America is a good place to be on July 4

This 'n That
Debbie Jenkins Cook
Herald Columnist

I've heard a lot of bickering and dismay expressed the past few weeks with the state of the local, state and national economy, with actions of elected officials from Main Street to Washington DC and with just life in general.

While many of the woes are justified, I still am happy to be in America and am glad that is where I'm spending the Fourth of July.

America has her problems and some of them are overwhelming, but she's still the place everybody outside our borders want to come – that in itself should give us a hint of how lucky we are to live in America.

When I was a child, the Fourth of July mainly meant going to the Danville drive-in movie theater and watching a fireworks display there.

It would always end with the lighting of an American flag. Even at that early age, I'd get goosebumps as a patriotic feeling seemed to flow through my veins.

Like everybody else, I'll probably enjoy a hotdog or hamburger at a family cookout and see some fireworks as this July 4 approaches, but I hope I don't get so wrapped up in the festivities to forget the freedom we're really celebrating.

America is not perfect, but she's got more going for her than any other place on earth I'd want to live.

Have a happy Fourth and if you pass an American flag, take a minute to say a prayer of thanks for those who fought for us to have freedom and those who still fight to protect it. It's a precious gift many in the world will never receive.

Guest editorial by Gov. Steve Beshear

Two weeks ago I called the Kentucky General Assembly into special session to deal with an ambitious agenda that required urgent action and bold leadership in the face of tumultuous global economic pressures.

With the session over, its time for a frank assessment of both the positive developments and lingering disappointments of those eight days.

First let me talk about significant accomplishments related to the budget, to jobs and economic development and to transportation. These accomplishments occurred because for the third session in a row, legislators and I collaborated to put the people of Kentucky first.

In essence, policy and problem-solving triumphed over partisan politics and historical rivalries. That alone is reason to celebrate.

Now, what specifically did we accomplish?

First, the legislature approved my plan to fill a projected billion-dollar hole in a $9 billion budget caused by depressed tax receipts. My plan did not raise taxes.

Instead, it relied primarily on one-time use of federal stimulus funds and on cuts in spending hundreds of millions of dollars of cuts on top of the $600 million we’ve cut in the past 18 months.

These cuts, as I said, will be made carefully to preserve our top priorities the SEEK formula that funds our K-12 classrooms, higher education, the Medicaid safety net, which in this economy is being used by an increasing number of families who formerly eschewed public help; and key areas of public safety like police officers, prisons and prosecutors. And, we wisely held back some stimulus funds to fill anticipated holes in the 2011 budget.

Second, the legislature adopted my proposals for creating and retaining jobs by strengthening Kentucky’s attractiveness in a climate of intense competition and by nurturing our existing businesses.

These included:

A long-overdue updating of our economic incentives toolbox.

Changes to attract a NASCAR Sprint Cup race, future Breeders Cup World Championships, historic preservation opportunities and the film and theater industry, and a resolution needed for a proposed advanced battery manufacturing facility in Hardin County, a complex that could establish Kentucky as the epicenter of the car manufacturing world of the future.

Our current incentives are outdated, complicated and inflexible. With this package, we can be a national leader again.

Third, we created a mechanism for funding mega-transportation projects such as bridges linking Kentucky and Indiana in Louisville and Western Kentucky. This mechanism will create momentum on these projects while freeing up transportation financing for roads and other infrastructure around the state.

Now, lets talk about concerns.

The one item of unfinished business is helping the beleaguered horse industry respond to competition from other states.

I put forth a proposal allowing horse tracks to offer slots-style gaming to raise money for purses and breeders incentives. By carefully distributing gaming proceeds, the proposal also helped the General Fund.

I knew this issue would be controversial in some areas. But, it was time to see who would stand up for Kentucky’s signature industry and the livelihood of 100,000 Kentuckians whose jobs depend on it.

I respect differences of opinion. But, the decision to kill the bill in a Senate committee while proposing that we instead increase taxes or raid the General Fund to put a Band-aid on the industry was shortsighted.

We pushed the bill further than its ever been pushed, but that’s little solace to the breeders, trainers, jockeys, farmers, truck drivers, backside workers and others whose jobs are now in jeopardy.

We now must assess how to move forward to remain the Horse Capital of the World.

And finally, the process of balancing future budgets was made more difficult when the General Assembly created new financial obligations without including the revenue for them.

I support those ideas, which included tax breaks for active duty military personnel and people who buy new cars and houses. But, the General Assembly made those tax cuts effective immediately instead of in 2011, as I had requested. Their decision will force deeper cuts to other agencies whose funding has already been reduced in some cases by more than 20 percent.

I do not yet know which agencies will bear the brunt of these additional cuts or how much more they will be asked to sacrifice. But, let us acknowledge the critical if unheralded services these agencies provide such as mine safety, air and water quality, workplace inspections, public health, firefighter training and tourism, among many others. We will make these cuts. We,re here to lead.

However, as we head into another difficult budget cycle, we must all of us be mindful of the impact of the fiscal decisions we make. And, we must be prudent.

My goal continues to be two-fold: First, help families survive these challenging times. And, second, position our state for growth when the economy rebounds.

This special session furthered both of those goals.

But, it is clear that the road ahead remains rough. However, by working together, I’m confident we will get through this.