Kenny Colston

Internet Sales Tax Bill Could Restore Some State Budget Cuts, Kentucky Group Says

Kenny Colston — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:03:04 +0000

Your online purchases could alleviate some of Kentucky's budget woes.

The federal legislation that allows states to collect sales taxes from more online retailers would benefit the Kentucky state budget, argues a policy group focused on economic policy.

If such legislation passed, Kentucky could gain $130 million to $200 million in revenue per year, the state's Blue Ribbon Tax Commission has estimated.

That sort of money could lead to a restoration to programs that have recently been cut, including the child care subsidy for low-incoming, working families, says Jason Bailey, director of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy.

The new revenue wouldn't be a miracle fix for the state budget, Bailey says, but it could reverse some serious cuts made the last few years.

Lower Tier Candidates May Cause Problems for Democrats in U.S. Senate Race

Kenny Colston — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:41:58 +0000

Now it's Heather French Henry's turn.

The former Miss America has joined a list of half a dozen party activists or leaders waiting for Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes to decide whether she'll run in 2014 against Mitch McConnell for his U.S. Senate seat.

If Grimes run, she's likely to get enough support to clear out the field. Otherwise, the Democrats have potential candidates known within political circles, but who may be not instantly recognizable with the majority of voters—former state Democratic Party Chairman Bill Gorman or environmental activist Tom FitzGerald, for example.

Without Grimes, Democrats may find themselves with a crowded primary—and that would cause problems in a bid to unseat McConnell, who polls suggest is vulnerable, says Dewey Clayton, a political scientist for the University of Louisville.

Stewart Named New Tourism Secretary

Kenny Colston — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:33:27 +0000

Governor Steve Beshear has named a longtime tourism veteran to oversee the part of his cabinet dealing with travel and the arts.

Bob Stewart is a familiar face in state government, having worked for 11 years as commissioner of travel from 1992 to 2003.

And now, he'll be the new Tourism Secretary, having been appointed by Beshear to fill the post vacated by Marcheta Sparrow, who’s retiring.

Stewart is starting work for his fourth governor, having previously served under Brereton Jones, Martha Layne Collins and Julian Carroll. He's either played roles in tourism or worked as an executive assistant for those governors.

Stewart begins June 1.

Pharmaceutical Company Helps Train Kentucky Law Enforcement to Address Pill Abuse

Kenny Colston — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:36:16 +0000

A national pharmaceutical company is helping train Kentucky law enforcement on how to address prescription pill abuse in their communities.

Purdue Pharma helps produce some of the prescriptions often abused in Kentucky, including OxyCotin.

But company executives say that for the last few years, Purdue Pharma has been helping to train law enforcement officials on how to help crack down on illegal prescribing and abuse.

As part of a free training seminar, Purdue officials are once again in Kentucky helping health care officials and law enforcement address potential pill abuse.

John Gilbride, a law enforcement liaison for Purdue, says the company has frequently held the seminars in the state.

Kentucky Tea Party Groups to Protest IRS Offices

Kenny Colston — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:35:14 +0000

Kentucky Tea Party groups are planning rallies Tuesday to protest the IRS targeting of Tea Party and conservative groups for extra review.

Two of Kentucky's largest Tea Party groups will protests outside IRS offices in their respective areas: the Northern Kentucky Tea Party will protest in Cincinnati and Louisville's group will join southern Indiana groups to protest in Louisville.

Louisville Tea Party President Sarah Durand says the protests show that Tea Party groups won't stand by quietly while the controversy unfolds.

"So this is our way of saying something needs to be done, there needs to be more action taken and that we refuse to be silenced," she says.

The Justice Department is opening an investigation into the IRS reviews.