Our advice to Beshear on fixing the budget "crisis"

We're highly skeptical of Gov. Beshear's claims that the state budget is in dire straits. We think he's making this claim in order to push forward his agenda to include raising taxes and fees, passing casino gambling and firing Republicans in state government under the guise of saving money.

He's already rescinded the raises Gov. Fletcher gave members of the Parole Board and claimed it was done to save the state money.

In that vein, we have four suggestions for Gov. Beshear to save even more money:

1.) Rescind the big raises former Treasurer Jonathan Miller gave his friend and staff member Brooke Parker.

2.) Rescind the state's personnel settlement with Mike Duncan, who was reinstated to his job and given a lump-sum of more than $300,000 plus back pay because of his claim that he was fired for political reasons.

3.) Rescind the state's personnel settlement with Ronald Easter, who got a huge raise and a $50,000 lump sum payment because he claimed he was passed over for a promotion because of political reasons.

4.) Keep the number of cabinets the same as it is now and not expand them as he plans to do to pay back political favors.