Latest news with #KOGE
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Beshear warns Trump tariffs would hurt Kentucky's economy
Gov. Andy Beshear speaks during his weekly press conference, March 6, 2025. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley) FRANKFORT — Democratic Gov. Andy Besehar warned Thursday that Kentucky's economy would suffer in a trade war and said the state's Republican U.S. senators also disagree with President Donald Trump's threatened tariffs. 'When you have the two Republican senators and the Democratic governor all saying something's a bad idea, it's because it's a bad idea,' Beshear said during his weekly news conference. Hours later Trump announced that he was suspending new tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada until April 2. The tariffs had taken effect Tuesday, and on Wednesday he exempted automakers from having to pay them for a month. Beshear said he's been having conversations with Canadian officials, urging them to spare Kentucky and focus any retaliatory measures 'on places and areas where people aren't speaking up.' Canadian provinces already have responded to Trump's actions by pulling U.S.-made liquor off store shelves — a move that Kentucky-based Brown-Forman called 'worse than tariffs.' U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell said in a recent CBS interview that 'tariffs drive the cost of everything up' and would 'be paid for by American consumers.' U.S. Sen. Rand Paul said on X last month that Republicans 'won the last election by complaining about Democrats' policies, which gave us high prices. Tariff lovers will be forced to explain the persistence of high prices …' Trump campaigned on a promise to enact tariffs as leverage to stop the flow of immigrants and fentanyl across the U.S. border. Beshear expressed less concern about Republican state lawmakers' efforts to replicate the efforts of billionaire and special government employee Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency in Kentucky. The Senate passed a bill on Wednesday to launch KOGE, or the Kentucky Office of Government Efficiency, in the auditor of public accounts' office. He called KOGE 'a Kentucky version of DOGE, except it can't do any of the things that the federal version does.' Beshear was concerned about the bill's addition of subpoena powers to the auditor's office. DOGE has been firing federal employees and freezing government payments. 'I've heard some comments coming out of that (auditor's) office that have seemed pretty political, and so my hope is that any changes that we make, especially that confers more power to any constitutional office, that we're being careful in how we're doing it and that it's going to end up being used for the betterment of the people of Kentucky and not as a political tool.' Beshear pointed to a conflict between his administration and Ball's office that resulted in a court order over the ombudsman's office. Last year, the ombudsman was moved to Ball's office from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Around the same time as Beshear's press conference, the House Committee on State Government passed a resolution from Rep. T.J. Roberts, R-Burlington, to establish the Kentucky Discipline of Government Efficiency, or KY DOGE.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump has DOGE. Kentucky Senate votes to launch KOGE.
Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, presents Senate Bill 257, creating the Kentucky Office of Government Efficiency, to the Kentucky Senate, March 5, 2025. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer) FRANKFORT — Inspired by Elon Musk's band of young engineers tasked with finding federal funding cuts, Kentucky Republicans are hoping to replicate their efforts in the Bluegrass state. If passed in the General Assembly this session, Senate Bill 257 would establish the Kentucky Office of Government Efficiency in the auditor of public accounts' office. The office would be known as KOGE. The bill passed largely on party lines in a vote of 32-6 Wednesday. The lone Democrat to join Republicans in supporting the bill was Sen. Robin Webb of Grayson. Though not an actual department, DOGE, or the Department of Government Efficiency has come under fire from Democratic criticsi and lawsuits over the level of access the group has to sensitive information and cuts in funding and personnel — including firing some government employees. DOGE maintains a running list of savings it has claimed to achieve online. However, the New York Times has reported the DOGE 'wall of receipts' has had to delete some claims that were in error. Backed by primary sponsor, Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, the bill would give KOGE the power to conduct performance audits and fiscal and operational reviews of state agencies to find 'inefficiencies, waste, compliance with law, and opportunities for cost savings.' KOGE would also make recommendations about best practices for streamlining government operations and monitor their implementation. KOGE must report its findings to the governor and the Legislative Research Commission. 'This legislation builds upon our efforts to create a government that operates efficiently, delivers core services effectively and respects the contributions of hard working Kentuckians in order to operate a government that exists to serve them,' Tichenor said. The Kentucky Senate's vote on the bill came after DOGE got glowing praise from Republican President Donald Trump during his address to a joint session of Congress. Billionaire Musk, the special government employee spearheading DOGE, also enjoyed applause from congressional Republicans during the speech. Meanwhile, some of the Democrats who attended invited federal workers who were fired as part of the U.S. DOGE Service's efforts to curtail the federal workforce by eliminating probationary workers. During debate on the bill, Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, said invoking the name of the federal DOGE program 'was particularly concerning to me because of exactly how much upheaval that program has created.' However, some Republicans rebuked the notion. Senate President Robert Stivers, of Manchester, said the auditor 'has no authority to fire anybody except who's in her office' or change laws. Chambers Armstrong also added that she didn't believe the bill added new authority to the Auditor's office, as 'many of the provisions of this legislation are inherent to that office and have been exercised and often exercise to great effect and impact.' Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona, said before voting in favor of the bill that former Auditor Crit Luallen, a Democrat, notably exercised powers to do performance audits when she held the office between 2004 to 2012. He said similar efforts have lacked funding since she left the office. Tichenor introduced her bill for KOGE a couple of weeks ago in the Senate. A Senate GOP press release at the time said the bill 'aligns with the broader national effort led by President Donald Trump to cut bureaucratic red tape and make government work for the people.' Auditor Allison Ball, a Republican who currently holds the office in Kentucky, has expressed support for the bill and testified before a Senate committee with Tichenor. 'This legislation strengthens our ability to hold state agencies accountable and implement meaningful reforms to improve efficiency,' Ball said in a Senate GOP press release. 'Kentuckians deserve a government that operates responsibly, and SB 257 furthers that goal.' The bill provides no funding for KOGE to hire staff but says Ball may seek 'additional funding through cost-saving initiatives and efficiency- related grants.' Republican Daniel Cameron, a former attorney general who recently launched his campaign for U.S. Senate, said on X ahead of the vote that 'Frankfort is fraught with wasteful spending' and the bill was 'a sensible reform effort that will reduce the bloated size of government and hold the unelected bureaucracy accountable.' Meanwhile in the House, Rep. T.J. Roberts, R-Burlington, introduced House Concurrent Resolution 50 to create a task force called the Kentucky Discipline of Government Efficiency, or KY DOGE. It's also an homage to Musk's DOGE, but hasn't gotten a committee hearing yet. Musk and Trump have floated the idea of scrutinizing the amount of gold in Kentucky's Fort Knox. The United States Bullion Depository at the fort stores precious metal bullion reserves for the country. It's also audited every year. The General Services Administration, which is one of the agencies DOGE is tracking, announced Tuesday it may sell off more than 440 buildings owned by the federal government in the months ahead. That list included federal buildings in Ashland, Bowling Green, London, Louisville and Pikeville. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Beshear confirms 24 severe weather deaths in Kentucky
LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed another severe-weather-related death Monday, bringing the death toll to 24. The Floyd County man's death was floodwater-related, according to Beshear. Beshear confirms 24 severe weather deaths in Kentucky 'Truck Stop Serial Killer' sentenced to an additional 65 years in prison Could Kentucky get its own DOGE? Lawmakers forward proposal for KOGE State leaders said clean-up efforts continue. One of the biggest challenges right now is the tons and tons of debris left behind by the floods. State lawmakers got an update from the state's emergency manager about the work. There's so much debris, state officials are having a hard time finding where to put it. Latest central Kentucky weather forecast 'When you go to people's houses this weekend, and literally everything they own is out in the driveway, where they've cleaned their houses out. And in the area that I'm talking about was not affected by the flood at all. In 22, as it was in 22. This area was not affected at all,' Rep. Chris Fugate said Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Yahoo
Powell County Detention Center shares heartfelt farewell to inmate: ‘He became family'
STANTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — Powell County Detention Center staff has said their goodbyes to an inmate they said became family. Melvin was an inmate for 15 months, according to the detention center. Read more of the latest Kentucky news 'Since arriving on December 1, 2023, Melvin became an integral part of PCDC, working alongside staff on countless projects and making a lasting impact that won't be forgotten,' the Powell County Detention Center wrote on Facebook. 'His dedication, work ethic, and positive spirit made him more than just a resident, he became family.' Melvin has since been granted parole, but he didn't leave before saying goodbye. 'Watching him leave felt like sending a loved one off to college, full of hope and promise for the future,' the Powell County Detention Center said. 'We have no doubt that Melvin's next steps will be filled with success, and we are incredibly proud of all he has accomplished.' 'Truck Stop Serial Killer' sentenced to an additional 65 years in prison Could Kentucky get its own DOGE? Lawmakers forward proposal for KOGE Powell County Detention Center shares heartfelt farewell to inmate: 'He became family' 'We wish him nothing but the best as he moves forward, knowing he has the strength and determination to build the life he deserves,' the post concluded. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
