A pre-filed bill for the 2009 General Assembly would allow police to fine drivers up to $100 for using a cell phone while driving.
Seems like we have some real issues that need to be addressed in next year's short session. I'm not sure we have time for stuff like this. Shouldn't they instead be doing something to prevent the state from going bankrupt?
Friday, November 7, 2008
Don't we have bigger fish to fry?
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10 comments:
David, we probably need to join forces and fight it. Are you up to the challenge? OsiSpeaks.com
David? You sure do have a legitimate point.
Lets see.
From 1980 through 2002 General Assembly's devised a way to not raise taxes by continually inflating appropriations while allowing tax resources to deflate. This was accomplished by transferring an estimated $400+ million from Ky Road Fund to cover deficit caused by continuous inflated general fund appropriations.
In 1990 Ky's tax revenues were $5,814,000,000 and debt claimed 5.24%.
In 2002 Ky's tax revenues jumped to $10,600,000,000 and debt claimed 6.15%; i.e., 15% increase in debt!
In 1995 Lexington Herald article the executive director, Jack Fish, of Kentuckians for better roads complained publicly of this "gimmick".
As late as budget years 04-05 and 05-06 General Assembly "raided" Road Fund to cover State Police debt by transferring $69.8 million to cover State Police general budget deficit.
Furthermore, since 1994 complaints have been filed monthly concerning an estimated 150,000 Ky motor vehicle owners operating daily on Ky Highways...FREE...and Division of Vehicle Enforcement Officers and Department of Revenue's property tax units have not been directed by any Governor since 1985, except Wilkinson, to collect estimated $200,000,000 state usage and property tax resources!
When Governor Beshear took office this tax evasion existed and still exists. Beshear recently said state closing in on $300 million deficit.
Wonder why Governor has initiated any effort to collect an estimated $200 million due and owing to state and local taxing jurisdictions?
huff9983
Osi, I'm going to call Rep. Floyd to see what he has in mind with this bill. I'll be in touch.
And thank you, Bill.
Let's continue how General Assembly has kept this game of robbing Peter to pay Paul going.
As General Assembly was trasfering from Ky Road Fund covering general fund deficits they also were busy sucking tax dollars out of general fund through granting of exemptions from taxes, prefrential tax rates, credits, and the like.
In fact, from 2006 through 2008 total state tax expenditures increased 67%; i.e., 2006 total was $11,334,825,000 and by 2008 the total had increased to $34,751,866,000! That's property legally permitted by law not to be taxed, costing general fund more needed tax dollars!
...and the legislators and current administration act as if this deficit problem only became a nuisance, recently!
huff9983
Continuing on Dave, this means Farm Land Use act, Homestead exemption, and other such well intentioned tax exemptions are becoming too expensive for a state with 4 million people to fund. Legislators ought to have already visited these legal credits, and attempted to eliminate those unaffordable, out-of-date, rewrite implementing legislation significantly reducing their costs, etc.
Legislators could significantly reduce corporate tax shelters in current Ky current law by $300 million allowing Corporate Ky to pay more of its fair share of total tax burden.
Here are KY stats that demonstrates inflated appropriations and deflated tax income as one can watch the % of tax income servicing debt.
As you can see it happened during Carroll, Brown, Collins, Wilkinson, Jones, two Patton administrations, Fletcher and Beshear Administrations. During these executive branch administrations the legislative branch was busy passing legislation inflating appropriations while deflating tax revenues covering deficits by transferring funds from Ky Road Fund!
Look at Ky's debt published in C.J. from 1980 through 1993;
Yr Deficit Debt growth as % of tax income
1980 $114 1.73%
1981 $228 1.83%
1982 $132 2.04%
1983 $295 2.13%
1986 $121 2.65%
1987 $184 2.79%
1991 $164 4.18%
1992 $ 70 4.53%
1993 $326 4.52%
Ky taxpayers do not know why Ky faces such a bleak financial future because all of this was done quietly. However, they are entitled to know from this Governor "the rest of the story" because if they allow another Governor and General Assembly to continue playing this rob Peter to pay Paul routine, Ky will become a 3rd World economy during this deep recession American is now involved.
Playing games is over. Governor ought to declare moratorium on future tax expenditure legislation while simultaneously presenting a balance budget to the General Assembly after public has been made aware how we got this way and how long it took.
Bill
While I do agree we have bigger fish to fry when it comes to the state of Kentucky's budget versus fining cell phone users while driving, it is also a serious safety issue that needs to be addressed.
Study after study shows that people who use cell phones while driving are less focused on the roads, and more prone to causing or being involved in, accidents. I believe this bill is aimed towards encouraging "hands free" cell phone technology such as Bluetooth, etc. that would allow drivers to keep both hands on the steering wheel (in theory). While not perfect, the concept is admirable as a focus of public safety and one that I wholeheartedly support. We just don't need to become bogged down in a lengthy debate on it. They need to study pre-existing state laws relating to this in other states, come up with the proper wording, and move on. That is the whole point of pre-filing, to get some work done during the interim joint committees meetings in the off season.
Just my two cents worth on that.
Eddie Runyon
Thanks Eddie.
I view distracted driving as similar to internet porn "addiction." If you can't be bothered to pay attention to the road because you are talking on the phone or if your life falls apart because you spend all your time looking at silly pictures on your computer, getting rid of the phone -- or putting it on speaker -- or getting rid of the computer won't fix the underlying problems. If we want to cut down on distracted driving, why not increase penalties for anyone who causes an accident while operating a communication device? Lots of people operate cars and cell phones simultaneously without any problems. It may be more of a risk driving down the street with people trying to pull over quickly so they can take a phone call. There just seem to be too many issues that this bill brings up without really eliminating the problem it attempts to solve.
David,
While I share your cynicism in questioning the time management skills of the State Legislature, the cell phone bill is a necessary piece of legislation. I agree with you that there are more important issues on our plate, but how much time would it really take to vote on this. I have been on The Rural Democrat and he is taking issue with much more frivolous bills that don't have the safety of Kentuckians in mind.
The law would provide a deterrent to driving while talking on the cell phone and that may be all the difference in saving a life. In reference to computer porn, taking away the computer won't solve any underlying problems; but, it may save that man's marriage, job, etc...--things that affect others.
I don't know about you, but I really wouldn't care how much a driver is punished after he fails to notice a stop sign and plows into my vehicle. I would much rather the accident be prevented in the first place.
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