Bake Sale for the Budget: Members raise dough and awareness about good solutions to KY's budget problems

KFTC members came to Frankfort yesterday to raise money for after-school programs, mental health services, clean water, and Meals on Wheels – one cupcake at a time.

Members from across the state baked up all sorts of goodies in the name of justice – Kentucky shaped sugar cookies, Depression Bread (which uses no eggs or milk), fudge fresh from Cave City, loaves of dill bread, and from McKinley Sumner, his famous no-bake peanut butter cookies. The money raised was turned into the governor's office.

It was great day. Here's a recap from Jefferson County member Beth Bissmeyer, shown here (right) with Jefferson County member Becki Winchel, who contributed the Kentucky-shaped cookies

"Yesterday, the day after Gov. Beshear gave his budget address, KFTC held a Bake Sale for the Budget at the Capitol to emphasize the need for progressive tax reform and to raise a little bit of money to help reduce the state's projected $1.5 billion budget shortfall. Citizens from all across the state turned out to the Capitol donned in aprons and with baked goods in hand to lobby for the Kentucky Forward Plan, HB 13, sponsored by Rep. Jim Wayne of Louisville.

"Whereas Gov. Beshear's proposal to address the budget crisis (crossing his fingers and praying his gambling bill passes and makes tons o'cash, which it won't) doesn't actually begin to tackle the problem. Kentucky's tax system is flawed. Period. Right now, the highest tax share falls on the working class and low-income households. I fall under the second-lowest income bracket, so I pay a higher percentage of my income in taxes than the wealthiest 20%. Sound ridiculous? A bit backwards? It should.

"HB 13 would raise $300 million in new revenue while also asking $100 million less in taxes from Kentucky's working poor families. This bill would do this by:

• Balancing our income tax---Giving a modest tax raise on income more than $75,000. It's so small that folks will hardly notice, but it will bring in $234 million a year.
• Reforming our sales tax---Limousine rides, chartered plane flights, golf club memberships, landscaping, and other luxury services aren't taxed right now. Expanding the sales tax to include luxury services would raise $100 million annually.
• Lowering taxes for working families with a state EITC---Establishing a state Earned Income Tax Credit for working parents of families making up to $40,000 would put about $100 million annually back into the pockets of those who are struggling.
• Restoring our estate tax---This tax would exclude farms and would only apply to those who have more than $1 million in assets, like trust funds and inheritances. This would generate $22 million annually.

We've been urged to tighten our belts. We've been told to cut back in these tough economic times, but what about the working poor who have been trying to survive on tight budgets for years? What about the first-generation college student who is forced to work full-time to pay for tuition that increases several percent each semester? What about the working mother? What about people who have benefited from important social services? Enough is enough. It's time we have real progressive tax reform in Kentucky."

What can you do?

Please call your legislator and urge them to support HB 13!  Calling the legislative message line (1-800-372-7181) is a quick and easy way to tell your legislators what you think.

Don't know who your representatives are? Just check out this site.

To learn more about KFTC's Economic Justice work and HB 13, check out this page.

Press coverage

We managed to get a fair amount of press coverage of the Bake Sale for the Budget. Check out the links!

• Coverage from Louisville's FOX 41. Video highlight: Greg selling a Bowling Green brownie to Rep. Jody Richards!
• Great coverage from WAVE 3 that features rock stars Jerry Moody, Greg Capillo, and Dana Beasley Brown.
• Channel 36 in Lexington.
• WHAS 11's story
• WKYT's coverage
• "Advocates sweeten state’s sour financial woes with bake sale" from the Bluegrass Politics blog.
• Ronnie Ellis's news story.