Insurance Premium Tax

LIBERTY - The City Council voted Wednesday evening to raise the insurance premium tax by 2 percent to help purchase a new fire truck and pay for other needs in the city. Councilman Mitchell Phillips, who was elected in November, made the motion after the council had discussed the need for a new fire truck and garbage truck. Councilman Steven Brown, also new on the council, seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous. The move caught Mayor Steve Sweeney by surprise as he was talking about raising the tax from 4 to 6 percent.

PERRYVILLE - When the City of Perryville sold its water service to Danville, it lost its primary weapon to enforce garbage collection payments. "When we handled the water bills, we used that as a means of collecting payment for garbage bills," said Mayor Bruce Richardson. "If someone didn't pay their garbage bill, we had the option of turning their water off. Now, we no longer have that option. " Garbage still is collected in Perryville, however, so Richardson and the county council members have come up with a way to make the garbage fees a moot point.

PERRYVILLE - Calling the city budget for the upcoming 2004-2005 fiscal year "lean," Mayor Bruce Richardson recommended Thursday that the council retain the current monthly garbage collection fee until the end of the year. The council doubled the city's insurance premium tax earlier this year to offset the expected loss of revenue when the garbage fees would be discontinued, at the time projected to be at the end of the current fiscal year in June. But, as Richardson pointed out Thursday, insurance premium tax collection efforts will not begin until July.

Health seminar is Friday: LIBERTY - A free health seminar on "Renewing Youthful Energy" and "How to Eliminate Sickness" will be given at 6 p.m. Friday at Casey County Public Library, Middleburg Street. Nacky Smith Eads, a health minister with Hallelujah Acres, will present the seminar. She uses scripture to teach nutrition as a way to health without medication. Other topics include hormone balance, weight loss and colon health. For more information, call (606) 787-5055.

In one of the county's largest and more rural districts, Republican newcomer Bearl Ashcraft is challenging Incumbent Democrat Pamela Blackburn, who has held the 5th District magistrate's seat since 2002. With issues over the county budget, growth and city relationships looming, each of the candidates has expressed a desire to serve the public and be a voice for the community. "There is stuff that needs to be done in my community, and it hasn't been done yet," Ashcraft said.

STANFORD - City Council approved a $1,981,186 budget for 2009-10 at a called meeting Tuesday night, but had to raise taxes and dip into the city's contingency fund to make it work. "It's a tight budget, tighter than the one last year," Mayor Bill Miracle said. "You're just glad if you can get through one full year with your budget in these times. " In order to make the new budget balance, the city had to increase its tax rate by 4 percent, which will bring in only about $4,000 in new revenue.

Magistrates in the Garrard County Fiscal Court heard the first reading of an ordinance during Monday's meeting repealing the insurance premium tax instituted to help pay off the hospital debt. At the September meeting, the Court discovered it would not be able to immediately repeal the tax as previously expected. It can only be adjusted once a year and finalized in July. Until then, the tax will continue to generate an income. “What happens to the money that continues to be gathered?

LANCASTER - When Garrard County Judge-Executive John Wilson announced to the Fiscal Court last August that the county had paid off the $4.5 million hospital debt 10 years early, discussions began on how quickly the insurance premium tax, which had been burdening taxpayers while decreasing the debt, could be repealed. Unfortunately, magistrates discovered in September the tax could not be dropped until July 2013, as a Kentucky statute limits how often insurance premiums can be adjusted.

Several people urged Danville City Commission on Monday to act now to set aside the annexation of the Danville-Boyle County Airport by Junction City. Many, including some city commissioners, charged that Junction is not equipped to offer any services for the taxation and is merely looking for extra income. "We all think they're after this for the money," Paula Fowler Kilby told the commission. "But they need to know that they won't have any when this is over, and we won't have an airport.

STANFORD — Two weeks ago, Mayor Bill Miracle was pushing a budget that called for a doubling of the payroll tax rate. Tonight, he’s got other ideas. At a called City Council meeting at 6 p.m at Historic Stanford Depot, Miracle hopes to sell a revised budget that isn’t balanced solely on the back of an increased payroll tax. Instead, the mayor wants to lay off a police officer, slash the tourism budget, cut back the hours of some city staff and gain money in other areas.

LANCASTER - When Garrard County Judge-Executive John Wilson announced to the Fiscal Court last August that the county had paid off the $4.5 million hospital debt 10 years early, discussions began on how quickly the insurance premium tax, which had been burdening taxpayers while decreasing the debt, could be repealed. Unfortunately, magistrates discovered in September the tax could not be dropped until July 2013, as a Kentucky statute limits how often insurance premiums can be adjusted.

Magistrates in the Garrard County Fiscal Court heard the first reading of an ordinance during Monday's meeting repealing the insurance premium tax instituted to help pay off the hospital debt. At the September meeting, the Court discovered it would not be able to immediately repeal the tax as previously expected. It can only be adjusted once a year and finalized in July. Until then, the tax will continue to generate an income. “What happens to the money that continues to be gathered?

STANFORD — Two weeks ago, Mayor Bill Miracle was pushing a budget that called for a doubling of the payroll tax rate. Tonight, he’s got other ideas. At a called City Council meeting at 6 p.m at Historic Stanford Depot, Miracle hopes to sell a revised budget that isn’t balanced solely on the back of an increased payroll tax. Instead, the mayor wants to lay off a police officer, slash the tourism budget, cut back the hours of some city staff and gain money in other areas.

STANFORD - City Council approved a $1,981,186 budget for 2009-10 at a called meeting Tuesday night, but had to raise taxes and dip into the city's contingency fund to make it work. "It's a tight budget, tighter than the one last year," Mayor Bill Miracle said. "You're just glad if you can get through one full year with your budget in these times. " In order to make the new budget balance, the city had to increase its tax rate by 4 percent, which will bring in only about $4,000 in new revenue.

Several people urged Danville City Commission on Monday to act now to set aside the annexation of the Danville-Boyle County Airport by Junction City. Many, including some city commissioners, charged that Junction is not equipped to offer any services for the taxation and is merely looking for extra income. "We all think they're after this for the money," Paula Fowler Kilby told the commission. "But they need to know that they won't have any when this is over, and we won't have an airport.

JUNCTION CITY - The Danville/Boyle County Airport Board is considering legal action against Junction City over the annexation of that facility late last year. Questions have arisen as to whether proper procedure was followed. The annexation of the airport into the Junction City limits may cause the airport to lose business and revenue and could cause prospective industry to locate elsewhere. Stuart Powell, airport board chairman for 40 years, said the airport property will be exempt from the property and insurance premium tax, but its renters will feel the brunt of the loss from taxation.

LIBERTY - The City Council voted Wednesday evening to raise the insurance premium tax by 2 percent to help purchase a new fire truck and pay for other needs in the city. Councilman Mitchell Phillips, who was elected in November, made the motion after the council had discussed the need for a new fire truck and garbage truck. Councilman Steven Brown, also new on the council, seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous. The move caught Mayor Steve Sweeney by surprise as he was talking about raising the tax from 4 to 6 percent.

In one of the county's largest and more rural districts, Republican newcomer Bearl Ashcraft is challenging Incumbent Democrat Pamela Blackburn, who has held the 5th District magistrate's seat since 2002. With issues over the county budget, growth and city relationships looming, each of the candidates has expressed a desire to serve the public and be a voice for the community. "There is stuff that needs to be done in my community, and it hasn't been done yet," Ashcraft said.

In Clark County's race for 1st District magistrate, a retired teacher and political newcomer is challenging a farmer and longtime government veteran for office in one of the county's fastest growing areas. But with the Nov. 7 general election approaching, Republican incumbent Clifton "Rick" Smith, 55, and Democrat Larry Stamper, 56, have more on the agenda than just growth and economic development. At stake in the office of 1st District are emergency services and interaction with city government.

PERRYVILLE - Calling the city budget for the upcoming 2004-2005 fiscal year "lean," Mayor Bruce Richardson recommended Thursday that the council retain the current monthly garbage collection fee until the end of the year. The council doubled the city's insurance premium tax earlier this year to offset the expected loss of revenue when the garbage fees would be discontinued, at the time projected to be at the end of the current fiscal year in June. But, as Richardson pointed out Thursday, insurance premium tax collection efforts will not begin until July.