Finance and Administration Cabinet Secretary Jonathan Miller likes to say he is for "good government," "openness," and "transparency."
That would be a whole lot easier to believe if he weren't sitting by quietly while the House allows his cabinet to operate under the cover of darkness.
This is outrageous. And the mainstream media, who I guess is busy covering the dead casino bill due out tomorrow, is complicit.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Sports Caption Should Fire Them Up
There was nothing funny about the Kentucky Wildcats' 41 point loss to Vanderbilt last night. But then I saw the caption on a game photo in the Lexington Herald Leader:
I wonder how many angry letters to the editor they will get on this one.
CATS SUFFER WORST LOSS IN SERIES HISTORY
Kentucky mimicked a night of political landslides. Alas, the Cats played the role of Hillary Clinton buried in defeat in the Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., primaries.
I wonder how many angry letters to the editor they will get on this one.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Do Nothing Frankfort
The first bill to get a vote in both the House and Senate passed today. Was it something to benefit education? Taxes? Pensions? Entitlement reform? Transparency? Legislative reform? Immigration? Drugs? Local governments?
Nope. It was Abraham Lincoln's birthday.
So glad the glory days have returned to Frankfort.
Nope. It was Abraham Lincoln's birthday.
So glad the glory days have returned to Frankfort.
Gambling With Your Child's Well-Being
As Governor Steve Beshear prepares to divulge his casino gambling plan, he is expected to ignore the downside of creating more avenues for self-destructive, math-challenged Kentuckians to blow up their own finances and then turn to taxpayers for a bail-out.
This is a mistake, of course.
At the very least, Governor Beshear should propose to fine anyone with gambling winnings an amount equal to those winnings if that person's non-gambling income would qualify him or her for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit or if the household receives KCHIP, food stamps, or other state aid in the same tax year the gambling winnings occur.
Making it impossible for low-income Kentuckians to profit from gambling would have the effect of preventing them from frittering away their money. And ours.
This is a mistake, of course.
At the very least, Governor Beshear should propose to fine anyone with gambling winnings an amount equal to those winnings if that person's non-gambling income would qualify him or her for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit or if the household receives KCHIP, food stamps, or other state aid in the same tax year the gambling winnings occur.
Making it impossible for low-income Kentuckians to profit from gambling would have the effect of preventing them from frittering away their money. And ours.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Another thing that didn't make our country great
We have become a nation that allows illegal aliens to bleed us dry, subsidizes lifestyles of the drugged and lazy, and elects politicians who play hide the checkbook.
But this beats all of those.
But this beats all of those.
Andrew Horne Gets Ditched
Now Mitch McConnell's opponent looks like it will be the persona non grata of the Democratic Party, Bruce Lunsford.
Cue the weeping and wailing on the Yale campus, where word of their hero's demise apparently hasn't yet hit.
Update: now they know.
Cue the weeping and wailing on the Yale campus, where word of their hero's demise apparently hasn't yet hit.
Update: now they know.
Illegal Immigration Gets Serious Look
The House Judiciary Committee will hear testimony on HB 304 from Shelbyville Police Chief Robert Schutte at 2 pm.
You should be able to see it on www.ket.org.
You should be able to see it on www.ket.org.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Wanna Bet?
I'd sure like to have a piece of the action on House Budget Chairman Harry "Easy Money" Moberly's assessment of Governor Steve Beshear's casino gambling scheme.
The source of this quote is the Lexington Herald Leader.
"I think it's 50-50 now that casino gambling will get out of the legislature this year."
The source of this quote is the Lexington Herald Leader.
Good Thing Hypocrisy Doesn't Cause Cancer
I don't know anything about smokeless tobacco being safer than cigarettes, as Professor Brad Rodu says in the Lexington Herald Leader, but I think his column raises an important point about the economics of taxing people into various forms of compliance.
Radu says we should cut the tax on smokeless tobacco to encourage people to switch to it from cigarettes:
Radu is a smokeless tobacco industry researcher, so we could be cynical and suppose he is just trying to keep his ox from getting gored. But that pales in comparison to the cynicism of those who claim in the same breath that higher cigarette taxes will cut smoking while raising revenues.
The cigarette tax increase bill also raises taxes on smokeless tobacco. For the children and, one imagines, the added revenue.
Wouldn't it be cheaper and more effective to refuse KCHIP benefits to children of smokers? That would be a serious incentive for some parents to either quit smoking or figure out a way to take care of their own kids.
Then we could keep cigarette taxes low to encourage border residents of other states to keep coming over to buy their smokes in Kentucky and we might have a few more welfare dollars to make sure those who really need the help can get it.
Radu says we should cut the tax on smokeless tobacco to encourage people to switch to it from cigarettes:
"Put in simpler and conservative terms, smokeless use carries less than 2 percent of the health risk of smoking. A rational tobacco tax policy would set taxes accordingly. If lawmakers raise the cigarette tax to $1, the tax on smokeless tobacco should be two cents."
Radu is a smokeless tobacco industry researcher, so we could be cynical and suppose he is just trying to keep his ox from getting gored. But that pales in comparison to the cynicism of those who claim in the same breath that higher cigarette taxes will cut smoking while raising revenues.
The cigarette tax increase bill also raises taxes on smokeless tobacco. For the children and, one imagines, the added revenue.
Wouldn't it be cheaper and more effective to refuse KCHIP benefits to children of smokers? That would be a serious incentive for some parents to either quit smoking or figure out a way to take care of their own kids.
Then we could keep cigarette taxes low to encourage border residents of other states to keep coming over to buy their smokes in Kentucky and we might have a few more welfare dollars to make sure those who really need the help can get it.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Defrauding Our Way To Prosperity
If casino gambling as a public policy were a fashion statement, it would be a white leisure suit. If Governor Steve Beshear continues to ignore our real problems like public employees benefits underfunding, out-of-control entitlements, and inefficient government spending practices, he will not only get his casino plan crammed down his throat by his own House of Representatives, but he will find his big labor constituency unable to keep him in office by itself.
Might as well face facts about the state's wasteful labor policies now. Then let's look at our welfare mentality. And then we absolutely must cut our lavish state employee/retiree health benefits.
Failure to address these issues when the necessity of doing so constitutes fraud. And while it might be fun for Team Beshear to blame Ernie Fletcher for not addressing these issues, it doesn't change anything.
Might as well face facts about the state's wasteful labor policies now. Then let's look at our welfare mentality. And then we absolutely must cut our lavish state employee/retiree health benefits.
Failure to address these issues when the necessity of doing so constitutes fraud. And while it might be fun for Team Beshear to blame Ernie Fletcher for not addressing these issues, it doesn't change anything.
What Is Jody Richards Hiding Now?
Why the new Governor hasn't gotten on board with the government transparency movement is quite a mystery. Kentucky's version of the Taxpayer Transparency Act of 2008 lies dormant in a House committee.
Speaker Jody Richards will have to tell taxpayers directly that how he spends their money is none of their business next week when he kills off the same act added as an amendment to HB 422.
For a group that is supposed to be interested in honesty and good government, these guys sure hold tight to their precious secrets.
Think about that the next time you send any tax money to Frankfort.
Speaker Jody Richards will have to tell taxpayers directly that how he spends their money is none of their business next week when he kills off the same act added as an amendment to HB 422.
For a group that is supposed to be interested in honesty and good government, these guys sure hold tight to their precious secrets.
Think about that the next time you send any tax money to Frankfort.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Stu Silberman Sued For Racial Discrimination
Fayette School Superintendent Stu Silberman was sued today in Fayette Circuit Court for racial discrimination. The suit charges Silberman and Carmen Coleman, Fayette Schools Director, with manufacturing evidence, creating an intolerable work environment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violating the civil rights of former Booker T. Washington Academy Principal Peggy Petrilli. Petrilli was forced to resign in August 2007. She was the Kentucky Association of Elementary School Principals 2005 Principal of the Year.
The suit asks for compensatory and punitive damages. The Fayette County Board of Education is also listed as a co-defendant.
The suit asks for compensatory and punitive damages. The Fayette County Board of Education is also listed as a co-defendant.
Market Expansion Open Thread
I'm headed to northern Kentucky this morning to tape a television program with political reporter Pat Crowley.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Gambling On Legislator Benefits And Paychecks
Now that casino gambling is dead, Rep. Jim Wayne(D) and Rep. Dwight Butler(R) want to remove accountability from the legislature for beefing up their pay and benefits and give it to a board they create and appoint.
Given the crappy way lawmakers increased pension benefits for themselves in 2005, I really can't imagine we would want to take on the risk of voting for the Make Legislator Pay Increases Easier Act of 2008.
Given the crappy way lawmakers increased pension benefits for themselves in 2005, I really can't imagine we would want to take on the risk of voting for the Make Legislator Pay Increases Easier Act of 2008.
Shades Of Barbara Erwin
The Louisville Courier Journal has a story about the Kentucky School Board loading up Commissioner Jon Draud's compensation with a bunch of sick days.
The "money" quote:
That should go over pretty well with the teachers.
Can't help remembering the dust up our last Ed Commissioner Barbara Erwin had about getting larded up on sick days.
Is it just an interesting coincidence that this little goody was slipped into HB 470 yesterday?
That's a pretty expensive benefit to be dishing out to political appointees or, in this case an appointee) when school districts are talking about laying off employees.
The "money" quote:
“Right now, I don’t have any sick or vacation time,” Draud said. “I don’t anticipate anything, but if I were to get sick, I would have nothing to fall back on.”
That should go over pretty well with the teachers.
Can't help remembering the dust up our last Ed Commissioner Barbara Erwin had about getting larded up on sick days.
Is it just an interesting coincidence that this little goody was slipped into HB 470 yesterday?
Notwithstanding any statute to the contrary, the executive branch of government shall accept from the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System all accrued annual and sick leave balances and service credits of employees leaving the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System and accepting appointments within the executive branch.
That's a pretty expensive benefit to be dishing out to political appointees or, in this case an appointee) when school districts are talking about laying off employees.
What Might We Do With Legislator Pay?
I'll report details when I have them, but the House is getting a bill today amending the Constitution's provisions relating to legislator pay.
Jody Richards Has A Decision To Make
(Thursday night update: the bill didn't come up for debate but Rep. Brinkman filed an amendment to lower the tax. Good move! Still tough for Jody.)
One of House Budget Chairman Harry Moberly's tax increase bills that may come up for a vote on the House floor this afternoon got a surprise amendment yesterday.
The tax Moberly wants to increase is the infamous Alternative Minimum Calculation Democrats agreed was an "un-American" income tax on businesses with no net income when Ernie Fletcher was governor.
There is no way Richards has the courage of his convictions to allow a vote on this amendment. He will, with a straight face, rule the amendment not germane. This will kill the amendment.
Or he can allow a vote and watch the tax increase he wants die a well-deserved death.
One of House Budget Chairman Harry Moberly's tax increase bills that may come up for a vote on the House floor this afternoon got a surprise amendment yesterday.
The tax Moberly wants to increase is the infamous Alternative Minimum Calculation Democrats agreed was an "un-American" income tax on businesses with no net income when Ernie Fletcher was governor.
There is no way Richards has the courage of his convictions to allow a vote on this amendment. He will, with a straight face, rule the amendment not germane. This will kill the amendment.
Or he can allow a vote and watch the tax increase he wants die a well-deserved death.
Gooch Wants To Tax Free Speech
Rep. Jim Gooch has filed a bill requiring editorial writers and cartoonists for "a news organization which engages for profit" to register with the state as lobbyists.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Senate To Consider Chris Thieneman Act
The state Senate is expected to vote tomorrow on a bill to prohibit city employees in Louisville from pushing ballot initiatives on the clock like they did in support of the doomed Louisville Library Tax.
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