To FCPS: Fiscal responsibility, educational excellence are the same thing | Opinion

FCPS budget crisis

Fayette County Public Schools faces a $16 million budget shortfall, potentially growing to $29 million. How we respond determines whether our district emerges stronger or settles into managed decline.

The solution: recognizing fiscal responsibility and educational excellence are the same goal.

▪ Start with operational efficiency, not classroom cuts. Energy optimization through UK partnerships offers significant savings. Systematic program evaluation could eliminate redundancies. Food service improvements and strategic workforce management offer millions more—without affecting instruction.

▪ Address enrollment decline aggressively. Why do families leave? Often perceptions about overcrowding or limited programming. Strategic exit interviews would provide data. Enhanced STEM academies, expanded dual enrollment, and technology leadership could attract rather than lose students which would generate SEEK funding to covers implementation costs.

▪ Turn assets into revenue generators. FCPS owns $1 billion in underutilized real estate. Strategic partnerships, facility rentals, and educational services to other districts could generate millions annually.

▪ Think strategically about consolidation. Transform closed schools into regional innovation centers or workforce development hubs that serve communities while reducing costs.

The Budget Solutions Work Group has an opportunity to recommend bold transformation over simple cuts. Our children deserve a district positioned for excellence, not mere survival.

Courtney Bearse, Lexington

A fragile ego

When I read the Herald-Leader article about the planned school board training session, my immediate reaction was, “What an excellent idea!” And it was wonderful that all of the board members had agreed to it. Judging by past interactions on our board, I believe that was a good decision.

Oops! Now we have one board member who, apparently because of her fragile ego, is unwilling to fulfill her commitment at a cost of $90,000 to the district. That amount must be her way of putting it to the board for her perceived mistreatment. Instead, it is $90,000 that could be used to benefit the children of our school system.

To say that I am outraged is an understatement. As a past school board president myself, I believe that team building is essential if a board is going to work together for the common goal — student success.

If Ms. Ferguson decides not to participate as she is threatening, perhaps she will personally pay the extra dollars she is now planning to cost our district. Otherwise, she needs to bite the bullet, leave her ego at the door, and perhaps learn to get along with her colleagues.

Carole Boyd, Lexington

Government waste

Speaking of waste, fraud, and abuse, there is an excellent way to save a ton of money - fire all the Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate that bow down to President Donald Trump every time he opens his mouth. After all, we pay the Republicans’ salaries, and they are not doing what they were elected to do. Consequently, we are losing our Democracy and becoming an autocracy or oligarchy. Take your pick.

Rene Payne, Stanford

Recission vote

Last night at the “Make Good Trouble” rally, I saw a sign “Free balls for members of Congress who have lost theirs.”

It reminded me of Congress’ latest actions in passing the rescissions package that strips funding from National Public Radio, public TV and foreign aid. It was a very close vote in both the Senate and House. Every Democrat voted to reject this funding cut. All but two Republican Senators and Representatives voted to give President Donald Trump what he wanted.

You, like me, may never have heard of a rescissions bill. That’s because it’s so rare. In a nutshell, it’s voting to undo what the previous Congress had approved in a bi-partisan vote. Unlike the budget bill for the future that President Donald Trump signed on July 4, this rescission bill claws back prior Congressional decisions. When Trump and Republicans do not respect past decisions, our democracy is threatened.

It would have taken only a few courageous Republican legislators to reject the rescissions bill. Where are they? Are they all so fearful of Trump that they chip away at our democracy by giving away Congress’ power of the purse? Will this empower Trump to take back other prior funding?

Jeanette Coufal, Lexington

Barr’s vote

On Thursday, U.S. Congressman Andy Barr, R-Ky., voted to take back two years of funding for KET and WUKY. I guess shows like Tim Farmer’s Country Kitchen, Kentucky Life and Kentucky Afield are too liberal for him. I guess he also does not like the Red Green reruns.

WUKY plays music across the genres, including Americana, alternative rock, country, blues, R&B, etc. I guess Rep. Barr opposes all of this.

Currently, Barr wants to represent Kentucky in the U.S. Senate. I suggest you make a statement to Barr by donating to KET and WUKY and casting a vote against him in the Senate race.

Ron Mills, Lexington

Right-on-red

Two weeks ago, it happened. Three times in one week drivers at red lights, when they want to turn right, believed that they had the right-of-way over drivers with a green light.

Why would I make a left turn from Nicholasville Road onto Man O’ War if I didn’t have a green light? Think, drivers, think. Observe. Look. Make sure you know the ENTIRE rule.

Should we make right-turn-on-red illegal? The first one tried to hit me and then tried to pull in front of me and do a brake check when their first try missed. Both tries failed. They were so self-important that they actually believed that they could pull off messing me up by driving illegally and foolishly. How do people that twisted get legally licensed? Is it even possible to teach them the rules of the road once they come to believe that they are SO IMPORTANT that THEY don’t need to obey the rules of the road?

Or maybe the real question is, how can they be taught without actually letting them ram into me and then taking them to court? One of the cars was so dumpy-looking I doubt they have insurance.

Robin West, Lexington

FutureShock

There is a taxation enforced income cap on middle class Americans, while there is no income cap on billionaires. The reason this is so is to gag the middle class from power and influence while taking the power and influence of billionaires as commands. The taxation enforced income cap on the middle class is an imposed debtor’s prison in the open air, sequestering opportunity into being solely a commodity for the uber wealthy. While they are allowed the infrastructure to exist, small businesses in the US cannot exist on its own because the infrastructure to aid them is stolen by the mega-corps and oligarchs.

In the coming months, we are going to see just how manipulated we as a nation have become to be crushed into ever increasing poverty and unsustainable debt. There will be no real preparation for this crash. Unnecessary and preventable death will be far more commonplace. Health care will be near myth if at all, and disaster relief an “if” contingent on political favor, barely and nominally existent, if at all. Disasters will be intensifying in both frequency and damage.

All the while the nation will become more and more a police state of chaos each in equal portion. A year and 6 months from now, if trends are not stopped, the dystopia we will be forced to live in will be inescapable. Even the uber wealthy will have to live in it or leave.

Robert Moreland, Lexington

Bernheim pipeline

A recent story in the Courier Journal described the construction of a pipeline through Bernheim Forest by LG&E. This story points to changes our utility companies, KU and LG&E, need to make in order to best serve ratepayers. Our rates have been raised once this year already, and our antiquated electric grid is powered by costly, polluting fossil fuels.

On Aug. 4, LG&E/KU will present to the Kentucky Public Service Commission, the state regulatory body that stands between ratepayers and further electricity cost increases. They will submit a $3.7 billion dollar plan that includes two new gas plants to meet the hypothetical needs of data centers that might eventually come to Kentucky. Costs to ratepayers are projected at 12-40%. This plan clearly appears to serve shareholders first, with profits for the company that have provided their CEO with almost $12 million. We must make it clear that we don’t’ support subsidizing the needs of Silicon Valley’s data centers here. We need stable, affordable rates, and modernization of our grid with low-cost renewable energy going forward. Our wallets and our families will thank us for speaking out. Comments can be submitted at: https://psc.ky.gov/case/searchcasespubliccomments; Case # 2025-00045.

Judith Humble, Lexington

Edited by Liz Carey

This story was originally published July 24, 2025 at 6:30 AM.