Northern Kentucky members weigh in at Blue Ribbon tax meeting

Tuesday night was the 4th of six Blue Ribbon Tax Commission Public Input Meetings, and KFTC members showed up with grace and good solutions for raising revenue and making our tax structure fairer and more just.

JoAnn Schwartz kicked off the meeting by telling the Commission a story about one of the Commission's orientation meetings in Frankfort. She said that Paul Coomes, an economist from U of L, had presented at the meeting, and argued that we should shrink state government by shifting more responsibility to local governments. A resident of Fort Thomas, JoAnn understood the ramifications of how that plays out when rubber meets the road, and after the meeting, challenged Dr. Coomes on the inequality that it leads to: one community gets first-rate schools and public spaces, the people in the community down the road get too few resources. His response was "If there is nothing for them here, let them go to Ohio." JoAnn's message to the commission challenged this perspective, and presented a set of policy solutions – including an EITC, more progressive income taxes, an expanded sales tax to luxury services, and closing corporate tax loopholes and coal subsidies – that would create a Kentucky where everyone can live and work.

JoAnn's is just one example of the compelling messages that the Commissioners heard from Kentuckians Tuesday night. Lisa Gabbard spoke up for the need for a state EITC, Virginia Johnson lifted up the need for progressive structure, Paul Shwartz offered ways to reform corporate taxes, and a host of allies delivered messages that echoed the need for more funding and progressive, just, fair solutions.

If you'd like to share your thoughts with the Commission, leave a comment online. You'll find the link on KFTC's Blue Ribbon page, along with some helpful resources.

Two more Blue Ribbon meetings! Dates and locations are below: 

• Eastern Kentucky: Tuesday Aug 7, 6-8 pm
  Big Sandy Community & Technical College, Gearheart Auditorium,1 Bert T Combs Drive, Prestonsburg

•  Central Kentucky/Lexington: Tuesday Aug 21, 6-8 pm
   Bryan Station High School, 201 Eastin Road, Lexington

Please plan to come on out!