After yesterday's press conference in Frankfort about our projected overspending of $294 million in Kentucky this year, the big newspapers are all using Gov. Steve Beshear's word for the red ink: shortfall.
This is ridiculous and underscores the biggest problem we have with big government in Kentucky. Everyone knew we were spending in the new budget money we weren't likely to have, but the legislature did it anyway.
Revenues fell short of their political wish list, not of responsible spending priorities. Ignoring that reality allows a politician -- Beshear -- who campaigned on not raising taxes to claim a new and unexpected reality in which tax increases are a "necessity."
It would help if our big media didn't swallow spin about overspending quite so easily. We need more people to see fiscal mismanagement for what it is. That's the only way we will ever stop it.
