Kentucky Opportunity Coalition Calls For Help In Saving Huge Tax Dollars In Commonwealth

Time is running out to find ways to save money in Kentucky's budget.  Taxing cigarettes and allowing  gasoline tax cuts to expire might help, but how about passing legislation which will save the Commonwealth gobs of money right where it is needed most, on building projects in our communities?

This from KyPolitics:

What is it about mafia taxes that they put the fear of gawd in lawmakers? Kentucky is no exception. The bill to remove the so-called "Prevailing Wage" tax on school construction, amounting to 30% or more, hasn't been brought up for a hearing. You'd think that legislators, hard up to find extra money for education, would jump on this multi-million-dollar opportunity. Appears that labor unions are more important than school kids, at least in the halls of the Kentucky General Assembly.

Here's a report from the Kentucky Opportunity Coalition:

The legislature is now entering into the veto period, which runs through Thursday, March 26^th.  Since the introduction of SB 145 on February 13, 2009, our legislators have yet to bring the bill up for discussion.  Time is running out and your help is urgently needed! 

SB 145, AN ACT relating to school construction, would allow approximately $600 million to be utilized for Kentucky schools.  These savings would be realized without one additional dollar being spent!  More than 90,000 children currently attend schools that are dilapidated and are in need of urgent repair!

During the debate last week on the House technical budget clean-up bill, “leadership warned lawmakers they might face an even larger shortfall in the next fiscal year which begins July 1^st”, according to Ronnie Ellis from CNHI News Service.  (You can read his article ‘I thought we were broke’ here.)

In HB 433, lawmakers attempted to authorize funding for new school construction.  They recognize the poor condition of Kentucky schools but have not discussed exempting school facilities from the Kentucky prevailing wage requirement.  In addition, the General Assembly is discussing a potential Special Session to address needed additional revenue!

Let your voice be heard!  Call your legislator at (502) 564-8100 and urge them to support SB 145 Better Schools=Better Students!   Encourage your friends, family and neighbors to do the same.  With many voices we CAN open the door to opportunity in Kentucky!

To see how much money your school district or university would save with SB145 please visit the Kentucky Opportunity Coalition’s Better Schools=Better Students page.  Attached is a FAQ sheet which you might find helpful when spreading the word.

Comments

[Huff9983]

Want KY to balance it's budget:

Okay! Here's what they need to do:

Cut $400 million out of state tax expenditures;

Cut $400 million from corporate tax shelter;

Cut $100 million from state personnel by focusing only on reducing from 12,650 to 10,650 non-merit positions and eliminate 120 PVA's to 16 by placing regionalizing on Kentucky Area Developement Districts;

H.B. 44 cap rate increased to 6%

Equalize merit state workers salaries by fully funding WPR employee evaluation system passed & implemented (not funded) under John Y Brown administration to reduce personnel costs simultaneously motivating employees doing their work and exceeding their duties and responsibilities; eliminate any legislation hampering supervisory personnel from disciplining or rewarding any state merit employee; remove non-merit employees from evaluation program, since they serve at the pleasure of the Governor;

Pass H.B. 680 for "stipend" paid to law enforcement officers identifying motor vehicle tax evaders for Division of Vehicle Enforcement Officers or Revenue Cabinet's property tax staffer;

Base superintendent salary on size of county school system, number principals, certified teachers, median HH income of county residents, parcels of taxable property, number of unwed mothers, number of high school dropouts and number of college grads.

Enhance State resources by:

replacing income and sales tax exemptions with selected tax on services;

eliminate truck weight-distance tax by recouping lost WDT revenues by enhancing motor fuels tax and truck registration fees;

Amend legislation allowing locals to tax;