Bevin Administration sued over withholding funds for area development districts

According to the Lexington Herald leader, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin’s administration violated the law by withholding funds from Kentucky’s Area Development Districts that lawmakers had earmarked for the agencies.

In a 15 page lawsuit filed June 28, 7 of the 15 adds in the state, claim the State Department for Local Government used $867,000. That the 2016 General Assembly had designated for adds to make up a shortfall in its own budget.

The suit seeks a court order requiring the state to pay the money it owes the adds. The funds taken represent about 40% of the Joint Funding Administration Program, Which is funded by the State Legislature and used by the adds for their various programs.