Daivd Williams balancing budget issues on the backs of KY kids........

Not sure how much longer our childern can stand cuts in education. One minute we say they are our future, the next minute we take way oppurtunity for learning......

Nothing worse that having the arrogant David Williams leading the charge. He and Richie will be great for the state of KY.

FRANKFORT — Ignoring the protests of some Kentucky educators, the Senate passed a measure late Wednesday that would cut spending across state government to shore up the state's Medicaid budget.

The state Senate voted 24-12 to approve its own version of House Bill 305 after a more than hour-long debate. The move sets the stage for a high-stakes standoff between the Republican-led Senate and the Democratic-led House during the waning days of the legislative session.

The Senate version of the bill includes a 0.525 percent spending cut in the first year and 2.26 percent cuts in the second year of the budget, which begins July 1. Postsecondary and K-12 education would not be cut in the first year but would face reductions in the second year. That cut would be about 1.3 percent for K-12 education.

Meanwhile millions are lost at Casino's in WV, TN, IN and soon to be OH. The funny thing is that a bill is going through to legalize fireworks in KY because people are going to TN and IN to buy them and KY is losing out on the tax money. That logic baffles me.

Don't know all the ins and outs but if he's shoring up medicaid he is supporting kids. So, he's cutting money to help kids in one area in order to continue to support them in another area.

Don't know all the ins and outs but if he's shoring up medicaid he is supporting kids. So, he's cutting money to help kids in one area in order to continue to support them in another area.

Understand your point. But if we don't teach them they will need govt. assistance their entire life.

Give you some inside on Education.

Kentucky current leads the nation with the New Education Standards that was past last session. With the continued cuts in education the new standards work will come to a stand still. There for our kids will continue to fall behind. Our kids will never be able to compete global market because our leaders can't see past the end of their nose.

Seems like a fair amount.... Lots of waste in the educational system.. Cut backs can take place without harming the kids.

Meanwhile millions are lost at Casino's in WV, TN, IN and soon to be OH. The funny thing is that a bill is going through to legalize fireworks in KY because people are going to TN and IN to buy them and KY is losing out on the tax money. That logic baffles me.

It is too bad that many politicians deny Kentucky's rich gambling history. This especially true in the Newport area. I am sure the current people of Newport do not want to go back to the late 40s and early 50s (or maybe they do). But it is not like Kentucky never had a casino in it.

Meanwhile millions are lost at Casino's in WV, TN, IN and soon to be OH. The funny thing is that a bill is going through to legalize fireworks in KY because people are going to TN and IN to buy them and KY is losing out on the tax money. That logic baffles me.

I think we have missed the boat on this issue. All because of one man you gets 1200 votes each time to be elected Mr. David Williams. He has more power than anyone in the state. He is able to block any bill and forces everyone into back door deals to get their bill passed. The sad part about him I truly think he hurt Gov. Fletcher more than any other Govenor and they are from the same party.

I think we have missed the boat on this issue. All because of one man you gets 1200 votes each time to be elected Mr. David Williams. He has more power than anyone in the state. He is able to block any bill and forces everyone into back door deals to get their bill passed. The sad part about him I truly think he hurt Gov. Fletcher more than any other Govenor and they are from the same party.

I agree with you on Williams. Hopefully someone else who is a viable candidate in the Republican party steps up and runs against him.

I don't follow state politics very closely, but I have never heard anyone saying anything good about David Williams. Surely he has to have some positive aspects that allow him to be re-elected year after year, and in a position of power in the Senate? Can anyone enlighten me?

I don't follow state politics very closely, but I have never heard anyone saying anything good about David Williams. Surely he has to have some positive aspects that allow him to be re-elected year after year, and in a position of power in the Senate? Can anyone enlighten me?

Wondered that myself more than a few times.

I don't follow state politics very closely, but I have never heard anyone saying anything good about David Williams. Surely he has to have some positive aspects that allow him to be re-elected year after year, and in a position of power in the Senate? Can anyone enlighten me?

Seems like a fair amount.... Lots of waste in the educational system.. Cut backs can take place without harming the kids.

I don't follow state politics very closely, but I have never heard anyone saying anything good about David Williams. Surely he has to have some positive aspects that allow him to be re-elected year after year, and in a position of power in the Senate? Can anyone enlighten me?

It is called the power of incumbency and name recognition. Once you get into office, you really have to mess up to get voted out. Or you need a good candidate with enough money to decide to take you on. Otherwise, the incumbent wins.

Elaborate ,in what areas please ?

Only after six years of litigation were they able to fire him. In the meantime, they paid the teacher more than $300,000. Klein said he employs dozens of teachers who he's afraid to let near the kids, so he has them sit in what are called rubber rooms. This year he will spend $20 million dollars to warehouse teachers in five rubber rooms. It's an alternative to firing them. In the last four years, only two teachers out of 80,000 were fired for incompetence. Klein's office says the new contract will make it easier to get rid of sex offenders, but it will still be difficult to fire incompetent teachers.

When I confronted Randi Weingarten, president of the United Federation of Teachers, she said, "They [the NYC school board] just don't want to do the work that's entailed." But the "work that's entailed" is so onerous that most principals just have just given up, or gotten bad teachers to transfer to another school. They even have a name for it: "the dance of the lemons."

To me the problem with education is all we do is throw money at it and expect the money to magically fix the problem.