Cough Up A Lung On Your Own Dime

Rather than raising cigarette taxes to give politicians more money to play with, wouldn't it be simpler to exclude from receiving Medicaid benefits or state aid anyone who smokes cigarettes or uses tobacco products?

This Isn't The "Taxpayer Transparency" We Need

Rep. Harry Moberly came under intense fire last year for trying to hide more legislative actions behind closed doors. After seeing that, it was surprising to see him file a bill yesterday to open up the secretive "economic development" process by requiring the Cabinet for Economic Development to provide information to the legislature upon request. That could be a good thing.

But you have to read the whole bill, which includes this:

(3) Information that shall be provided upon request includes:
(a) Any information acquired from any records of the Department of Revenue, but excluding the taxpayer's name ...

I don't know about you, but I'm not at all comfortable with the idea of Harry Moberly being allowed to legally pore over my state tax returns with just my name blacked out.

In case you don't get my objection, let me ask you this: how many taxpayers live at your address?

Et tu, Senator Borders?

It was bad enough when House Budget Chairman Harry Moberly filed a bill last week to raise the expensive Limited Liability Entity Tax, but today the Senate Budget Chairman Charlie Borders filed exactly the same bill with his name on it.

You are copying homework off the wrong guy there, Senator Borders.

Now that Republicans are on board, this must be another one of those "revenue-neutral tax increases" we love so much.

If you are keeping score at home, candidate Steve Beshear promised to support repeal -- not expansion -- of the LLET and keeps saying Kentucky doesn't need tax increases.

Are you watching this, Governor?

Putting Governor Steve Beshear To The Test

Why wouldn't Governor Beshear have the courage to sign an executive order Kentuckians of all political stripes want him to sign?

And no, it's not casinos.

Physician, Heal Thyself

What in the world are we doing waiting around for a bunch of career politicians to fix their own pension disaster when all they have done for decades is show a prodigious and embarrassing appetite for gorging themselves on our tax dollars?

First thing, they must repeal this bill. Here's more from BIPPS, including the soon-to-be state legislator with the highest "high three."

Preventing Courier Journal Embarrassment

You have got to the kidding me! Read this, from today's Louisville Courier Journal editorial page:

The current budget crisis is really a test of what legislative independence has become. For more than 30 years, lawmakers pushed for control. Now they have it. But when it comes to the budget, they squander it.

One frustrated legislative staffer recently described how some members operate. He fumed, "Once upon a time, you didn't even have to tell (legislator's name withheld to prevent embarrassment) what was in the budget. Now you have to give him a state park to get him to vote for it."

It's nothing new to see the Louisville Courier Journal (newspaper's name not withheld to maximize embarrassment) carry water for another bloated state legislator, but this is ridiculous and precisely why we need more government transparency than the bloated class wants to allow us now.

He Likes Mike (Huckabee)

Chuck Norris will be on Leland Conway's radio show this morning at 11:35 talking about what he will do to you if you aren't for Mike Huckabee.

You can listen on 630AM WLAP or just click here.

Governor Underwhelmer

Wasn't ANYONE impressed with the Beshear State of the Commonwealth speech?

We Can't Be Broke, We Still Have Checks!

The House Appropriations and Revenue Committee will discuss HB 87 tomorrow. The bill would give $20 million from the General Fund to tobacco farmers.

Who's Your News Daddy?

In our poll-driven world, the news that Fox News has overtaken CNN as a most-trusted news source will upset some people.

Do the math, though, and you will see CNN actually came in third. Number two was my favorite "None of the Above."

Fayette Jail Shake-Up On The Way

The Pepto Bismol is flowing tonight around the Fayette County Detention Center amid intense speculation Director Ron Bishop will be forced out by the end of the month.

It gets better.

Number two man, Deputy Director Donald Leach is coming under fire for consulting work he has done the last couple of years on the strength of a Doctorate in Public Administration degree awarded to him in 2005 from a reputed mail-order diploma mill.

Why Kentucky Needs Independent Blogs

I don't know whether to be totally shocked or well, not, that the Lexington Herald Leader would do an expose on Kentucky jails today and completely ignore the disastrous Fayette County Detention Center in their own back yard.

Chronicles of Blarney

The Louisville Courier-Journal digs into its archives this morning to point out that they knew two years ago that Kentucky was dramatically overspending tax money.

Based on the comments by Fletcher and his budget team, a Courier-Journal story published on April 24, 2006, said:

"Unless the state's economy grows at a much higher-than-normal rate -- and much higher than projected -- lawmakers in 2008 will not have money for teacher raises, university improvements or other funding increases without raising revenue or making painful spending cuts in other areas."

Perhaps they would have been able to find that story faster if their archives from those days weren't loaded up with stories about merit hiring and other much less important issues than blowing tax money.

I Could Have Saved Them The Fifty Cents

The Lexington Herald Leader's Michelle Ku has filed an open records request for FCDC Director Ron Bishop's training records which were reported on here.

Michelle, make sure you look at both copies of the training report -- the one that shows Bishop with a zero and the second one with his name scrubbed off completely to avoid attention.

Kentucky Schools Can't Afford Union Thugs

... or prevailing wage.

Governor Steve Beshear is finding it necessary to dump his other grandiose campaign promises. Now that organized labor leaders helped get him elected, what are they going to do? Vote for a Republican?

Kentucky can't afford to carry these guys around. Unfortunately, Beshear is going to have to submit to the union-ectomy willingly, which is something he shows no signs of being ready for. While we wait, we can take comfort in the fact that his idea of collective bargaining for state employees has already been tossed in the trash.

Pol Brings Dull Pencil To Online Battle Of Words

Rep. Charlie Hoffman makes national news for proposing a very stupid law.

Ed Worley's Tax You More Fund

Polwatchers reports Sen. Ed Worley is ready to increase the cigarette tax to raise revenue rather than focus on cutting spending. I guess it would really be news if Worley, a non-smoker, came out in favor of taxing ill-gotten gains at a higher rate but, until then, maybe some of these big taxers should go for the Tax Me More Fund.

Winning Kentucky's Fiscal Responsibility War

State House members of both parties are already talking about filing a discharge petition to force a floor vote on Rep. Jim DeCesare's bill to repeal the very expensive Limited Liability Entity Tax.

When he was a candidate, Governor Steve Beshear promised to support repeal of the tax.

Beshear Gambling Strategy Exposed

Senator Tom Buford said today Governor Steve Beshear invited him to his office and spoke with him about taking a job in the administration.

Buford refused.

Will it be Beshear the Repealer?

House Leadership yesterday quietly assigned a bill that is very important both politically and fiscally to the Appropriations and Revenue Committee.

House Bill 26 would repeal the Limited Liability Entity Tax, also known as the Alternative Minimum Calculation signed into law by Governor Ernie Fletcher and hated by businesses paying the tax.

And if Governor Steve Beshear is really in a repealing and money-saving mood, he should support the effort to shut down the Treasurer's office, too.