Latest news with #AllisonBall
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kentucky state auditor to conduct investigation of Fayette County Public Schools
(Fayette County Public Schools) Republican State Auditor Allison Ball announced her office would begin a special investigation of Fayette County Public Schools following public scrutiny of a proposed tax increase. She announced the investigation Tuesday morning. Last week, Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman's office said the school district's board failed to give proper public notice before voting to increase occupational taxes within the district. 'Upon review of publicly available information, as well as listening to concerns from parents and other constituents, I have determined that my office will conduct a special examination of the Fayette County Public School District,' Ball said in her statement. In May, the FCPS board voted 3-2 to approved an occupational tax increase of 0.25% to take effect in January. The board approved a $848 million proposed budget with the tax increase that would cost residents an average of $13 more per month, local media outlets reported. Following the attorney general's opinion, FCPS initially planned to reconsider the tax proposal during a June 23 meeting. However, board chair Tyler Murphy said FCPS would pause the proposal, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. Ball's investigation received praise from Republican state Sens. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, Jared Carpenter, Donald Douglas, Greg Elkins, Matt Nunn and Steve West. They all represent parts of Fayette County. Mays Bledsoe previously requested the attorney general's office review the matter. In a joint statement released shortly after Ball's announcement, the senators said they are 'committed to the success of our public education system and to standing with the dedicated teachers who serve our students' and have 'heard from many constituents who are deeply concerned about Fayette County Public Schools, particularly regarding district spending and the board's recent occupational tax vote, which was determined to be unlawful.' The senators said that decisions of the school district carry 'educational consequences' as well as 'regional economic and workforce implications.' 'Transparency, honesty, and community engagement are essential,' the senators said. 'The district must practice these principles, not merely talk about them. A deeper, independent review could clarify how taxpayer dollars are being spent, identify areas for improvement, and help restore public confidence in the district's leadership. 'We believe in our schools, we support our teachers, and we believe accountability, openness, and trust are the foundation for moving forward. If the board seeks to rebuild its image in the eyes of the public, we ask board members and district leadership to support an independent review.' The issue isn't completely partisan. Democratic Rep. Anne Gay Donworth, of Lexington, addressed the board during its May 27 meeting to express concern about the transparency behind the tax proposal. Dia Davidson-Smith, a spokesperson for FCPS, said in a statement Tuesday afternoon that the school district 'is committed to continuous improvement and, above all, student success.' 'We are proud of the strategic investments we've made in our schools, which are leading to stronger outcomes, expanded opportunities, and meaningful progress in closing longstanding opportunity gaps,' Davidson-Smith added. 'The State Auditor has the full authority to conduct a special examination at her discretion, and we welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively with her office. We are confident that a fair and thorough review of our operations will affirm our commitment to excellence, equity, and transparency in service to our students and community.' Previous audits and financial reports for FCPS are published on the school district's website. KY United 120-AFT, a teachers' union, said that it was glad the FCPS board paused the tax proposal in a statement Tuesday afternoon. The union encouraged board members and the school district to 'work together to create change in the budget process and to be better to each other and the constituents they serve' as well as work with Ball in her upcoming investigation. 'We ask them to work with their rank-and-file staff and finally allow a vote on collective bargaining, as the need for formal staff input is much needed. We ask them to embrace the opportunity to highlight the amazing work our district provides to students but also to embrace any criticism as a call to action on how we improve — not as a political attack,' KY United 120-AFT said. 'Trust is easily broken, but even harder to rebuild. As always, we are ready to work and will continue to show up on behalf of our kids, members, and community. FCPS is and can be a beacon for what public education can be when we all work together. Let's thrive together.' This story was updated with additional comments Tuesday afternoon.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘We started getting calls': Kentucky Auditor probes into lottery process for marijuana business licenses
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — When Kentucky opened the door to medical cannabis, it promised opportunity. Not long after, questions started to be asked. 'We began to get calls from reporters, a couple of reporters that reached out to us early on,' said Kentucky Auditor Allison Ball. 'And so that was on our radar screen pretty early, and then we started to get a number of calls from Kentucky farmers and Kentucky small businesses.' That's when the digging started. NOAA's predictions for summer 2025 just got even hotter: What's in store for Kentucky? 'We discovered two things that were recurring situations from people who would call us,' Ball added. 'One was app tracking, so it's a way, really, to beat the system; it's application stacking. So it'll be one business that sets up a lot of other LLCs so they can apply multiple times.' She said another red flag is vertical integration, where one company doesn't just grow the cannabis but also tests it, processes it, and sells it. 'We know of at least one out-of-state company, an Arkansas company, that is fully integrated, that they got a cultivator license, and they got a processing license, so they actually got four dispensary licenses, and told us there is a real issue with vertical integration,' Ball explained. 'We know for sure of at least one company, and we think there's more.' Now, Ball wants answers and has launched an investigation into the state's Office of Medical Cannabis, asking tough questions about how licenses were handed out and who benefited. For background, the state handed out 48 licenses for 11 regions throughout the state, but received more than 4,000 applications. 'It's supposed to give everybody a fair shot at this, whether you're a small farmer from rural Kentucky or you're a small business from our larger areas, whatever you are, you've got a fair shot at getting one of these licenses,' said Ball. She said her office will start its investigation by looking into each business. Lexington shopping center sold: What we know about the new owner 'We started getting calls': Kentucky Auditor probes into lottery process for marijuana business licenses 'Casanova Killer' executed nearly 30 years after Kentucky arrest 'When you actually look into it, the location wasn't real,' Ball added. 'So that's concerning, especially if you have a regulation that is designed to prevent this from happening.' Ball doesn't expect the investigation to delay the process, but said investigators are focused on making sure the lottery was conducted fairly. Meanwhile, Governor Beshear said there was nothing illegal in how the lottery was conducted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Washington Post
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Kentucky auditor sues governor in bid to end dispute blocking kinship care law
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky's Republican auditor sued Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday, asking a judge to untangle a dispute blocking the implementation of a state law meant to support adults who step up to care for young relatives who endured suspected abuse or neglect at home. The standoff revolves around whether funds are available to carry out the law's intent — enabling relatives who take temporary custody of children to later become eligible for foster care payments. Beshear signed Senate Bill 151 in April 2024 and his administration has praised the measure for seeking to help children in bad situations be placed with relatives or close family friends. But the governor warned at the time that lawmakers had not approved the necessary funding. A year later, his administration still maintains that nearly $20 million is needed for the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services to put the law into action, the lawsuit says. In her suit, Auditor Allison Ball says the state Constitution requires Beshear's administration to 'do whatever it takes' to carry out Kentucky laws. The suit asks a state judge to 'remind' the administration of that duty. 'As the policymaking body and holder of the power of the purse that determines the proper level of funding to give state agencies to carry out the commonwealth's laws, the General Assembly says that Governor Beshear and CHFS have more than enough money to carry out SB151 and must do so,' the suit says. Beshear's office said Thursday that his administration notified lawmakers on multiple occasions about the costs associated with carrying it out. 'Lawmakers had many opportunities to deliver the funding during both the 2024 and 2025 legislative sessions but chose not to,' Beshear spokesperson Crystal Staley said in a statement. 'It is simple: The Kentucky Supreme Court has ruled the state cannot implement programs and policies if it doesn't have the funding to do so,' she added. Kentucky lawmakers ended this year's session weeks ago and aren't scheduled to reconvene until the 2026 session begins in January. An estimated 55,000 Kentucky children are currently in what's commonly called kinship care — when a child is living with relatives or close family friends instead of their parents. The 2024 measure — which sailed through Kentucky's Republican-led legislature with overwhelming support — is meant to fix what child welfare advocates say was a flaw in the support system. The law gives relatives considerably more time to apply to become foster parents for their young relatives, and thus eligible for foster care payments to help support the children already in their care. Frustration over the dispute resurfaced Tuesday when GOP lawmakers, including state Sen. Julie Raque Adams, the measure's lead sponsor, called out Beshear's administration for not implementing the law. 'They don't even have a program model for SB151, yet they continue to insist it would cost $20 million to implement,' she said. 'You can't assign a price tag to something you haven't built. The truth is, they have the tools to get started. They just haven't.' Ball's office started an investigation last October to determine whether the health and family services cabinet has the money to carry out the law or whether lawmakers needed to appropriate more funds. The suit says the probe has stalled because of what it calls the cabinet's 'obstruction,' and it asks the judge to order Beshear's administration to provide whatever information the auditor needs to complete the review.
The Independent
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Kentucky auditor sues governor in bid to end dispute blocking kinship care law
Kentucky 's Republican auditor sued Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday, asking a judge to untangle a dispute blocking the implementation of a state law meant to support adults who step up to care for young relatives who endured suspected abuse or neglect at home. The standoff revolves around whether funds are available to carry out the law's intent — enabling relatives who take temporary custody of children to later become eligible for foster care payments. Beshear signed Senate Bill 151 in April 2024 and his administration has praised the measure for seeking to help children in bad situations be placed with relatives or close family friends. But the governor warned at the time that lawmakers had not approved the necessary funding. A year later, his administration still maintains that nearly $20 million is needed for the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services to put the law into action, the lawsuit says. In her suit, Auditor Allison Ball says the state Constitution requires Beshear's administration to 'do whatever it takes' to carry out Kentucky laws. The suit asks a state judge to 'remind' the administration of that duty. 'As the policymaking body and holder of the power of the purse that determines the proper level of funding to give state agencies to carry out the commonwealth's laws, the General Assembly says that Governor Beshear and CHFS have more than enough money to carry out SB151 and must do so,' the suit says. Beshear's office said Thursday that his administration notified lawmakers on multiple occasions about the costs associated with carrying it out. 'Lawmakers had many opportunities to deliver the funding during both the 2024 and 2025 legislative sessions but chose not to,' Beshear spokesperson Crystal Staley said in a statement. 'It is simple: The Kentucky Supreme Court has ruled the state cannot implement programs and policies if it doesn't have the funding to do so," she added. Kentucky lawmakers ended this year's session weeks ago and aren't scheduled to reconvene until the 2026 session begins in January. An estimated 55,000 Kentucky children are currently in what's commonly called kinship care — when a child is living with relatives or close family friends instead of their parents. The 2024 measure — which sailed through Kentucky's Republican-led legislature with overwhelming support — is meant to fix what child welfare advocates say was a flaw in the support system. The law gives relatives considerably more time to apply to become foster parents for their young relatives, and thus eligible for foster care payments to help support the children already in their care. Frustration over the dispute resurfaced Tuesday when GOP lawmakers, including state Sen. Julie Raque Adams, the measure's lead sponsor, called out Beshear's administration for not implementing the law. 'They don't even have a program model for SB151, yet they continue to insist it would cost $20 million to implement,' she said. 'You can't assign a price tag to something you haven't built. The truth is, they have the tools to get started. They just haven't.' Ball's office started an investigation last October to determine whether the health and family services cabinet has the money to carry out the law or whether lawmakers needed to appropriate more funds. The suit says the probe has stalled because of what it calls the cabinet's 'obstruction,' and it asks the judge to order Beshear's administration to provide whatever information the auditor needs to complete the review.
Associated Press
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Kentucky auditor sues governor in bid to end dispute blocking kinship care law
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's Republican auditor sued Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday, asking a judge to untangle a dispute blocking the implementation of a state law meant to support adults who step up to care for young relatives who endured suspected abuse or neglect at home. The standoff revolves around whether funds are available to carry out the law's intent — enabling relatives who take temporary custody of children to later become eligible for foster care payments. Beshear signed Senate Bill 151 in April 2024 and his administration has praised the measure for seeking to help children in bad situations be placed with relatives or close family friends. But the governor warned at the time that lawmakers had not approved the necessary funding. A year later, his administration still maintains that nearly $20 million is needed for the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services to put the law into action, the lawsuit says. In her suit, Auditor Allison Ball says the state Constitution requires Beshear's administration to 'do whatever it takes' to carry out Kentucky laws. The suit asks a state judge to 'remind' the administration of that duty. 'As the policymaking body and holder of the power of the purse that determines the proper level of funding to give state agencies to carry out the commonwealth's laws, the General Assembly says that Governor Beshear and CHFS have more than enough money to carry out SB151 and must do so,' the suit says. Beshear's office said Thursday that his administration notified lawmakers on multiple occasions about the costs associated with carrying it out. 'Lawmakers had many opportunities to deliver the funding during both the 2024 and 2025 legislative sessions but chose not to,' Beshear spokesperson Crystal Staley said in a statement. 'It is simple: The Kentucky Supreme Court has ruled the state cannot implement programs and policies if it doesn't have the funding to do so,' she added. Kentucky lawmakers ended this year's session weeks ago and aren't scheduled to reconvene until the 2026 session begins in January. An estimated 55,000 Kentucky children are currently in what's commonly called kinship care — when a child is living with relatives or close family friends instead of their parents. The 2024 measure — which sailed through Kentucky's Republican-led legislature with overwhelming support — is meant to fix what child welfare advocates say was a flaw in the support system. The law gives relatives considerably more time to apply to become foster parents for their young relatives, and thus eligible for foster care payments to help support the children already in their care. Frustration over the dispute resurfaced Tuesday when GOP lawmakers, including state Sen. Julie Raque Adams, the measure's lead sponsor, called out Beshear's administration for not implementing the law. 'They don't even have a program model for SB151, yet they continue to insist it would cost $20 million to implement,' she said. 'You can't assign a price tag to something you haven't built. The truth is, they have the tools to get started. They just haven't.' Ball's office started an investigation last October to determine whether the health and family services cabinet has the money to carry out the law or whether lawmakers needed to appropriate more funds. The suit says the probe has stalled because of what it calls the cabinet's 'obstruction,' and it asks the judge to order Beshear's administration to provide whatever information the auditor needs to complete the review.
