balancing the scales - November 2012

November 20, 2012

pg. 10

Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID Lexington, Ky. Permit No. 513

Building New Power through voter engagement organizing

Change Service Requested

Volume 31 Number 7

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

balancing the scales

KFTC members speak on New Power at the vice presidential debate pg. 4

Election day analysis — ­ KFTC members’ impact by the numbers pg. 11

Tax reform panel proposals influenced by KFTC members pg. 13

Water protection efforts boosted with ICG settlement pg. 16

New Shelby County chapter wastes no time working for change pg. 7

East Kentucky mountains resonate with gospel sounds of democracy pg. 12

Annual Meeting: equal parts family reunion and education pg. 14

Holiday Merchandise pg. 16

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balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Table of Contents

Kentuckians For The Commonwealth

Letter to the Editor Walk For A Sustainable Future: FootPrints For Peace page 3 Local Updates KFTC members speak on New Power at the vice presidential debate Local organizing used to advance larger voting rights campaign Northern Kentucky loves mountains and democracy, all at once New Shelby County chapter wastes no time working for change Madison County sustains an aggressive voter engagement program KFTC members show Louisville what democracy looks like Letcher County members bridge with southern social justice allies

page 4 page 5 page 6 page 7 page 7 page 8 page 9

Voter Empowerment Update Building New Power through voter engagement organizing Teddi Smith Robillard voted this month Election day analysis ­— KFTC members’ impact by the numbers Voter empowerment highlights from KFTC regional chapters

page 10 page 10 page 11 page 11

is a statewide grassroots social justice orga­­ni­ zation 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

Voting Rights Update East Kentucky mountains resonate with gospel sounds of democracy page 12 Voting rights advocates looking to 2013 legislative session page 12 Economic Justice Update Tax reform panel proposals influenced by KFTC members

page 13

Annual Meeting: equal parts family reunion and education ‘Members Recruiting Members’ end of year strategy to reach goal Awards from the 2012 Annual Membership Meeting

page 14 page 14 page 15

Canary Project Update Water protection efforts boosted with ICG settlement Corps challenged for failing to look at human cost of valley fill Northern Kentucky members travel to the mountains

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 Sue Tallichet, chair Dana Beasley Brown, vice chair Rick Handshoe, secretary-treasurer Megan Naseman, at-large member Steve Boyce, immediate past chair

page 16 page 17 page 18

Holiday Merchandise page 19 Calendar page 20

I want to help KFTC build power!

Name: Address: City, State Zip: Phone: Email:

Chapter Representatives

Suggested membership dues are $15-$50 annually. ____ One-time Gift: Amount $_____________ ____ Sustaining Giver:

I will contribute $___ (check one):

__ Monthly __ Quarterly

__ Annually Authorized Signature: ________________________ Date: _____________ Circle one: Mastercard American Express

Visa Discover

I want to make my donation to the following organization (check one): ____ KFTC (not tax-deductible) ____ Kentucky Coalition (tax-deductible)

Card #: __ __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ - __ __ __ __

B a n k W i t h d r a w a l / C re d i t C a rd P a y m e n t Authorization: I authorize KFTC/KY Coalition 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.

Cardholder’s name (as it appears on the card):

Who asked you to join KFTC?

Expiration date: ___ ___ / ___ ___

_____________________________ Date: ____________ For bank drafts, return this form with a voided check from the account you wish to have the withdrawal made. Make checks payable to KFTC or the Kentucky Coalition and mail to: KFTC • P.O. Box 1450 • London, Ky. 40743-1450.

Homer White, Scott County Christian Torp, Central Kentucky Ted Withrow, Rowan County Ben Baker, Northern Kentucky Shekinah Lavalle, Jefferson County Travis Lane, Southern Kentucky Jack Ball, Harlan County Cleveland Smith, Perry County Meta Mendel-Reyes, Madison County Elizabeth Sanders, Letcher County Allyson Williams, Floyd County Daniel Morgan, Wilderness Trace Mary Hano, Shelby County Alternates: Rosanne Fitts Klarer, Scott County; Greg Capillo, Central Kentucky; Lisa Bryant, Rowan County; Rick Traud, Northern Kentucky; Nan Goheen, Jefferson County; Alan Smith, Southern Kentucky; Carl Shoupe, Harlan County; Katie Pirotina, Perry County; Mark Henson, Madison County; Ada Smith, Letcher County; James Williams, Floyd County; Leah Bayens, Wilderness Trace; JoAnna Mackens, 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 Southland Drive Suite #4, Lexington, KY. 40503 or tim@kftc.org.

Subscriptions are $20 per year.

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balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Letter to the Editor

Walk For A Sustainable Future: FootPrints For Peace Dear Editor, On February 1, 2013 a group of citizens will gather to begin a 13-day walk from Prestonsburg to Frankfort.

This journey from the coalfields to the state capitol is in support of the I Love Mountains Day event as well as to raise awareness of the destruction caused by mountaintop removal coal mining.

This 5th annual Walk For A Sustainable Future is organized by FootPrints

For Peace. It began as a suggestion of Todd Kelley, KFTC member, to connect I Love Mountains Day to the actual coalfields.

It took a couple years, the first few years being a weekend event starting in Lexington, but now is a full 14-day event starting on February 1 with a daylong tour of a mountaintop removal site guided by KFTC member Rick Handshoe.

This tour is more than a visual expe-

Not sure what to give that special person this holiday season?

How about giving them a gift that really makes a difference?

Make a donation to an organization that is helping to make Kentucky a better place for them and everyone else.

Simply send KFTC a donation in the name of a friend, family member or co-worker. We will send them a lovely card telling them about your gift. We will put them on our mailing list to receive our regular newsletter. Next year, we will ask them if they want to renew their involvement by making their own gift.

They will receive no other solicitations from us unless they make their own gift to KFTC.

rience of the destruction; it is also a way to personally understand how MTR has impacted Rick, his family, his neighbors and his community.

The walk itself begins this year on February 2 and takes walkers through the coalfields and the Red River Gorge natural area as we cover over 200 miles.

During the walk we will have the opportunity to understand those who share our vision as well as those who think we oppose their livelihood.

The reality of the situation is we are trying to support eastern Kentucky by supporting the idea of bringing in a sustainable economy to eastern Kentucky but first we have to loosen the grip that the coal barons have on the people.

In years past we have had around 10+ walkers with us. We would like to increase those numbers.

So what is a typical day on a FootPrints for Peace walk? We get up at 7 a.m. At 7:30 we have morning circle and talk about what is happening and where we are going for the day. Then we have breakfast.

At 8:30 we pack the support vehicle and clean up our overnight place, and at

9:00 we start walking. We take 5-minute breaks every three miles where we have access to the support vehicle. We take a one-hour break for lunch (sometimes lunch is shorter depending on how cold it is outside).

We finish up between 3:00 and 5:00 and will cover 13-16 miles a day.

In the evening we will either have time to ourselves and will have to cook for ourselves or we will have time with the community and enjoy a pot luck dinner.

We hope some of you will consider participating with us this year. If you have any questions please contact us.

Jim: jim@footprintsforpeace.org phone: 513-403-2765 Jon: jon@footprintsforpeace.org phone: 513-766-6121 Larry: larry@footprintsforpeace.org phone: 859-229-9472 And you can keep up with our progress at www.footprintsforpeace.org.

Jim Toren FootPrints For Peace

I would like to give the following people a gift in the form of a contribution to Kentuckians For The Commonwealth: 1.

Name

______________________________________

Address ______________________________________ City ____________________ State _______ Zip ______ Please circle which holiday is being celebrated: Chanukah Christmas Kwanzaa Winter Solstice Other____ If you don’t specify, we will use the generic “Holiday Season.”

2.

Name ______________________________________ Address ______________________________________ City ____________________ State _______ Zip ______

Please circle which holiday is being celebrated: Chanukah Christmas Kwanzaa Winter Solstice Other____ If you don’t specify, we will use the generic “Holiday Season.”

Make check payable to: KFTC Your Name Address City Phone

State Email

Zip

2013 Thursday, February 14, 2013

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balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Local Updates

KFTC Offices and Staff

KFTC members speak on New Power at the vice presidential debate

On October 11, the vice presidential debate was held in Danville at Centre College, and the brand new Wilderness Trace KFTC Chapter was there to make their voices and KFTC’s issues heard.

Chapter members staffed a table at the Speakers’ Park informing attendees and members of the media about KFTC’s issues and the local chapter. They also hosted a slate of speakers at the park.

Daniel Morgan emceed the speaking event. Lee Ann Paynter introduced folks to KFTC and the local chapter. Fred Hood and Dana Beasley Brown spoke on economic justice. Preston Miles explained the need and possibility for clean energy in Kentucky. And Tayna Fogle wowed the crowed with her personal story and the importance of becoming active on the issue of restoring voting rights to former felons.

While the members did amazing work, from organizing the tabling and speakers, to getting in front of dozens of reporters and TV cameras, to even lifting up KFTC’s issues in a brief segment on MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews filmed outside the debate, it was still disappointing that the “free speech zone” where KFTC and other groups were relegated was about a mile away from the main festivities and was inaccessible to wheelchairs.

Still, KFTC members worked hard to make their

voices heard. Beasley Brown’s speech was turned into an op-ed that was later published in The (Louisville) Courier-Journal.

KFTC member and musician Ben Sollee played a concert before the debate-watch party began on the main lawn of Centre’s campus. Before thousands of people, he spoke of the importance of remembering our past and our heritage, and also of the need to look to the future, that together we can transition to a better Kentucky, and that we need to stop blowing up our mountains for energy.

Jim and Linda Porter wore their KFTC t-shirts and waved a sign stating “It’s Time for New Power” on national TV. Beasley Brown and Fogle brought a small crowd of dedicated members to tears with their moving speeches and encouraged people to keep working – and to work harder – toward the Kentucky they all deserve.

Though the candidates didn’t speak on KFTC’s issues, members who participated in the debate activities were confident that one day such candidates would as KFTC continues to work for New Power.

For the new Wilderness Trace chapter, the debate activities in Danville were a great beginning that members saw as one step toward building the better Kentucky and country they know is possible.

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

FIELD OFFICES Louisville Jessica George, Jerry Hardt, and Colette Henderson 901 Franklin Street Louisville, Ky 40206 502-589-3188 Whitesburg Tanya Turner P.O. Box 463 Whitesburg, Ky 41858 606-632-0051 Berea Lisa Abbott, Amy Hogg, Carissa Lenfert, Sara Pennington and Kevin Pentz 140 Mini Mall Drive Berea, KY 40403 859-986-1277

Teri Blanton 118 Baugh Street Berea, Ky. 40403 859-986-1648 Central Kentucky Tim Buckingham, Jessica Hays Lucas, Erik Hungerbuhler, Heather Roe Mahoney, Dave Newton and Ondine Quinn 250 Plaza Drive Suite 4 Lexington, Ky 40503 859-276-0563 Northern Kentucky Joe Gallenstein 859-380-6103 Floyd County Kristi Kendall 606-226-4159

e-mail any staff member at firstname@kftc.org except for Jessica Hays Lucas -- use jessicabreen@kftc.org

Top Left: Linda Porter and Cay Shawler believe Kentucky Deserves Better.

Top Right: Jim Porter waves a New Power sign on Hardball with Chris Matthews.

Bottom Left: Linda Porter spoke with news media during the festival.

Bottom Right: KFTC member Ben Sollee performed at the festival before the vice presidential debate.

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balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Local Updates

Local organizing used to advance larger voting rights campaign

Central Kentucky members continue to move Lexington Fayette Urban County Government to set an example for restoration of voting rights The Central Kentucky chapter has worked for years to raise awareness for the campaign to restore voting rights to former felons who have served their debt to society.

Chapter members have organized “Singing for Democracy” gospel events to educate the faith community about the issue. University of Kentucky students have organized panel discussions and film screenings to share KFTC’s work on the campaign with the student community.

Former felons who still don’t have their voting rights have joined chapter members to mobilize Kentucky voters to the polls.

These efforts have been incredibly valuable in terms of gaining community support for the campaign and building relationships. The chapter will continue to do this work and look for more ways to build a broad base of support for felons’ rights.

In 2011 the chapter members decided they would pursue gaining the support of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council.

The council does not have the authority to restore voting rights to former felons, but it could pass a resolution to show its support and leadership for the campaign.

Chapter members could use a passed resolution to educate the community and gain media attention as well as a talking point in the General Assembly.

Central Kentucky member Christian Torp has played a major role in the chapter’s strategy towards the council.

“It’s important that we build a foundation of support in all levels of government because a house divided against itself cannot stand,” Torp said.

“What’s more, if we can persuade LFUCG council to come out in support of the restoration of voting rights for former felons, Lexington may be able attract some of the diligent and hard-working people who’ve forsaken Kentucky so far because of its latent racism and discrimination.

Maybe they’ll at least give Lexington a chance. Some of the very best people I know are former felons.”

Members have lobbied the council members hard on the issue and have met with the following council members: Linda Gorton, Chuck Ellinger, Steve Kay, Peggy

Henson, Julian Beard, Diane Lawless, Chris Ford, Tom Blues and George Myers.

They’ve received a lot of support and commitments from Ford and Lawless to cosponsor the resolution.

Central Kentucky member Abigail Dority has been in several of these meetings. “It’s been really encouraging to see how many members of the city council are willing to take up this important cause,” said Dority. “It would be easy for them to say that this issue isn’t their problem or responsibility. But so far, the ones that I have met with have had the courage to stand up against this blatant infringement of civil rights.”

Chapter members want the resolution include the following two points: • that the city council of Lexington believes that former felons who’ve served their time and paid back all of their debts to society deserve to have the right to vote back; • that the citizens of Kentucky deserve the right to be able to vote on this issue.

KFTC members are working with the council to pass this resolution before the start of the 2013 General Assembly.

One way anyone can help support this effort is to contact council members and ask them to publicly support the restoration of voting rights for former felons.

“

LEXINGTON — TAKE ACTION You can get the contact info for your particular councilperson by visiting www.lexingtonky.gov or you can send an email that will go to the entire council at councilmembers@lexingtonky.gov. You can write a personal letter that explains why this campaign is important to you (always very powerful!) or you could use the following template: Dear members of the Lexington urban county council, I urge you to publicly support the restoration of voting rights to former felons who have served their debt to society.

Kentucky is one of the four most difficult of all 50 states for a former felon to get their voting rights back.

243,842 Kentuckians don’t have the right to vote because of our current laws.

1 in 5 African Americans in Kentucky of voting age are disenfranchised – a higher percentage than in any other state.

Voting is the distinguishing mark of our democracy. Former felons who have completed their jail time, probation, and parole are asked to rejoin society as productive, law-abiding, tax-paying members of that society. It’s only right that they be allowed to truly participate and be a part of that society by voting.

A strong and healthy democracy must include the voices of all of its citizens. Please support this effort by passing a resolution that shows your support for restoring the vote to people who’ve paid their debts to society and that urges the Kentucky General Assembly to give Kentucky citizens the opportunity to vote on this important issue.

Sincerely,

I think New Power is creating a

community of empowered people. And that is really where the New Power is going to come f rom – it comes f rom us. Every single one of us. We are the New Power to come.

”

MOLLY TEVIS-ORONA JEFFERSON COUNTY

FALL FUNDRAISING: Goal $200,000 Simple steps: Rewew your dues, become a sustaining giver, and ask friends and family to join.

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Local Updates

balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Northern Kentucky loves mountains and democracy, all at once The Northern Kentucky KFTC chapter had an ambitious plan for this past election, aiming to help register and inform as many people across northern Kentucky as it could.

To do this the chapter developed its first voter guide that included municipal elections in Florence, Covington and Newport, and teamed up with a variety of allies that ranged from student groups to other community groups, local businesses, and others.

From August on, the chapter had a strong emphasis on voter registration, registering voters at the libraries in Florence, Newport and Covington, rotating around the various Gateway Community and Technical College campuses, at Thomas More College, and taking time every Saturday to register voters at the Covington Farmers Market.

To celebrate the end of the voter registration period, the chapter held a weekend long series of events called “Northern Kentucky Loves Democracy,” which included a dance party at Pike Street Lounge in Covington, tables at the Covington Farmers Market and the Wee Folk Fest in Covington, a concert at the Crazy Fox Saloon in Newport featuring the Red Cedars and Kristi Kruer, and a candidate meet-and-greet at Groove Coffee House in Covington.

Through these events and more, the

chapter was able to register more than 550 voters in northern Kentucky, recruit untold numbers of members, and help people meet their elected officials. But the chapter was not finished yet.

After the voter registration deadline the chapter worked with the Newport Citizens Advisory Council and the Brighton Center to hold a candidate forum at the Newport Middle School featuring the candidates for Newport City Commission.

Five of the six candidates running for city commission attended the event, and more than 60 Newport residents came out to hear what the candidates had to say.

The chapter finished its election work with aggressive get-out-the-vote activities that included phone banks, tabling at Northern Kentucky University, an all-day phone-a-thon from Groove Coffee House, and a sound cars in urban areas on election day.

Northern Kentucky Loves Mountains

The chapter didn’t take any time off after the election, immediately pivoting to its third annual Northern Kentucky Loves Mountains.

Chapter leaders worked with local businesses, musicians and poets to put together an event that was family friendly and would help raise awareness about the need for a just transition

toward a sustainable economy that would benefit the entire state long term.

The event took place at Groove Coffee House in Covington and included hand-printed posters for sale from the No Greater Task: Art and Activism For Appalachia show, which featured artists from around the country, including quite a few from Kentucky.

In addition to the posters, local Urban Appalachian poets Michael Henson and Scott Goebel read poetry about the region they love, and the Red Cedars band played throughout the evening.

Local business Savor Catering and Events of Newport also donated pastries for the event.

In addition to the members who performed, other members spent a great deal of time preparing for the event as well. Ben Baker was the emcee, and Tiffany Emerson did the planning. Local artists Rob Warnick and Keith Neltner collaborated for a great poster design for the event, in addition to the individual posters they had for sale.

The event was a huge success, as more than 40 people came out that evening for music, poetry, posters and

KFTC member Sydney Ray made her voice heard (literally) on election day. pastries. The chapter raised more than $350, recruited seven new members, and helped inspire people to learn more about the issues around mountaintop removal and the need to transition to a new, just and sustainable economic model for Appalachia.

Eastern Kentucky Chapter Holiday Party Dec. 11 6 p.m.

Harry M. Caudill Library Whitesburg, 220 Main Street.

Potluck and will include local music and local art raffles.

For more information contact Tanya@kftc.org or call 606-632-0051.

KFTC members Andy Schreiner and Samantha La Mar doing turnout calls on election day.

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balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Local Updates

New Shelby County chapter wastes no time working for change

by Lisa Aug

The Shelbyville City Council is considering a proposed Fairness Ordinance presented on November 15 by the Shelby County KFTC chapter.

Council members listened politely and without comment to presentations by chapter members Jane Elkin Thomas and Ann Ellerkamp, both residents of the city.

Thomas explained the plain meaning of the ordinance.

“This local anti-discrimination Fairness Ordinance would prohibit discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based

on someone’s actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity/ expression,” she said.

She said that data shows the expanding support of simple anti-discrimination protection in Kentucky, and that the goal is a statewide Fairness Ordinance, but “we need communities to take the lead until that happens.”

Ellerkamp discussed the low cost of implementing and enforcing the ordinance, including the use of volunteers and mediation for simple cases, and the rareness of cases that would incur legal costs.

She also spoke movingly of what the ordinance would mean to her personally. “I

support this ordinance because of two of my closest friends, who cannot publicly show their relationship for fear of losing their jobs.”

Mayor Tom Hardesty thanked the members for the presentation and the information packets. “There is a lot of information here and I know the council members will want to take their time studying it. We will take this under consideration.”

“While we hope the council members see the advantages of this ordinance now, we anticipate having to continue to encourage them to adopt it,” said chapter member Leslie McBride, who drafted the ordinance. “This is just the first step. We

will keep working to make fairness a reality in Shelby County. We’re not going away.”

Chris Hartman of the Fairness Campaign in Louisville gave the chapter substantial help with research and planning, including coordinating media coverage, putting informational packets together and providing “Another Kentuckian for Fairness” T-shirts for the two dozen chapter members and others who showed up at the council meeting to show their support for the ordinance.

WHAS-TV Channel 11 from Louisville and Joe Sonka of LEO Weekly covered the meeting and interviewed members afterward.

city council candidates.

The chapter also co-sponsored a candidates’ forum at Berea College.

Teaming up with Berea College’s student government, chapter members contacted candidates for Berea’s city council to offer them a chance to express their views about issues effecting Berea.

Despite being on a cold and rainy night, the candidate forum had great

turnout from both candidates and community members. Nine of the 13 candidates running for office arrived to speak to a crowd of more than 50 students and community members on a variety of topics, ranging from “town and gown” tensions to the adoption of a municipal Fairness Ordinance.

Now that the elections have concluded, chapter members are looking forward to

working with new city governments throughout the county to improve communities and to promote respect for diversity and human rights.

Members of the Madison County chapter and KFTC members from around the state will continue to work for the day when progressive policy and respect for the rights and dignity of all people become the norm rather than the exception.

Madison County sustains an aggressive voter engagement program

by Cory Lowery

The Madison County Chapter has had a great election season this year in terms of voter organization, registration and education.

The chapter’s success is most striking in the numbers of voters it managed to register this year. Through the work of Carey Henson, the Madison County voter empowerment organizer, and KFTC members, the Madison County chapter registered 750 voters, including 263 voters from Berea College and 252 from Eastern Kentucky University.

The chapter also held phone banks and offered rides to help these newly registered voters to reach the polls.

“Registering voters gives us the opportunity to speak with a wide variety of people about the political process, to empower them so their voices can be heard,” Henson said.

“Having conversations across the political spectrum allows the focus to be about how individuals can make a difference rather than on specific political beliefs.”

In addition to voter registration, the chapter also worked to inform voters about their candidates’ positions on important issues. The first and most important of these efforts was the chapter’s attempt to get local candidates to respond to candidate surveys for inclusion in KFTC’s Voter Guide.

A flurry of mailings and phone calls drew responses from 7 of 13 Berea City Council candidates and 3 of 8 Richmond

“

To me New Power is about a culture shift, f rom what we have

now to one where clean, sustainable energy is the norm, not the exception. One where the political power is in the hands of all

the people, not just those with the money or the influence. It ’s one where the economic system

is balanced so that everybody, all of us, have an opportunity to fulfill our needs and to pursue happiness.

”

MARK HENSON

MADISON COUNTY

FALL FUNDRAISING: Goal $200,000 We’ll get there one dollar at a time!

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Local Updates

balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

KFTC members show Louisville what democracy looks like

by Jennifer Jeffers

We in the Jefferson County chapter like to say that our 2012 electoral organizing started with a bang at Worldfest in August. Despite two days of downpour, we registered 125 voters. Many of them were new citizens we reached immediately after the naturalization ceremony who were excited to vote for the first time.

But really our voter empowerment work began in July, when our members spent a day at the St. John Center for Homeless Men helping fill out voting rights restoration applications. It was a quiet beginning to an election season that got very, very loud.

During the six weeks leading up to the voter registration deadline, our exceptional members made sure that every “end” of Louisville knew that THEY were what democracy looked like.

Every age, every income, every color, every language – we tried to make registering to vote as convenient as possible for them all. So where the people were is where we were: grocery stores in the West and South Ends after work; before and after every weekend service at St. Stephen’s, the largest church in the West End; in between classes at the University of Louisville; behind the loudspeakers at the Rally

for Recovery; at fairs, farmer’s markets, barbecues, and bus stops. We brought voter empowerment to them all.

Student member Abby Miller said of our UofL work, “It’s important to do voter registration at the college level, when people are beginning to understand what’s really important to them that they want to advocate for.”

When the weekend before the registration deadline came, it was time to turn up the volume. Partnering with Kentucky Jobs with Justice, we took the noise to the streets for 48 straight hours of Voter Madness. And it worked. At the end of the day on October 9, we had turned in a chapter record of 1,397 voter registration cards to the Jefferson County Clerk’s office.

But would these newly registered voters actually vote?

Yes! In the three weeks leading up to the election, our phone bank volunteers called every single member, petition-signer, and voter we registered – nearly 3,000 Louisvillians total!

Said first-time phone banker Chris Hale, “This experience has been invigorating. I feel like I’m making a difference when I actually reach out to people, to start a conversation, because that’s where change begins.”

And we passed out 1,300 voter guides, and we circulated countless voter mobilization fliers, and the office

phone started ringing at 7:30 a.m. on Election Day, and we gave 30 rides to the polls. Our members showed Louisville what democracy looked like.

Consider these stories of New Power: At 5:30 a.m. on Election Day, Beth Bissmeyer was driving a South End resident to the polls. By 6:15 a.m. she knew it was worth it.

“I picked up a man, Thomas, who lives off Preston Highway so he could vote at 6 a.m. When we pulled up to his polling place, there was a line of people out the door waiting to vote. Fifteen minutes later, when Thomas came out of St. Rita’s, he said, ‘It’s exciting to see that many other people voting.’ I asked him what races he was excited to vote in. ‘All of them! This is actually my first time voting, so I’m excited just to vote.’

“Thomas then told me he is a Texas native and it was his path to recovery that brought him to Kentucky. He has been sober for seven years and now teaches and helps others in their recovery. And he just voted for the first time.

Moments like that is what makes this work so worthwhile, when you see democracy in action and see people lifting themselves up by making their voices heard.”

In early afternoon, a woman called the office for a ride. She wanted to vote before she went to work, but if she took

the bus she wouldn’t have time. Her bus driver had been given one of our fliers by a random passenger, and so he passed it on to her. And the conversation spreads …

With 60 minutes left to vote, our sound car let a downtown crowd know what democracy sounds like. “Hey, you people waiting for the bus! Yeah, you! There’s only 60 minutes left to vote! Forget the bus, we’ll give you a ride!” the 50-watt keyboard amp blared out the car window. A young man responded, “Really? You’re gonna give me a ride? I really wanted to vote, but I had no idea how I was gonna get there in time. You’re angels.”

We may not be angels, but we did take him to his polling location at St. Stephen’s Church, where we had spent so many weekends leading up to the election. Days before the election a man we’d helped at St. John’s in July found out that his voting rights had been restored and asked us to look up his polling location. Hopefully he too cast his vote and rejoined our democracy before election day ended.

Seeing our work come full circle was a powerful reminder that voter empowerment isn’t just about elections.

It’s about making the connections that strengthen us as a community and give us the power to show each other what democracy looks like every day.

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balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Local Updates

Letcher County members bridge with southern social justice allies

by Ada Smith and Elizabeth Sanders

On September 21- 22, three Kentuckians traveled to Lowndes County, Alabama, for the Southern Movement Assembly hosted by Project South.

Using a facilitated process for people to come together, analyze the current political realities, and develop action plans for our communities, the Southern Movement Assembly brought together almost 300 community leaders to emphasize that “We All Count – We Will Not be Erased” this election season regardless of the immense voter repression we see.

Hosted at Tent City in Lowndes County, the Southern Movement Assembly kicked off with a welcoming from elders who had been a part of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in 1965 after the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Tent City was a marker at the height of the voting rights movement and a dynamic space where communities practiced participatory democracy. The deep history and struggle on the very land we camped gave us an emphasis on why the South needed a Southern Movement Assembly.

The South has always played a major role in fighting for freedom, democracy, and voters’ rights even as we are marked as “red” on most electoral maps.

Elder Dr. Gwen Patton reminded us to “never underestimate the people, their dignity, and their worth”

In Kentucky, 243,000 Kentuckians are denied their right to vote due to former felony convictions.

For this reason among others, Elizabeth Sanders, Ada Smith, and Savannah Swiney traveled from Letcher County to Alabama to connect with other southern delegations such as The Ordinary People’s Society, Southerners on New Ground, the Women’s Project, and Moving Forward Gulf Coast.

By connecting with other southern movement groups dealing with similar issues, we were able to form a leadership assembly that will move forward on our needs regardless of the election results.

The three of us left the Southern Movement Assembly feeling inspired and motivated to remain connected to a larger southern analysis. There were tangible take-aways and personal connections we made that allow Kentucky and Central Appalachia to be present within a larger southern movement.

The clear intersections between environmental degradation, restrictive voting laws, and policing of identities allowed us as Kentuckians to feel our presence there was important.

As a Kentucky delegation supported

by KFTC, we are happy to bring lessons back to our statewide strategy and continue to remind all Kentuckians of our amazing southern partners.

By providing a space for all people to speak their truth, regardless of eligibility or willingness to vote in the general elec-

“

Elizabeth Sanders, Savannah Swiney and Ada Smith traveled from Letcher County to the Southern Movement Assembly in Lowndes County, Alabama. tion, the Southern Movement Assembly is developing democratic methods that connect community voice to community power. Southern grassroots leadership is getting stronger and, through KFTC and STAY (Stay Together Appalachian Youth), can realize our potential and begin to demand our collective power.

We’re looking forward to partnering with Project South and others we connected with at the Southern Movement Assembly on post-election activities.

KF TC is inclusive. You don’t have to be an expert in

anything. You don’t have to have political connections.

KF TC understands that everyone is an expert in their own lives. If you live in Kentucky and you care about Kentucky and you care about your community, you can work with KF TC and build the kind of New Power that you and your neighbors want to see.

”

STEPHANIE TYREE LETCHER COUNTY

FALL FUNDRAISING: Goal $200,000

“We are from Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, a membership-led grassroots social justice organization throughout the state of Kentucky, & the STAY Project, a network of young people throughout Central Appalachia.

We are here because we don’t always show up in the south or see ourselves connected to the south, so it’s important for us to make those connections and take them back home. Kentucky doesn’t matter in national elections and Appalachia is often forgotten. For us, a lot of our work is helping to organize poor, white people. We are here because we all count.

We are here because we oppose the destructive form of mining known as mountaintop removal. We have water we can’t drink because of it. We have people dying because of the health effects of mountaintop removal. We believe in environmental justice, so we don’t want our mountains being blown up just like we don’t want the Gulf Coast being destroyed.

We are here because federal prisons are being build in our communities as an answer to our failing economy.

We are here because Kentucky is 1 of 2 states where convicted felons who have served their time are denied their right to vote – for their entire life. That is almost 250,000 Kentuckians.

Our struggles are connected. We can’t do it alone – and we don’t want to.”

Kentucky Delegation Statement to the Southern Movement Assembly

Page 10

Voter Empowerment Update

balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Building New Power through voter engagement organizing

Thanks to everyone who participated in KFTC’s electoral work – from registering voters to making getout-the-vote calls, educating voters about community issues, giving rides to the polls, voting and much more – KFTC members helped make Kentucky’s democracy stronger.

As usual, the voter engagement work of KFTC members was impressive.

Members registered 4,814 voters for this election, especially in low-income communities and young people on college campuses who could vote for the first time.

Members made 12,951 phone calls, reminding folks to vote and providing information on precinct location, sample ballots and more.

KFTC distributed more than 40,000 Voter Guides (a statewide guide and five local guides in central Kentucky, Jefferson County, Madison County, northern Kentucky and Scott County), and received more than 70,000 page views on the online version at www.kentuckyelection. org.

There was high energy in all KFTC chapters with lots of activities, from candidate forums to Northern Kentucky Loves Democracy, Singing for Democracy in Perry County and Lexington, and a bike parade in Bowling Green.

This kind of groundwork that took place on November 6 and throughout the year in several key states made a difference in national races.

In Kentucky it allowed KFTC members to engage thousands of voters in the democratic process who now can help build New Power.

That includes former felon Teddi Smith Robillard, 73, of Lexington, who voted on November 6 after recently getting her voting rights back from the governor.

It includes the fellow standing at the bus stop on a street in Louisville when the KFTC sound car with Kristah Lavalle and Jennifer Jeffers passed by.

“Have you voted yet?,” they said from the car.

“I’ve been thinking about it,” he responded.

“Hop in, we’ll take you there.”

KFTC members might have spent a few minutes catching their breath after election day, but their work has not slowed down.

Currently, there are still nearly a quarter of a million Kentuckians who cannot vote because of a felony conviction, including 180,000+ who have completed their sentences.

Kentucky has a diminishing coal industry and elected officials who can’t see past their support for the coal industry to join KFTC members in creating an economic and energy transition.

Additionally, state tax reform is on the table, with good and bad proposals equally in play.

Though analysts might tell us that the political landscape in Kentucky didn’t change all that much after November 6, KFTC members know differently.

Members know Kentucky’s democracy is stronger.

Members know there are many more informed voters, and members know the movement we’re building will one day bring about New Power in Kentucky.

Tim and Rosanne Fitts Klarer traveled around Scott County in a sound car on election day reminding citizens to vote.

KFTC members salute those who engage in the democratic process by running for office. Congratulations to KFTC member Bennie Massey, who was the top vote getter in the race for the Lynch City Council in Harlan County; to KFTC member Sherry Carran, who will be the new mayor of Covington; and to many

“I think we’re creating a positive buzz – making a space for people to get engaged in politics. It brought it home for people.

It’s about connecting people to real issues and not just sound bytes, and it’s rare for people to otherwise have information to cast an informed vote on local races. I also think it’s great that we can take today to celebrate voting as a key part of our democracy. Some people think democracy happens on its own. It doesn’t. But we’re making it happen.”

- Rosanne Fitts Klarer, Scott County others who ran in school board, city council and other local races.

All of the main sponsors of KFTC’s state and national legislative efforts won (several were unopposed).

They are leaders with conviction and vision, and voters recognized this.

Teddi Smith Robillard voted this month

At 6:15 a.m. on November 6, KFTC received a call from Teddi Smith Robillard, 73, of Lexington telling us that she had just voted.

Robillard is a former felon who has been fighting since spring of 2011 to get her right to vote back in Kentucky. This year marks the first time she has been able to vote since the early 1980s.

“It’s been very weird,” Robillard said, thinking back.

“For so much of my life, I’ve helped people to register to vote – hundreds of people – but I haven’t been able to vote myself. It always felt strange to me, but I still did it because of how important voting is.

“As for this morning, I was very happy to vote – that I could go in there and vote for people I wanted to win,” said Robillard.

“Some people say it doesn’t do any good to vote in federal elections. I beg to differ. It’s a good habit to get in.”

“Voting on the local level is more important, of

course, but that influence trickles up. “

“If you get a block of people to vote together on an issue, it can really matter. We’re powerful together and I’m adding a little more to that now that I can vote.”

FREE Democracy, Restore the Vote!

243,842 people still don’t have the right to vote in Kentucky because of the state’s felony disenfranchisement laws.

Page 11

balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Voter Empowerment Update

Election day analysis — ­ KFTC members’ impact by the numbers KFTC’s 2012 voter empowerment work has been relentless, thoughtful, genuine, deep and powerful.

Members will spend weeks analyzing and evaluating the work, but some numbers are starting to surface that we can use to measure how we did: • 1,799,037 – Ballots cast.

• 59.23% – Voter turnout.

• 243,842 – People who still don’t have the right to vote in Kentucky because of the state’s felony disenfranchisement laws.

• 4,814 – Voters registered by KFTC in 2012.

• 48 – Consecutive hours of voter registration as part of Louisville’s Operation Voter Madness. Lexington members had a 36-hour registration marathon.

• 63 – Candidates who responded to the KFTC General Election Voter Guide survey.

• 40,429 – KFTC voter guides printed in 2012 – 23,267 for the general election and 17,162 printed for the primary election.

• 70,048 – Page views on www.

Kentuckyelection.org for the 2012 election season – 20,724 of

•

• • • •

those were in the final two days of the election.

7,751 – Voter Mobilization calls made by KFTC members in the general election; 5,200 calls in the primary.

3 – Singing For Democracy Gospel Fests held leading up to the general election.

2,200 – Zombie voter mobilization handills passed out at Halloween events.

2.2 million – Times the KFTC Facebook voter mobilization ad was shown.

46 – Rides to the polls KFTC

members gave on November 6, with substantial focus in both Louisville and Floyd County.

• 0 – Number of elections in Kentucky in 2013. Take a deep breath and focus on building our democracy in other ways.

Of course these numbers are skewed toward things that are easy to quantify.

There have been so many intangible, powerful results to KFTC’s work in this election that aren’t so easy to count – like leadership development, conversations with neighbors, the power of a former felon telling their story for the first time or a student casting their first ballot.

Voter empowerment highlights from KFTC regional chapters

Jefferson County – As if a 48-hour straight voter registration marathon wasn’t enough, the Jefferson County chapter kept up an intense schedule of events for the three months leading up to the election, including tabling at grocery stores and other key events, leading large productive phone banks, and having a lot of fun while doing it. Members worked closely with allies like Jobs with Justice and built key relationships with St. Stephen Baptist Church and other organizations. On Election Day, members held signs reminding people to vote in key locations and operated two sound cars throughout the day.

Eastern Kentucky Chapters – Many of KFTC’s eastern Kentucky chapters banded together to produce some of the most productive and energetic voter mobilization phone banks KFTC has ever had in the region. Additionally, members held KFTC’s first ever Singing For Democracy Gospel Fest in Perry County (see the full story on page 12), and participated in numerous community festivals to register, educate, and mobilize voters. The Floyd County chapter did an especially good job of offering rides to the polls on Election Day and even recruited a few ride recipients to get involved in the chapter’s work.

Northern Kentucky – Chapter members led a relentless program of fieldwork including voter registration tabling events at libraries, farmers markets, grocery stores, and special events.

Their print voter guide covered a wide range of races, and members also held a candidate forum in Newport with allies.

Leading up to the voter registration deadline, chapter members held a series of events called “Northern Kentucky Loves Democracy” – with concerts, community tabling events, and more to register and inform voters. Leading up to the deadline, NKY KFTC members had a large set of phone banks calling people to make sure they were all set to vote – and continued calling people throughout much of Election Day itself.

Wilderness Trace - One of KFTC’s newest chapters registered 63 voters after three long days of voter registration work. Chapter members also hosted a strong KFTC presence at the vice presidential debate, working to inject KFTC issues into the presidential election.

Madison County – Madison County KFTC members registered 252 voters in one day at EKU early on, making a strong encouragement and challenge to other chapters to reach similar numbers on their local campuses. Members also circulated an informative voter guide, held a large candidate forum for Berea City Council, had a tremendous phone

bank program, and more.

Scott County – In 2012, Scott County KFTC members made their first local voter guide, with an emphasis on Georgetown City Council races.

Members registered voters at community events like the Festival of the Horse and on Georgetown College’s campus and partnered with the local NAACP chapter to make voter mobilization calls. On election day, members had a roving sound truck to remind people to get out and vote.

Central Kentucky – In the days leading up to the election, members held a large phone bank led by former felons who themselves didn’t have the right to vote but got to participate by making sure hundreds of Kentuckians were ready to vote. Members also held many voter registration events, including a 36-hourstraight voter registration marathon and a record-breaking voter registration drive at UK that registered more than 800 students.

Southern Kentucky Chapter – In Bowling Green, members had a strong door-to-door voter registration effort in low-income communities on the west side of town, plus strong voter registration tabling at special events like the International Festival and on college campuses. On Election Day, members had a big bike parade, riding all over town to remind people to vote

Page 12

balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Voting Rights Update

East Kentucky mountains resonate with gospel sounds of democracy

KFTC members, advocates for democracy and church members came together on Sunday, November 4 for the first Singing for Democracy in eastern Kentucky.

More than 65 people came to the Consolidated Baptist Church in Hazard to hear singing, testimony and share fellowship over a chili supper cooked by church members and Perry County chapter member Jenny Williams.

Consolidated Baptist Church pastor Rev. Lowell Parker of Wheelwright, Floyd County, served as emcee for the night, introducing the speakers and even singing with the church choir.

The program started with a rousing rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner by Lexington singer Special K. The Consolidated Baptist Choir and visiting Rev. Jake Ravizee fueled the event with songs of praise and worship.

Ravizee has been an ordained Minister-Evangelist and vocalist for over 35 years. He lives in Lynch, Kentucky (Harlan County) with his wife and three children. His years of service through prison ministries made him especially excited to be a part of this important event.

There was an impressive turnout both from local community members and from local elected officials.

State Senator Brandon Smith, Court of Appeals Judge Janet Stumbo and Commonwealth’s Attorney Teresa Reed all attended the event.

Judge Stumbo, who is seeking election to the state Supreme Court, spoke briefly about the meaning of democracy after Rev. Parker invited her up to the podium. Her vision of democracy included memories she had of being a child in Floyd County, watching her father tally votes off the radio during election nights, and watching the impressive campaign led

by KFTC in the 1980s to stop the broad form deed.

After Judge Stumbo spoke, Rev. Parker read KFTC’s vision statement to the audience. After reading the entire statement, he looked out across the audience and said, “That’s why we’re here. That’s what we’re working for.”

Lexington native Tayna Fogle was a featured speaker at the event.

Fogle has organized many Singing for Democracies throughout the state, and she was excited to participate in the first one in Hazard. She spoke powerfully about her experience as a former felon seeking her voting rights and educated the audience about the reality for former felons who want to exercise their democratic rights.

“You will not believe how many

In the charge up to election day, KFTC members did a good job of integrating election work with the campaign to restore voting rights to former felons who have served their debt to society.

News media outlets have been especially interested lately in this issue, and film crews from National PBS, Channel 12 in Bowling Green, and numerous independent film projects have interviewed KFTC members and former felons.

KFTC members were even featured in a news story in Denmark last month.

Members have held two Singing For Democracy Gospel Festivals this fall – the 10th and 11th ones, respectively. The one in Lexington brought out more than 150 people.

Pastor Michael Robinson gave an especially powerful sermon about the need of people of faith to stand up for voting rights. “Restoration of voting

rights is a calling that lays before every believer. It’s our responsibility to answer that calling.”

And Jon Larson, Republican Fayette County Judge Executive, spoke to the need of people from all political parties to support voting rights.

“We’ve already made this decision as a nation,” he said, “and we did it early on. No taxation without representation.

It’s just that simple.”

Through election outreach, more than a thousand people signed postcards to legislators in favor of voting rights and members helped more than 200 former felons start the process to ask for a partial pardon from the governor to receive back their right to vote.

KFTC members’ voter mobilization work also allowed former felons to have their voice heard in the election – by participating in phone banks to mobilize

by Stephanie Tyree

Community members, elected officials, and parishioners came together in Perry County to build support for restoration of voting rights for former felons. people in Kentucky have lost their right to vote” she said. “Over 243,000 people.

That’s not in New York and New Jersey – that’s 243,000 people right here in Kentucky.”

Fogle reminded the audience that many of those disenfranchised are no different than many of the people around the room.

“They are grandmas like me. They don’t owe nobody – they pay taxes, work, raise their families and put their

Voting rights advocates looking to 2013 legislative session

their friends and neighbors to vote.

Just the day after the election, University of Kentucky KFTC members, in partnership with other campus groups, held a speaking event with two former felons, a UK professor, and a video about voting rights – so members are not slowing down.

Looking ahead to 2013, the big goal will be to pass House Bill 70 through the legislature – to restore voting rights to most former felons when they’ve served their debt to society. That legislation usually passes the House easily with broad bipartisan support, but is never allowed to come up for a vote in the Senate.

With Senate President David Williams resigning, the leadership of the Senate is a bit up in the air. This might create an important opportunity for HB 70 to finally get a hearing in the Senate – if members can keep up the pressure.

children to bed at night.”

When Rev. Parker came back to the podium he shared, “You may not know this about me, but I’m just like Tayna.”

He then spoke about his experience receiving a felony conviction following personal economic problems and how many felons are just like everyone else – they’ve just hit a rough patch and are trying to get back on track after serving their time and paying their debt to society.

He called on Senator Brandon Smith, as we have in the past, to take leadership this year in the legislature and advocate for the passage of House Bill 70, a constitutional amendment to restore voting rights to former felons who have served their time and paid their debt to society.

After a final rousing set of gospel songs by Special K and Rev. Ravizee, participants got to know each other better in the church community room.

The Consolidated Baptist Church provided numerous pots of chili, hot dogs, sandwiches and a huge array of desserts. KFTC member Jenny Williams made vegan chili – and it was delicious.

An incredible amount of excitement, goodwill and new friendships were generated by this event. Not only was there talk of a second east Kentucky Singing for Democracy, but KFTC and church members are already planning their trip to Frankfort in February for the next Voting Rights Lobby Day.

Page 13

balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Economic Justice Update

Tax reform panel proposals influenced by KFTC members

The Blue Ribbon Commission on Tax Reform took steps toward formulating a set of recommendations to overhaul Kentucky’s tax system at meetings in October and November. The group intends to have a comprehensive set of recommendations to the governor by mid-December.

For KFTC members following the work of the commission, they have seen both some hopeful actions and some discouraging signs.

“The EITC keeps a lot of people out of poverty. I’m glad they kept that,” said KFTC member Paul Schwartz of northern Kentucky, who attended the November meeting.

In that meeting, the commissioners agreed to recommend establishing a state refundable Earned Income Tax Credit, set at 15 percent of the federal EITC – exactly what KFTC and allies have supported in the Kentucky Forward Plan.

An EITC likely would not be on the commission’s list of options if several KFTC members hadn’t brought it up during the hearings this summer.

During an hours-long discussion about changes to the individual income tax structure, there also was general agreement that any changes should result in an increase in revenue, though there was no sense of how much new revenue or agreement from what income levels it would come.

Not so encouraging was the discussion about making the system more progressive.

Commissioner Jason Bailey of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy explained that individual income taxes – as Kentucky’s largest single source of tax revenue – offers the best option for making Kentucky’s overall tax system more progressive (the second largest tax revenue source, the sales tax, is by its nature regressive). This could be achieved by having graduated tax rates – as income increases, so does the tax rate.

The group started with a proposal with rates being stepped up from 2 percent on the first $8,000 of income to 7 percent on income more than $60,000. However, some on the commission expressed support for a flat tax instead, possibly at 5 percent.

Greg Harkenrider, with the state budget office who has provided volumes of research on the 96 various options being considered, very clearly stated that

a flat tax would mean a tax increase for incomes less than $50,000 and a tax decrease for incomes greater than $50,000.

That regressivity did not seem to matter to some. A straw vote had 7 supporting a flat rate and 5 for graduated rates (with some not voting).

In the end, however, the commission did not decide what tax rate structure to support, but asked staff to generate revenue numbers for various options and – at the insistence of Rep. Jim Wayne, Bailey and others – a distributional analysis of what the impact would be across various income levels.

“I like how they were concerned about how it’s going to affect lower income people,” said Schwartz. “I think the numbers are going to show that it [flat tax] shifts taxes to low and middle incomes.”

There was a push for lowering individual tax rates from what they are now (5.8% for income more than $8,000 but less than $75,000 and 6 percent for income more than $75,000). The reasoning for lowering rates was that more income would be taxed by disallowing 75 percent of itemized deductions and taxing public and private retirement income after the first $15,000 (currently the first $41,110 of retirement income per individual is exempt from state income taxes).

They also agreed that the portion of Social Security income that is currently

subject to federal taxation could also be taxed by the state.

Corporate Taxes

Commissioners also considered more than a dozen proposed changes for corporate taxes, accepting some and rejecting others. Most had to do with the way income is calculated and reported, such as “single factor apportionment” and “destination sourcing,” and tax credits for research & development or “angel” investments in startup businesses. Those choices would result in both revenue gains and losses, with the cumulative impact not yet clear.

“There were some good proposals that would help level the playing field for small businesses,” said Jefferson County KFTC member Linda Stettenbenz.

Sales Taxes There was agreement to expand the sales tax to some services – again something KFTC supports in the Kentucky Forward Plan. However, there was not agreement on what specific services should be taxed.

Rep. Jim Wayne pointed out that the sales tax is a very regressive tax, and that if it’s expanded to services they should target those services used primarily by upper income folks to help balance the overall tax structure. There was some pushback against this.

Problematic themes from those on the commission

Throughout the commission’s recent meeting have been a couple of recurring “themes” that KFTC members have found troubling. ”At the [October 23] meeting, I was disappointed with the first half of the meeting when they were mostly talking about how to help rich people,” said Linda Stettenbenz.

“Then the conversation started to shift a little to talk about equity and revenue.

“In this [November 8] meeting they talked a lot of about revenue and how important that was, but I still feel there is a missing piece, and that is the disparity of incomes and how proposals impact poor people and rich people differently.

There is not really a lot of understanding about that.

“They are focused on job creation and revenue, but that is not the same as talking about do we value the lives of everyone in this state, that everyone has a roof over their

Instead of talking about what services to tax, the commission agreed to a set of principles by which another body (the governor or General Assembly) could decide what specific services fit these criteria. The principles were: • 10 or more states already tax the service • consumption based (sold to households rather than to businesses; consumed in households). Rep. Wayne pointed out there are certain things that other states tax that corporations or businesses pay, like janitorial taxes, that should not be eliminated by this principle; • clear sourcing in Kentucky (the transaction happens on state soil) • tied to the sale of a taxable tangible product • inelastic demand services (like funerals) • sensitive to border states sales tax rates.

The commission did not address the question of whether the sales tax rate should be changed.

The commission tentatively set its next meeting for Monday, November 19.

The commission has more about sales taxes to discuss as well as severance tax, property tax, local taxation issues, road fund issues and tax administration, and circling back to income taxes.

heads and can afford heat in the winter. Is the economy about making more and more things, or is it about people being able to eat?”

Another trend throughout commission meetings is the number of references and comparisons to other states, as if Kentucky could not do anything better than a neighbor.

Many commissioners seem to have an anecdote about a person who, for example, works in Kentucky but lives just across the border in Tennessee in order to avoid state income taxes, or would cross into another state to buy something there if they could save a dollar in sales tax – as if the example is the norm and should drive the decision whether or not to accept a proposed change in Kentucky’s tax structure.

Bailey and Rep. Wayne pushed back, pointing out that investing in making Kentucky a great state with great schools and healthy communities would make people and businesses want to be here. Rep. Wayne pointed out that North Carolina has a top individual income tax rate of 7.5% and is one of the most economically advanced states in the South, with excellent universities.

Page 14

balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Annual Meeting: equal parts family reunion and education

About 175 folks from across Kentucky took over the Kentucky Leadership Center in Jabez October 26-28 for KFTC’s Annual Membership Meeting.

Surrounded by new and long-time friends and a palette of fall color, members considered the theme “Celebrating Our Differences: Finding Common Ground.”

Keynote speaker K.A. Owens, a past chair of KFTC, described the importance of diversity in making change.

“I believe that diversity is not a chore; it’s not a burden,” Owens said.

“We believe in diversity because it’s right, because it works and because it’s fun. There is no reason for anybody to moan and groan because we are talking about diversity. Diversity is the best thing that ever happened to America, and it would not be great without it.”

Owens described his own organizing in Louisville around police brutality with a diverse range of allies and his involvement with KFTC’s diverse family since the late 1990s. He said diversity matters in Kentucky and the United States – in politics, culture, business, education, science and law.

“When I joined KFTC I felt then and

still do that the only chance Kentucky has is for people from the small towns, rural areas and urban areas to work together to move the state forward. I felt that KFTC has a good chance of making that happen. This would require diversity. It can’t be achieved without diversity,” Owens said. “Diversity matters to KFTC because the world is changing.

The United States is changing. Kentucky is changing.”

According to Owens, KFTC’s history bears out this claim. “When we have been successful, it has been because we have reached out to all areas of the state.”

One example of KFTC’s diversity is the range of chapters across the state doing a variety of work who come together at the annual meeting to support and celebrate each other. From the Southern Kentucky Chapter (formerly Bowling Green and Friends) to the new Wilderness Trace and Shelby chapters and the long-time chapters in eastern Kentucky, members talked about their work, cheered for each other and compared notes.

In addition to workshops on KFTC’s issue campaigns, the weekend included

The KFTC annual meeting is always a chance for members to reconnect with other members and affirm their reasons for joining KFTC in the first place.

This year, members took that reflection a step further and got excited about asking others to join – asking not just one person but two.

Throughout the weekend, between workshops and silent auction bidding, members signed on to the Members Recruiting Members campaign.

Nearly 75 folks committed to ask two people to join KFTC before the end of the year.

Over the last six years, committed members have more than tripled the KFTC membership from 2,200 to almost 7,000 members. The goal by the end of this year is to hit 8,000. Members Recruiting Members is a key strategy for reaching this goal.

People join KFTC for lots of reasons:

impacted by one of our issues.

• Some join because they want to learn the leadership skills people gain here.

• Some want to influence their political leaders.

• Some attend a great KFTC event and join there.

• Some just want to lend their support to the good work they see happening.

Keynote speaker K.A. Owens, a past chair of KFTC, described the importance of diversity in making change. a look at the history of diversity within KFTC and conversations about immigrant rights, racial justice, LGBTQ equality, and organizing in rural communities.

Members competed for silent auc-

tion items and entertained each other at a talent show and cultural sharing.

They ended the weekend with a business meeting to elect officers, adopt the KFTC platform and accept chapter petitions.

‘Members Recruiting Members’ end of year strategy to reach goal

• Some meet us online and join through our website.

• Some join because they’re directly

with your direct ask.

We have lots of materials to help with these asks: • KFTC brochure • balancing the scales

• KFTC vision statement • Fall fundraising mailer

Visit www.kftc.org for more information and digital resources.

But the number one reason people join KFTC – by far – is because someone they know asks them to join.

It’s easy, and it can have a huge impact. Sit down and think of one or two people you can invite to join. Ask your friends, co-workers, family members, neighbors, or anyone else you think would support KFTC’s vision. Others have asked their barber, chiropractor, car dealer, teacher, student, and the farmer at the farmer’s market.

There are thousands of potential new members in our communities. And the most effective way to recruit them is

Save The Date: 2013 Annual Meeting is August 16-18 at General Butler State Park

balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Awards from the 2012 Annual Membership Meeting Special Friend Awards: Sisters of Loretto, the Politically Powerful Kids group in Berea, In memory of Larry Gibson, Fr. John Rausch, Stella’s Kentucky Deli, West Sixth Brewing, Cricket Press (Brian and Sara Turner), 10th Planet, Allegra Printing, Hound Dog Press, Ben Sollee/Daniel Martin Moore/Jim James Membership Recruitment Award: The Northern Kentucky Chapter experienced 26% growth in the past year.

Membership Recruitment Award: The Jefferson County Chapter recruited 335 new members this year.

Grassroots Fundraising Award: The Jefferson County Chapter raised more than $12,000 in the past year.

Sister Marie Gangwish Award: To the member who has worked steadily and creatively to raise the grassroots funds that support

KFTC’s success: Mark and Carey Henson

Alice O. Martin Award: To the member who has done the most work behind the scenes to strengthen KFTC as an organization: Rick Handshoe Daniel Thompson Bridge Builder Award: To the member who has diligently and faithfully worked to bring together diverse groups of people within KFTC: Tayna Fogle Evelyn Williams Award: To the members who persevered against great obstacles and over time to win an important victory: DMR Litigation Team (Ted Withrow, Sue Tallichet, Steve Boyce, Rick Handshoe, Doug Doerrfeld) Joyce Wise Award: To the KFTC member who has overcome personal adversity to help others: Stanley Sturgill Ally of the Year Award: To the ally that has done the most over the

Page 15

past year to support KFTC’s work: KY Center for Economic Policy

the service of others by working for social justice: Janet Tucker

Gladys Maynard “The Start of Something Big” Award: To the member(s) whose commitment and action leads to the development of a major movement or event in the cause for justice: the STAY Project (Stay Together Appalachian Youth)

Friends of Evelyn Williams Award: All lawyers and allies in the DMR litigation

Joe Begley and Everett Akers Award: To members who are jailed, lose a job, or face some other major adversity because of their work for social justice: The group who were arrested at Congressman Rogers’ office Funder of the Year Award: To the individual or organization that has provided exceptional guidance and resources to KFTC in its struggle for social justice: Common Stream Foundation and Campbell Foundation Hazel King Lifetime Achievement Award: To the KFTC member who has committed his or her life in

Sunlight Award: Berea Solar Project Go Tell It On The Mountain Award: Christian & Tanya Torp

Get involved in the Fall Fundraising campaign!

1) Make a contribution 2) Join a phone bank or make calls from home 3) Raise some money and have fun doing it by throwing a bake sale, selling homemade crafts in time for the holidays, or having a small gathering with a pitch for donations.

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balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Canary Project Update

Water protection efforts boosted with ICG settlement

KFTC’s effort to improve the water quality and thereby protect the health of people in eastern Kentucky took a significant step forward in early October with the filing of a settlement in the Clean Water Act case against the International Coal Group (ICG).

“We know that to create a better future for eastern Kentucky, we have to have water that is safe to drink and a more diverse economy,” said KFTC member Ted Withrow. “This agreement gives us the right, as Kentuckians, to know what’s in our water and to work to restore and maintain its quality.”

The historic agreement filed in Franklin County Circuit Court settles a two-year-old case involving tens of thousands of reporting and permit-limit violations over the past several years that impacted waters in several eastern Kentucky communities. The violations were discovered by Appalachian Voices, and the company and state officials put on notice in October 2010.

“They apparently were not actually doing the required testing,” said Eric Chance, a water quality specialist for Appalachian Voices. “And the state, which citizens depend on to protect their health and the environment, failed utterly in its responsibility to catch this industry-wide pattern of misreporting.”

The agreement is between Appalachian Voices, Kentucky Riverkeeper, the Waterkeeper Alliance, four individual Kentucky residents and KFTC – the co-

alition that intervened in the case – and ICG and the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet.

It is the result of negotiations, with the assistance of the court-appointed mediator, between the coalition and ICG (which is now owned by Arch Coal) since January. Cabinet representatives were also involved at times.

“We got what we needed to protect the people of eastern Kentucky,” Withrow added. “That was our goal going into this litigation, and we believe we have a solid agreement that will help us improve the water quality in eastern Kentucky, assure better enforcement of the Clean Water Act and stop the blatant disregard for the people who live downstream from these mining operations.”

The case not only exposed widespread violations of the Clean Water Act by ICG and Frasure Creek Mining (which is still part of an ongoing case in Franklin Circuit Court but not party to this settlement), but also the culture of non-enforcement that exists in the Kentucky environmental cabinet.

As a result, the coalition insisted on having independent third-party monitoring, “necessary because the cabinet has shown it was either unwilling or unable to do this mandatory work,” Withrow pointed out.

“I frequently go paddling and swimming in the Kentucky River, but I am worried about the safety of the

water,” said Pat Banks of Kentucky Riverkeeper. “We have agencies like the cabinet whose job it is to protect us from dangerous pollution. What are we to do when cases like this clearly show that the cabinet is not doing its job? How are we supposed to know that the water we drink, play, and bathe in is safe?”

“The Clean Water Act is premised on credible self-reporting by industry and stringent enforcement by the state,” said Mary Cromer, a staff attorney with Appalachian Citizens Law Center who represented the coalition along with Lauren Waterworth of Waterworth Law Office (Boone, NC), and the Pace Law School Environmental Litigation Clinic.

“Citizens are given a right to enforce the law themselves when either of those two fail. We discovered systemic failures in both and were allowed to intervene in order to negotiate a resolution that will better protect eastern Kentucky’s citizens and environment.”

“This agreement goes well beyond what the cabinet tried to pass off as a ‘prosecution’ nearly two years ago. This is a plan that will actually protect the people of eastern Kentucky by ensuring that the public knows how much pollution these mines are putting in our rivers and streams,” said Peter Harrison of the Waterkeeper Alliance.

More information about this case can be found at http://bit.ly/XrGBIt

Key provisions of the agreement • An independent auditing firm will monitor ICG’s selfreported pollution discharges to assure compliance and enforcement; • Pre-determined automatic penalties will apply for future violations; • ICG will pay $575,000 in fines, representing an amount originally assessed by the cabinet plus an additional amount for violations brought to light since the enforcement stated; • Of this amount, $240,000 will be used by the cabinet to monitor water quality in eastern Kentucky streams, an amount to be matched by the U.S. Office of Surface Mining, increasing its impact; • $335,000 will go to Kentucky PRIDE for its program eliminating residential straight pipes dumping sewage into streams.

Day2013

Thursday February 14, 2013, I Love Mountains Day. Details are still emerging as to what shape the day will take. Keep an eye open and your ear to the ground in early January.

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balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Canary Project Update

Corps challenged for failing to look at human cost of valley fill

A permit issued in July to Leeco allowing the coal company to destroy three miles of stream and construct a huge valley fill was issued without consideration of negative health impacts on nearby residents and those downstream, a lawsuit filed in October claimed. Both the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) require such consideration.

“This mine is going to ruin our neighborhood here in Sassafras,” said KFTC member Pam Maggard. “We have several people on my street who already have breathing problems and kids with asthma. Once again no one will be able to enjoy being outside on their porches and in their yards because of all the dust and mud.”

The proposed mining will affect residents in the Stacy’s Branch area of Lotts Creek along the Perry and Knott County border in eastern Kentucky. The permit, a requirement under the Clean Water Act for filling streams with mining wastes, was issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on July 26.

Under the CWA, the Corps should take into consideration the potential for “[s]ignificantly adverse effects of the discharge of pollutants on human health or welfare …”

In addition, the Corps must undertake a public interest review before issuing any permit that includes an examination of the project’s effects on the “needs and welfare of the people” and, according to the EPA, should include a consideration of the permit’s impacts to human health.

NEPA requires a federal agency to examine, among other things, “[t]he degree to which the proposed action affects public health and safety,” including “[t]he degree to which the possible effects on the human environment are highly uncertain or involve unique and unknown risks.”

There is no evidence that the Corps considered any of these factors before issuing the permit.

“As a family physician and public health educator who practiced in rural Kentucky for over 30 years, I am concerned about recent research showing that cancer, cardiovascular disease, birth defects and low birth weight babies occur at higher rates in people living near mountaintop removal coal mining sites,” said Dr. John Patterson in a press release issued by the Sierra Club and KFTC, who filed the lawsuit.

“These communities also experience a lower overall quality of life and a lower life expectancy. These medical and public health concerns make it extremely important that we take the human health cost of such mining into account in all decisions about such mining practices.”

Residents in Stacy’s Branch and Lotts Creek have worked for several years to protect their community from this massive mine, including hosting several top-level EPA officials in their community last year.

EPA had held up the issuance of the permit while it reviewed the environmental impacts that the Corps and state officials had disregarded. It negotiated with the coal company to reduce the

When did you make your last gift to KFTC? Look at the cover of balancing the scales and under your name we have listed your last gift date and amount!

Help us reach our $200,000 fall fundraising goal. Feel free to donate as you can! Thank you to those who have renewed your dues – we’ve been getting a lot of renewals in the door these past couple of months.

If you haven’t done it yet, you might as well. www.KFTC.org/Join

number of valley fills.

“I am greatly concerned for the people who live, fish and play downstream from these mining sites,” said Lane Boldman of the Kentucky Sierra Club. “It is irresponsible for the Corps to approve any permit that doesn’t take the devastating health impacts of mountaintop removal mining into account.”

Maggard knows what will happen if the mining is allowed to take place.

“We lived through this a few years

ago when coal trucks were hauling through Sassafras six days a week, hundreds of trucks a day. We hadn’t heard anything about this proposed permit for a few years. I really thought and hoped they had decided to not mine that mountain.”

The action was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The Sierra Club and KFTC are represented by Appalachian Mountain Advocates, the Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center and Earthjustice.

Renew East Kentucky Campaign Briefs Letter to the Co-ops In September, 250 KFTC members and rural electric co-op members from across the state sent a letter to all 16 of the co-ops that get their electricity from East Kentucky Power Cooperative. The letter asked for: 1) the co-op to set ambitious but achievable goals for energy savings and renewable energy, 2) East Kentucky Power Cooperative to choose clean energy over fossil fuels as they consider transitioning their oldest and dirtiest coal plants to meet Clean Air Act standards, and 3) the co-ops to publicly support a federal program that would make funding available for energy efficiency programs that KFTC supports. We have received encouraging letters back from some of the co-ops and will continue working to set up meetings with co-op staff and board members to push for more energy efficiency and clean energy.

Renew Shelby Energy KFTC members in the Shelby Energy Rural Electric Cooperative have just kicked off a Members’ Bill of Rights campaign. They have a goal of gathering 600 signatures and presenting a Bill of Rights to their board of directors later this winter that asks for open meetings, open records and open and fair elections. So far, they have around 200 signatures and plan to gather more out-and-about in the community and through an online petition drive. You can learn more and sign the petition at: www.RenewShelbyEnergy.org Change in the South Kentucky Rural Electric cooperative KFTC members are also looking to bring about positive changes in the South Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative. Earlier this year, four members of the board and the board attorney suddenly resigned after a group of community members started circulating a petition to remove them from the board. KFTC members identified that this is a ripe time to educate new board members to bring about positive change for the co-op, and to possibly work toward a Members’ Bill of Rights. If you are interested in getting active and/or learning more, contact Sara Pennington at sara@kftc.org or 606-276-9933.

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balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Canary Project Update

Northern Kentucky members travel to the mountains Members of the Northern Kentucky chapter, along with members of Northern Kentucky University’s Environmentally Concerned Organization of Students (ECOS), recently visited eastern Kentucky to test water in communities impacted by mountaintop removal coal mining, see reclamation, and visit a mountaintop removal site.

This was the first opportunity many of them had to see the impact of mountaintop removal up close, and member Melinda Simonds set the tone for the day emphasizing the need to “utilize our different voices to come together” and help amplify our message.

The group of roughly 16 met up for a carpool in Walton and drove to meet up with their guide in Prestonsburg at the Mountain Arts Center.

Members asked questions about the area, including about concerns over

a variety of issues including migration from the mountains, and learned of the work of ally organizations like Stay Together Appalachian Youth (STAY).

From there they went to Jenny Wiley State Park for a quick lunch.

During lunch there was a discussion about water quality, the challenges in the local economy, and the local political landscape, as well as other challenges people in eastern Kentucky face.

The discussion and issues impacting different communities in the state came as a shock, particularly to one new member who had moved to Kentucky from Italy.

After lunch, members learned about KFTC’s work with water testing to protect drinking water and took the opportunity to help test the water at Stratton Branch. Members recorded conductivity levels (which were 4 to 5 times greater than life could withstand)

Members of the Northern Kentucky KFTC Chapter and students from Northern Kentucky University visit eastern Kentucky to learn more about mountaintop

and pH levels (which were an even 7).

From there the group drove to Stonecrest golf course, seeing abandoned valley fills along the way. The chapter members noted how the signature reclaimed site did not match surrounding untouched sites and learned that properties there were sinking, while the water running nearby had been tested at higher levels of conductivity than accepted (500 uS).

The group ended their day by visiting the Bent Mountain surface mine area, where mountaintop removal mining had claimed what had been the highest point in Pike County. Members had a variety of reactions.

Visiting what had been the highest point and looking out to see active and reclaimed valley fills and contour mines moved many of those who came to the event, moving some to tears.

Hope Marksberry, president of

ECOS and a new KFTC member, described her feelings and reaction as making her “feel speechless. The documentaries don’t compare to seeing it.

People need to see this, and understand why we need regulations. People need to come together. This [mountain witness tour] has been eye opening.”

Rosie Santos summed up many of the group members’ feelings and spoke about what she hoped both organizations could do in northern Kentucky, saying,”(From a) student and future educator’s perspective the most important thing we can do is educate people.”

Many of the members of both organizations agreed. They hope to build on this shared experience to renew their efforts to fight for clean water and a just economic transition that will preserve and protect our state’s culture and heritage.

removal and see its effects up close. Here they look over the effects on a Bent Mountain surface mine in Pike County.

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balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

Celebrate the Holidays with KFTC

Songs for the Mountaintop A collection of songs by Kentucky Artists Against Mountaintop Removal, including: Jean Ritchie, The Betweeners, George Ella Lyon, Clack Mountain String Band, Kate Larken, Anne Shelby, Reel World String Band, The Doolittles, Randy Wilson, Ford MacNeil, Fred Brown & Tom Gilliam, and Brett Ratliff.

Lost Mountain

Green KFTC Tee: American Apparel (Union Made and Sweatshop Free) Available in Adult Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL Available in Baby Doll Sizes: M, L, XL

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Asphalt Hooded Zip-Sweatshirt!

Front: “Kentuckian” Back: “We are our best hope for change” American Apparel (Union Made and Sweatshop Free)

A Year In The Vanishing Wilderness Signed by Author Erik Reece

$20

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Available in Adult Sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL

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Missing Mountains:

Show Support

Show your support for Social Justice with a vinyl bumper sticker. Place it on your bike, your car or any other surface.

$2

plus $.50 shipping or free shipping with orders over $13

$15

plus $2 shipping

We went to the mountaintop but it wasn’t there.

City, State, Zip Phone Email Check or money order enclosed

35 Kentuckians write against mountaintop removal mining Foreword by Silas House Afterword by Wendell Berry Edited by Kristin Johannsen, Bobbie Ann Mason, & Mary Ann Taylor­Hall

$16

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Gift Membership Give the gift of social justice to a family member, friend, or a stranger who you think would be a perfect fi t for KFTC. Suggested dues of

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Visit www.kftc.org/store to purchase online

KY residents add 6% Shipping Total

Please make checks payable to KFTC P.O. Box 1450 London, KY 40743 Gift memberships not subject to Ky. sales tax

Page 20

balancing the scales, November 20 , 2012

“

I see KF TC as a check and balance system. We bring the voices of the people to the foref ront, to the spotlight, and we call out problems and provide solutions. If we didn’t have organizations like KF TC, how would our system get the wake up call it needs?

”

ETHAN HAMBLIN PERRY COUNTY

Chapter Meetings & Other Upcoming Events

Dec. 3

Wilderness Trace chapter meeting, 6:30 p.m., Contact Sara Pennington for location information: 606-276-9933.

Dec. 4

Letcher County chapter meeting, 6 p.m., Whitesburg KFTC Office. Contact Tanya@ kftc.org or call 606-632-0051.

Dec. 6

Scott County chapter meeting, 7 p.m., at the Georgetown Public Library. Email Dave@ kftc.org or 859-420-8919 for more information or to volunteer.

Dec. 7

“Cheers For Appalachia” a fundraiser for the Wilderness Trace Chapter featuring art show, “No Greater Task: Art & Activism for Appalachia.” Curated by Brian and Sara of Cricket Press the “No Greater Task” poster sale is a collaboration between regional and national poster artists and KFTC. All artwork is priced at $20: Multiple prints of each art piece will be available. Artists include: Chuck Keppler. Cricket Press, F2 Design, Half and Half, Heads of State, Hound Dog Press, Jamie Karolich, Jason Munn. Judge Works, Keith Neltner, Mad Pixel, Magnificent Beard, Mig Kokinda, Plastic Flame Press, Rob Warnick, The Bungaloo

Dec. 8

Land Reform Committee Meeting. Contact Kevin Pentz for more information, Kevin@ kftc.org or call 606-335-0764

Dec. 10

Jefferson County chapter meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church, 809 South 4th Street in Louisville.

Dec. 10

Harlan County chapter meeting, 6 - 7:30 p.m. For more information contact Tanya@ kftc.org or call 606-632-0051.

Dec. 11

Eastern Kentucky Chapter Holiday Party!

6 p.m. in the Harry M. Caudill Library in Whitesburg, 220 Main Street. Potluck and will include local music and local art raffles.

For more information contact Tanya@kftc. org or call 606-632-0051.

Dec. 18

Northern Kentucky chapter meeting, 7 p.m. at Roebling Books and Coffee at 306 Greenup St. Contact Joe@kftc.org or call 859-3806103.

Dec. 20

Central Kentucky chapter meeting, 7 p.m. at the Episcopal Diocese Mission House (corner of Martin Luther King Blvd. and 4th Street) in Lexington.

Dec. 20

Rowan County chapter meeting, 6 p.m. at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church on 5th Street in Morehead.

ACROSS OUR STATE, EVERY DAY, ORDINARY PEOPLE ARE BUILDING NEW POWER. We work hard during the election season to build a stronger democracy. But we also work hard every day, all year long, to build New Power.

New Power means all of us working together for the things we all want: more and better jobs, affordable clean energy, fair taxes, healthier communities, and an honest democracy for all of us.

Will you invest in this vision?

Our fall fundraising goal is $200,000, and we’ll get there with thousands of small contributions from dedicated folks like you.

Will you make a contribution this fall to become a member of KF TC and help us build New Power?

WE ARE KENTUCKIANS. WE ARE OUR BEST HOPE FOR CHANGE.

www.kftc.org/donate • (606) 878-2161