‘A crisis of trust.’ Two more Democratic lawmakers share concerns about FCPS

Two more Democrats who represent Fayette County in the Kentucky General Assembly are raising concerns about the Fayette County Public Schools budget.

State lawmakers — Democrats and Republicans— have aimed criticism this week at district leaders for their handling of the district’s budget crisis and insistence to consider a potential occupational license tax hike to solve it.

Rep. Adam Moore and Rep Chad Aull, both Lexington Democrats, are the latest to suggest the Fayette school board should follow the direction of the Budget Solutions Work Group members who say they don’t want the tax increase.

“Between a $16 million budget shortfall, an inaccurate contingency fund, a proposed tax increase rejected by the attorney general, ongoing lawsuits, and a potential state audit, it’s easy to see why families, teachers, and taxpayers are feeling frustrated,” Moore said.

“We simply cannot support a tax increase if we don’t have faith that those in power will manage the funds responsibly.”

Moore said local education leaders must keep the trust of the community.

“Fayette County Schools is facing more than just a financial crisis, it’s facing a crisis of trust,” he said. “Public schools are a cornerstone of this community, and FCPS leadership has a clear duty to follow the direction of the Budget Solutions Work Group whose members are deeply invested in our education system and our city.”

Aull said any proposal to boost the tax by the district “cannot be justified unless our community has confidence and trust that those funds will be managed responsibly by district leaders.”

Parents, teachers and taxpayers deserve transparency and accountability, he added.

“FCPS leadership must provide a clear plan and earn community support before any tax increase should be considered. This is not the case with the current proposed increase to the occupational license tax.”

Republican Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe of Lexington, Rep. Matt Lockett, a Nicholasville Republican who represents part of Fayette County, and Lexington Democrat Rep. Anne Donworth have issued similar statements about FCPS’ budget situation.

Legislators aren’t the only group irked at district leaders.

“We are disappointed and disheartened that the presentation at (Monday) night’s school board meeting so summarily dismissed the recommendations of the work group, which comprises members of all segments of the community and was selected by FCPS,” Carla Blanton, chair of Commerce Lexington who spoke on behalf of Commerce Lexington and its workgroup members, said Tuesday.

“The focus on, and characterization of, the occupational license tax being a recommendation of the work group and the only solution without a negative consequence was misrepresented to the board.”

Blanton said the tax was, by far, the lowest ranked option of a group that was, again, handpicked by school leadership.

A spokesperson for Kentucky State Auditor Allison Ball, who is conducting a special examination of the school district, on Wednesday also spoke to the school district losing public trust.

“Auditing standards that govern standard financial audit work require auditors to give a level of respect for the decisions of the local elected officials that communities entrust to represent them,” said spokesperson Matt Frey.

“When those communities believe that those officials have lost that trust, however, our office is empowered to broadly scrutinize those decisions through a special examination.”

This story was originally published August 21, 2025 at 11:01 AM.