Jailers testify regarding budget cuts

Kenton County Jailer Terry Carl and Christian County Jailer Brad Boyd testified today before the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee regarding proposed budget cuts to county jails.

Carl and Boyd were joined by John Tilley, secretary of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.

Testimony focused on the Local Corrections Assistance Fund proposed cuts and the current fiscal year budget reduction order.  

“The Local Corrections Assistance Fund was originally designed out of the savings from the efforts of House Bill 463,” said Boyd, who serves as president of the Kentucky Jailers Association. “Our argument is if those savings are realized, which is our understanding, how can this money necessarily be cut – if it’s from the savings of HB 463.”

HB 463 (from 2011) was passed after two years of study and stakeholder input in conjunction with the Pew Center for the states’ criminal justice reform efforts nationwide. One of the goals was to reduce the number of inmates incarcerated in Kentucky. HB 463 provides some revenue streams and cost savings to local governments.

Carl said the current fiscal year cuts are looming around $45,000 in Kenton County alone. “That’s a lot of money for us to make up at one time,” Carl said. “The fiscal court has already budgeted receiving that revenue for the year. It’s a hardship on us, but it’s a very big hardship on the county. There’s no way we can make this up.”

The executive branch budget currently rests in the House, where it will put its mark on it before sending it to the Senate. We continue to talk with legislators on the proposed budget and its effect on counties. We encourage you to reach out to your legislators and let them know both what is helpful in it and what items would challenge your county’s ability to provide services to your citizens.