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Chandler and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), a federal-state partnership that works for sustainable community and economic development in Appalachia, were able to secure the funding announced today in Irvine.
“Central Kentucky’s rolling bluegrass hills, horse farms, lakes, and forests are so unique—we have much to be proud of,” Chandler said. “Many of our counties have ambitious goals to protect and preserve these sources of Kentucky pride, but have insufficient resources. This grant money announced today will give them the resources and the tools to make a difference on the grassroots level through education, new innovative projects, and forming detailed plans for the future while also creating local jobs.”
A portion of the funding will be used to survey for information on air and water quality, waste management resources, green space, stormwater issues, and environmental awareness in the ARC counties Bluegrass PRIDE serves, helping these counties identify their needs. Once this information has been compiled, counties will work with other stakeholders to develop a targeted plan to address the environmental issues and problems that were found.
Approximately one-third of the money will be used to fund a PRIDE grant program providing community grants, education grants, and funding for multiple educator workshops. These grants will likely create and save Kentucky jobs. Bluegrass PRIDE will also develop and manage a water education program which will be aligned with the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) and will include materials and outreach for schools and community groups in Central Kentucky. Classroom education in these communities will center on classroom and service-based components.
“Bluegrass PRIDE is proud to partner with Congressman Ben Chandler and the Appalachian Regional Commission to create positive environmental changes for eight counties in Central Kentucky,” said Amy Sohner, executive director of Bluegrass PRIDE. “It’s my hope that the education and projects this partnership will enable will be forces for creating community awareness and empowerment to promote preservation and improvement of Kentucky’s natural resources.”
Bluegrass PRIDE provides environmental information and resources to schools, community groups, local governments and citizens in18 counties in Central Kentucky.
“After hearing from many constituents on both sides, holding meetings throughout the district, and reading a 2,000-page bill which has changed dramatically in the past week, I voted against the bill because I do not believe it is the best course of action for the people of Central Kentucky, specifically our working families, small businesses, and seniors.
“In particular, the cost of this bill for the taxpayer is too high. We already spend more on healthcare than any other country on earth, and now we are being asked to spend a trillion dollars more. The Congressional Budget Office states that the bill does not bring down the growing cost of healthcare and perpetuates a system that is fiscally unsustainable. I have serious concerns about forcing people to purchase health insurance they cannot afford, especially if we are not bringing down the costs.
“I am also concerned the reform bill would not adequately protect our rural hospitals and our small businesses—the engines of job creation. I have had these same concerns throughout this difficult debate, and in the end, do not believe this bill is the best for the Sixth Congressional District.
“I appreciate the efforts of President Obama and the Democrats to put together a bill which incorporates a number of reforms that are long overdue, including greater regulation of insurance companies, the elimination of lifetime caps on coverage, and prohibiting denial of coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
“There is no doubt that our healthcare system is broken, but I am not convinced that this bill today would lower costs, improve coverage, and maintain quality care in the long term.”
Tax credit expansion will continue to spur home sales and stabilize markets
WASHINGTON (November 5, 2009)—Today, Congressman Chandler voted in favor of extending and expanding the first-time homebuyer tax credit for an additional year, creating a new tax credit for current homeowners, and providing an additional extension for military families to purchase homes.
“So many benefit from this legislation—new homebuyers, people who have owned their home for years, our military families, our small businesses, and our economy,” Chandler said. “Over a million people have already taken advantage of this program to purchase their first home. It works, and it puts real money into the housing market and back in the pockets of Central Kentuckians.”
This provision, originally part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, provides first-time homebuyers and those who have not owned a home in the last three years with an $8,000 tax credit for the purchase of a home. Over the past few months, the first-time homebuyer tax credit has been responsible for cutting the inventory of homes on the market and helping stabilize home prices.
Originally set to expire on November 30, 2009, the credit has been extended to homebuyers who sign a contract by April 30, 2010 and close on or before June 30, 2010. These tax credits will be further extended for members of the military serving outside the United States for at least 90 days. They can utilize the credit until June 30, 2011. An additional $6,500 tax credit will also be created for people who have owned their homes for more than five years.
Individuals taking advantage of this tax credit in 2010 would be able to claim it on their 2009 tax return. The income limits for this legislation were also revised, with the credit being phased out for buyers with yearly incomes above $125,000, or couples with incomes over $225,000.
Yesterday, the U.S. Senate passed this extension (98-0). Today it passed the House (403-12), and the president is expected to sign it into law tomorrow.
Legislation addresses recent incidents, including Comair 5191
WASHINGTON (October 14, 2009)—This afternoon, Chandler supported H.R. 3371, legislation to make air travel safer by strengthening requirements for pilot hiring, training, and pilot fatigue.
“All passengers deserve to be safe in the air—it doesn’t matter which airline you fly,” Chandler said. “It concerns me that the last six fatal commercial airline crashes in the United States were all on regional carriers, and that includes Comair Flight 5191 in Lexington.”
H.R. 3371, the Airline Safety & Pilot Training Improvement Act, would update the hiring process for pilots, increasing the amount of experience a pilot must obtain before flying for a commercial airline. Currently, to obtain a commercial pilot license, the minimum flight hour requirement is 250 hours. This bill will increase that minimum requirement from 250 to 1,500 hours, ensuring pilots have plenty of experience in the cockpit before piloting a commercial aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will also be required to update their pilot fatigue regulations based on current scientific research.
In May of this year, the House passed Congressman Chandler’s related legislation to order new studies on runway incursions and airport safety. Chandler filed the bill to improve air safety in the wake of the 2006 Comair crash at Blue Grass Airport, and it passed as part of the FAA reauthorization bill.
“What we need is a meaningful reexamination of our air travel policies and concrete action to make air travel safer,” Chandler said. “There was a great tragedy in Lexington in 2006, and we have to do whatever we can to prevent incidents like this from ever happening again.”
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Here in Kentucky we do many things well, but two items stand out in my mind as truly Kentuckian: Thoroughbred horses and bourbon.
These two industries help define Kentucky’s “brand.” They have been part of the fabric of our state since the 1700s and the primary things we are recognized for throughout the world.
These industries started here, grew here, and became what they are today because of Kentucky’s natural environmental advantage. The Commonwealth sits on a bed of limestone which provides calcium and phosphorous to make our Thoroughbreds’ bones strong and filters out iron from the water, essential to bourbon whiskey.
Other states trying to imitate our horse and whiskey industries envy our natural 200-year advantage. And judging from recent action by the Kentucky General Assembly, it seems to me our signature industries are sometimes more appreciated outside our state than within it.
We need to nurture the golden goose—not kill it.
Lexington is the “Horse Capital of the World” and the host of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The horse industry employs 100,000 Kentuckians, provides $2.3 billion in goods and services, and offers another $4 billion in economic impact. Horses have always been a key part of Central Kentucky’s identity and economy—but this could be changing.
Horse farms are starting to move out of Kentucky as other states provide better opportunities. We have seen reduced racing dates, a double-digit drop in wagering, and declining Thoroughbred sales. Why are we beginning to lose the horse industry?
There are a number of forces at work, but the lack of gaming options in our state is crippling Kentucky’s horse industry. Race tracks that allow casino gaming in other states have been able to provide bigger purses, giving owners and trainers bigger incentives to race in these states.
The societal costs of gaming must be recognized and dealt with, but with Kentucky’s proximity to other states that allow casino gaming, we are already experiencing the negatives of gaming while reaping none of the benefits. Why should Kentucky gamblers contribute Kentucky dollars to Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia, and Missouri school systems?
Supplying another 3,200 local jobs, the Commonwealth’s signature distillers provide over $3 billion a year in economic value to Kentucky. Our distillers also bring in 500,000 tourists annually to visit the Bourbon Trail which winds its way through some of the most beautiful parts of our state. But sadly, even though bourbon is already the single most highly taxed spirit nationwide, the Kentucky General Assembly continues to tax them even more. Remarkably, the state government recently raised the tax on bourbon, making Kentucky’s tax code the second least friendly to this native product.
The very place that should treat bourbon the best is treating it the worst.
Some of us in Congress are trying to give equitable advantages to Kentucky’s signature industries, including ensuring that the tax code treats bourbon fairly in relation to other businesses. Failing to do this would force even higher taxes on bourbon, leading to decreased sales and lost Kentucky jobs.
In short, we are overtaxing our bourbon producers, not allowing them to compete fairly, and we are hurting the horse industry by allowing other states to be more competitive with better racing incentives.
These are Kentucky’s signature industries, and our state deserves the chance to compete fairly. If we don’t protect our own, Pennsylvania’s horse racing purses and Tennessee’s whiskeys are going to start chipping away at our two trademark industries.
Bourbon and horses are uniquely Kentucky. They began here, they grew here, let’s keep them here and help them prosper.
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