Gov. Matt Bevin's office announced the cuts in a news release as he began giving a speech to a joint session of the General Assembly. Bevin called the cuts "significant yet strategic" and said they include the elimination of 70 programs. However, per pupil funding for public education was not cut.
The biggest reason for the spending cuts is the $3.31 billion Bevin is proposing to spend on the state's retirement system for state workers and public school teachers. He also announced spending $34 million in tobacco settlement funds to fight the opioid epidemic, $24 million to hire more social workers and give them raises and $10.8 million in new funding for adoption and foster children supports.
