Today's BIPPS op-ed in H-L: 'Projected' savings vs. real ones

Gov. Beshear keeps saying he has "saved" Kentucky taxpayers $1 billion during his administration.

Yet, as Jim Waters, vice president of policy and communications, points out in an op-ed published today by the Lexington Herald-Leader: "projected savings does not mean realized savings. After all, a big difference exists between cutting spending from a proposed budget and actually spending less money.

"Proposed cuts offer spinmeisters the political benefit of appearing fiscally prudent. Actual cutting results in pain -- and possibly lost votes -- stemming from making tough decisions.

"But that's why we pay elected officials like Beshear the big bucks. Isn't it?"

Unlike state government, Kentucky families who have had to cut back to make ends meet know a real spending cut when they see one. If Frankfort had to live within its means the way hardworking, taxpaying citizens do, the commonwealth would likely be in the "black" instead of continuing to dig the hole of debt deeper by the day.