Report to the People
By: State Senator Ernie Harris

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
DATE 04-26-02       

Week in Review:  Week 1 of Special Session Focuses on Whether Taxpayer Dollars Should be Used to Finance Political Campaigns
 

(Frankfort) – Lawmakers returned to Frankfort last week to convene a special legislative session and resume work on Kentucky’s next two-year budget.  The Senate is holding firm on its position that your tax dollars should not be used to finance political campaigns.  I, along with other members in the Senate Majority, believe your tax dollars should be spent on education, healthcare and on other essential services instead of using your tax money to finance political campaigns for governor.

I would like your input on this issue.  If you do not want your tax dollars used to fund political campaigns, I encourage you to Call the legislative hotline at 1-800-372-7181 and voice your opinion.  You can also call the Governor at (502) 564-2611 to let him know that you do not support taxpayer dollars used to finance political campaigns.  Email is another useful tool in getting your opinion heard.  Here’s a list of key email addresses: 
Governor- governor@mail.state.ky.us
House Democrats- LRCHOUSE_D@lrc.state.ky.us
Legislators- legislators2002@lrc.state.ky.us

Late this past week, the House did pass the budget that was submitted to them by the Governor.  Hearings on the proposal have begun in the Senate.  The latest budget plan is a combination of the Senate & House budgets that were approved by both chambers during the Regular Session of the General Assembly.

The House passed budget that is under consideration in the Senate does provide more money for school employees’ salaries. According to the plan, “certified employees,” such as teachers would receive a 2.7% pay raise in each of the next two years.  The budget also requires the same 2.7% pay raise to be given to “classified employees,” such as cafeteria workers and bus drivers.  However, there is great concern among school leaders in local districts across the state that the plan does not fully fund the 2.7% raise for classified employees.  This is a prime example of an area where additional tax dollars are needed and the money should be spend on pay raises for education employees instead of using the tax dollars to fund political campaigns for governor.    

This latest budget proposal would generate more state revenue by closing two tax loopholes. According to the budget proposal, $6.9 million in new state revenue would be garnered by eliminating the deductibility of taxes paid to foreign governments. And additional $11 million in state revenue would come from ensuring all businesses pay the sales tax on natural gas.

Other budget proposal highlights include funding for health coverage for low-income women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer—a measure that originated in the Senate—and continued funding for early childhood development initiatives. The budget also would permit a $120 bond sale to support the “Bucks for Brains” program and would continue directing half of our national tobacco settlement money toward efforts to diversify and promote Kentucky’s agricultural base.

Again, as the budget negotiations continue in Frankfort I want to know how you feel about the primary issue in this debate:  taxpayer dollars used to finance political campaigns. You can contact me by calling the legislative hotline at 1-800-372-7181.  You can also log on to the Legislative Research Commission’s home page to keep up with developments in the General Assembly.  The website address is http://www.lrc.state.ky.us.
 

Report to the People/ Senate Week in Review Archives:

2002

2001

Born:  December 23, 1947

Occupation: Commercial Airline Pilot; Beef Cattle and Tobacco Farmer

Experience: Senate, 1995-present

Education: University of Kentucky—Bachelor of Arts, Business Administration Webster University—Masters of Arts, Management

Committees: Agriculture and Natural Resources—Chair
Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor State and Local Government

Activities: U.S. Air Force (Ret., Lt. Col.)
  Chamber of Commerce
  Kentucky Farm Bureau
  VFW Post 7891
  American Legion Post 39
  Oldham County Fair Association