Kentucky's Budget Director Resigns.
Read more from Tom Loftus, or more below:
Kentucky's budget director resigning
By Tom Loftus
FRANKFORT, Ky. — State Budget Director Mary Lassiter said this morning that she will step down from her job at the end of this month.
Lassiter, 46, of Midway, has worked for state government nearly 25 years. And like many state employees, she is retiring this year because certain retirement benefits for veteran state workers will be cut significantly on Jan. 1.
“I’m a good example of a person who started work for state government very young and am eligible for retirement,” she said in an interview this morning.
Lassiter said that between April and the end of September, 1,371 executive branch employees in non-hazardous job classifications had retired.
Lassiter will be stepping down at a time when turmoil in the national economy has caused state revenues to slump, raising the possibility of a revenue shortfall later this year.
Through the first quarter of this fiscal year, General Fund revenues grew by only 0.9 percent; the state budget requires 2.6 percent growth to avoid a shortfall.
But Lassiter said, “The state Budget Office has tremendous experience and expertise in dealing with fiscal challenges. I’m confident the finances of the state are in good hands.”
She said she plans to take some time off and has no immediate plan for the next step in her career.
Jay Blanton, communications director for Gov. Steve Beshear’s office, said of Lassiter’s decision, “Obviously, it’s a loss. Mary is the epitome of what ‘public servant’ means.”
Blanton said no decision has been made on naming a replacement.
Kentucky's budget director resigning
By Tom Loftus
FRANKFORT, Ky. — State Budget Director Mary Lassiter said this morning that she will step down from her job at the end of this month.
Lassiter, 46, of Midway, has worked for state government nearly 25 years. And like many state employees, she is retiring this year because certain retirement benefits for veteran state workers will be cut significantly on Jan. 1.
“I’m a good example of a person who started work for state government very young and am eligible for retirement,” she said in an interview this morning.
Lassiter said that between April and the end of September, 1,371 executive branch employees in non-hazardous job classifications had retired.
Lassiter will be stepping down at a time when turmoil in the national economy has caused state revenues to slump, raising the possibility of a revenue shortfall later this year.
Through the first quarter of this fiscal year, General Fund revenues grew by only 0.9 percent; the state budget requires 2.6 percent growth to avoid a shortfall.
But Lassiter said, “The state Budget Office has tremendous experience and expertise in dealing with fiscal challenges. I’m confident the finances of the state are in good hands.”
She said she plans to take some time off and has no immediate plan for the next step in her career.
Jay Blanton, communications director for Gov. Steve Beshear’s office, said of Lassiter’s decision, “Obviously, it’s a loss. Mary is the epitome of what ‘public servant’ means.”
Blanton said no decision has been made on naming a replacement.
Labels: General information
posted by KYJurisDoctor at 10:04 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home