Kentucky's Budget: Reform Taxes or Die

Next month, the General Assembly will fact a stark choice: slash basic services to the point that the cut-spending/revenues-fall vicious cycle becomes unstoppable, or finally drag Kentucky's feudal tax system into the 21st century.

One legislator and one legislator only appears to understand.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo said he is “not afraid” to consider tax reform to keep the state from making crippling cuts in education and human services.

Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said he believes the public and state lawmakers might embrace an overhaul of the state’s tax system to avoid huge cuts in education and human services.

Told by a reporter that Beshear and many legislators don’t seem to have an appetite for tax increases, Stumbo responded: “I don’t have an appetite to turn my back on the needs of our state.”

He said he was particularly alarmed to learn Tuesday that only 12 of every 100 students in Kentucky who enter the ninth grade graduate from college.

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes,” Stumbo said.

In response, Beshear spokeswoman Kerri Richardson said the Democratic governor “has made it clear that now is not the time to raise broad-based taxes on Kentuckians.

“Tax reform means different things to different people, and we will continue to listen to whatever ideas the legislators may have.”

Read the whole thing.

"Raise broad-based taxes" is proof this administration has no clue what genuine tax reform means. If you restructure the tax system in a way that encourages job creation, rewards work, and ensures the wealthy and large corporations pay their fair share, everyone benefits and the economy will grow.

Recently, Media Czech predicted that Greg Stumbo would challenge and probably beat Steve Beshear in the 2011 gubernatorial Democratic primary. I agree, but even if Beshear survives the primary, he'll lose in November. His only hope of survival is to embrace radical tax reform now.