Republican gubernatorial candidate, Billy Harper, is already following through on what he's promising to do if elected Governor of Kentucky! He is leading a petition drive to repeal Kentucky's Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). You'll see this tax referred to as the AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax) even though, technically, Kentucky's state version of the federal AMT is called the Alternative Minimum Calculation (or AMC). The AMC is a tax that is harmful to the prosperity of all Kentuckians as it penalizes businesses that struggle to succeed here.
If you favor a repeal of this onerous tax, sign the petition online. Why not have your voice heard? After all, Mr. Harper is certainly making it very easy for you to voice your opinion on a tax that hurts Kentucky. Billy Harper will be delivering this petition to the politicians in Frankfort. Yours truly has already added her name to the list!
Evidently, Billy Harper isn't just campaigning, he's already started the ball rolling on his first campaign promise! Nice work, Mr. Harper!!
If you favor a repeal of this onerous tax, sign the petition online. Why not have your voice heard? After all, Mr. Harper is certainly making it very easy for you to voice your opinion on a tax that hurts Kentucky. Billy Harper will be delivering this petition to the politicians in Frankfort. Yours truly has already added her name to the list!
Evidently, Billy Harper isn't just campaigning, he's already started the ball rolling on his first campaign promise! Nice work, Mr. Harper!!
Comments
Rep. Bill Farmer and 15 other Republican members of the House GOP Caucus have a Bill filed (HB 88) that would do away with the AMC completely. HB 87 by Rep. David Floyd and six other Republican House member does much the same. HB 119 sponsored by Democrat Rep. Mike Denham and co-sponsored by Republican Rep. C. B. Embry, Jr. also would repeal the AMC. All three Bills were introduced in the House of Representatives on January 2, 2007.
The question is will the Leadership in the House and Senate allow one of these Bills to be heard and voted on, and will the Fletcher Administration support such a Bill?
The governor, no matter who he or she is, can not do away with the AMC alone. A Bill doing so has to first pass in the House and Senate. If that happens, then the governor can sign it into law, or veto it.
State Representatives and State Senators can file as many Bills as they wish. However they have no control which Bills get consideration. The Leadership Teams and the Committee Chairmen pick the Bills to be considered, for there is not nearly enough time to deal with all of them.
Around 40 to 50% of Bills filed are given some type of consideration (hearings, discussion, debate and maybe votes), the rest die with no action being taken. Around 12 to 15% of Bills filed pass, and become law. The 2007 Session of the General Assembly has 26 more working days left. Nearly 300 Bills were filed in the first four days of this year's Session. Hundreds of more will be filed starting next week.
The AMC should be completely repealed.
As I type this I do not think the AMC will be repealed this Session. Things can change in Frankfort quickly, therefore I hope I am wrong. How that source of income (AMC for businesses grossing over $3 million a year) would be replaced without adding back in the earlier tax cuts, is also a question.
However, as with a lot of things (laws) that look "good on paper" once the flaws are detected in practice - that law should be taken off of the table ... this is one of those ... so is KERA.
So far, the dems running, all 100 of them, have yet to talk "reality" and have yet to discuss real issues. All I have heard so far are outlines of "hypothesis'" -- I'm so tired of political hypothesis - I think some call that political rhetoric?
If Harper does this AMC change & if Harper can talk about how he WILL do away with KERA - I will switch my party and vote for Harper in the Primary.
I don't really know that Billy Harper would be up for undoing KERA. That's a question I need to ask him soon. He did good work but was working within a political and status quo structure. Change comes more slowly that way...
When I talked with Mr. Harper yesterday, I mentioned these bills to him. I asked him if he thought maybe his early campaign ads and positions may have sparked them. I was surprised at what he said: "I sure hope so. That would be great. It doesn't matter to me who gets the credit for getting it done as long as we get it done."
Not your typical politician-style answer, is it?!
And yes, she should be very certain as to why she wants the office because people see right through the rhetoric these days.
Their study shows the Commonwealth would lose $60.9 million in revenue in 2007-2008 with the repeal of this unfair tax.
Reportedly this will result in Rep. Harry Moberly, Jr., D-Richmond, Chairman of the House Appropriations & Revenue Committee, and the House Democrat Leadership Team not allowing this Bill or the other two Bills that repeal the AMC from being discussed or considered.
Their concern is putting in place some other souces of revenue (tax) to replace the AMC or what programs to cut back (education, social services, public protection, etc.). They clearly do not want to do either one at this time.
While several of us will continue to push to repeal the AMC, it appears the chances to do that this Session are slim to none.
The thing I find most surprising about other legislators trying to find a replacement for an unfair tax is just that -- it's unfair; it should never have been counted as revenue for the state to begin with. So, trying to "make up" for the shortfall as a result of doing what's right is kind of ridiculous in my book.
How about this? Encourage business growth in this state by cutting out the pork; removing unfair tax burdens from entrepreneurs; and building a Commonwealth that is robust enough to keep her natives here rather than sending them elsewhere to build careers.
In the meantime, cut the pork, vote down ridiculous big government bills like the vaccination bill for girls that was recently introduced, and learn to operate lean and mean until the "business friendly" acts have time to mature and draw more businesses to the state. It makes sense to me.
These sort of issues make me wonder how states like Tennessee do so well without onerous state tax burdens on businesses and individuals -- for crying out loud, there is no state income tax in that state but their roads are well-maintained and their cities are robust and growing, their school systems are doing well, and no one ever seems to mention that in the Kentucky legislature.
Hey, I'm sure a lot of us would be willing to foot the tax bill just for a few of our state senators to go to Tennessee and learn from them! Look, I'd never want to live there but I can't help but think they've got the market cornered on how to run a state responsibly... am I wrong there?