Sensible, Frugal KY Legislature Budget Cuts Over 1/3 Of Positions At State Mine Safety Agency [View all]

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FRANKFORT, Ky. – Staffing at Kentucky's mine-safety agency will be cut by more than a third as a result of the General Assembly's deep cut to the agency's budget last month, according to a reorganization plan filed by the Beshear administration Friday. "There will be a decrease of 53 full-time positions, from 148 to 95 positions ... immediately following this reorganization," said the plan, which was filed with the Secretary of State's Office.

The Beshear administration put out a news release earlier Friday announcing the reorganization that said the deep budget cut would have both a "tangible and symbolic impact." But the release did not include details about any reduction in personnel at the Office of Mine Safety and Licensing.

Dick Brown, spokesman for the department, declined on Friday to discuss layoffs or the chances some current employees could be moved to vacant jobs in state government. Brown said more information will be released after employees are briefed on the reorganization next week.

In the 2014 legislative session, the General Assembly cut Gov. Steve Beshear's proposed $15 million annual appropriation for the Office of Mine Safety and Licensing by $4.3 million per year. That is the deepest percentage cut suffered by any state agency in the 2014-16 budget. The General Assembly also used the budget bill to cut the required number of state inspections of each coal mine from six to four per year.

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http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2014/05/30/mine-safety-agency-reorganized-word-layoffs/9777959/