions. The county jails have already taken a hit. I hope that
doesn't have to happen."

Denham said he has asked the secretary for county-by-county affects of such
a payment reduction.

The secretary has also proposed the closing of various correctional
facilities in Bell, Fayette, Franklin and/or Marion counties which would
result in early paroles for non-violent felons as high as Class B and
layoffs at those facilities.

"I think they are doing everything they can to keep from releasing any
more," said Denham.

"Nobody, if they had their druthers, wants to see prisoners getting early
release," said Rep. Robin Webb of Grayson. "But people need to be aware
that these are people very close to their release dates anyway and that
they are non-violent offenders."

The elimination of vocational programs for correctional department
employees and layoffs of associated personnel are also proposed.

The reduction of drug enforcement activities and elimination of narcotics
task forces as well as elimination of the state's eight local prevention
councils is also proposed.

"I have a major concern about that because there is evidence that those
things are working," Denham said. "I think it would be a travesty."

The secretary has also proposed leaving about 120 Kentucky State Police
trooper jobs unfilled, consolidation of five regional crime and medical
examiner's laboratories into a central lab, elimination of some child-care
programs through private contractors and delayed construction of juvenile
detention facilities in Fayette and Boyd counties.

In addition, Administrative Office of the Courts Director Cicely Jaracz
Lambert has proposed:

a.. A 10 percent reduction in the number of non-elected AOC personnel,
which would largely be drawn from the ranks of deputy circuit court clerks
and elimination of the 2.7 percent raise for the remaining personnel.

a.. No furniture or equipment purchases including security equipment for 15
new courthouses under construction and no replacement of furniture and
equipment for current courthouses.

a.. In a worst-case scenario, defaulting on bond issues established by
counties to pay for courthouse construction. The AOC reimburses counties
based on the amount of space the AOC uses in those facilities.

Legislators are currently gathering information before resuming the 2003
legislative session on Feb. 4.