April 2016 - balancing the scales

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Kentuckians For The Commonwealth P.O. Box 1450 London, Ky. 40743

BALANCING THE

VOLUME 35 NUMBER 2 APRIL 25, 2016

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID LEXINGTON, KY. PERMIT NO. 513

Gathered around tables: Citizens share their vision for Kentucky’s energy future pg. 8

Our voice and vision are needed to move us forward........................................3

Activism for us awkward folks –­ building skills................................................. 17

Letcher Countians speak out against proposed federal prison............ 18

Members set to build momentum for a better budget................................10

Big Sandy chapter hosts seventh annual Growing Appalachia................... 18

Preparations begin for annual membership meeting, Call for Nominations and Form.

20-23

2 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

Table of Contents Executive Committee Corner

is a statewide grassroots social justice orga­­ ni­zation working for a new balance of power and a just society. KFTC uses direct-action organizing to accomplish the following goals: • foster democratic values • change unjust institutions • empower individuals • overcome racism and other discrimination • communicate a message of what’s possible • build the organization • help people participate • win issues that affect the common welfare • have fun KFTC membership dues are $15 to $50 per year, based on ability to pay. No one is denied membership because of inability to pay. Membership is open to anyone who is committed to equality, democracy and nonviolent change.

KFTC STEERING COMMITTEE Dana Beasley Brown, chairperson Tanya Torp, vice chairperson Elizabeth Sanders, secretary-treasurer Homer White, at-large member Sue Tallichet, immediate past chair

Chapter Representatives

Leslie Bebensee, Scott County Sarah Martin, Central Kentucky John Hennen, Rowan County JoAnn Schwartz, Northern Kentucky Ryan Fenwick, Jefferson County Alan Smith, Southern Kentucky Andrea Massey, Harlan County Randall Wilson, Perry County Megan McKinney, Madison County Lillian Prosperino, Letcher County Charly Sholty, Big Sandy Leah Bayens, Wilderness Trace Leslie McBride, Shelby County Alternates: Rosanne Klarer, Scott County; Sharon Murphy, Central Kentucky; Lisa Montgomery, Rowan County; Serena Owen, Northern Kentucky; Daniel Morgan, Jefferson County; Dora James and Jeanie Smith, Southern Kentucky; Carl Shoupe, Harlan County; Russell Oliver, Perry County; Meta Mendel-Reyes, Madison County; Eric Dixon, Letcher County; Kim Walters, Big Sandy; Lee Ann Paynter, Wilderness Trace; Nancy Reinhart and JoAnna Rouse, Shelby County Balancing the Scales is published by Kentuckians For The Commonwealth and mailed third class from Lexington, Kentucky. Reader contri­butions and letters to the editor should be sent to 250 Plaza Drive Suite #4, Lexington, Ky, 40503 or tim@kftc.org. Subscriptions are $20/yr.

Our voice and vision are needed to move us forward.....................................................................................3

Member Commentary Shepherd, Flores find experiences with KFTC rewarding............................................................................. 4 K.A. Owens: What we believe in, how we care for one another..................................................................5 We Are Kentuckians: Leslie McBride, Shelby County..................................................................................... 6

New Energy and Transition Update Court issues stay on Clean Power Plan; KFTC moves forward.....................................................................7 Kentuckians share their vision for Kentucky’s energy future....................................................................... 8

Grassroots Fundraising Update Thanks to KFTC, I became a lobbyist.................................................................................................................... 9

General Assembly Wrap-up Members set to build momentum for a better budget.................................................................................10 Jefferson County hosts Tax Justice Meet and Greet with legislators....................................................... 11 Movement on several bills KFTC supported, passage for just a few........................................................ 12 Some bills KFTC opposed saw action, none will become law.................................................................... 13 Some bills that KFTC took a position on saw no action...............................................................................14 Wilderness Trace, Scott County chapters engage in special elections...................................................14 Landlord-tenant bill passes House, dies in Senate......................................................................................... 15 House and Senate each pass Voting Rights restoration bills – just not each other’s........................ 15

Local Updates Jefferson members host third annual We Are Kentuckians event............................................................16 Activism for us awkward folks – ­ building skills................................................................................................ 17 Central Kentucky chapter to focus on chapter planning process............................................................. 17 Big Sandy chapter hosts seventh annual Growing Appalachia................................................................. 18 Letcher Countians speak out against proposed federal prison................................................................. 18 Protection from pipelines and bad housing a focus for SOKY...................................................................19 Bowling Green members get strategic about housing outreach..............................................................19

KFTC News Preparations begin for annual membership meeting, Call for Nominations and Form............ 20-23 KFTC Calendar............................................................................................................................................................. 24

Your membership in KFTC helps to build a community of Kentuckians working for New Power!

NAME: _______________________________________ ADDRESS: _______________________________________ CITY: _______________________________________ STATE & ZIP: _____________________________________ PHONE: _______________________________________ EMAIL: _______________________________________

Suggested membership dues are $15-$50 annually, based on ability to pay. We welcome you to give whatever amount you are able.

Step Two: Payment Method: □ Check or money order enclosed □ Electronic Funds Transfer (best option for Sustaining Givers). Please return this form with a voided check from the account you wish to have the withdrawals made. □ Credit card: Complete information below. □ Visa □ Mastercard □ Am. Express □ Discover

Select which organization you would like to donate to:

□ KFTC: Membership dues and donations are not tax-deductible. □ Kentucky Coalition: Membership dues and donations are tax-

Card Number: __ __ __ __ -__ __ __ __ -__ __ __ __ -__ __ __ __

deductible.

Become A Sustaining Giver: Sustaining Givers provide steady

income to support KFTC’s work throughout the year. And being a Sustaining Giver allows you to make a bigger impact. With as little as $5 per month, you can make a greater investment in KFTC.

Make me a Sustaining Giver!

I will contribute $ _____ every: □ Month □ Quarter □ Year

I would rather make a one-time gift of: □$100 □$50 □$25 □$15 □$5 Other: $__________

Expiration Date ___ ___ / ___ ___ Bank Withdrawal/Credit Card Payment Authorization

I authorize KFTC/KY Coalition and their authorized third-party processing vendor(s) to debit my account or charge my credit card in accordance with the information provided. I understand that this authority will remain in effect until cancelled or changed by reasonable notification to KFTC/KY Coalition.

Authorized Signature: _____________________________ Date: _________________

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

Balancing the Scales | 3

executive committee corner

Our voice and vision are needed to move us forward

By Elizabeth Sanders I had a friend who, when asked what his favorite season was, replied, “election season.” And, in response, I said something about the fall leaves in the mountains being no match for election season, no matter the candidates.

No matter the season and no matter the candidates, one thing holds true – our work as KFTC members continues. That is because our vision requires the work and heart of the long haul.

The day we are working for will not be won at a ballot box.

It will be won in the streets, at Justice House breakfasts, at doorways in Smoketown, at youth leadership events in East Kentucky. It will be won by joining across neighborhoods and county lines, across state and country borders.

KFTC would not exist without each and every one of us who believe in our shared vision – who believe enough to act.

Many of you have been a part of this long, hard, and beautiful haul since before I was even born. Thank you. And thank you, too, for making space for younger folks to step forward and join in with their own realities and experiences, which at times leads us in new directions.

The long haul means that the work will pass on and evolve. The long haul does not mean we lose a sense of urgen-

cy. At the same time, the sense of urgency does not mean we can hold the pieces of our work separate from one another, for they are all connected. Of course we can have singular victories, but what good is one quilt square if it is never going to be sewn together to be part of a big ol’ vibrant quilt?

One of my favorite poets, Marge Piercy, wrote a poem called “The Low Road,” which beautifully sings of fighting injustice and building together. It culminates with: “It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again and they said no, it starts when you say We and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more.”

We are the ones. But the “we” must grow.

I know a lot of what I have said here is not new or groundbreaking. A lot of this we know. We reread our vision statement. Sometimes even aloud. The part where I sometimes (and currently) need a regrounding is in the work it is going to take to get there. That can feel overwhelming at times, right?

Go have a conversation with someone about how a specific piece of the work we are doing is going to get us to where we want to be. Identify where there are threats and opportunities to that work. Then, imagine yourself ten years from now having that same conversation – how did y’all creatively overcome those setbacks and take advantage of those opportunities? It is important to remember to breathe and take some time regularly to imagine and design what could happen, even if seemingly far-fetched or off-the-wall.

ACTION: Become a KFTC Sustaining Giver More and more KFTC members are choosing to become Sustaining Givers. These folks are investing in the future of KFTC and our vision for Kentucky.

Being a Sustaining Giver is the best way to support KFTC because: • You get to choose how much and how often you give.

• You can have a bigger impact on KFTC’s work. Small monthly gifts can add up to a deeper investment throughout the year.

• It’s easy. Once your Sustaining Gift is established, your membership is always current.

Who are KFTC Sustaining Givers?

• People of all ages and income levels.

• Parents

• College students • Working people

• Retired people To become a Sustaining Giver, fill out the form on Page 2.

My ask of you is this: if you have not already, commit yourself to the long haul. This work does not and should not look the same for everyone. Commit at your capacity. Along the way you can re-evaluate, push yourself and others, hold yourself accountable to yourself and your community and hold your community accountable.

If you are already committed to the long haul, take this moment to recommit yourself. The last time I wrote to you all, it was about stewardship. To truly be a good steward of KFTC, we must be good stewards to ourselves and to each other. There is no time like the present to say you will still be in this with me and other KFTC members five, 10, 20 years from now. Will you?

KFTC OFFICES AND STAFF MAIN OFFICE Morgan Brown, Robin Daugherty, and Burt Lauderdale P.O. Box 1450 | London, Kentucky 40743 606-878-2161 | Fax: 606-878-5714 info@kftc.org

FIELD OFFICES Louisville Elizabeth Adami, Beth Bissmeyer, Alicia Hurle and Carissa Lenfert 735 Lampton Street #202 Louisville, Ky 40203 502-589-3188 Whitesburg Sara Pennington and Sara Estep P.O. Box 463 Whitesburg, Ky 41858 606-632-0051 Central Kentucky Tim Buckingham, Jessica Hays Lucas, Beth Howard, Erik Hungerbuhler and Heather Roe Mahoney 250 Plaza Drive, Suite 4 Lexington, Ky 40503 859-276-0563

Northern Kentucky Joe Gallenstein 640 Main Street Covington, Ky 41005 859-380-6103 Floyd County Jessie Skaggs, Jerry Hardt 154 North Lake Drive P.O. Box 864 Prestonsburg, Ky 41653 606-263-4982 Berea Lisa Abbott, Amy Hogg, Kevin Pentz and Sasha Zaring 140 Mini Mall Drive Berea, Ky 40403 859-756-4027 Bowling Green Molly Kaviar 502-599-3989

email any staff member at firstname@kftc.org except for Jessica Hays Lucas, use jessicabreen@kftc.org; Beth Howard, use BethHoward@kftc.org; and Beth Bissmeyer, use BethBissmeyer@kftc.org Cover: A Seat At The Table conversations have occured in 4 of the 6 Kentucky Congressional districts. Kentuckians from across the state have come together to share their vision for Kentucky’s energy future.

Photo by: Austin Anthony Bowling Green Daily News

4 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

member commentary

Shepherd, Flores find experiences with KFTC rewarding

By Kimberly Shepherd In February I had the opportunity to take a trip to the state capitol to lobby for the first time. Having never lobbied before, I was unsure what to expect; would I get answers to my/our questions, how would the representatives respond to us questioning future decisions, or would we even get the chance to speak?

Obviously I was very nervous, but after getting into the office of our first chosen representative, and breaking the ice, I realized that my fears were soon alleviated. The experience was no more stressful than any standard meeting of a new person; having gone in with a small group, we took a few moments before entering the office to plan how we would introduce ourselves and who would give the initial breakdown of KFTC and the particular issues we were interested in discussing.

The representatives that we spoke with were very receptive to us, and they were genuinely glad to speak with us. The initial fear that maybe our discussion would be seen as negative by the representatives washed away as we spoke at length about issues such as the Uniform Residential Landlord Tenant Act (URLTA), tax reform, and the future of kynect.

Some of the issues we spoke at length about with some of the elected officials, and other issues were a little more cut and dry for some. I truly didn’t realize how easy it was to gain access to meeting with the representatives, as I envisioned the process being much lengthier and more involved.

This was not the case, as some of our visits were scheduled easily via a phone call prior to our visit, and a few of our meetings were done on the spot when we reached the capitol building. The meetings required nothing more than some basic information about our group, for someone to present a photo ID, and some spare time to wait until we could be seen.

Why I am involved with KFTC: Cristian Osvaldo Flores

Kimberly Shepherd addressed the crowd on the capitol steps at I Love Mountains Day 2015.

The experience of lobbying was something I didn’t see myself being able to do before this trip, mainly because I suppose I didn’t fully understand how lobbying worked, and that it was something that I could not do without some sort of special permission. The representatives were not big scary monsters; they were just regular people that have jobs in the capitol building.

Overall, it was very gratifying to be able to ask questions and voice my opinion as an individual, and to let the people who represent our state know that we follow the current issues the commonwealth faces, and what important choices those people can make to influence the unified support of many representatives on those issues.

Social media corner www.KFTC.org/facebook To find chapter Facebook pages, visit: www.kftc.org/links www.flickr.com/photos/KFTCphotos @KFTC @NKY_KFTC @ScottCoKFTC @MadCo_KFTC @EKY_KFTC

@JCKFTC @WT_KFTC @SoKyKFTC @VotingRightsKY @CanaryProject

When I moved to Kentucky to attend Berea College as a first generation college student, I had no idea what I was going into.

I was moving six hours away from home. I went from being surrounded by large buildings and never-ending traffic to a small town surrounded by beautiful Appalachian mountains in a city known as “The Berea Bubble.” I have gained love and appreciation for the natural assets we have because everything they encapsulate astounds me.

Being an undocumented student in college is something that is rarely heard of and a challenging experience for any individual and institution. However, having previous experiences with social justice nonprofit organizations helped me feel welcomed and belonging.

Many people were inspired by my story, and I knew that there was plenty for me to do for my new community. I have adapted a mindset of searching and making opportunities for myself and community because if I do not become involved, it would not happen.

However, none of those organizations compare to the work that KFTC introduced me to. When I first heard about KFTC, I was astounded to hear that there is an organization so nearby that I could possibly be a part of. When I heard that it could become my [campus] labor position, I felt ecstatic.

Working with KFTC as the Campus Organizer helped me build a relationship with the greater community in my new home. It allowed me to feel connected to the social work the organization commits itself to. It was as if I never left my home. Every meeting and event with KFTC fills me with joy and nostalgia for the good days when I would organize back home.

All of the personal experiences that have been shared with me give me strength and a sense of hope. Even though we still face many problems, I continue to build relationships with change leaders that care and will stand against the injustices that taunt our communities. They allow me to develop my skill sets and abilities when it comes to being the Campus Organizer at Berea College.

The autonomy I am given helps me evaluate all I do, including the mistakes, so that I can better myself. I am not alone, and KFTC has made me aware of that. KFTC is and will always be my family.

Flores is a Bonner Scholar, Sophomore Class President, and IMPACT Outreach Organizer at Berea College.

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

Balancing the Scales | 5

member commentary

K.A. Owens: What we believe in, how we care for one another As those of us who want the best for all the citizens of Kentucky, as we set our priorities for 2016, we must remember three things: who we are, what we care about and what we believe in.

We believe that everyone has a right to health care. We believe everyone has the right to see a doctor, receive hospital care and medicine without going in debt or bankruptcy. We believe that people whose incomes are artificially low because of the structure of our economy (poor people) should not have to spend the little money they have on health care.

We care about raising local and state minimum wages because we know that productivity has been rising for the past 30 years while wages have not. We know that low-paid workers (poor people) have been subsidizing corporate wealth, hedge funds, Wall Street and chief executive salaries.

Low paid workers have been creating tremendous wealth for a very small group of people whose primary talent is manipulating the economic system.

We care about renters’ rights because we believe that everyone has the right to a roof that doesn’t leak, hot water, heat in the winter time, a toilet that flushes properly and to be free of rats, roaches and mice, even if they cannot afford or choose not to purchase a home.

We care about the dignity of the worker and the right of the worker to be respected by supervisors and company owners. We believe in the right of the worker to organize for safe working conditions, wages and benefits. We believe that the misnamed “Right to Work” legislation is obvious union busting, and we know there would not be a middle class in the United States without unions.

We know that the budget problems of Kentucky don’t have anything to do with state employees earning too much; they are caused by the majority of private sector workers earning too little.

We care about maintaining the prevailing wage because we believe contractors should pay laborers fairly on public works projects in the state of Kentucky.

We believe in fully funding the teacher and state employee pensions. Teachers and state employees are an important part of our dwindling middle class. They earned their pension and we need them to have money to spend to drive the economy and to transfer wealth to their children and grandchildren.

We believe that most children are best served by high quality public schools. We oppose charter schools because we understand they are not designed to educate all children, that charter school outcomes are not better than public schools, and that charter schools are designed to shift tax money into the hands of profit-minded individuals.

We don’t believe that hard working people whose wages are artificially low because of the structure of our economy (poor people) are deficient in morality and character. We don’t believe that people whose earnings are artificially high (rich people) have more morality or more character than anyone else.

We don’t believe that the people who are forced to depend on social programs because their wages are artificially low (poor people) are defective and need to be fixed by wise

and all-knowing rich people.

We believe in an increase in tax revenue in Kentucky because we don’t believe taxes are theft. It is not theft when you drive on a paved road that doesn’t have so many potholes that it damages your vehicle. It is not theft when you drive across a river on a bridge that we all paid for through taxes.

It is not theft when the government tests your water to make sure it won’t ruin your pipes and release lead that makes your family sick.

We believe that poorly thought out goals such as shrinking the size of government led to the people of Flint, Michigan, being poisoned by their own state government.

The state of Michigan destroyed the future of a generation of poor white and poor Black children to save a few dollars worth of chemicals needed to purify the water.

We believe in having enough revenue so that public schools can teach our children how to play a saxophone, sing in a choir, paint a portrait or act in a play. Families should

not have to be able to afford private lessons so their children can develop their talents and live up to their potential.

We don’t believe we are out of money in Kentucky or anywhere else. We know the money has been shifted in the last 30 years into the hands of a very few people. There is plenty of money, and always has been.

We care that Black people and other minorities suffer without justification. We want the suffering to end.

We believe that women have the right to reproductive health services without interference from the state.

We believe that everyone has civil rights, including the Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender community. Civil rights include the right to marry.

We don’t believe that anyone should be denied the right to vote because of mistakes they made in the past.

We are the people who believe that we have the character, talent, resources and money to do everything that needs to be done. And we care enough not to leave anybody behind.

KFTC members and staff met with the new Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Charles Snavely, an appointee of the Bevin administration. Knott County KFTC member Jacob Mack-Boll requested the meeting during Governor Bevin’s visit to Hazard in February. After framing the conversation with a description of KFTC’s vision and values and our work on just transition, Letcher County member Eric Dixon spoke about the RECLAIM Act and the importance of community engagement in the process of choosing projects for funding. Mack-Boll shared KFTC’s stances on clean energy policy and programs in the state and invited Secretary Snavely to visit eastern Kentucky for a tour of clean and efficient energy projects. Snavely’s response was “maybe.” Northern Kentucky member Serena Owen spoke about the federal Clean Power Plan and KFTC’s Empower Kentucky campaign. She invited the secretary to KFTC’s community conversations on the plan, to which Snavely immediately declined. To conclude the meeting, Frankfort member Davie Ransdell spoke about KFTC’s concerns about mining permit enforcement and legacy pollution from the coal industry and informed him we would request a future meeting to discuss these issues in more detail. KFTC will continue to push for public engagement and transparency in the work of the cabinet, related to both clean energy and extractive energy industries.

Front row, left to right: Allen Luttrell, Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources; Serena Owen, Sara Pennington, Jacob Mack-Boll, Davie Ransdell. Back row, left to right: General Counsel John Horne; Cabinet Secretary Charles Snavely; Eric Dixon.

6 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

We are Kentuckians Leslie McBride, Shelby County Leslie McBride is a member of the Shelby County KFTC Chapter and represents her chapter on the KFTC Steering Committee.

How did you become a KFTC member?

I went to an Earth Day activity at one of our local parks.

Two members of our Shelby County chapter, which had just formed, were going around the park talking to people about their work. They just came up to me and talked about a local energy cooperative and getting more people involved and interested in sustainable energy resources. So I was hooked immediately.

What is your Kentucky story?

I grew up in Shelby County. I’ve lived in Lexington and Louisville, but most of my time has been spent right here.

My dad is a big environmentalist, and I always went out into the woods with him. And he brought that work home. One time we had a great horned owl in our bathroom. We had a turkey vulture in the living room. I just grew up with a love and respect for nature, and I decided to become an attorney for that reason.

I’m seeing a difference in my own county and actually ev-

erywhere. I call it pimping the land. People just want quick money and they’ll sell anything. They’ll sell people’s health.

They’ll sell the land. They’ll sell the water. They’ll sell anything to make a quick dollar, but the effect it has on the land is terrible.

What have you worked on as a member?

Well, we worked on that energy co-op issue, and then we worked on fairness. That’s been a long battle; we’re still working on fairness. We worked a little on the Bluegrass Pipeline. We’ve done a little bit of animal rights work. We’ve done some work on racial justice issues. And we worked with the local NAACP. That’s been a very good relationship leading to a lot of activities for racial justice and economic justice.

How did Shelby County get involved with fairness?

That all started because a potential member who was moving here said that he would like to have a local fairness ordinance.

Immediately I thought, “Well, let’s do that.”

We started with the city commission. It has been an uphill battle and we’ve been working on this for two years now.

But I think it’s going to happen. We had to go from the city commission to the local human rights commission, and actually one of my proudest moments was when seven members of the human rights commission resigned over fairness.

That is going to lead to a stronger human rights commission, because this is a human rights issue. I’m actually very proud of that moment, and I think that the leadership of the local human rights commission is going to improve.

And it’s in large part thanks to KFTC. So even if that’s all that came out of it – which it won’t be – I would be so happy because now they have to follow the open meetings law and open records law, which was not happening before.

How do you keep going on an issue when you’ve hit so many walls?

Well, I’m used to that. I used to be president of the Humane Society, and was one of the founding members. It took us several years just to get a shelter that the county was required to have by law. It’s always much slower than you think it’s going to be. But you have to keep plugging away. It does make a difference. Just don’t give up.

How has KFTC helped you to grow your power?

I’m an introvert and very, very shy. So this has helped me.

I can advocate for other people and the earth and animals much more than I can advocate for myself. So it’s helped me come out of my shell and be able to lobby and speak for people, for fairness and the environment. Even though my voice shakes, I still do it.

What is your vision for Kentucky?

My vision for Kentucky is to put the health of the earth before money. To put healthcare before money. Racial justice before money. Animal rights before money. I want those important things to matter more than money. And I want to save this beautiful land, and I want to treat people fairly and with kindness. Too bad we have to work so hard to get that done. But we do.

What is your vision for KFTC? Well, I look at KFTC like a one-stop organization for progressive issues. That’s one thing I like about it. Everything I’m interested in is a part of KFTC’s platform. So I think that it’s the one organization where no matter what you want to get done, you can get it done here. I would just like to see it be a million people strong. I want us to be more well known here.

As well known in our own state as we are nationally.

Why do you think membership is important to KFTC? As our membership grows, we grow stronger. The bigger our membership, the more people will listen to us. Also, we do need funding. Your investment, whether it be your time or money, is going to help the cause. You don’t have to give a thousand dollars to be very important in KFTC. We want talents. We want hearts. Everything helps.

I’ve never met a group of people with such empathy and determination to make things better. And there’s no one that is apathetic in this organization. It’s just the best organization that I’ve been a part of.

When I go to steering committee meetings, we have to talk about a lot of things that may not be the most exciting things in the world, like the budget and whatnot. But I still look forward to it because I get to be around people who are like me, who think like I do. And I just love being around them.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A KFTC MEMBER? • You’re part of a community of people who share a vision for Kentucky.

• You get to impact issues that are important to you. You’ll receive informa­ tion, training and opportunities to speak directly with decision makers.

KFTC is made up of more than 10,000 members who together amplify our voices and fight for a better Kentucky. As individuals we bring our own talents and treasures with us to the organization. We Are Kentuckians is a series that profiles KFTC members in various aspects of the organization.

• You get to amplify your voice and build New Power. Working together, we can do so much more than any of us can do alone.

• You get fellowship and fun with others who share your values.

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

Balancing the Scales | 7

new energy and transition update

Court issues stay on Clean Power Plan; KFTC moves forward Implementation of the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, a new federal rule requiring states to reduce carbon dioxide pollution from existing power plants, was put on hold in February.

In an unusual move, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to issue a stay on implementation until a lower court resolves a legal challenge to the rule.

The decision was a procedural ruling – not a determination about the merits or validity of the rule. According to the New York Times, this is the first time the Supreme Court granted a request to halt a regulation before its review by a federal appeals court. The court did not provide reasons for issuing the stay.

Within the same week, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died, leaving a 4-4 split on the court on many important issues, including this one.

With uncertainty surrounding that vacancy on the court, it is difficult for anyone to make an informed prediction about the fate of the Clean Power Plan.

The D.C. Circuit Court will hear the Clean Power Plan case on June 2, and should issue a ruling by the fall. If that court upholds the rule, as observers expect it will, the stay would come to an end.

Challengers could ask the Supreme Court to extend the stay during appeal. If the Supreme Court issues another stay and takes the appeal, a final court ruling could come as early as the spring of 2017 or as late as 2018. However, if the court remains locked 4-4, the lower court’s decision would stand.

If a new justice is appointed to the Supreme Court, that person could tip the balance.

In the current political climate, it is hard to tell if Congress will hold a hearing to consider President Obama’s nomination.

Responses to the Supreme Court’s action made it clear that people working for a Just Transition and climate justice were troubled but undaunted by this decision.

“I’m so glad we called this part of KFTC’s work ‘Empower Kentucky’ because that’s exactly what we are doing, and what we continue to do,” reflected KFTC Chairperson Dana Beasley Brown after the news of the ruling broke.

“Our work has to go on,” said Lexington KFTC member Chris Woolery. “Energy efficiency and renewable energy are no-regrets solutions that literally pay for themselves.

That’s the direction the world is moving. That’s where jobs are booming. And that’s the kind of leadership Kentuckians want. But we can’t wait for our leaders. We have to move on without them.”

The day after the court ruling, the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet announced it was suspending plans to hold public hearings about ways Kentucky might comply with the Clean Power Plan.

In contrast, KFTC’s public engagement process ramped up this spring, including public meetings in each congressional district.

“This gives us more time to build an even better Empower Kentucky plan and keep pushing forward,” said Steve Wilkins of Berea. “Unfortunately, some states like Kentucky may take this as an excuse to sit on their hands and do nothing. If so, we’ll just keep falling further and further behind.

The gap will just grow wider between us and leading states

that are making smart investments in clean energy. It seems nobody in a position of power has a vision for a new Kentucky. With a few exceptions, they are all looking backwards.

We deserve better.”

In many ways, the court ruling doesn’t change the important work in front of Kentuckians. KFTC members already knew that making meaningful progress on clean energy requires long-term, creative, and determined organizing to change the conversation and build political will.

In fact, that’s what the Empower Kentucky project is about.

Announcing the project last fall, KFTC member Elizabeth Sanders said, “It won’t be easy to transform the ways we generate and use energy in Kentucky. Our economic, energy, and political systems have long been shaped by fossil fuels, especially coal … We will not wait for our politicians to do the right thing.

“We are Kentuckians. We are our best hope for change.

And together we will write a plan ourselves to make our communities more livable, strengthen our economy, and support a just transition while meeting or exceeding the Clean Power Plan’s goals for cutting climate pollution.”

KFTC’s Empower Kentucky project is taking a major step forward this spring with a community conversation in each congressional district. These forums are an opportunity for Kentuckians to learn and share ideas about the energy future they want to see.

Public input from those meetings – along with additional ideas gathered through an online survey, interviews and listening sessions – will help inform KFTC’s Empower Kentucky plan.

Visit www.empowerkentucky.org for more information and to take the survey.

Teri Blanton (far right) recently completed six years on the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council. She served two three-years terms on the council, traveling across the nation for meetings and to learn of environmental justice issues in other parts of the country. Others on the council (left to right) included Margaret May from the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council (Kansas City, MO), Savonala ‘Savi’ Horne of the Land Loss Prevention Project (Durham, NC), Vernice Miller-Travis of the Maryland State Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities, U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, and Edith Pestana of the Environmental Justice Program (Hartford, CT).

BECOME A SUSTAINING GIVER You can join a growing group of dedicated supporters of KFTC by becoming a Sustaining Giver.

Through an automatic recurring gift, you can help ensure that KFTC’s important work keeps happening every day, all year long.

• You get to choose the amount and frequency of your contributions. Small monthly gifts can add up to a deeper investment throughout the year.

• You help ensure KFTC is a truly grassroots orga-

nization, where our members are also our most important stakeholders.

• Your reliable, steady support cuts administrative costs and allows more of every dollar to go straight to work in our communities.

• It’s easy. Once your Sustaining Gift is established, you always know your membership is current.

To become a Sustaining Giver, fill out the form on page 2.

8 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

new energy and transition update

Kentuckians share their vision for Kentucky’s energy future

The work plan has been made, and now KFTC members are working the plan. Halfway through the series of A Seat At The Table events, three of the six regional gatherings have sold out in advance.

On the heels of a sold-out event in Bowling Green, members and organizers traversed the state to host similar gatherings in Hindman and Lexington. Each location is in one of Kentucky’s six congressional districts.

The Covington gathering is scheduled for April 26, with the final two events in this series to take place in late May in Louisville and Paducah.

The events are hosted by KFTC to gather public input about the best ways for Kentucky to begin a transition to a clean energy economy.

“We believe all Kentuckians deserve a seat at the table and a say in shaping our energy future,” said KFTC Chairperson Dana Beasley Brown.

The diverse group of participants (totaling more than 400 so far) have enjoyed a meal and music. After a brief presentation about Kentucky’s energy landscape, each table of about eight people has participate in a facilitated conversation.

Those conversations have begun with a chance for everyone to share a 3-minute story about some part of their

relationship with Kentucky’s energy system. Then each table discussed three key questions: What is your vision for Kentucky’s energy future – and why?

What do you think that will take? What would help?

What are your best ideas to ensure that all Kentuckians can benefit from Kentucky’s energy transition and are not left behind?

All of the public input gathered from these community conversations will inform a set of recommendations KFTC members will craft over the summer. Kentuckians may also provide public input through an online survey.

A final report, called the Empower Kentucky Plan, will describe ways Kentucky can generate jobs, improve health, and address racial and economic injustice while also doing our part to protect our climate.

“We all have something to contribute in this move toward a clean energy economy,” said KFTC Executive Committee member Elizabeth Sanders. “These Seat At The Table events will be inclusive of a broad spectrum of Kentuckians, and will allow us to lead and shape the conversations about the clean energy future we want to see, which is how it should be.”

Folks from all across eastern Kentucky came to the Hindman Settlement School on April 19 to have a conversation about Kentucky’s energy future.

ACTION: Attend an event April 26: Covington, Life Learning Center May 24: Louisville, First Unitarian Church May 26: Paducah, River Discovery Center For more information about these events, visit www.empowerkentucky.org or contact Lisa Abbott at lisa@kftc.org.

Reactions from attendees At the end of the evening, each table gave a brief report to the full group.

Below is a sample of some of those comments: • “Our table had a bunch of farmers, so we talkedalotabouttheintersectionbetweena transitiontosustainableagricultureandour energytransition.Ourfoodsystemishighly dependent on fossil fuels and toxic pesticides. So our vision for the future includes a shift to sustainable food production and sustainable energy.”

• “Wehadalotofpeopleatourtablewhoare originallyfromKentucky’scoalfields,both in the west and the east. We also had some people who grew up in places with a very different energy mix. It was empowering to realize we are from such different backgrounds and all of us are ready for something new.”

• “Itwilldefinitelygodownasoneofthemost profound KFTC memories I’ve ever had.”

• “As a young person, I feel so empowered tofindthattherearesomanyotherpeople herefocusedontheseissues.AndIwantto giveashoutoutforyouthactivistswhoare doing incredible work.”

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

Balancing the Scales | 9

Membership and fundraising update

Thanks to KFTC, I became a lobbyist

By Laura Harper

ACTION: Creative Ways to Invest in KFTC

My name is Laura, and this year I became a lobbyist. But I’m not on the payroll of a big corporation. I’m a homegrown, grassroots lobbyist. I work for you, and every Kentuckian who believes that we deserve a bright future.

In addition to your membership, did you know you can give even more to KFTC without doing anything extra?

I’m a graduate of Western Kentucky University and live in Bowling Green. One night I woke to the sound of sirens and someone banging on my door. The building where I lived was in flames from an electrical fire caused by poor maintenance. The smoke alarms never went off.

With alternative giving programs like MyChange, Kroger Community Rewards and Amazon Smile, a portion of your purchases can be directed to KFTC. It’s easy. Just visit these websites to sign up and then, without even thinking about it, you’ll be giving more to KFTC.

The building was condemned, but the landlord was not held accountable for putting me at risk. Bowling Green is the largest city in Kentucky that has not adopted the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA), which ensures that renters – like me and thousands of other Kentuckians – have safe, healthy homes.

I joined Kentuckians For The Commonwealth to work for change on renters’ rights and other issues that matter to me. And this year I participated in the Kentucky General Assembly for the first time. With KFTC, I got to sit down with legislators and talk about policy – including URLTA – in a way I didn’t know was possible.

I thought meeting with legislators would be intimidating, but after attending a grassroots lobby training with KFTC, I went to Frankfort. On that first trip, I didn’t think I was ready to speak up. But KFTC gave me the resources and support I needed to join in the conversation. And that’s what lobbying is – a conversation. Even when legislators had a different opinion, we were able to talk about our values and the ways legislation could better reflect what we want for Kentucky.

KFTC amplified my voice, and it made a difference. During my first day in Frankfort, a representative filed a statewide URLTA bill. I went back to lobby several times, and URLTA passed out of the House of Representatives. Legislators told us that our conversations made an impact. It’s incredible to know that I helped make real progress toward our vision!

Being a member of KFTC made it possible for me to receive lobby training, travel to Frankfort, sit down with lawmakers, and share my vision for Kentucky. During this year’s General Assembly, the investment of KFTC members also enabled hundreds of others to lobby, write letters and emails, make phone calls, and even meet with legislators in their home communities. Together, we’re building a healthy democracy in Kentucky.

KFTC celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. This was my first time to lobby, but KFTC members have been working together in Frankfort and across the state for more than three decades. Our members have made an impact on a wide range of issues, and our work is relevant and needed today more than ever.

As we celebrate this work and look ahead to our next 35 years of organizing for justice, here’s how you can support grassroots voices: Become a Sustaining Giver. Build New Power with a recurring gift. Small monthly donations add up to a deeper investment and a bigger impact.

Renew your membership today. You can also make a one-time gift of any size to renew your membership and support this important work for another year.

Recruit a friend to join KFTC. As our numbers grow, so does our power.

Use the form on page 2 to renew your membership or become a Sustaining Giver.

Our vision is ambitious. But when we work together, we have everything we need to achieve it.

MyChange mychange.com/kentuckians-for-thecommonwealth Sign up for MyChange and start “rounding up” your credit card purchases to the nearest dollar and donating the “change” to KFTC. Kroger Community Rewards Krogercommunityrewards.com Choose Kentucky Coalition, organization #10888 (the Kentucky Coalition is KFTC’s research and education affiliate).

It takes only a few minutes to type in your Kroger Plus Card number and choose Kentucky Coalition. Note: This process must be renewed each year.

Amazon Smile Smile.amazon.com Choose Kentucky Coalition, Inc. When you shop, Amazon donates a portion to Kentucky Coalition.

Heine Brothers’ Coffee Heinebroscoffee.com Purchase a bag of Mountain Dream Coffee and KFTC will receive 50 cents.

10 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

General assembly WRAP-UP

Members set to build momentum for a better budget At the We Are Kentuckians Rally held on the first day of the 2016 General Assembly, KFTC members and allies put forth a vision for Kentucky that is possible, with political leadership and a healthy budget.

At press time, a compromise budget had been approved by the General Assembly, but Gov. Bevin had yet to announce any line-item vetoes he intends to make. The details and implications of the two-year budget are still being assessed, and will be revealed in the coming months as state programs and services deal with significant cuts.

What is known is that instead of raising much-needed additional revenue, the budget includes 9 percent cuts to most state agencies and 4.5 percent cuts to higher education.

Speaking on the House floor before the vote on the final budget, Rep. Jim Wayne said we must “invest in our people and our land, to make this a wonderful commonwealth for our children and grandchildren.” He pointed out that this budget doesn’t do that and continues to fail Kentuckians, pointing to overloaded caseworkers, families unable to get basic services, crumbling state parks and “community mental health centers that have not had a funding increase in 19 years.

“All of this to say that we are inadequately serving people with this budget. We’re failing to invest in our commonwealth and our people,” Wayne said. “The answer is that we need to overhaul our revenue system. It’s unjust.”

Assuming the governor does not make any line-item vetoes on the budget, here is some early analysis from the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy (www.kypolicy.org):

cuts.

• The plan includes $1.16 billion over the next two years for the pension fund – more than the governor had first proposed.

• The budget includes money for the Rainy Day Fund, though less than the governor had originally proposed.

These harmful cuts and freezes were made in spite of the statewide support for closing tax loopholes and rolling back tax breaks to generate revenue.

Members and allies worked throughout the session to show lawmakers that Kentuckians have the political will for tax reform. In January, folks across the state gathered in bars, book stores and cafés to listen to the governor’s budget address, to see where the legislature’s starting point was set.

Then, KCEP’s budget conference was filled to capacity with Kentuckians eager to learn more, and eager to learn how to shift the conversation to long-term revenue solutions.

Throughout the session, members and friends came from every corner of the state, from Harlan to Murray, Bowling Green to Covington, to urge legislators to support tax reform.

In mid-April, when people were finishing up their own tax returns and legislators finalizing a budget dependent on an antiquated system, members used social media to highlight why our public investments are so vital to Kentucky.

ACTION: Remaining events The state’s new two-year budget falls short of our meeting Kentucky’s potential by a long shot. The political leadership for tax reform doesn’t yet exist, though the political will at the grassroots level does and is growing stronger.

You can be a part of growing that political will.

• Use social media to remind friends and family that our tax dollars help us make a #betterKYtogether.

Take a selfie in front of your school, public park, local library or public health office – any service that is important to you or your family.

• Sign on to KentuckyTogether.org’s Statement of Support for revenue reform.

• Bring the budget home by learning and sharing the impacts of the budget in your local community, and in your family. This spring, KFTC will be working with members to dig in on some of the local impacts of the budget and creating local action plans to continue our momentum. Join in by contacting Jessica Hays Lucas at jessicabreen@kftc.org or 859276-0563.

• Funding is included for the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship Program. This is a new program that offers free tuition to traditional-aged students enrolled in Associate’s Degree programs in public and private schools and universities.

• Some additional funding – about $14.7 million more than the Senate’s budget – for need-based scholarships.

This funding would impact about 8,000 students.

• Funding for pre-school, extended school programs, professional development and teaching resources remain at 2016 levels for the next two years.

• Per-student funding for schools is frozen, putting this funding level at more than 12 percent below its 2008 level once inflation is taken into account.

• Behavioral health has 9 percent cuts.

• Community-based services (besides child care and nonparental relative placement) has 9 percent cuts.

• Aging and independent living has 9 percent cuts.

• Kentucky Arts Council has 9 percent cuts.

KFTC Annual Membership Meeting August 26-28, 2016 • General Butler State Park in Carrollton Celebrate KFTC’s 35th Birthday in Style.

• Educational Professional Standards Board has 9 percent cuts.

Family friendly, workshops, hiking, swimming, awards dinner, music, and dancing

• Kentucky Nature Preserves Commission has 9 percent

www.kftc.org/annual-meeting

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

Balancing the Scales | 11

General assembly WRAP-UP

Jefferson County hosts Tax Justice Meet and Greet with legislators Each week of the legislative session, Kentucky’s deeply underfunded budget made the news. Kentuckians across the state are witnessing the impacts of more than $1.6 billion in budget cuts since 2008 and fear more harm this year.

To make their vision for Kentucky a reality, KFTC members know tax reform that is fair, adequate and sustainable is needed. With this in mind, the Jefferson County KFTC Chapter hosted a Tax Justice Legislative Meet and Greet on February 26 to discuss revenue reform with their legislators.

Twenty-five community members participated in the Meet and Greet, including KFTC members, allies with Metropolitan Housing Coalition, Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky and Kentucky Retired Teachers, along with a few candidates running for local and state office.

Many came to share their concerns while others wanted to hear from legislators.

KFTC member Shekinah Lavalle said she wanted “to hear a little from legislators about what they hoped to accomplish in terms of raising revenue in Kentucky to keep some of our most valued institutions afloat.”

Rep. Darryl Owens, Rep. Tom Riner, and Rep. Reggie Meeks participated in the discussion. Members asked questions about the House’s budget, how to move tax reform forward, and more.

“You’re probably not going to like our budget, but you’ll like it more than his [Gov. Bevin’s],” said Rep. Owens. “We are going to have a problem until we do tax-modernization,” citing lack of current budget resources.

“The governor has proposed cuts for everybody, so people have to band together,” added Owens, saying that the push for reform will need to come from the ground up.

Rep. Riner touched on the importance of educating the

We are hiring: Tax Organizer KFTC members are working on a transition to an economy that better reflects our values. A fair and just tax structure is a key component of creating new economic power in Kentucky.

KFTC and allies have steadily built support for comprehensive tax and revenue reforms. We now have an opportunity to elevate our work to pass meaningful reforms.

This position is for a Tax Justice Organizer to work closely with other members and allies to build new economic power in Kentucky, primarily as part of a threeyear project with the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy (KCEP) called Kentucky Together.

For more information and to apply, visit www.

KFTC.org/jobs/tax-organizer

public and others in the legislature on this issue, showing appreciation for the work of KFTC. “You’re doing a good job.

You’re bringing people back into the equation,” said Riner.

As the meeting came to a close, members discussed next steps and resolved to learn more about Kentucky Together and share its videos and message with others.

Members also were encouraged to contact legislators who did not make it to the Meet and Greet to share what they learned and their vision and priorities for the budget.

Reflecting on the meeting, Lavalle said, “I always hope that our conversations with legislators on this topic embolden them to take the lead on the issue. I’d like to see pro-revenue legislators take turns sticking their necks out on the tax plan that Rep. Wayne puts out every year, so that they

can demonstrate some shared responsibility. I’d also like to see the Democrats in Louisville take a collective position on building revenue.”

Nick Clark, a KFTC member who lobbied in Frankfort on tax reform, said, “What I took away from this was the only real path of change comes through the people. We need to educate and organize people around the issue of tax reform so we can make sure everyone is getting a fair deal and to fund the future of our state. We also need leaders who aren’t just with us on the issues but have political courage.”

To learn more and take action on tax reform, contact Beth Bissmeyer at bethbissmeyer@kftc.org or 859-3142044.

Kentucky Together: Voices for revenue reform

Northern Kentucky member Serena Owen is building new economic power, from working for local public transportation to calling for better funding for schools and disability support services. She has become one of the spokespeople for Kentucky Together, a coalition of organizations building support for revenue reform.

Owen wrote a piece published online at Cincinnati.com to help folk realize the impact of public dollars. We wanted to share it.

Is it fair to say that we invest in things that we love? While our legislators finalize Kentucky’s budget, we thought it would be valuable to share with them things we’d love for them to love us enough to raise revenue for.

Who loves books? Our young neighbors do, but because they can’t afford to shop at their favorite bookstore, they rely on their school and public library for reading resources.

Who loves the arts? Our students did! In fact, it helped them learn, but when they removed music and art from public schools, we had to use our own financial resources as educators to incorporate them into our lessons to accommodate all learning styles and help our students progress.

Who loves transportation and safety? Our community does, but our local public school district doesn’t offer transportation to regular education students to get to and from the local middle and high school in Erlanger because of the lack of funding.

We’ve turned to our local public transportation system, TANK, for help. We’re grateful that with the help of TANK, the Erlanger Elsmere School district, Kenton County Fiscal Court, and the cities of Erlanger and Elsmere that we had a successful #10 TANK pilot program last year, with children using TANK to get to school, and the elderly and workers using it to get to medical appointments, their jobs, and the grocery stores. But TANK was unable to continue our safe service in Erlanger and Elsmere, because they say there’s not enough revenue. Now we’re not sure where to turn for the financial revenue.

Who loves healthcare? Our son did when doctors saved his life by keeping and treating him when they realized during a routine visit that his heart was enlarged and his blood pressure was at stroke level! He couldn’t have gotten this life saving treatment without affordable healthcare.

Who loves holistic health? Our son did when he was receiving massage therapy (not covered by traditional health insurance) from KY Cabinet for Family Services’ State Hart-Supported Living Grant in 2012 which helped with his heart condition, hypertension, and daily pain from his back injury. The Cabinet for Family Services stopped offering him the grant, but told him to reapply. The past few years he’s reapplied for the Hart-Supported Living Grant, he’s received a denial letter stating that there’s a lack of funding.

Who loves community based medical supports? Well, because of Anxiety Disorder, our daughter Destiny, who has autism, didn’t at first. But when she had the Michelle P. Waiver and the Home Community Based Waiver a few years ago, her workers helped equip her with tools she needed to better integrate into the community. Due to inadequate funding, many children including Destiny no longer receive these services. Destiny has now been on the MPW waiting list for almost two years.

Who loves higher education? Parents who serve with us on Northern Kentucky University’s Parent Advisory Board do!

Families like ours have students who had to take out student school loans and Parent Plus loans this year due to funding cuts to higher education that are driving up tuition. We’ve had to take on loans to bridge the gap because the state’s need-based financial aid programs are also underfunded.

Kentuckians deserve to have access to things we love that help improve our quality of life, like healthcare, transportation, educational resources and supports, higher education, services for individuals with disabilities, and safe communities. We need our elected leaders to pass a budget that does right by Kentuckians and raises revenue in a way that is fair and sustainable so that we can continue investing in Kentucky long-term.

We’re all in this together.

12 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

General assembly WRAP-UP

Movement on several bills KFTC supported, passage for just a few MINIMUM WAGE

Bills to become law EXPUNGEMENT

– House Bill 40, which allows the vacating of sentences and expunging of records for thousands of Class D felons, was signed into law by Gov. Bevin on April 12. Several KFTC members (pictured below) were present at the signing ceremony.

HB 40 received House approval early in the legislative session, 80-11 on January 15. It lingered in the Senate for two months, until it was modified and approved with a committee substitute by the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 17.

Senate changes to the bill were significant. On the negative side, the amended bill excluded an estimated 35 percent of Class D felons from eligibility and imposed a $500 filing fee. On the positive side, it allowed for the vacating of one’s sentence as well as the expungement of one’s record for eligible felons. A vacated sentence has the effect of the conviction having never occurred. As a result, one is again eligible to vote.

The amended HB 40 passed the full Senate on March 29, 33-5. On April 1, House sponsors encouraged their colleagues to accept the Senate changes, and the House voted to concur by an 84-13 margin.

House members gave Rep. Darryl Owens, who has championed expungement legislation for at least 10 years, a standing ovation upon its final passage.

Gov. Bevin signed the bill into law on April 12.

KFTC members have worked over the years with Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes to find ways to make voting more accessible and increase participation. That included House Bill 290, which would allow no excuse, in-person early voting for 12 days before an election. HB 290 passed the House, 57-37, on March 14, but did not receive any consideration by the Senate. In the photo above, KFTC members Virginia Johnson (center) and Serena Owen (right) with Robert Young used their phones to try out the just-launched online voter registration (https://vrsws.sos. ky.gov/ovrweb/) during a meeting with Secretary Grimes in early March.

The House Labor & Industry Committee voted in late January to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour over three years, and prohibit age discrimination.

But instead of sending the bill to the House floor for a vote, House leaders resssigned House Bill 278 to the Appropriations & Revenue Committee.

There is lingered until March 8 when House Speaker Greg Stumbo presented a committee substitute to HB 278, amending the bill so that would raise the minimum wage to only $8.20.

This was approved by the committee.

On the House floor were several amendments were filed to further weaken the bill. But HB 278 was never called for a vote by the full House.

KYNECT and MEDICAID

MARRIAGE LICENSES – Senate Bill 216

Two related bills were designed to protect access to health The plan to move the bills to the Senate floor failed when care for Kentuckians. House Bill 5 called for the state to con- the bills did not get enough votes to pass out of committee. tinue to operate a state healthcare exchange, commonly referred That was because the Democrats abstained from voting. to as “kynect,” as it existed on January 1, 2016. House Bill 6 The motion was to pass the bills “without expression,” whereas directed the state to expand the Medicaid program to the fullest a usual committee motion is to “report favorably.” This allowed extent allowed by federal law.

Republicans to vote to move the bills to the floor without actu Both bills passed the House on March 22 by narrow mar- ally voting in favor of kynect and Medicaid. By abstaining, the gins, mostly along party lines (Democrats for, Republicans Democrats thwarted this plan. against). Senate leaders began fast-tracking the bills, giving them There was no further action on the bills after they failed in readings on the Senate floor before they even had a committee committee. hearing.

On April 11, the Senate Health & Welfare Committee heard testimony on HB 5 and HB 6 with the expectation to pass those bills so Republicans could bash the bills and vote them down on the Senate floor. Up to that point, Senate Republicans numerous times had railed against Kentucky’s health care exchange in Senate floor speeches.

KFTC member Jesus Gonzalez testified in support of kynect and Medicaid along with allies from the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, Kentucky Equal Justice Center and Kentucky Voices for Health. Leading the opposition was Vickie Yates Brown Glisson, secretary for the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, who complained about the decision to expand Medicaid and create a health care exchange KFTC members from several chapters met with Rep. Gerald to serve Kentuckians.

Watkins (second from left) during the session.

Most passed bills become law 90 days after the General Assembly adjourns, or this year on July 15. If a bill has an emergency clause, it becomes effective immediately after the governor signs the bill (or the governor's veto is overridden).

PRIMARY ELECTION: TUESDAY, MAY 17 POLLS ARE OPEN 6 A.M. - 6 P.M.

DOG FIGHTING

– KFTC originally supported Senate Bill 14, to stop the owning or breeding of dogs for fighting. A Senate amendment weakened that bill, so animal rights advocates switched their support to the companion bill in the House, HB 428.

That bill passed the House 97-0 and the Senate 37-0 and was signed into law by the governor on April 8. started out as a bill about something else but was changed by the House to instead be a bill creating one marriage license form. The governor signed SB 216 into law on April 13.

KFTC had previously supported a Senate floor amendment to Senate Bill 5, to change that bill from two marriage license forms – one for same-sex couples and another for opposite-sex couples – to just one form. That amendment failed. The House did not take up SB 5.

The form specified in SB 216 will allow couples to specify "bride", "groom" or "spouse" on the form.

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

Balancing the Scales | 13

General assembly WRAP-UP

Some bills KFTC opposed saw action, none will become law MINE SAFETY Two bills with the goal of gutting the state’s coal mine safety inspection program passed the Senate. One of those seemed to be steaming through the House when strong grassroots opposition stopped it. Still, legislators found a way to weaken mine safety laws.

Senate Bill 224 would have voided the state requirement that mine foremen receive six hours of foremanspecific safety training annually. Instead foremen could get company training based on a weaker federal program (which does not include specific training for f o r e m e n ) . KFTC member Teri Blanton spoke with Se n a t e Bi l l WEKU-FM reporter Stu Johnson after a 2 9 7 w o u l d Senate committee passed the bad mine have allowed safety bills. She had asked to testify against the state to the bills, but was not allowed to do so.

stop inspecting coal mines for safety violations and abolish the Division of Mine Safety’s ability to ensure that Kentucky miners work in a safe place.

Both bills passed the Senate largely along party lines (Republicans yes, Democrats no) on March 17. At that point, Speaker of the House Greg Stumbo said the bills would get an unfriendly reception in the House.

However, at a specially-called, spur-of-the moment meeting late in the day on March 23, the House Natural Resources & Environment Committee approved SB 224.

House leaders had previously given the bill its first reading, a maneuver usually used for fast-tracking a bill.

In the end, though, pubic opposition to SB 224 stopped it from getting a vote on the House floor.

SB 297 received no action in the House.

However, in the budget bill, legislators approved reducing the number of required state mine safety inspections from six to four a year.

minimum number of votes required for a constitutional amendment. The Senate did not consider the bill.

LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

House Bill 2 would amend the state constitution (if approved by voters) to give Kentucky cities and counties the authority to enact local sales tax increases of up to 1% for specific capital projects, if approved by local vote. HB 2 passed the House on March 11 by a 60 to 31 vote, the

Senate Bill 89 would have removed the de facto ban on nuclear power facilities by requiring only a plan for storage of nuclear waste rather than a permanent means of disposal. SB 89 was approved by the Senate, 28-6-1, on March 1. It died in the House.

PREVAILING WAGE

Senate Bill 9 would have lowered wages for workers at school construction projects paid for with state funds. SB 9 passed the Senate 26-11 on January 14. On February 4, it was defeated in the House Labor & Industry Committee by a 6-15 vote.

FREEDOM TO DISCRIMINATE

Senate Bill 180 defined “protected activities” under the cause of religious freedom and could be used to render ineffective non-discrimination fairness ordinances passed by eight Kentucky cities. SB 180 was approved by the Senate on March 15, 22-16. It was assigned to the Judiciary Committee and died there.

Movement on bills KFTC supported … (cont.)

ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY Bills to abolish the death penalty and replace it with a sentence of life imprisonment without parole were introduced in both the House and Senate. Only the House bill, House Bill 203, received a hearing.

Rep. David Floyd led strong testimony in support of the bill on March 9 before the House Judiciary Committee. There was no opposing testimony, but several committee members made strong statements in support of executions. HB 203 got 8 votes, falling short of the 10 needed to pass.

After the vote. Rep. Floyd filed a floor amendment to require biological evidence, a video of the crime being committed or a video of a confession with one’s lawyer present before the death penalty could be pursued. An

eyewitness account as the primary evidence would not qualify a case for death penalty consideration. This would not eliminate the death penalty but greatly limit the number of cases in which the death penalty could be pursued.

Such a law was discussed during the committee hearing, with at least one representative implying this approach would win his support, and Floyd thought there would be others. Legislators like this approach because they can reduce the use of the death penalty and the possibility of error without facing perceived voter backlash for doing away with the death penalty altogether.

Floyd hoped for another hearing based on this amendment but was told leadership had decided against that.

WASTE-TO-ENERGY PLANTS House Bill 449 would have prohibited the location of a waste-to-energy facility within a certain distance of a school, hospital, place of worship or residential property.

This was important to people in Louisville who worked last year to protect a residential neighborhood from a methane biodigester.

HB 449 passed the House on March 22, 74-24. In the Senate, it appeared to be on the fast track for passage, though it seemed unlikely that Senate Republican leaders supported the bill enough to push it through. As anticipated, they were just positioning the bill for other purposes.

On April 15, Senate leaders completely gutted HB 449 and replaced the entire language of the bill with the language of three other bills that were stuck elsewhere in the legislative process. So HB 449 was no longer a bill to protect residential areas from waste-to-energy plants.

Before gutting the bill, Sen. Damon Thayer called HB 449 sponsor Rep. Tom Riner a “passionate advocate” for the bill, and committee chair Sen. Joe Bowen pledged to give this issue “the attention it deserves in the interim.”

The amended HB 449 passed the Senate but was not considered by the House.

FAIRNESS – House Bill 155 and Senate Bill 176 prohibited discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodations and financial transactions on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. HB 155 received a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on February 17, but no vote was taken. SB 176 was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee and died there.

TIMBER THEFT

– House Concurrent Resolution 29 directed the Legislative Research Commission to establish a Timber Theft and Trespass Reduction Task Force to study issues regarding timber theft and trespass and to develop consensus recommendations to address those issues.

HCR 29 was approved by the House Natural Resources & Environment Committee on February 4. It was approved by the full House, 95-0, on February 10. In the Senate it was assigned to the Natural Resources & Energy Committee, and there it died.

CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMITS

– House Concurrent Resolution 14 urged Congress to propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to allow Congress and the states to set reasonable limits on spending to influence elections. HCR 14 was approved by the House Elections, Constitutional Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee on February 29.

However, House leaders did not allow a vote by the full House.

14 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

General assembly WRAP-UP

Some bills that KFTC took a position on saw no action A majority of the bills introduced every legislative session see no action at all, and that was true this year for some of the bills KFTC supported and some we opposed. Here’s the list:

BILLS KFTC SUPPORTED

partment of Juvenile Justice, or an entity under contract with either department at the time of death or at the time medical assistance was sought for a condition that led to the individual’s death.

STREAM SAVER – House Bill 152 would have pro- BAN THE BOX – House Bill 180 vided important protections for our water by prohibiting the dumping of toxic mine wastes, most commonly associated with mountaintop removal, into “an intermittent, perennial, or ephemeral stream or other water of the Commonwealth.”

would have prohibited employers from considering or requiring disclosure of prior criminal history as part of the initial job application.

PIPELINE SAFETY – House Bill 240 would have EARNED INCOME TAX set up a Pipeline Safety Fund in order to equip and train CREDIT – House Bill 86 would have emergency responders for natural gas and hazardous liquids pipeline leaks, spills and explosions. It also would have directed the Public Service Commission to get certification in order to set up a pipeline safety inspection program within the state. House Bill 440 and Senate Bill 26 were identical bills that would make it a violation to change the direction of flow, substance, chemical makeup, temperature or pressure of any pipeline's contents in such a way that public safety is negatively affected.

RACIAL DISPARITY REPORTING – Senate

Bill 270 created a mechanism for the Department of Juvenile Justice and other agencies that have contact with juveniles to collect data and report findings of juvenile contacts by age, race and gender. Each agency also must create a 3-year plan in accordance with the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act.

EXTERNAL DETAINEE FACILITY REVIEW PANEL – House Bill 400 would have established a panel to conduct comprehensive reviews of all facilities of individuals detained in county or regional jails or any facility operated by the Department of Corrections, the De-

closed several corporate tax loopholes that allow some profitable corporations to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, and use the revenue to fund a 7.5% (of the federal credit) EITC for Kentucky’s working families. Senate Bill 157 would have established a state EITC at 15% of the federal credit.

KFTC members from Marion and Fayette counties met with Sen. Jimmy Higdon to talk about voting rights, marriage licenses and other legislation.

PAYDAY LENDING

– Senate Bill 101 would have limited the abuses of payday lending, including setting an annual cap on interest rates at 36 percent.

BILLS KFTC OPPOSED UNMINED MINERALS TAX – House Bill 23

and House Bill 195 took different approaches, but both attempted to reduce tax revenue for schools and county governments in counties where coal is mined by eliminating the unmined minerals tax.

RIGHT TO WORK – part of the campaign to lower

wages, Senate Bill 3 would have prohibited mandatory membership in or financial support of a labor union as a condition of employment.

POLLUTERS’ SANCTUARY

– House Bill 104 would have prohibited the Energy and Environment Cabinet from complying with federal rules to reduce carbon dioxide pollution, and would have declared Kentucky a sanctuary state for all polluters who want to ignore the regulatory authority of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement carbon dioxide limits under the Clean Power Plan.

DRUG TESTING

– House Bill 62 would have required a substance abuse screening for certain applicants and recipients of public assistance.

Wilderness Trace, Scott County chapters engage in special elections On the eve of the 2016 Kentucky General Assembly, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin called for special elections to be held on Tuesday, March 8 (three days after the Republican Presidential Caucus).

The election was called to fill seats that were vacated by representatives who either won election in November for a different office or were appointed by the governor to other positions within the state government.

With the election of former State Representative Mike Harmon (54th district) as Kentucky State Auditor and former State Representative Ryan Quarles (62nd district) as Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture, as well as appointments to other government positions for former Representatives Tanya Pullin (98th district) and John Tilley (8th district), the seats became vacant in mid-term.

With two Democratic House membes switching to the Republican Party, the Democrats maintained a small advantage in the House with a 50-46 lead.

The Democrats have controlled the House since 1921.

Similarly, the Republicans have controlled the Senate since 2000.

Kentucky remains the last divided chamber in the south (all others are Republican).

KFTC members were quick to pick up on the importance of this special election, noting that if the House were to flip control, that would change the landscape for passage of KFTC’s core issues within the General Assembly.

“The reason I did work in the special elections is that the recent political climate reminds us that what is important is the grassroots effort and re-engaging the community in a personal way,” said Wilderness Trace chapter member Rollin Tarter. “My experience has taught me that all of us have this responsibility and it does make a difference.”

KFTC members in the Wilderness Trace chapter and Scott County chapter participated in Get Out The Vote (GOTV) groundwork in districts hosting the special elec-

tions.

Member John Henkel, a professor at Georgetown College, said, “This was my first time canvassing for a race in Kentucky and my first time ever canvassing for a local race.

It was rainy and cold while we were out there, but looking back at how close the race was, it was really gratifying to help make sure that people’s voices were heard.”

Voter turnout is historically relatively low in special elections. Members gauged their capacity limits and decided to throw down where they could, knowing that some of the elections would be decided by a slim margin of votes. But the more friends KFTC could have in the legislature, the better chances to move priority legislation.

Members in Scott County knocked on 56 doors, called 215 numbers, and sent post cards to more than 500 voters in the district. Members also shared about the election on social (continued on next page)

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

Balancing the Scales | 15

General assembly WRAP-UP

Landlord-tenant bill passes House, dies in Senate Since 2007, before there was even a Southern Kentucky KFTC Chapter, members have organized to pass a local ordinance to protect landlords and tenants.

The Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA) is a set of codified best practices to clarify the terms of agreements between tenants and landlords.

It simply clarifies and standardizes the terms of a lease and protects renters from retaliatory evictions for reporting housing that is not up to code.

Based on best practices from the rental industry, URLTA is called a “win-win” for renters and landlords. Several states have adopted URLTA statewide. Kentucky’s state law, however, only allows individual communities to opt in to URLTA; it does not require its application statewide.

A handful of Kentucky communities have adopted URLTA – Lexington, Louisville, some Northern Kentucky communities and a few other communities – but landlords and tenants in 116 counties are without the protections and stability provided by URLTA. “URLTA is important because everyone deserves the right to fair housing. We take it for granted until we are faced with a problem, and then there isn’t any help or a solution,” said Alex Goldsmith, a Glasgow member who lobbied in Frankfort this year. “It shouldn’t have to be that way” KFTC members in Barren and Warren counties have organized citizens, walked door to door, met with local elected officials, and partnered with local WKU allies to produce the “Barren River Area Renters’ Handbook: Protecting Yourself and Your Family When Laws Don’t.” In 2015, members then began to turn their action toward creating change at the state level through legislation.

Sponsored by Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, Rep. Johnny Bell and Rep. Jim Wayne, HB 368 was assigned to the Judiciary committee, but did not progress during the 2015 General Assembly.

Undeterred, members used the time between the 2015 and 2016 legislative sessions to meet with and lobby legislators to craft a bill for the 2016 General Assembly.

Members found a sponsor in Rep. Jim Glenn from Owensboro and additional cosponsors Reps. Linda Belcher, Dennis Horlander, Arnold Simpson and Marzian.

During the legislative session, Southern Kentucky members traveled to Frankfort numerous times to educate legislators and to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on the importance of URLTA. HB 380 passed out of committee 14-0 and was heard on the House floor. Although little notice was given that the bill would be called for a vote on the floor, members were able to rally support.

On March 22, the bill passed 47-46 with seven members not voting.

“It’s awesome! I wasn’t able to go up there, but I was able to bring it to peoples’ attention [by getting folks to call and was involved in renters workshops in Glasgow]” said KFTC member Sara Clymer said. “I have family that rents and I want to know that they’re protected.”

The bill moved to the Senate, where it did not receive a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing and ultimately died.

Although the bill did not pass the Senate and become

law, members took the opportunity to continue to build relationships and to thank the sponsors, cosponsors and all who voted in favor in the House.

“Very few times am I speechless, but on this one I am.

What do you say when something goes way beyond expectations?” said Angela Briggs, a Glasgow KFTC member who lobbied in Frankfort this year.

Using a multifaceted campaign strategy, members have now turned their focus back to the local level. URLTA is on

the May agenda for the Barren County Fiscal Court. It will first be heard by the Administrative Committee and then later that day by the entire fiscal court.

This is a result of members meeting with County Judge Executive Michael Hale and District 1 Magistrate John Benningfield.

Members continue to organize renters in southern Kentucky and already are strategizing for a larger statewide campaign during the 2017 General Assembly.

House and Senate each pass Voting Rights restoration bills – just not each other’s As it has been for the past 10 years, passing legislation to allow for the automatic restoration of voting rights for former felons was a top KFTC legislative priority.

And, as also has occurred for the past 10 years, legislation to do just that passed the Kentucky House by a large bipartisan margin.

This year the vote was 82-9, which took place on February 4. Prior to that, House Bill 70 was approved by the Elections, Constitutional Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee on February 1.

Once again, HB 70 did not fare well in the Senate. It was assigned initially to the State and Local Government Committee and then to the Senate Judiciary Committee, but received no Senate action for the remainder of the session.

However, feeling the pressure to take some action on voting rights, Senate President Robert Stivers proposed his own version of voting rights legislation, with a significantly different approach. Senate Bill 299 would have restored voting rights to no one but given future General Assemblies the authority to restore voting rights for specific felonies, but not obligate them to ever do so.

HB 70 would immediately upon it approval by voters restore voting rights to more than 180,000 Kentuckians, and eventually more than 240,000 former felons (plus an ongoing number as people enter and leave the prison system).

Despite its shortcomings, SB 299 passed the Senate 36-0 on March 21. Many Senate supporters of HB 70’s approach voted in favor of SB 299 glad to see something related to voting rights get through the Senate.

Both bills would have required a constitutional amendment; Kentucky voters would have had to vote on the amendment in November. Constitutional amendments can appear on the ballot only in even numbered years.

KFTC members and representatives of other groups that have worked for HB 70 met with Rep. Darryl Owens

to consider strategies for dealing with SB 299 in the House, and the possibility of finding some common ground with the Senate. In the end, however, the House took no action on SB 299.

Throughout the session, KFTC members remained committed to passing a clean version of HB 70, without any additional waiting periods or exclusions.

Some senators, during lobbying visits by KFTC members, insisted that an additional waiting period would have to be added before before the legislation would pass.

“Adding a waiting period to the restoration process would not uphold our values of justice and fairness,” said Klarer. “It would have created another set of obstacles to voting.”

KFTC members will use the time between sessions to meet with bill sponsors, allies and interim committees to try again to push House Bill 70 through in 2017.

KFTC members met with Rep. Reggie Meeks early in the legislative session to discuss voting rights. Meeks chairs the House Judiciary Committee, which approved HB 70 on February 1.

Special election cont... (continued from previous page) media, and left copies of GOTV postcards in the library and coffee shops around town. Democrat Charlie Tackett won the seat for the 62nd district by 253 votes.

KFTC’s New Power PAC endorsed Bill Noelker in the 54th district race. However, Noelker lost to Republican

challenger Daniel Elliot. Noelker lost the race by more than 1,200 votes.

Ultimately, the Democrats won three of the four special elections and remained in control of the House. All representatives are up for re-election in the 2016 general election to be held in November.

16 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

Local Updates

Jefferson members host third annual We Are Kentuckians event In March, the Jefferson County KFTC Chapter hosted the third annual We Are Kentuckians: Celebrating Our Common Heritage, a celebration of African American women’s heritage through art, dance, music, spoken word and storytelling.

On a rainy Thursday evening, about 100 attendees ventured to the Clifton Center to witness powerful performances and speeches by women of color from across the state.

In honor of Women’s History Month, We Are Kentuckians highlighted the important but often unheard stories of black women in Kentucky. Kentucky female dancers, speakers, musicians and artists shared their work, personal stories and vision for Kentucky’s Bright Future.

The full evening lineup included musicians Committed, Cynthia Fletcher and Allison Cross (aka: DJ Alli); dancers Dionne Griffiths and Cynthia Brown; poets Hannah Drake and Robin Robinson; storyteller Kristen Williams; and speakers Taylor Little and Andrea Massey.

Griffiths said, “It was wonderful to be a part of a program with strong, high-quality performers. It was even more powerful to be in a program where black women spoke their truth as a way to truly recognize, honor and celebrate the diverse life experiences of African American women. The performances represented the power of black women sharing their narratives, black female artistic expression, and the beauty and significance of self-love and supportive communities.”

Allison Cross, the DJ for the evening’s program, reflected on the event on social media: “Thank you, KFTC, for hosting an awesome event, celebrating black women in Kentucky. I cannot imagine growing up black in eastern Kentucky, but then last night they asked who was from western Kentucky and I might have been the only one.

“My mother’s family was from Pembroke, near Hopkinsville. They grew up in a farm and my mom’s dad died when she was a teenager … I realize not everyone comes from this rich stock, but the strength of these ladies … to survive, in health and stand up in present times to speak about their lives [is] pretty amazing. It’s sad that people don’t listen to their voices. So much passed down from our ancestors. Thank you, thank you!”

African American culture and heritage is an important lens for the social, environmental and economic justice issues that KFTC works on throughout the year. The nearly $1,500 raised from this event will go to supporting KFTC’s efforts to bring together people from diverse backgrounds and help them see the connections between their communities and issues – to build long-term, mutually supportive relationships that are the basis for building New Power together. During the event, 14 audience members joined KFTC in support of this organizational vision.

We Are Kentuckians was part of the Clifton Center’s African Americans in Kentucky history event series highlighting African American heritage and music in our region. And once again, Clifton Center donated their theater space for this event.

We Are Kentuckians also featured food and beverages from locally and black owned business Dasha Barbours Southern Bistro, Louisville Vegan Kitchen and Down

Local choir Committed performed at the third annual We Are Kentuckians event.

Home Tea. There was also a silent auction with items donated by Kentucky businesses and artists highlighting African American history and culture, including from Appalshop, Carmichael’s Bookstore, Grassroots Information Design Studio and Blackberry Bookstand.

This event was organized by a team of KFTC members, staff and allies: Cassia Herron, Judi Jennings, Hannah Drake, Shavaun Evans, Jared Zarantonello, and Alicia Hurle. Herron and Evans co-emceed the event, and Drake was one of the performers. The team is excited to start planning the fourth annual We Are Kentuckians later this year.

KFTC member and We Are Kentuckians attendee Denise Groves summed up the evening beautifully.

“Last night I attended a dinner that celebrated the accomplishments of women from my state. There were song, dance and poetry readings. It was wonderful!

“To be more exact, the dinner honored the accomplishments of women of color, who are never mentioned in the history books. It didn’t matter if you were black, white, brown, red or yellow! The evening was enjoyed by all.”

Deep Canvas can lead to deep change Have you ever heard someone say, “We’re just preaching to the choir?” Have you ever wanted to have a conversation with someone who disagrees with you, and actually change their mind?

In February, KFTC leader Meta Mendel-Reyes and organizer Molly Kaviar traveled to California to learn how to do exactly that: have canvassing conversations with the potential to change people’s views.

The trip was hosted by Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), a national network committed to organizing white people for racial justice, and took place at the LGBT Leadership Lab in Los Angeles.

In addition to Mendel-Reyes and Kaviar, the SURJ group included members of SURJ chapters in Cleveland, Minnesota and Washington, DC. After receiving training in deep canvassing, the group joined 50 Los Angelenos to canvas mostly African American neighborhoods.

Deep canvassing works by encouraging the person at the door to tell their own story, which opens them up to a different way of thinking.

Mendel-Reyes said, “I was skeptical until I had a conversation with a young man who actually moved from a conservative to a more liberal position on the issue.”

Mendel-Reyes and Kaviar are eager to share deep canvassing with the rest of KFTC, to help members have difficult conversations on issues ranging from race to coal.

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

Balancing the Scales | 17

Local Updates

Activism for us awkward folks ­– building skills

By Candice Rider

Around new people and in unfamiliar situations, I am awkward. Without a prompt or memorized speech, I am awkward. My words always seem to come out too fast and in the complete wrong order. I never know how to fill the silence. And when I do, my breath smells like old sneakers from me sticking my giant, proverbial foot in my mouth.

Or at least that’s my perception of how it goes. Others never seem to notice my fragility.

I recently participated in a “response to the call to action” at the University of Kentucky. As an alum, I am concerned about the harassment, micro-aggression and marginalization too many African American students, faculty and staff are living with at one of Kentucky’s flagship universities.

Participants at this event shared conversation over a meal, continued more difficult discussions in African American and non-African American breakout groups, then came together to review the proposed measureable, tangible goals moving forward.

The UK event, while organized and facilitated beautifully, had all the key ingredients to put me in my discomfort zone (never mind we were discussing the heaviest and most dismissed topic in America: racism). While I do not identify as a current student or staff, I showed up. I held impromptu conversations with strangers, was quick on my feet during a rapid storytelling exercise and confronted my beliefs on what it means to be an ally.

I showed up because it is a topic – strike that, an experience – that must be brought to the fore and, based on years of inaction by the university, amplified through a megaphone. I listened. I shared personal stories. I contributed points of view. I listened harder. I left informed and fired up.

But still, I felt awkward. Discomfort is often at the root of activism, especially when we confront the status quo, challenge long-held beliefs, and attempt to move the systemic needle in a particular direction.

More than 30 people attended the Activism for Awkward People workshop in Lexington.

On April 5, the Central Kentucky chapter hosted a workshop called “Activism for Awkward People: How to Talk to Others, Instead of Just Yourself (and Your Pets)” where I co-facilitated alongside other magnificent KFTC members.

We were mindful to allow quiet/writing time up front to prepare for sharing, and shifted from one-on-one conversations to larger group discussion. In light of technical difficulties and a few fumbles (it wouldn’t be awkward enough without them!), we reflected on how it felt to talk to strangers, share our passions and personally define activism.

We talked about when and where we felt most uncomfortable, applying the golden rule/being respectful, actively listening, and using skills and talents to further a cause – noting, at times, being present or showing up can have more impact than just using one’s voice.

We also talked about the tougher stuff like activism in the workplace, scanning the environment for appropriate

engagement, balancing debates with friends and family, and effective tactics used when trying to change someone’s mind (while also exploring what works to change one’s own mind).

Finally, participants were reminded to plug into an existing network, discover and defend personal limits and boundaries, and to prioritize self-care, especially physical and mental health.

We also learned a lot from participants. In fact, another workshop was born out of their feedback – effective communication for awkward people. Having my aforementioned verbal tendencies, I am eager to attend, rather than facilitate, that one.

While the #UKCallToAction cannot be summarized in this brief article, you can discover more by reading the open letter to President Capiluto (https://aaas.as.uky.edu/openletter) and by following the UK Black Graduate and Professional Students Association (@UKBGPSA).

Central Kentucky chapter to focus on chapter planning process Leaders in the Central Kentucky chapter are working to begin a chapter planning process. Each quarter, the Steering Committee representatives, along with the membership, fundraising and publicity coordinators, will gather to strategize for the chapter’s next quarter.

“I am not sure all of our members recognize or appreciate how revolutionary it is that we are truly member led,” said member Tanya Torp. “There are so few examples of organizations that are run solely by the members with incredible staff support, that I believe some folks fail to get how big a deal this is.

“I went from frustrated citizen to engaged and active revolutionary when I became a Sustaining Giver. Not because alone I carry a flame, but because together our unquenchable roaring fire creates sustainable change. This morning, we planned the future of our chapter over breakfast, and though it was at the ungodly hour of 7 a.m., it was totally worth it.”

The CKY planning team met earlier this year for the first in this series of quarterly planning meetings to look at the following areas: chapter meetings, trainings, membership, fundraising and publicity. They generated great ideas, including a Kentucky trivia fundraiser and a member-led training called Activism for Awkward People geared toward introverts.

“We really took the spirit of the 2015 Annual Meeting by wanting to be ‘all in’ when it came to membership outreach and engagement,” said Central Kentucky chapter leader Sarah Martin. “The most common way KFTC plugs people in is through citizen lobbying in Frankfort, and it’s an invaluable resource.”

Members also identified that chapter meetings need reenergizing and restructuring and decided to create a more social atmosphere through monthly potlucks and working group meetings.

CKY members met with friends in the Kentucky Stu-

dent Environmental Coalition to learn about their working groups and will try this organizing model at chapter meetings.

A working group is simply a group of members who identify interest in a piece of work and are willing to take the lead in its development. In March, members gathered for a potluck and then broke into working groups to plan Lexington’s “A Seat at the Table” Empower Kentucky gathering, Activism for Awkward People, the Kentucky Trivia fundraiser and more.

Chapter leaders believe this planning process will give members a bigger voice in the chapter and allow them to lead more often.

“For every person who wants to be in the spotlight, there’s always someone who would rather be tinkering behind the scenes,” said Martin. “Everyone has something to bring to the table and we need everyone to pitch in because it makes our organization bigger and strong because of it.”

18 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

Local Updates

Big Sandy chapter hosts seventh annual Growing Appalachia On March 5, folks from around eastern Kentucky came well together,” said Kathy Curtis of Floyd County, one of the to the Jenny Wiley Convention Center near Prestonsburg for organizers of the conference. the seventh annual Growing Appalachia conference, a day of Todd Howard, who led a workshop on industrial hemp, workshops about small-scale farming, energy efficiency and talked about how an emerging industry like hemp can renewables. help grow the local Topics included economy. “For so “For so long, eastern Kentucky has growing a vegetable long, eastern Kenshipped out our resources. But if we’re garden, sustainable tucky has shipped timber and forestry out our resources. going to grow within, we have to do it management, selling But if we’re going here.” arts and crafts on to grow within, we Todd Howard, Floyd County Etsy, raising backhave to do it here.” yard chickens, grow Growing the ing berries and brambles, food aggregation and hubs, indus- economy was part of a conversational workshop on regional trial hemp, and regional Just Transition.

Just Transition efforts, including the availability of millions Conference organizers offered workshops on a variety of of dollars through the POWER+ Plan. topics and at varying skill levels so that attendees could gain The POWER+ Plan is a $10 billion federal initiative to practical skills and knowledge and thrive in the mountains. assist communities struggling with the decline of the coal The conference is a space where people come together industry in growing and diversifying their economies. Folks around a shared vision for a bright future in eastern Ken- were excited to hear that the plan could support transition tucky. efforts, including those in agriculture and energy.

“They believe in the region. They believe we can all live Fourteen local governments in eastern Kentucky have

passed resolutions in support of the plan.

At lunch, a panel from Letcher County – including Harry Collins from the Letcher County Extension Service; Chris Caudill, a Letcher County Magistrate; Janet Kincer, with Appal-TREE Community Outreach; and Abby Maggard, from the Whitesburg/Letcher County Farmers Market – talked about their work to increase their community’s access to local, fresh foods.

“We wanted to be a market that was accessible and available,” said Valerie Horn of Community Farm Alliance, who moderated the panel.

Speaking to the benefit of working together, Chris Caudill said, “One group of people with common goals can get something done.”

Growing Appalachia was organized and hosted by the Big Sandy KFTC Chapter and co-sponsored by the Community Farm Alliance, Mountain Association for Community Economic Development, Grow Appalachia, Cowan Community Center, the Floyd County Farmer’s Market, Appalachia Roots and St. Vincent Mission. Special appreciation is due to the planning team, workshop presenters and panelists who generously donated their time and expertise.

Letcher Countians speak out against proposed federal prison Last year, Congress approved funding for a new maximum security federal prison in Letcher County – the only new federal prison in the nation. The estimated preliminary cost of construction is $460 -$510 million. Rep. Hal Rogers has touted the prison as the main economic engine in eastern Kentucky.

In Letcher County, there is much potential, and with the right investments the community could create local economic engines that serve the land and the people. The Letcher County KFTC Chapter does not believe this prison offers the economic development that Letcher County deserves.

Local residents are joining together to voice concerns about the prison. Chapter members have formed a work team to participate and to highlight alternative economic drivers that would support a just transition for the region.

In related developments, on April 1, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) announced that it was forced to re-open a public comment period for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the prison in Letcher County after facing multiple shortcomings, including violations of public notice requirements, in its “Final EIS” released last July.

Mitch Whitaker, a local resident, recently had the following op-ed published in the Lexington Herald-Leader about his concerns.

Op-Ed | Will federal prison keep E. Ky. locked in cycle of poor choices?

“In the 1980s, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife chose an old strip mine near Gordon to release several dozen deer as part of a deer-stocking program in Perry and Letcher counties.

The state was reclaiming former strip mines by repopulating

them with wildlife.

I was there when they turned the deer loose from the trailers. I lived – and still live – right below the old strip mine.

The wildlife on this 400-acre plot of land has greatly rebounded since it was stripped and reclaimed. I would know; I use 30 acres of it to rehabilitate wild birds of prey.

With the help of the University of Kentucky Extension Office in Letcher County, our raptor rehabilitation program is the only one of its kind east of I-75.

That plot of land has directly contributed to the success of our program; it has supported me through retirement and it allows me to teach local children about the unique biodiversity of our region.

Now all of that is in danger.

The federal government, with the help of our United States representative, Hal Rogers, has announced that $444 million in federal funding has been allocated to build a maximum-security federal prison on the site.

The U.S. Bureau of Prisons is still determining land rights at this time, but has said that eminent domain will be used if negotiated sales are not reached.

I have large, old-growth oak trees on my land that will be cut for the construction of this prison. The Kentucky River, which winds around the site, will be disturbed with sedimentation from road construction to the facility. And the bird rehabilitation program that we have fought hard to preserve will suffer greatly.

But I won’t be the only one affected. All Letcher Countians will be forced to pay for this prison in some way. The property tax base of nearby McCreary County was greatly reduced when a federal prison was built there. In a desperate attempt to make up for the lost money, the county issued

a payroll tax. There’s no reason to think that the same won’t happen here.

Are there better uses for $444 million in federal funding?

Sure there are. But we aren’t getting a say in how that money is spent. We could build a factory up on that site.

We could build a solar farm and provide electricity to Kings Creek and Roxana for a hundred generations. But these are not the options being provided to us. Once that facility is built, the land will be fenced off to us forever, protected by armed guards and electric wire.

The local group that worked with Hal Rogers on getting this done, the Letcher County Planning Commission, has been alarmingly vague on the economic benefits of the prison. When asked for hard numbers on job growth and net economic growth, they go silent.

In fact, there are individuals on the commission who have great financial interest in seeing the prison built. These individuals are investing in building apartment complexes that they can then rent to prison guards who move here for work.

Is this a conflict of interest? Will the majority of Letcher Countians see any of that money, or will it remain in the hands of a few powerful people? It remains to be seen.

My story is a parable of the choices eastern Kentuckians face in this period of economic transition. Will we honor the natural history and environmental assets of the region by preserving sites like this?

Or will we continue the same path we’ve been on since the 1800s, when the only bone being thrown to us was coal?

This piece of property has already been imprisoned, and it’s just now getting back to the point of literal and figurative liberation. Why do it again?”

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

Balancing the Scales | 19

Local Updates

Protection from pipelines and bad housing a focus for SOKY

By Angela Briggs Little thought was given to the natural gas pipeline running through the county, until word started to spread about Kinder Morgan’s (KM) proposed repurposing project.

Through KFTC, we delivered information about the project to the people directly in the line of fire. Kinder Morgan wanted to change the direction of flow of the 70-year-old pipeline and pump natural gas liquids (NGLs) (a byproduct of fracking and 150 times more combustible than natural gas) to the Gulf coast.

We knew it was a daunting task to sell everyone on the many reasons this project should not move forward. So we targeted our message to our audience.

We talked with emergency management and the fire department to see how they would respond should a leak or explosion occur.

We reached out to Mammoth Cave National Park in regard to the close proximity of the pipeline to the cave system and how a leak would impact the cave.

We talked about how much money a leak would cost the county in cleanup fees.

We spoke with farmers whose land, water and livelihood could be ruined by NGLs.

KFTC connected us with Tom Fitzgerald from the Kentucky Resources Council, who attended a town hall meeting about the pipeline.

We are proud to report that our Barren County Fiscal Court unanimously approved a resolution against the repurposing of the natural gas pipeline. And State Representative Johnny Bell worked to rally support for the passage of HB 440, legislation that would protect the entire state against similar projects.

The Southern Kentucky chapter also has worked tirelessly on housing issues in our community. Partnering with two Western Kentucky University Glasgow Campus classes on the Renters Rights Handbook, KFTC has brought this issue to light.

We held several housing workshops, which offered an opportunity for education and also encouraged an environment where people could share their stories with people in similar situations.

With momentum building, we reached out to our county judge-executive and set up a meeting to talk about the Uniform Residential Landlord Tenant Act. If passed at the local or state level, URLTA would provide protections for renters and landlords.

Using the same approach we had with the pipeline project, we talked with the people who are directly impacted by poor housing conditions: renters, landlords, the fire department, code enforcement, law enforcement and those involved in the court system.

At our meeting, the judge heard the story of a local woman who had a river of sewage running underneath her

home that the landlord refused to fix. Another member shared her story of being evicted after she and her husband had worked to remodel their rental home in preparation for their first child.

A third person told her story of coming home with her door standing wide open, waiting days to get a door knob, and the black mold she found in her laundry room.

We discussed code enforcement and the reality that renters may face eviction for reporting the landlord for a violation.

Firefighters see first-hand what happens when homes have faulty wiring and no smoke detectors.

Landlords are tied up in court for months before they can evict bad tenants, which is a drain on the court system.

With no clear standards in state law, it is especially difficult for local law enforcement to balance the rights of the landlord to their property with the injustice of families being put out on the street.

These stories, combined with the information we gathered from different agencies, showed that housing isn’t just a renter’s problem; it’s a community problem. With the judge’s support, our next step is a meeting with the Administrative Committee of the fiscal court. We will be asking the court to pass URLTA countywide. Things are looking promising!

We are proof that people are empowered with KFTC and can work together to create change!

Bowling Green members get strategic about housing outreach This month, Bowling Green members in the Southern Kentucky chapter worked hard to reach a new demographic – Spanish speaking renters.

Members collaborated with a Spanish class at Western Kentucky University and the WKU Hilltopper Organization of Latin American Students (HOLAS) to canvass neighborhoods that are often overlooked and disenfranchised to empower renters by listening to their experiences and giving them a chance to use their voices.

This gives an opportunity to cut through certain barriers, which typically keep folks isolated and powerless.

Erin Jackson, a WKU Spanish student, said, “In college we aren’t always given the opportunity to go out into the real world and use the skills we are learning in the classroom, but with this project we were able to help better the community while also furthering our education.”

Using the Spanish edition of the Barren River Area

Renters’ Handbook, the group was able to reach 65 families, of which 31 spoke Spanish as their primary language.

Like most of Kentucky, Bowling Green renters lack adequate legal protections, causing serious problems like unfair evictions and unhealthy living conditions – issues that are amplified when there is an added language barrier.

Reading and understanding a lease, communicating with the landlord and knowing where to turn when a problem arises become that much more difficult. By going door to door, members found that they can meet renters where they are (literally at their door step) and facilitate story sharing while also helping connect them with useful resources.

After canvassing, a student representative from WKU HOLAS, Britny Witt, said, “Being in a safe and secure home makes all the difference.”

Collaborating with bilingual volunteers to canvass Bowling Green neighborhoods is just one piece of a much larger

PRIMARY ELECTION TUESDAY, MAY 17 POLLS ARE OPEN 6 A.M. - 6 P.M.

FOR CANDIDATE RESPONSES AND VOTER INFORMATION VISIT WWW.KENTUCKYELECTION.ORG

body of work that the Southern Kentucky chapter has been tackling for the past few years. Whether it’s lobbying elected officials to enact the Uniform Residential Landlord Tenant Act (URLTA) statewide or locally, facilitating renters’ workshops for students and the wider community, creating a multilingual handbook that walks renters through key skills, or collecting stories of unfair evictions and substandard housing, the chapter is building a more just and safe community.

20 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

Preparations begin for annual membership meeting KFTC’s statewide Annual Membership Meeting will take place August 26-28 at the General Butler State Resort Park in Carrollton.

The annual meeting is a time for all KFTC members to gather together to celebrate great work over the past year, learn new skills and hold the yearly business meeting.

During the business portion of the meeting, members will consider the proposed platform, elect statewide officers and accept new or renewing chapters for the coming year.

NOMINATIONS FOR STATEWIDE COMMITTEES

In preparation for the statewide annual meeting, all KFTC chapters across the state hold their chapter annual meetings two months prior, in late May or June. At these meetings, chapter members provide input to the KFTC platform, set local priorities and goals, decide if they wish to continue as a chapter and, if so, select officers.

Chapters select a Steering Committee representative and alternate and chapter coordinators for membership, fundraising and publicity. They also agree to raise at least $500 for the statewide organization.

In return for their commitment to KFTC, chapters get a seat on the Steering Committee and receive staff time and organizational resources to assist in their work.

KFTC is accepting nominations for members of its governance and issue committees (descriptions below).

All committee nominations will be considered by the Leadership Development Committee. New committee assignments will be finalized in September by the Steering Committee.

Personnel Committee — Members may participate in hiring processes and review annual staff performance evaluations.

This committee provides guidance and makes recommendations about personnel policies and issues. Meets as needed.

Finance Committee — Reviews and recommends budget and quarterly financial statements. Reviews and recommends financial policies and practices. Meets periodically in person and by conference call.

ANNUAL CHAPTER MEETINGS In order by date: Southern Kentucky: May 24, 6 p.m., The Foundry, 531 W. 11th Ave, Bowling Green Scott County: June 2, 6:30 p.m., 1st Christian Church of Georgetown, 112 E. College St., Georgetown.

Big Sandy: June 6, 7 p.m., Floyd County Extension Office, 3490 Ky Route 321, Prestonsburg.

Wilderness Trace: June 6, 7 p.m.

InterCounty Energy Community Room, 1009 Hustonville Rd., Danville.

Leadership Development Committee — Develops, evaluates and helps implement KFTC’s leadership programs.

Nominates and reviews nominations of people to serve on statewide committees and offices. Meets several times a year as needed.

Letcher County: June 7, 6 p.m., Harry M. Caudill Library, 220 Main St., Whitesburg.

Land Reform Committee — Coordinates KFTC’s statewide campaigns on issues connected to natural resources. Meets 3-6 times a year, as needed.

Harlan County: June 9, 6 p.m., Rebecca Caudill Library, 310 W. Main St., Cumberland.

Economic Justice Committee — Develops and coordinates campaigns on economic issues, including tax justice. Meets 3-6 times a year as needed, often by conference call.

New Energy and Transition (NET) Committee: Develops strategy and priorities for three related KFTC campaigns: Rural Electric Co-op Reform, Sustainable Energy, and Appalachian Transition.

Jefferson County: June 13, 6:30 p.m., First Unitarian Church, 809 S. 4th St., Louisville.

Voter Empowerment Committee: Develops and evaluates KFTC’s strategies for registering, informing and motivating voters, including our restoration of voting rights campaign.

Shelby County: June 16, 6 p.m, Talon Winery, 400 Gordon Lane, Shelbyville.

Litigation Committee: Makes recommendations about KFTC’s litigation strategies; monitors progress of legal cases in which KFTC is a participant; participates in communication among allies, lawyers, and KFTC decision-making bodies.

Meets as needed with frequent conference calls.

Rowan County: June 16, 6 p.m, St. Albans Church, 145 E. 5th St., Morehead.

Racial Justice Committee: Helps ensure the organization is weaving racial justice and anti-oppression into all of our work and strategies. The Racial Justice Committee’s work will include informing the membership on issues affecting racial justice, coordinating education and skill-building opportunities, and ensuring that racial justice principles are applied to all areas of KFTC’s program of work. This is a new committee and will establish together when and how often they meet together.

CHAPTER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS Are you a member of a KFTC chapter? If so, please consider accepting a position as a chapter officer for the coming year, starting this fall. Chapter officers are: Steering Committee Representative Steering Committee Alternate Fundraising coordinator

Central Kentucky: June 16, 7 p.m., Northside Lexington Public Library, 1733 Russell Cave Rd., Lexington.

Perry County: June 20, 6 p.m., First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 160 Broadway, Hazard.

Membership coordinator Publicity coordinator

Northern Kentucky: June 21, 7 p.m., Center for Great Neighborhoods, 1650 Russell St., Covington.

All are important roles for which you will receive training and support. The responsibilities can be shared with others.

If interested, please contact your chapter organizer for more information.

Madison County: June 27, 7 p.m., Loyal Jones Appalachian Center, Berea College, 205 N. Main St., Berea.

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

Balancing the Scales | 21

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS — THE PROCESS The process for recommending, nominating and electing members to KFTC’s Executive Committee reflects our commitment to being a grassroots, membership-led organization.

It is an expression of KFTC’s core values, including our commitment to diversity; an open, deliberate and democratic process; a model of shared leadership; and a practice of developing grassroots leaders as a primary strategy for social change.

Anyone may nominate someone to serve in one of the four elected positions on KFTC’s Executive Committee or

three seats on the Kentucky Coalition Board. KFTC’s Leadership Development Committee considers those suggestions and recommends a slate of candidates for each board that is balanced, diverse, and qualified. In July the KFTC Steering Committee reviews those slates and formally nominates individuals for election at KFTC’s Annual Membership Meeting in August.

Nominations for KFTC’s Executive Committee and Kentucky Coalition Board are open until May 31, 2016.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS: Due May 31, 2016 KFTC’s Steering Committee is the statewide board that makes decisions about the organization’s strategy, policies, budget and long-term direction. The Steering Committee is made up of one representative from each chapter, plus five statewide officers.

These five officers make up the Executive Committee. This group makes necessary decisions between Steering Committee meetings and provides leadership for the organization. Four members of the Executive Committee are elected. The fifth position is the immediate past chairperson. The following is a description of the four elected positions: Chairperson – The Chairperson is a voting member of the KFTC Steering Committee and Executive Committee, as well as the Chairperson of the KFTC Steering Committee and the Kentucky Coalition Board of Directors. He or she presides at all Annual Meetings, Steering Committee meetings, Executive Committee meetings, and Kentucky Coalition Board of Directors meetings.

Vice Chairperson – The Vice Chairperson is a voting member of the KFTC Steering Committee and Executive Committee, as well as the Vice Chairperson of the KFTC Steering Committee and the Kentucky Coalition Board of Directors. He or she presides in the absence of the Chairperson at all Annual Meetings, Steering Committee meetings, Executive Committee meetings and Kentucky Coalition Board of Directors meetings.

Secretary-Treasurer – This officer serves as Secretary-Treasurer for KFTC and the Kentucky Coalition. He or she also serves as a voting member of the KFTC Steering Committee and Executive Committee, as well as the Kentucky Coalition Board of Directors. The Secretary-Treasurer also serves as the Chair of the Finance Committee.

At-Large Representative – The At-Large Representative is a member elected from anywhere in the state. He or she serves as a voting member of the KFTC Steering Committee and Executive Committee, as well as the Kentucky Coalition Board of Directors.

Requirements: • A statewide officer must be a member of KFTC. • A statewide officer cannot be a paid employee or the immediate family member of a paid employee of KFTC or Kentucky Coalition.

• A statewide officer cannot serve in the same position for more than two years.

• The Leadership Development Committee will consider all nominees and recommend a diverse slate of qualified candidates, taking into account a diversity of characteristics including gender, age, race, income, educational background, place of residence, level of involvement in the local chapter and statewide organization, issue interests, and other desired qualities.

The Leadership Development Committee values member suggestions! You may nominate as many people as you like. You may nominate a person for a specific statewide office, or “for any position” on the KFTC Executive Committee. Either way, the Leadership Development Committee considers all nominees to be eligible for any and all of the four positions.

NOMINATIONS FORM: NEXT PAGE

You may nominate yourself or any other member for KFTC’s Executive Committee or the Kentucky Coalition Board of Directors.

All nominations must be received by 5 p.m. on May 31, 2016.

The following is the current Executive Committee: √ The Chair is Dana Beasley Brown. She has served two terms as chair, and will roll to the Immediate Past Chair position. √ The Vice-Chair is Tanya Torp. She has served one year, and is eligible for another term. √ The Secretary-Treasurer is Elizabeth Sanders. She has served two years as Secretary-Treasurer, and is not eligible for another term in this position. √ The At-Large Representative is Homer White. He has served one year, and is eligible for another term.

KENTUCKY COALITION NOMINATIONS: Due May 31, 2016 Kentucky Coalition is an affiliate organization to Kentuckians For The Commonwealth. Kentucky Coalition (KC) is a 501(c)(3) organization, meaning that it is allowed to accept tax-deductible donations from members and can access foundation grants that are not available to Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, a 501(c)(4).

Kentucky Coalition’s purpose is to support grassroots community organizing, leadership development, and public education around important public policy. KC’s reach stretches beyond KFTC and beyond Kentucky. Kentucky Coalition has provided support and acted as fiscal agent for groups working in Appalachia and the South. For instance, KC is currently the fiscal agent for the Alliance for Appalachia, a group of 13 organizations from Central Appalachia working to stop mountaintop removal coal mining.

The KC board provides general oversight and direction for the organization. It maintains a close working relationship with the KFTC Steering Committee, monitors finances, and conducts planning and evaluation. The board meets at least quarterly, often by conference call.

The KC board is composed of the five members of the KFTC Executive Committee plus three additional members who are elected by the KFTC membership at its annual meeting. KC board members serve one-year terms. The KC board members who are also members of the Executive Committee follow the term limits placed on them as KFTC Executive Committee members. The three additional KC board members may serve four consecutive one-year terms.

Requirements: • A KC board member must be a member of KFTC. • A KC board member cannot be a paid employee or the immediate family member of a paid employee of KFTC or Kentucky Coalition.

• A KC board member not on the KFTC Executive Committee cannot serve in the same position for more than four one-year consecutive terms.

• The Leadership Development Committee will consider all nominees and recommend a diverse slate of qualified candidates, taking into account a diversity of characteristics including gender, age, race, income, educational background, place of residence, level of involvement in the local chapter and statewide organization, issue interests and other desired qualities.

• It is preferred that nominees to the KC board are people with prior experience on the KFTC Steering Committee or Finance Committee who do not currently serve as their chapter’s representative.

Current Kentucky Coalition Board of Directors: In making your suggestions, it may be helpful to know who currently serves on the Kentucky Coalition Board, and whether they are eligible for another term. The following members currently serve on the KC Board: • Mary Love has served three terms. She is eligible to serve one more term.

• Megan Naseman is in her second term. She is eligible to serve two more terms.

• Tayna Fogle is in her first term. She is eligible to serve three more terms.

22 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: KFTC Executive Committee and Kentucky Coalition Board, Due May 31, 2016.

You may nominate yourself or any other member for KFTC’s Executive Committee and the Kentucky Coalition Board of Directors. All nominations must be received by 5 p.m. on May 31, 2016. You may make your nominations by returning this form to KFTC at P.O. Box 1450, London, KY 40743. You may also email your suggestions to nominations@kftc.org, or use an online form at www.kftc.org/nominations. Members attending chapter meetings in May also will have the opportunity to make nominations during those discussions.

KFTC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Due May 31, 2016

Your Name: Phone: Email:

KENTUCKY COALITION BOARD: Due May 31, 2016

You may nominate as many people as you like for the KFTC Executive Committee. Please use additional paper if needed.

You may nominate as many people as you like for the Kentucky Coalition board. Please use additional paper if needed.

I would like to nominate: ___________________________________

I would like to nominate _________________________ for a position on the Kentucky Coalition Board.

For the following position(s) on KFTC’s Executive Committee: Chairperson Vice-Chairperson

I believe this person is a good choice because: __________________

______________________________________________________

Secretary-Treasurer

At-large Rep.

Any position

I believe this person is a good choice because: __________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

I have spoken with this person about my nomination, and they are willing to be considered (It’s okay if you haven’t).

I have NOT yet spoken with this person about my nomination, and I do not know if they are willing to be considered.

I would like to nominate: ___________________________________

______________________________________________________

I have spoken with this person about my nomination, and they are willing to be considered (It’s okay if you haven’t).

I have NOT yet spoken with this person about my nomination, and I do not know if they are willing to be considered.

I would like to nominate _________________________ for a position on the Kentucky Coalition Board.

For the following position(s) on KFTC’s Executive Committee: Chairperson Vice-Chairperson

I believe this person is a good choice because: __________________

______________________________________________________

Secretary-Treasurer

At-large Rep.

Any position

______________________________________________________

I believe this person is a good choice because: __________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

I have spoken with this person about my nomination, and they are willing to be considered (It’s okay if you haven’t).

I have spoken with this person about my nomination, and they are willing to be considered (It’s okay if you haven’t).

I have NOT yet spoken with this person about my nomination, and I do not know if they are willing to be considered.

I have NOT yet spoken with this person about my nomination, and I do not know if they are willing to be considered.

STATEWIDE COMMITTEES: Due June 30, 2016 KFTC’s statewide committees include: Personnel; Finance; Leadership Development; Land Reform; Economic Justice; New Energy & Transition; Voter Empowerment; Litigation; and Racial Justice. You may nominate yourself or other KFTC members for these committees. Nominees for these positions will be reviewed by the Leadership Development Committee and appointed by the new Steering Committee in September 2016.

You may nominate as many people as you like for consideration for KFTC’s committees. Please use additional space or paper as needed.

Nominee:

Committee nominated for:

Nominee:

Committee nominated for:

Nominee:

Committee nominated for:

KFTC www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016

35 Anniversary th

KFTC turns 35 in August. We started with the last issue to recall some of the history of KFTC and the people involved. We’ll have an installment in each issue of balancing the scales in 2016.

In this issue we’re again looking at some KFTC pre-history, in this case those events that led to KFTC’s formation in 1981.

In April 1977, devastating floods struck Central Appalachia. Thousands of homes were lost or damaged, property loss was in the hundreds of million dollars and 44 people died.

Fifteen counties in eastern Kentucky were declared federal disaster areas.

What was obvious to many Appalachia residents and later documented in several studies, areas with heavy strip mining suffered the worst damage. A study by Appalachia-Science in the Public Interest, for example, found that mining added three feet to the flood level in the town of Harlan.

The floods and the aftermath added to many problems already prevalent in the region – abuse of the land, inadequate housing, lack of community services, land ownership patterns, and many others. Community-based activists representing more than 50 groups across Appalachia responded by forming the Appalachian Alliance, which remained active until the mid-1980s.

Alliance members worked on many issues such as housing, health care and flood recovery.

However, the floods pointed to land ownership and land use patterns as among the primary causes for many of the region’s woes. Corporate ownership of large tracts of land often meant there was little available land left to meet housing and economic development needs. And the underassessment and under-taxing of this corporate wealth meant the local tax base was inadequate to provide even a basic level of services taken for granted in other parts of the state.

An Alliance task force decided to document this. In a major study involving communitybased research, the Alliance documented who owned the land and who paid the taxes in 80 counties in six Appalachian states. The Kentucky portion of the study included 12 counties and was coordinated by Joe Childers, who later served as KFTC’s attorney for many years.

In Kentucky, 76 percent of the land surveyed in the 12 counties belonged to corporations or individuals outside the county, or in some cases to government agencies. Just 25 corporate

Looking Back …

March & April

30 Years Ago …

• Martin County members successfully challenge a plan by American Electric Power to charge the cost of building a coal-burning power plant in Indiana to its customers in eastern Kentucky.

• KFTC’s annual Coal Production Study shows that just 10 companies control 40% of Kentucky’s coal production; only one of the 10 is based in Kentucky.

25 Years Ago …

• Lawrence County members win when the state revokes the permit for the controversial Roe Creek Landfill.

Members of GROWL (Greenup Residents Opposing Waste Landfill) celebrate the delay of a permit for a 937-acre out-of-state waste landfill.

• KFTC re-establishes a legal defense fund to prepare for court battles defending the 1988 broad form deed constitutional amendment victory

Balancing the Scales | 23

and individual owners controlled more than a million acres of land or mineral rights, or both.

The top 10 landowners, with 34 percent of the land and minerals, paid only 11 percent of the property taxes. Overall, the top 25 owners, with more than half of the land and minerals in the 12 counties, paid only a fourth of the property Flooding in eastern Kentucky. taxes.

Clearly, the people who lived in eastern Kentucky owned or controlled (because of the broad form deed) little of the land in their communities. But they did pay a disproportionate share of the taxes.

The injustice of land ownership and taxation patterns was most blatant in Martin County.

Just one company, the Pocahontas Development Company, owned one-third of the total surface land in the county, and 55 percent of the minerals. The company’s 81,333 acres of coal reserves were assessed at just $7 million. And the company’s annual property tax bill on these 81,333 acres was only $76!

These injustices were deliberate. Coal company property was grossly underassessed across the board. The General Assembly had specifically exempted unmined coal from property taxation.

Challenging some of these corporate assessments was the Concerned Citizens of Martin County, a group that formed originally to protect the town of Beauty when it was slated for relocation, to make way for mining, under the guise of a flood control project. They were led

by Gladys Maynard, Lorraine Slone, Mary Jane Blevins and others.

In Harlan County, citizens had formed the Cloverfork Organization to Protect the Environment to address strip mining and similar land ownership patterns. Hazel King, Dr. J.D. Miller, Hobart Grills and Rebecca Simpson were among COPE’s leaders.

Both groups had learned that while they could win some victories on the local level, it would take legislative change to remove the property tax exemption on unmined coal and other restrictions on local tax revenues. It would take strong enforcement, mandated by the state, to get corporate property assessed at its full value (or even listed on the tax rolls) in order to increase revenue for local services.

Similarly, it would take a commitment by state officials to fully enforce the new (1977) federal surface mining law so that water loss and the filling of streams with mining runoff could be prevented.

20 Years Ago …

• Pike County residents get a pledge from Gov. Paul Patton to extend water lines to 1,000 homes where wells have been destroyed by mining and gas drilling.

More than 100 people attend a public meeting sponsored by the local KFTC chapter.

• A new KFTC committee called the “Watchdogs” begins working on Money in Politics issues.

10 Years Ago …

• KFTC research shows that state officials mostly illegally granted 321 stream buffer zone waivers to coal operators in 2005, affecting 543 streams.

• KFTC members join pro-immigrant efforts, including a large Si Se Puede rally in Lexington, stirred up by antiimmigrant bills in Congress.

15 Years Ago …

• Members support successful efforts to stop a new strip mine that threatened Pine Mountain Settlement School in Harlan County.

• KFTC members challenge plans for 19 new, mostly coal-burning, power plants in Kentucky. (None was ever built.)

• Louisville members work with Citizens Against Police Abuse on community policing issues, with the goals to reduce violence, make drug rehab accessible and end racial profiling.

5 Years Ago …

• KFTC and allies win an important legal precedent that allows citizen intervention in Clean Water Act enforcement cases by the state.

• The Clean Energy Collaborative begins with allies, East Kentucky Power Cooperative and others after an EKPC coal-burning power plant is stopped.

• Voting Rights, clean energy, tax reform, immigrant rights, mountaintop removal are among the issues KFTC works on in the 2011 legislature.

24 | Balancing the Scales

CALENDAR OF EVENTS CHAPTER MEETINGS May 2 Wilderness Trace Chapter Meeting 7-8:30 p.m. at Inter-County Energy Community Room, 1009 Hustonville Rd., Danville.

Info: Sasha@kftc.org or call 859-358-9713 May 2 Big Sandy Chapter Meeting 7-8:30 p.m. at KFTC Office, 152 North Lake Drive Prestonsburg.

Info: Jessie@kftc.org or call 606-263-4982 May 9 Jefferson County Chapter Meeting 6:30 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church, 809 S. 4th St., Louisville. Info: Alicia@kftc.org or call 502-5893188 May 19 Shelby County Chapter Meeting 6 p.m. at Stratton Community Center, 215 W Washington St., Shelbyville.

Info: Carissa@kftc.org or call 502-208-1696 May 19 Rowan County Chapter Meeting 6 p.m. at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 145 East 5th St., Morehead.

Info: Sara@kftc.org or call 606-632-0051 May 19 Central Kentucky Chapter Meeting 7 p.m. at the Episcopal Mission House, 203 E. 4th St., Lexington.

Info: BethHoward@kftc.org or call 859-276-0563 May 23 Madison County Chapter Meeting 7 p.m. at Berea College Appalachian Center, 205 N. Main St., Berea.

Info: Sasha@kftc.org or call 859-358-9713

EVENTS May 12 Open Mic Debate Series: Louisville Metro Council District 2 6:30 p.m. Newburg Middle School, 4901 Exeter Ave., Louisville. Info: Alicia@kftc.org or call 502-589-3188 May 14 Open Mic Debate Series: Louisville Metro Council District 4 & 6 6:30 p.m. Louisville Main Public Library, 301 York St., Louisville. Info: Alicia@kftc.org or call 502-589-3188

www.kftc.org | April 25, 2016