{Frankfort, Kentucky}...In a speech at the Capitol Thursday, Governor Steve Beshear announced he has appointed a 23-member "blue ribbon commission" to study Kentucky's tax system and propose a plan to reform it. The commission, which will be led by Lt. Governor Jerry Abramson, will review the state's current tax system and propose a list of recommendations by November 15th. Those appointed include former University of Kentucky President Lee T. Todd Jr. and Stu Silberman, executive director of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence. The state has slashed more than $1 billion in spending during the past four years, and Beshear's proposed budget for the next two fiscal years would cut an additional $286 million. Beshear says revenue has been growing at about 70 to 75 percent of the rate of the state economy's growth, and ideally, it should be 100 percent.
Members of the tax reform commission:
Jerry Abramson, chairman
Roszalyn Akins, Lexington
Jason Bailey, Berea
Jim Booth, Inez
Junior Bridgeman, Louisville
Rocky Comito, Shepherdsville
Luther Deaton, Nicholasville
Marion Forcht, Corbin
Rick Jordan, Walton
Pat Mulloy, Louisville
Dr. Sheila Schuster, Louisville
Stu Silberman, Lexington
Lee T. Todd Jr., Lexington
Leslie Weigel, Bowling Green
John Williams, Paducah
Joe Wright, Harned
Cathy Zion, Louisville
Non-voting members:
House majority: Democrats Rick Rand and Jim Wayne
House minority: Republican Bill Farmer
Senate majority: Republicans Bob Leeper and Paul Hornback
Senate minority: Democrat Gerald Neal
