I was an elected official for 25 years. The Kentucky legislature was talking “tax reform” then. Thought 25 years, our government officials balance the budget by bond indebtedness and stimulus money from our federal government. Eleven of the 13 years the legislature did not fund their portion of the Kentucky state employee retirement fund. The officials did and continue to fully fund their own and separate retirement and health care benefits. In addition, to help balance the budget, the money people spend for Kentucky specialty license plates to help such things as pet spay and neuter programs, is swept into the general fund. If these actions are not criminal, are they “not right?”

Our state will continue to fiscally spiral downward if tax reform is not done. Please encourage your legislatures not to address or study tax reform but to do the right thing and enact it.

Rick Smith

Winchester