Attorney General Stumbo Responds to Governor’s Budget Plan

FRANKFORT, KY (January 18, 2006) – Attorney General Greg Stumbo today responded to proposed cuts to the Office of the Attorney General made by Governor Fletcher in his executive budget for the next biennium.

“The Governor has cut services to crime victims, consumers, citizens facing record high utility bills and the elderly. Obviously he has the Commonwealth’s priorities backwards. His soft-on-crime proposals place Kentuckians in jeopardy.”

Stumbo explained that Fletcher cut advocacy services provided to citizens by the Office of the Attorney General by more than a half million dollars in the coming biennium. “My Victims Advocacy Division protects the rights of crime victims, including victims of violent offenses such as rape,” said Stumbo. “Crime victims deserve respect, dignity and compassion. Appropriate funding is critical to this mission. The Governor’s actions in cutting these services are indefensible.”

Governor Fletcher also cut funding to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. “The state’s consumers and taxpayers have received more than $15 million from consumer protection enforcement during my administration,” Stumbo explained. “Cutting funding for this money-making operation is a foolish economy. This division protects all consumers from illegal, unethical and deceptive business practices, as well as educates seniors on ways to protect themselves from con artists who prey on our elderly citizens.”

A cut to the Rate Intervention Division, which represents consumers fighting utility cost increases, comes at a very bad time for Kentucky families. Many people have seen utility bills double this winter and it is the Rate Intervention Division that fights unfair rate increases sought by utility companies from the Public Service Commission. Compared to what utility companies attempted to gain, the Division has saved consumers more than $30 million during the Stumbo administration. “Silencing the voice of the rate-paying public only serves to line the pockets of giant utility companies,” said Stumbo. “While many citizens must choose between food and warmth, this Governor denies them an effective safeguard against utility price gouging.”

Extensive budget cuts were also made to criminal services provided by the Office of the Attorney General. The Criminal Appellate Division defends every felony conviction in the Commonwealth. “Kentucky citizens expect and deserve to be protected from career criminals,” Stumbo explained. “The Governor’s soft-on-crime proposal should alarm every law abiding Kentuckian. Slashing our families’ protections against murderers, sex offenders and drug pushers is irresponsible and short sighted.”

Governor Fletcher’s cuts to the Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control Unit are particularly badly timed. “This division investigates and prosecutes physical attacks upon the elderly and recovers millions of dollars in fraud within the Medicaid Program,” Stumbo said. “At a time when Kentucky faces record shortfalls in Medicaid funding, these services should be increased rather than cut.”

Stumbo added, “In last night’s budget address, Governor Fletcher told the citizens of the Commonwealth that during his term he has learned about the rights of individuals. Apparently those rights do not extend to crime victims, consumers, rate payers, elder abuse victims and taxpayers. I trust that members of our General Assembly will strongly consider the needs of Kentuckians when reviewing Fletcher’s proposed budget.”