I am not sympathetic to the Northern Kentucky legislators who have adopted a “no-way, never” attitude about increasing the state’s cigarette tax to help fill a huge hole in the state budget. I’d go so far as to say it’s irresponsible to slam the door if the alternative is gutting the state’s ability to fund education. Plus, the higher tax discourages smoking, and we all pay the price of smoking-related illnesses.
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KY budget woes: Koenig has a point
Posted by DennisHetzelat 12/19/2008 4:24 PM EST on Cincinnati.com |
I am not sympathetic to the Northern Kentucky legislators who have adopted a “no-way, never” attitude about increasing the state’s cigarette tax to help fill a huge hole in the state budget. I’d go so far as to say it’s irresponsible to slam the door if the alternative is gutting the state’s ability to fund education. Plus, the higher tax discourages smoking, and we all pay the price of smoking-related illnesses.
A lot of other worthy programs are on the block, too. Our story todaydescribed a woe-fest when Gov. Steve Beshear held a town meeting in Dry Ridge to discuss the state’s budget problems and the difficult decisions he and the Legislature will face. But it’s a sign of how far Kentucky has come that so many in this conservative, agricultural area were willing to support the cigarette tax increase. More than 400 people packed the auditorium of Grant County High School.
However, Republican State Rep. Adam Koenig, one of the more thoughtful and open-minded members of the NKY delegation, also made a good point when he said it doesn’t appear Beshear is living up to his rhetoric that everything should be on the table when the budget situation is this bad.
“Everything” doesn’t appear to include a short-term experiment in removing prevailing wage requirements from school construction projects, which would save millions. Koenig also is right in noting that allowing Kentucky grocery stores to sell wine as well as beer in places where local rules allow it would immediately start generating additional revenue — perhaps as much as $50 million a year through increased sales.
On prevailing wage, Beshear is correct that reform wouldn’t have an immediate impact on state revenue. But it sure would save local school districts a lot of money to simply let the free market determine wage rates for projects. A willingness to at least discuss something that has been a sacred cow for the Democrats would put Beshear on the high road over reticent Republicans.