Tax reform commission meets in Paducah

The fourth meeting of the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Tax Reform served as the first of six “listening sessions” around the state designed to allow the public to comment. The two-hour meeting was held at Paducah Tilghman High School. A recording will available soon on the Commission’s website.

Twenty-one individuals, who were limited to five minutes each, presented testimony. Several advocates argued that additional funding is needed for education, public health and mental health services, but most did not present how to change the tax code to generate the revenue. Only two individuals advocated specific taxes that, in their mind, should be increased – the cigarette tax and a new method for generating road fund money.

A number of individuals also presented the business case for a more competitive and simplified tax system for employers. To read the Chamber’s principles for creating a competitive tax climate, click here. We encourage members to submit comments and present testimony on Kentucky’s tax structure and how it impacts your individual companies online or at the subsequent public forums. For a full schedule of the public hearings, click here.