East Kentuckians send love and good advice to Frankfort for Valentine’s Day
During this short 2015 Legislative Session, it can be difficult for many Kentuckians to make the trip to Frankfort and share their good sense with lawmakers. That’s why members of the Harlan, Letcher and Big Sandy KFTC chapters spent time this February writing to their senators, representatives and key leaders of both chambers. More than 50 cards, letters and postcards are on their way to more than two dozen lawmakers in Frankfort! Some were even hand delivered to House members during the Clean Energy Lobby Day late last week.
In Harlan, Kimberly Shepherd also spent time preparing for her I Love Mountains Day address. She is happy to ring home the need for economic equality, transition, inclusion, innovation and new political power here in the mountains and across Kentucky. From raising the minimum wage to energy efficiency and clean energy opportunities, we have so much potential to grow our economies in communities across the state.
Kimberly also worked her feelings into a letter to her representative, Fitz Steele, about House Bill 2 to raise the minimum wage and The Kentucky Forward Tax Plan (House Bill 132) to close corporate loopholes and support an Earned Income Tax Credit for working families. For more on how economic justice can drive a just transition, join us on Thursday, February 12 for the 10th Annual I Love Mountains Day, starting at 12 noon with a march from the Kentucky River under Capitol Avenue bridge to the Capitol steps.
Letters were also written in support of the Restoration of Voting Rights (House Bill 70) to Senate leadership who’ve blocked this legislation for years, and the Stream Saver Bill (House Bill 131). But you can’t make much more good sense than Larry Ison sent from Letcher County to his representative, Leslie Combs, about the Clean Energy Opportunity Act (HB 229):
Rep. Combs,
Thank you for all you do to represent Letcher Co. My name is Larry Joe Ison and I live on the Cumberland River section of Letcher Co., worked in the coal mines for 28 years. I own my own home and have rental property on my land. We’ve all seen a steady increase in our power bills. People shouldn’t have to make a choice between their electric bills and groceries, medical care, etc. Especially not after a lifetime of working. Our homes need upgrades and the ability to use their power efficiently and affordably. We’ve also got a responsibility to create jobs so people can stay here, and provide for their families. This Clean Energy Opportunity Act can do both of those. It already has in North Carolina. It's smart and we’d be crazy to stay behind a national wave of growth in the clean energy industry. We know how to power the country here in the mountains. I did it for years. The young people here can too. Please support the Clean Energy Opportunity Act and help get us out in front of good jobs and a good chance to build up our homes in East Ky without making our bills unbearable.
Your fellow Democrat, Larry Ison