local option sales tax

Kentucky Metro Leaders to Draft Legislation for Local Option Sales Tax

Kenny Colston — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:09:13 +0000

Though the effort for a local option sales tax lacks support from principals in the General Assembly, Mayor Greg Fischer and other leaders from Kentucky's largest communities still went to Frankfort on Tuesday to push for a constitutional amendment.

Calling themselves the Metropolitan Alliance for Growth, the group is creating its own draft of legislation for a local option sales tax—but they call it LIFT, for Local Investments for Transformation.

The alliance is encouraging lawmakers to tackle pension reforms and a constitution to allow a local option tax for infrastructure projects, to be decided by voters. The alliance—which Fischer and Lexington Mayor Jim Gray lead— is made up of local officials from the state's metro areas, including Lexington, Louisville, Bowling Green and Northern Kentucky.

Bearing in mind legislative leaders' reservation about the local option sales tax, Fischer said the alliance is on a campaign to education people.

Kentucky Legislative Leaders Opposed to Local Option Sales Tax

Kenny Colston — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Kentucky's top two legislative leaders say the local option sales tax isn't likely to come up this year.

The local option would allow cities and counties to put temporary sales tax increases to a public vote. It would typically be used to pay for infrastructure projects.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and Lexington Mayor Jim Gray are the major forces behind the option, and a bill amending the state Constitution to allow it has been filed in the Senate.

But Senate President Robert Stivers says his chamber doesn't want to put more tax burdens on individuals.

Beshear Gives Support to Local Option Sales Tax Idea

Kenny Colston — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 20:21:21 +0000

Proponents of a local option sales tax have gained big ally in their legislative fight: Gov. Steve Beshear.

The local option sales tax would allow cities to levy an additional tax on top of the state’s current six percent sales tax for specific projects, if local voters approved the new tax.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and Lexington Mayor Jim Gray are the chief advocates pushing the idea, arguing their cities would use the extra revenue for infrastructure projects.

Speaking on Wednesday to the Louisville Chamber of Commerce, Beshear says he’s all for the idea.

“Well you know politicians are famous for being on both sides of an issue so let me say this… I’m for it,” Beshear says.

To go into effect, lawmakers would have to amend the state constitution and then statewide voters would have to approve the amendment.

Kentucky AG: Constitutional Amendment Needed to Enact Local Option Sales Tax

Lisa Autry — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 16:17:29 +0000

The mayors of Lexington and Louisville believe Kentucky needs a local option sales tax to stay competitive. The tax is levied temporarily to finance public infrastructure projects, but an opinion issued this week by the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office says voters would first need to approve a constitutional amendment.

According to the opinion, local governments nor the General Assembly may enact a local option sales tax without changing the state constitution. The Courier-Journal reports the opinion was requested by the Louisville Metro Council. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and Lexington Mayor Jim Gray want counties to be able to locally increase the statewide sales tax and use the additional revenue for public projects. Voters would have to approve the tax and the projects it would fund in a local referendum.

In an opinion issued Monday by Attorney General Jack Conway, the first step would be amending the state constitution.