Change Service Requested Kentuckians For The Commonwealth P.O. Box 1450 London, Ky. 40743 NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID LONDON, KY. PERMIT NO. 43 balancing the scales Volume 27 Number 3 April 28, 2008 Finding success in the General Assembly KFTC members began the year with an ambitious legisla- tive agenda. After a steady and visible presence in the halls of the Capitol Annex, testimony on six bills, and thousands of phone calls and faxes, KFTC’s presence had a noticeably positive influence but resulted in little legislation getting through the political process (HB 2 and SB 83). The session started with positive expectations. Several KFTC bills were in play early in the session. The state’s bud- get crisis made the revenue growth provided for in House Bill 262 catch the attention of legislators. Broad public sup- port for stopping mountaintop removal made it seem like House Bill 164 would get some attention. The restoration of voting rights for former fel- ons, House Bill 70, passed the House last year and was rapid- ly picking up new cosponsors. “Our expectations were raised and a lot of people were quite hopeful,” said KFTC Chairperson Doug Doerrfeld. “There was a sense of opti- mism that these bill were re- ally going to move.” KFTC provided it’s first testimony on January 22, help- ing the Special Task Force on Gaming understand how HB 262 would add a measure of fairness to our tax system while raising much-needed new revenue. On February 5, a House committee sent the restoration bill to the House floor. On Valentine’s Day, more than 1,200 citizens rallied to demand protections for the I Voted Kentucky families struggle as legislature fails to act and income inequality grows KFTC friends, led by UK Greenthumb, hoisted a mock wind turbine over a giant pile of coal next to the University of Kentucky’s coal power plant. The action, staged as a photo- op for local media like was a part of the national Fossil Fools Day, a push to raise awareness around the destruction cause by the use of coal and oil. Bonny McDonald performed “Listen,” a poem urging people in Bowling Green to learn about the housing problems. Photo by WKU Herald photographer Luke Sharret (Continued on page 6) (Continued on page 4) “All I want to do is sock away a few bucks for tough times, make sure I save a little money for my kids’ college educations, pay for the essen- tial services and durable good that we actually need, and see a doctor when we need care,” said Perry County member Leslie Craft. Most people would say that’s not too much to ask. But the Crafts will be unable to do all of these things, at least this year. They are just one of many families who face costs that are outpacing their wages, exacerbated by policies that keep lower-income working families struggling while ask- ing less from those who are already well off. And the Kentucky General Assembly failed to act on sev- eral proposals that would have aided poor and lower-income working families in its recently concluded session. Trends worsening The Crafts’ situation is becoming more common, ac- cording to a new report by the Center for Budget and Public Priorities. CBPP studied changes in average income between the late 1980s and mid-2000s. They concluded that even though the costs of daily living like food, gas, fuel, health care, and childcare have steadily in- creased, the average income of the poorest Kentucky families stayed about the same, leaving them less and less able to meet even the most basic needs. Evidence of this is all over the state, as food banks and shelters consistently report higher needs. At the same time, income inequality is on a sharp rise in Kentucky. CBPP found that the income gap between Ken-
Transcript
Change Service RequestedKentuckians For The CommonwealthP.O. Box 1450London, Ky. 40743
NoN-ProfitU.S. PoStage PaiD
LoNDoN, Ky.Permit No. 43
balancing the scales Volume 27 Number 3 April 28, 2008
Finding success in the General Assembly KFTCmembersbegantheyearwithanambitiouslegisla-tiveagenda.Afterasteadyandvisiblepresenceinthehallsofthe Capitol Annex, testimonyon six bills, and thousands ofphonecallsandfaxes,KFTC’spresence had a noticeablypositive influence but resulted in little legislation gettingthrough the political process(HB2andSB83). The session started withpositive expectations. SeveralKFTCbillswere inplayearlyinthesession.Thestate’sbud-get crisis made the revenuegrowthprovidedforinHouseBill 262 catch the attention of
legislators. Broad public sup-portforstoppingmountaintopremoval made it seem likeHouseBill164wouldgetsomeattention. The restoration ofvoting rights for former fel-ons,HouseBill70,passedtheHouselastyearandwasrapid-lypickingupnewcosponsors. “Our expectations wereraisedandalotofpeoplewerequite hopeful,” said KFTCChairperson Doug Doerrfeld.“There was a sense of opti-mism that these bill were re-
allygoingtomove.” KFTC provided it’s firsttestimonyonJanuary22,help-ing the Special Task Force onGaming understand how HB262 would add a measureof fairness to our tax systemwhile raising much-needednew revenue. On February 5,a House committee sent therestoration bill to the Housefloor. On Valentine’s Day,morethan1,200citizensralliedtodemandprotections for the
I Vot
ed
Kentucky families struggle as legislature fails to act and income inequality grows
KFTC friends, led by UK Greenthumb, hoisted a mock wind turbine over a giant pile of coal next to the University of Kentucky’s coal power plant. The action, staged as a photo-op for local media like was a part of the national Fossil Fools Day, a push to raise awareness around the destruction cause by the use of coal and oil.
Bonny McDonald performed “Listen,” a poem urging people in Bowling Green to learn about the housing problems.
Photo by WKU Herald photographer Luke Sharret
(Continued on page 6)
(Continued on page 4)
“All I want to do is sockaway a few bucks for toughtimes,makesureIsavealittlemoney for my kids’ collegeeducations, pay for the essen-tialservicesanddurablegoodthatweactuallyneed,andseeadoctorwhenweneedcare,”said Perry County memberLeslieCraft. Most people would saythat’snottoomuchtoask.ButtheCraftswillbeunabletodoallofthesethings,atleastthisyear. Theyarejustoneofmanyfamilies who face costs thatare outpacing their wages,exacerbated by policies thatkeep lower-income working
families struggling while ask-ing less from those who arealreadywelloff. AndtheKentuckyGeneralAssemblyfailedtoactonsev-eralproposalsthatwouldhaveaided poor and lower-incomeworkingfamiliesinitsrecentlyconcludedsession.
Trends worsening The Crafts’ situation isbecoming more common, ac-cordingtoanewreportbytheCenter for Budget and PublicPriorities. CBPP studied changes inaverage income between thelate1980sandmid-2000s.Theyconcluded that even though
the costs of daily living likefood, gas, fuel, health care,andchildcarehavesteadilyin-creased,theaverageincomeofthe poorest Kentucky familiesstayedaboutthesame,leavingthemlessandlessabletomeeteventhemostbasicneeds. Evidenceofthisisalloverthe state, as food banks andshelters consistently reporthigherneeds. At the same time, incomeinequality is on a sharp riseinKentucky.CBPP found thatthe income gap between Ken-
balancing the scales, April 28, 2008Page 2
Kentuckians For The Commonwealth
is a statewide citizens social justice organization working for a new balance of power and a just society. KFTC uses directaction organizing to accomplish the following goals:
• foster democratic values• change unjust institutions• empower individuals• overcome racism and other discrimination• communicate a message of what is possible• build the organization• help people participate• win issues that affect the common welfare• have fun
KFTC membership dues are $15 to $50 per year, based on ability to pay. No one is denied membership because of inability to pay. Membership is open to anyone who is committed to equality, democracy and nonviolent change.
balancing the scales is published by Kentuckians For The Commonwealth and mailed third class from London, Kentucky. Reader contributions and letters to the editor should be sent to 274 Southland Drive Suite 101, Lexington, KY. 40503 or [email protected]. Subscriptions are $20 per year.
Write for balancing the scalesbalancing the scales is always looking for articles, photos, letters to
the editor and artwork from KFTC members. Copy Deadlines for 2008 are
May 28 • July 16 • August 27 • October 8 • November 26
If you are interested contact Tim Buckingham at [email protected] or call 859.276.0563
Table of Contents 3 Voter Empowerment Update •Kentucky primary election just around the corner; May 20
4 General Assembly Update •Restoration of voting rights clears the house; no action in Senate •General assembly analysis continued from page 1
6 Grass Roots Fundraising Update •”Each One Reach One Campaign” to shape recruitment goals
7 Economic Justice Update •Income inequality on the rise in Kentucky •Members’ thoughts on the Economic Stimulus Checks
8 Local Updates •Rowan County members continue work on local campaigns •UK KFTC closes the year strong with student government election •Members in Long Branch battle WhyMore Coal Company •KFTC members work with ally organizations in Bowling Green
11 High Road Initiative Update •High Road Initiative builds momentum during session but has long road ahead to create policy change in state
12 Canary Project Update •Members travel to DC to lobby in support of the federal Clean Water Protect Act •Busy bees in eastern Kentucky •CoalfieldresidentstraveltoColumbiatosharestories
14 KFTC News •Floyd County chapter inspires steering committee members •KFTC staff expands with three new hires and open position •Keep current with the KFTC blog •Calendar of Events
Kentucky primary election just around the corner: May 20 KFTC members are once again participating ina lively election cycle with the non-partisan VoterEmpowerment Campaign to register, educate, andmobilize voters, particularly in under-representedcommunities. Closer to the primary election, information willbe available on candidate stances on a range of is-sues for many different offices, both published in the KFTC Voter Guide by mail and at www.Kentucky-Election.org. Additionally,KFTCmemberswillcall10,000vot-erstoremindthemtovote. Membersareencouragedtocontacttheirchapterorganizer or the local KFTC office to find out how to
Central Kentucky KFTC members and allies gathered to talk about the upcoming elections and what wecandoasnonprofitprogressivegroupstohaveanimpact.
areregisteredtovoteonelectiondaycanvoteearly(timesanddatesvarydependingoncounty).Contactyourlocalcountyclerktolearnmore. Alternately, the deadline to request an absenteeballotfromyourlocalcountyclerkinordertovotebymailisTuesday,May13.
Become a KFTC Sustaining Giver
Name:
Address:
City,State,Zip:
Phone: Email:
Step one: Select the amount you would like to donate!□One-timeGift:Amount$_______________□Sustaininggiver!Iwillcontribute$_____every(checkone): □Month □6Months □Quarterly □Annually
Step two: Select what organization you would like to donate to:□KFTC:Membership dues and donations are not tax deductible. □KentuckyCoalition: Tax deductible gifts are accepted
Step three: Select the issues that concern you and the activities in which you would like to participate in as a KFTC member:Issues:□EconomicJustice □RacialJustice□EnvironmentalJustice □Other__________________________(Coal,MountaintopRemoval,etc)Activities:□LobbyinginFrankfort □ChapterActivities□VoterEmpowerment □Fundraising□LetterWriting □Communication□Other________________________
balancing the scales, April 28, 2008Page 4
General Assembly UpdateRestoration of voting rights clears the House but Senate takes no action in the final days of the 2008 session
state’swaterfromthepollutionandlossofstreamsassociatedwithcoalminingvalley fills. Two weeks later, hundreds more were there from KFTC and allygroupstopushforpassageofHB70. Morequietly,KFTCandMountainAssociation forCommunityEconomicDevelopment (MACED) were talkingabout economic development reformswithlegislatorsthatultimatelyresultedin the introduction of three bills andoneresolution. Members also lent their supportfor several positive energy bills thatfocusedonrenewablesandenergyef-ficiency, testifying in favor of House Bill92onJanuary24,thedayitpassedaHousecommittee. Intheend,the2008GeneralAssem-bly was dominated by the governor’s
General Assembly analysisunsuccessfulpushforcasinogambling,anguish over the budget and inactiononawidevarietyofotherbills.ThoughsomeofthebillsKFTCpushedstartedtheir way through the legislative pro-cessintheHouse,nonegotthroughtheSenate. “It was an exceptional year forparticipation [and] our lobby dayshad exceptional turnouts,” Doerrfeldadded. “In that respect, it was a veryspecialyeargettingalargenumberofmemberstoFrankfort. “We broke new ground with theStreamSaverBill—itgota fairhear-ing. It was exceptional that in a com-mittee as powerful as A&R [HouseAppropriationsandRevenue]wewereabletogettestimonyfromtwoexpertsin the field. But in the end there were somemajordisappointments.”
Abroadcoalitionofcivicandreli-giousgroupspushedforlegislationtoplace a constitutional amendment ontheNovemberballotthatwould,ifap-provedbyvoters,automaticallyrestorevotingrightstoformerfelonsoncetheycompletedtheirsentences. In2007, thebillpassed theHousewith 70 votes but died in the Senate.Thisyearmembersstartedthesessionwiththeexpectation(orat leasthope)that the House would act quickly onHouse Bill 70 to allow time to buildsupportintheSenate. HB70cosponsorRep.DarrylOw-ensbroughtthebillbeforehisElectionsandConstitutionalAmendmentsCom-mitteeonFebruary5.Itwasapprovedthatdayona7-1vote. ButthenHouseleaders,severalofwhom were cosponsors, did not callthe bill for a floor vote until almost the verylastpossibleday. OnApril1,HB70passedtheHouse80-14.TheSenatedidnotactonHB70inthethreeremaininglegislativedays.
One analysis of the sometimesopenandsometimesbehind-the-scenespoliticalmaneuveringaroundconstitu-tionalamendmentsplacestheblameonGovernorBeshear. Since he did not want other con-stitutional amendments competingwithhiscasinogamblingproposal,hepushed to delay consideration of HB70. Early in the session, the governoralso said he wanted a constitutionalamendmenttoprohibitgovernorsfrompardoning anyone not yet convicted.That legislation never seemed to be apriorityforlawmakers. Intheend,therewerenoconstitu-tional amendments approved for theNovemberballot. Constitutional amendments canonlybeontheballotinevennumberedyears,soitwillbe2010beforerestora-tioncanbeontheballot.Butsupport-erswillpushlegislatorstotakeactioninthe2009legislativesessiontosecuretheamendment’splaceontheballotforthefollowingyear.
How they voted on HB 70Voting YES on HB 70: Reps. Royce Adams, Rocky Adkins, John Arnold, Eddie Ballard, Sheldon Baugh, Larry Belcher, Johnny Bell, Tom Burch, Dwight Butler, Mike Cherry, Larry Clark, Hubert Collins, Leslie Combs, Tim Couch, Will Coursey, Jesse Crenshaw, Ron Crimm, Robert Damron, Milward Dedman, Mitchel Denham, Bob DeWeese, Bill Farmer, Tim Firkins, David Floyd, Danny Ford, Jim Glenn, Jim Gooch, Derrick Graham, Jeff Greer, Keith Hall, Richard Henderson, Melvin Henley, Charlie Hoffman, Jeffrey Hoover, Dennis Horlander, Joni Jenkins, Dennis Keene, Thomas Kerr, Jimmie Lee, Mary Lou Marzian, Thomas McKee, Reginald Meeks, Charles Miller, Harry Moberly, Russ Mobley, Lonnie Napier, Fred Nesler, Sannie Overly, Darryl Owens, Ruth Ann Palumbo, Don Pasley, Tanya Pullin, Marie Rader, Rick Rand, Frank Rasche, Jody Richards, Steven Riggs, Tom Riner, Carl Rollins, Steven Rudy, Sal Santoro, Charles Siler, Arnold Simpson, Dottie Sims, Ancel Smith, John Will Stacy, Kathy Stein, Jim Stewart, Greg Stumbo, Tommy Thompson, John Tilley, Tommy Turner, Ken Upchurch, John Vincent, Jim Wayne, David Watkins, Robin Webb, Ron Weston, Susan Westrom, Rob Wilkey, Addia Kathryn Wuchner, Brent Yonts
Voting NO on HB 70: Reps. Kevin Bratcher, James Comer, Jim DeCesare, Myron Dossett, C.B. Embry, Joseph Fischer, Mike Harmon, Adam Koenig, Stan Lee, Brad Montell, Tim Moore, Rick Nelson, David Osborne, Alecia Webb-Edgington
Not Voting: Reps. Scott Alexander, Scott Brinkman, Ted Edmonds, Jimmy Higdon, Marie Rader, John Vincent
To track the final progress of a specific bill or resolution on KFTC legislative platform visit www.kftc.org/billtracker.
(Continued on page 1)
balancing the scales, April 28, 2008 Page �
Grass Roots Fundraising Update
Over the last three years, KFTChas experienced explosive growth bynearly tripling grassroots fundraising,more than doubling membership andexpanding campaigns around eco-nomic justice, mountaintop removal,
andtherestorationofvotingrightsforformerfelons. In each of the last three years,KFTC did much more than set fund-raising and membership recruitmentgoalsand just“meet them.”Membersexceeded the set goals by significant amounts. Strengthening this foundation isdirectly related to KFTC’s expandingcampaigns and the ability to be ef-fective in this work. The movementKFTC experienced on bills during thejust-completed General Assembly, forexample, isunprecedented.Butitalsobringsintosharpfocustheneedtobeexponentiallybigger. This is why KFTC is launchingthe“EachOneReachOneCampaign.”Thegoalistohaveatleast1,000KFTCmemberseachrecruitatleastonenewmembertoKFTC.
Why is this an effective way to orga-nize?
“Each One Reach One Campaign” to shape membership recruitment and fundraising growth efforts for 2008
Becki Winchel, Jefferson Countysteering committee representativeknows that KFTC’s success needs hervolunteer and financial support. “ Iwillbe forevergrateful for thefirst time I was invited to join a group of
like-mindedpeopleinFrankfort.EvenwhenIdon’tgettogo,Iknowthatmyfinancial contribution allows others to goandmyvoicetobeheard.” If 1,000 KFTC members recruitedjust one member to join KFTC, themembership base would spread evenfurther through the state. This op-portunity gives the organization thepotential to reach people that wouldnormallyneverreachotherwise. CurrentlypeoplemightjoinKFTCat an event, through the web site orsomeoneintheorganizationasksthemtojoin.Whatwoulditlooklikeif1,000ofthecurrent5,000memberstalkedtojustonepersonaboutwhytheybelongtoKFTC? Membership would grow in allcorners of Kentucky. KFTC wouldreach more people in Marion, Floydand Franklin counties, the neighbor-hoodsofLexingtonandLouisville,andcongregationsoffaithfromalloverthecommonwealth.
“My membership to KFTC assures that my voice will be heard.”
Becki Winchel, Jefferson County
Membersknowthestrengthofanorganizationthatisbuiltasagrassrootsmovement by its own membership.Many expressed this understandingandexcitementafterbeingapartofthe1,200personrallyatILoveMountainsDay. It is essential to each campaignthat members continue to reach outandbringnewpeople into the foldofthiswork.
How do I recruit a member? Everyonecanthinkofat leastoneperson who should be a member ofKFTC.Even if someonecannotattendmeetings or travel to Frankfort, theirmembership is still an important waytoparticipateintheorganization. The majority of KFTC membersare part of KFTC in addition to theirparticipationwithotherorganizations,schools, committees and activities.TheirmovementinothercirclesbuildsKFTC’s capacity to have a broaderanalysis of the interconnections of is-sues. No one leads a single-issue life,butthestrengthofKFTC’sworkcomesfrom bringing people together at theintersections of their lives.Winchelunderstands this through her work atthe Coalition for the Homeless, vol-unteerrolesattheFairnessCampaign,
Braden Center, Kentucky AllianceAgainst Racist and Political Repres-sionandtheACLU.“Peopleappreciateknowing that there is a group whereweunderstandthatyouhavemultiplepassions.”
How do I sign up? KFTC kicked off the “Each OneReach One Campaign” at the April 5Steering Committee meeting whereKFTC’s leaders became the first to com-mittorecruitatleastonenewmember.Theyare looking formembers to stepupandhelpmeetandexceedthisgoal. IstheresomeoneyouknowwhoisinlinewiththevaluesofKFTC,butnotyetamember?Ifyouareinterestedinparticipatinginthiscampaignletyourorganizerknow,callDevelopmentDi-rectorJessicaGeorgeat502-589-3188orsendheranemailatjessica@kftc.org. Inreturn,KFTCwillsetyouupwithmaterialsandgiveyouapeptalk.Youcan continue tracking the progress onthe internet at www.kftc.org/eachon-ereachoneandinbalancing the scales. If this sounds like fun, but won’tpossibly satisfy your burning interestin recruiting and renewing members,getintouchwithJessicaGeorgetoplanhouseparties,eventsandotherwaystoreachouttofolksinyourregion.
How do you see this budget affecting your community?
Several KFTC members have been sharing their stories of increased class sizes, layoffs, compromised programs, and struggles to afford a college education as a result of the state’s inadequate budget. Sharing these stories helps KFTC’s work to build a case for a stronger and better budget. Share how the budget cuts are affecting your community, your family, and your commonwealth.
If you’d like to share your story and your concerns, you can contact Jessica Hays at 859.275.0563 or [email protected], or you can look for an entry form on www.kftc.org, on the economic justice page.
balancing the scales, April 28, 2008Page 6
Economic Justice UpdateKentucky families struggle as legislature fails to act and inequality grows
Members’ thoughts on the economic stimulus checks: Help is needed, but can Kentuckians consume to a better day? As the income and wealth divideswiden across the nation, causing moreandmorefamiliestoloseground,elect-ed officials are pointing to the “econo-my”astheculpritforthehardship. Manyexpertsdisagree.ChuckCol-lins,ascholarfortheInstituteofPolicyStudies, chairs theWorkingGrouponExtreme Inequality, a coalition of reli-gious,business,laborandcivicgroupsconcernedaboutthewealthgap. InarecentarticleforAlternet,Col-linswrote,“Underlyingoureconomiccrisis is a polarization of income andwealth.Realwagesforworkingpeoplehavebeenstagnantfordecades,ahor-rific fact that has been masked only by increased work hours and vastamounts of private consumer debt inthe form of credit cards and secondmortgages. On the other end of thewealth spectrum, the superrich havesomuchmoneythattheyareengaging
inspeculativeinvestmentsinsearchofmaximum returns.” These speculativeinvestments,Collinsargues,fueledtheU.S.’seconomicinstability. Similarfaultisfoundwiththeprin-ciple behind the economic stimuluschecksthataresupposedtoreversethedownwardeconomictrend. The economic stimulus checks of$300to$600perqualifyingpersonaresupposed to spur on the economy bymaking it possible for people to shoptheU.S.outofarecession. The payments will help manyKentuckians—hithardbylowwages,rising costs, unattainable health care— make ends meet during these veryhardtimes. These checks are going to peoplefrom the federalgovernmentwith thehope that theywill shop theU.S. intobetterandbrightertimes. There is no doubt that for many
families, this money will be put togood use. However, KFTC memberssay that while these checks will helpfamilies out, more consumption isn’twhatisneeded. Trudi Lewis from Morehead hasan8-yearhistoryofworkingwithlow-income earners. She said, “People aregoingtobeusingitforfoodandmedi-cation, with maybe a little left over topay down their debt. This might helpsomeofthesymptoms,butaone-timeshot of money doesn’t do away withthedisease.” “Thesecheckswillhelppeoplepayoffdebts,andthat’ssomething,butthisisn’t really going to help things,” saidWashington County KFTC memberAlbert Bauman. “It’s not going to re-allyhelpthepeoplewhoneedhelpthemostrightnowbecause it’snotgoingtoaddressfundamentalproblemsandcausesofinequity.”
KFTCmembershaveofferedbettersolutions than this broken logic thatsuggestsshoppingspreesarenotwhatneedtobenurturedtomakethecoun-try work better. Instead, Kentuckiansshouldbesupportingeconomicequal-ityandfairness. If you fall into this category, youcanstilluseyourmoneyforgood.Youcan use the money to economicallystimulateKFTC’ssocialjusticeworktomakeKentuckyabetterplace. Or consider making a contribu-tiontoanyoftheallyorganizationsinthestatethataredoingimportantandgood work. You can use your moneyforgoodwithoutbuyingintoconsum-erism. Thinkitover,andifyoudecidetostimulate the good work happeningin Kentucky, let KFTC know! KFTCwouldliketoshareyourthoughtswithothersasthesecheckskeeprollingout.
(Continued on page 1)tucky’s richest and poorest families isthe10thlargestinthenation.Therateofgrowthofthatgapisthe6thlargest. Kentucky has shown signs of an-other trend reflected — the erosion of Kentucky’s middle class. The averageincomeofKentucky’smiddleclass,themiddle-fifth income bracket, increased about$346ayear.Meanwhile,theaver-age income of the richest fifth of fami-liesincreasedbyabout$1,900ayear. These trends don’t reflect how hard peopleareworking. Trudi Lewis from Morehead said,for example, her sister, a newspaperdeliveryperson,hashadtotakeontwoadditional routes just to maintain herincome.“She’sworking three timesashardforthesameamountofmoney.” Theculpritisn’tKentucky’speople;it’s Kentucky’s policies. From a lack-luster minimum wage increase thatdoesnotraiseafull-timeworkeroutofpoverty, to tax policies that allow thewealthy to contribute less than theirshare, Kentucky’s legislaturehasdoneverylittletocorrectthetrend.
rates, legislators failed to pass a stateEarned Income Tax Credit (House Bill566),aprovisionthathelpslower-incomeworkingfamiliesin24otherstates. Despite severe revenue shortfalls,legislators failed to raise new revenue(House Bill 262) and as a result highereducationwillbelessaccessible,servicesforfamiliesandchildreninneedwillbereduced,andprogramssuchasenviron-mental protection that help keep Ken-tuckianshealthywillbelesseffective. Despite the fact that lower-incomeworkingfamiliespayasmuchas65per-centmoreof their income instateandlocal taxes than do the very wealthy,legislators failed to restore Kentucky’sestatetaxandfailedtomakeincometaxratesmoreprogressive(HB262). All these ideas were proposed, allcouldhaveseenbroadsupport,butthelegislaturefailedtoact. Similar trends on the federal level— the phase out of the estate tax andtax reductions that disproportionatelyfavorthewealthy,forexample,arepoli-cies that adversely affects Kentucky’srevenueaswell. The result is that families like theCraftsarenotgiventhesameopportu-nitiestosucceed,andinsteadoftensee
erodingoftheresourcestheyneedandthatthey’veworkedhardtomaintain. “My family is poised to spendmore than a fifth of our gross income on medicalexpensesthisyear,”saidCraft.“This will keep us all insured, makesure John is not sick, and make sureourbabygets tohaveahospitalbirth.Ifyouaddinourregularout-of-pocketexpendituresof$2,000annually,healthcarewilleatupover20percentofourprojected,combinedincomes.” With 20 percent of the Craft’s in-comes devoted to health care, a chunkfor childcare, a bit to keep themselvesclothedandfed,thereisn’talotleftover,despitetheirmiddle-incomestatus. After additional expenses such asgasoline the Crafts are left with littleroomforerror. “I spend $250 or more monthly ongasnowthanIdid twoyearsago,eventhough our overall fuel consumptionhasactuallybeenreducedbypurchasingvery fuel efficient cars. We pay $5,700 yearly, if gas stays at $3 per gallon. It’smorethanourmortgage,butasgoodascanbeexpectedinaruralarea.” After all these basic expenses, theCraft’s are left relying on savings andhopethatnothinggoeswrong.
“Ifthecardoesn’tbreakdown,andwedon’t indulgeatall,andwepotty-trainourbabyimmediately,wewillstillneedmoremoney,”saidCraft.“ThisiswhatIcall‘feelingthepinch.’” Craft isquicktopointout, though,that her family isn’t as affected by theincomedivideaslower-incomefamilies,thefamilieswhoarebarelymakingmoremoneythantheywereinthemid-1980s. Craft works with lower-incomefamiliesonbudgetingandsaidthatthebudgets they create together are “notveryusefullatelybecausetheyarecon-stantly in flux. Incomes have remained constantbutthecostoffood,gasoline,medical care, heating fuel and otherbasicexpenseshaveincreaseddramati-callyoverthelastcoupleofyears. “People previously able to makeends meet sometimes find themselves takingturn-abouteachmonthwithutil-ity payments, canceling auto or healthinsurance policies, buying the cheapestlowqualityfoodavailable—andworse—justtokeeparoofovertheirfamily,”Craft continued. “This group actuallyhasfarlessincome,limitedopportunitytoparticipateinhelpingprograms,andthesamebasiclivingexpensesasevery-oneinthatmiddle-incomebracket.”
balancing the scales, April 28, 2008 Page 7
Economic Justice Update
KFTC members are frustratedwith the process and the product.KFTCViceChairandJeffersonCountymemberK.A.Owenscalledthisbud-get "the sad result of a completelyfailedprocess." "When Rep. Moberly calls it 'adiabolicaldeal,'he’sontherighttrack.The budget is a tragedy,” said Cen-tral Kentucky member Janet Tucker.“Whatwe’redealingwithnowisvery,verysad.” Manylawmakerspointtothena-tional economic downturn to explainthelackofrevenue. "I heard one of the legislatorssaying that … this budget is the bestwe can do, blaming the economy forthe entirety of our revenue problem.That’sacop-out,”saidMadisonCoun-tymemberSteveBoyce.“Thisbudgetisn’tjusthardtimes.Kentucky’sstruc-tural imbalance is well documented.We’ve been aware, and many legisla-tors have been aware, that this is theresult of a long-term structural deficit and the legislature’s lack of will to fix theproblem.Atsomepoint,thatstruc-tural deficit has to be dealt with.” Boyce added that the budgetsendsamessageaboutthelegislature,andabout thedirection that lawmak-ersaretakingthestate. " Wi t h t h i sbudget, the legislature is saying, 'Wecan’tgetourselvestogetherenoughtosaythateducation, thequalityof life,and health care are priorities,'" saidBoyce. Thisbudgetstealsthepotentialofwhat Kentucky could be, if the statemade investments that were evenclosetoadequate. Boyce uses higher education asoneexample.“Therearesomanystud-iesthatsaythatinvestmentsineduca-tion are the most effective economicinvestments that a state can make,advancingthekindofeconomicdevel-opmentthatleadstoagoodqualityoflifeandgood,qualityjobs.”
Budget CutsKFTC members are speaking out against the state’s two-year budget, which is a sad display of pain and thwarted opportunities.
Statewide newspapers have reported the effects of the budget cuts since early April. Below is a list of some of the major cuts. However, not all budget cuts are listed.
• A $1 million budget cut to the already under-funded Legal Aid. Legal Aid provides emergency legal help to the poor and this budget cut will mean cuts to services and staff.
• The cuts to Legal Aid are in addition to the cuts to the already under-funded Department of Public Advocacy, which houses public defenders. Due to the cuts, 54 positions will be lost, further compromising Kentucky’s ability to fulfill everyone’s right to an attorney.
• $40 million in cuts to human services. This has already led to the closing of Seven Counties, a mental health facility in Louisville, and to employee lay-offs. These cuts will severely impact Kentucky’s ability to care for its ill, elderly, and poor.
• Funding cuts for higher education have already caused the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville to increase tuition 9 percent for next year, and a 13 percent increase for community and technical colleges. At UK, this means that Kentucky students will pay $717 more in tuition. Students have lobbied against this increase for months, and this increase comes after consistent tuition hikes that have made college educations less accessible to Kentuckians.
• Flat-lined base funding for K-12 education, budget cuts to after school programs, and to the professional development programs for teachers will continue to penalize Kentucky’s children. The flat-lined base funding means schools will have the same money to work with as the current year. However, costs of bus fuel, heat, and other operating expenses will continue to rise. Individual school districts are looking at teacher lay-offs, 4-day weeks, and class size increases.
• State employees will receive a 1 percent raise for the next two years.
• An 11 percent cut to Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet, which oversees sectors from wrestling and boxing to water air quality and water safety. Within this cabinet, the Natural Resources Department suffered 22 percent cuts.
Budget will mean more pain, fewer jobs for Kentuckians “The cuts will lead to tuitionincreases thatwill shutoutmanystu-dents from higher education,” Boycecontinued.“This isn’tawisedirectionfor Kentucky. These cuts seem to besayingthat,forKentucky,theseinvest-mentsarejustnotthatimportant.” Thebudgetnotonlyfailstoinvestineducation,italsofailstoprotectthestatefromsomedeeplyfeltpain.Thecuts tohumanserviceshavealreadybegun to impact the state, with theclosing of a mental health facility inLouisville and with employee lay-offs. Trudi Lewis, a Rowan Countymember,was laidoff fromhermentalhealthcenter jobonApril4, twodaysafterthebudgetwasannounced. “My supervisor asked me if I’dbeen reading the papers and he saidthatbecauseofthebudgetcuts,I’dbelaidoffforatleastthenexttwoyears,”saidLewis.“Myclientsarepeoplewhoare already vulnerable. They’re nowseeing other therapists, who were al-readyjustasswampedasIwas.” Lewis has worked at this com-munity mental health center for eightyears, and is concerned about the im-pactthatherabsencewillhaveonherclients. Lewis states that people will dotheir best to compensate for the cuts,justasthey’vedonetheirbesttocom-pensateforthechroniclackoffunding,but even best efforts will fall short ofwhatisneeded. “They’re talking about trimmingawaythefat,”continuedLewis.“Thereisnone,notfromwherewestand.” Boycealsopointedtothehowthebudget cuts target Kentucky’s mostvulnerablecitizens. “Wehadtomakeachoicebetweenmore revenue and less spending andless investing.Whenpeople like [Sen-atePresidentDavid]Williamssaythatno taxes are on the table, that a bare
bones budget is necessary, the peoplewhowindupgettinghurtthemostareinvariably the people who are poor,”said Boyce. “They’re the same oneswho are hurt by our state taxes now,because of the percentage of their in-come that they’reasked to contribute.They’retheonesthatit’seasiestforthelegislature togoaheadandhurt, thensaythattheydidn’thaveachoice.Theymostcertainlydidhaveachoice.” Kentuckianswillhavechoices,too,
intheupcomingelectioncycles.Owensislookingahead,“Nowisthetimeforustoplan,rebuild,andreorganize.Weneedtogetbetterlegislators. “The fact that some legislatorsworkedhardtosupportabudgetthatwould have been effective in puttingthe state on a sound footing gives ushope for the future. We need to getmore legislators willing to do that.KFTC and allies have more work todo.”
"With this budget, the legislature is saying, 'We can’t get ourselves together enough to say that education, the quality of life, and health care are priorities.'"
Steve Boyce, Madison County Chapter
balancing the scales, April 28, 2008Page 8
Local Updates
UK KFTC closes the year strong with student government election TheUniversityofKentuckyKFTCgroup wrapped up its first academic year together. Highlights for the yearincluded, massive student voter reg-istrationdrivesresultinginmorethan700registrations,severallargeRestora-tionofVotingRightsforFormerFelonsevents, great leadership development,
a smashing Concert for the Common-wealth last fall, and great ally workto build connections both inside andoutsidethecampuscommunity. Withenoughtimeleftinthespringsemester, UK KFTC members appliedKFTC’s voter empowerment tech-niquesandprinciplesoncampustoim-
UK KFTC members celebrate after their last spring semester meeting. The group will reconvene at the beginning of the academic fall semester.
Rowan County members continue to work on local campaigns TheRowanCountychaptercontin-ues to work within the community tomakepositivechange innumerousar-eas. With some definite hits and misses overthepastfewmonthschaptermem-bersareenergizedabouttheupcomingsummermonthsandtheopportunitytoinformcommunitymembersabouttheimportantworkthechapterisdoing. Recently members met with LaJa-unda Haight-Maybriar who is thecoordinator for the Licking River inthe Kentucky Division of Water BasinManagement.Haight-Maybriarvisitedthe chapter meeting and delivered apresentation to members about waterqualitythatincludedsourcesofpollu-tionfrombothurbanandruralareas. Haight-Maybriar explained the2006 Integrated Report to Congress,which included data on water bodiesassessedinRowanCounty. Additionally, Haight-Maybriardiscusseddesignatedusesandlimitsofimpairmentsforthose,suchasaquatic
life, swimming,boating,anddrinkingwatersources. Rowan County has good waterquality in relation tomuchof the restofthestate, largelyduetoalmosthalfofthecountybeingapartoftheDanielBooneNationalForest. Chapter members were excited tohearthisnewssincemanyofthemem-bersparticipate inwater sampling fortheLickingRiverWatershedWatch. Italsovalidatesthechapter’seffortswiththerestorationofLaurelCreek. DougDoerrfeldwillmakeanOpenRecords Request from the Division ofWaterfortheengineereddrawingsandtheConsentOrderforLaurelCreeksothe chapter can monitor the restora-tionworkasithappensthisspringandsummer. Most recently the Rowan Countychapter received a letter from RobertDaniell, the manager of the Under-ground Storage Tank Branch of theEnvironmental Protection Cabinet,
thanking the chapter for its concernand pledging to work with the chap-ter.Shortlythereafter,55-gallondrumsof contaminated soil were picked upacrossRowanCountywithreportsthatmoredrumsarebeingcollectedacrossthestate. The chapter’s long-standing workwithMoreheadStateUniversity(MSU)has been only partially victorious inrecent months. Members met withuniversity officials to discuss the use ofalternativeenergyoncampuswhileending use the coal-fired boiler system. It appears that MSU will receive$5.7 million from the state legislatureto repair a downed boiler. Because ofthe chapter’s efforts, MSU was forcedtoshutdowntheoldboilersbecauseofillegalpollution. MSUwas forced todo therepairsinordertorunthecoalboilerslegally.ThechapterrequestedMSUtoconvertall,oratleast20percent,oftheirenergytowood-waste.However,MSUdidnot
toaskforfundingfromthestatelegis-laturetomakethesechanges. While the systemwillpollute lessitwillstillbe100percentdependentoncoal.Additionally,thefundsappropri-atedforthepowerplantdonotappearto be significant enough to completely overhaulthesystem. Instead, they can only repair andreplacepartsandaddanewbag-house.Members of a chapter subcommitteeanticipate continuing their conversa-tions with MSU President WayneAndrews in a collaborative effort toprotecttheenvironment.
pacttheStudentGovernmentelectionsinApril. “Wewantedpeopletobeabletoac-tuallyvotebasedonwherecandidatesstandontheissues,”saidKatieGoldey,a UK KFTC member and a primaryorganizer of the voter empowermentworkaroundtheelection. Of the 44 student governmentcandidates,40respondedtoadetailedcandidate survey concerning issuesimportanttostudents.Thevoterguidewas published on www.UKSGAElec-tions.orggivingstudents theopportu-nity to compare candidate’s positionsofvariousissues. Students from across campus had
Rowan County is located in northeastern Kentucky. Currently KFTC has 65 active members in the Rowan County chapter.
input on the candidate survey ques-tionsasked,whichtouchedonabroadrange of issues from environmentaljustice to tuition to racial justice anddiversity. Students organized campus ta-blings,presentations,chalkings,mass-emails, and other methods to drivestudentstothewebsite.Atthecloseofthepolls,StudentGovernmentelectionwebsitehadreceivedmorethan4,600pageviews. Methods such as these have beenapplied by KFTC members in past tostate and local elections but this wasthe first time they had been tested on a universitycampus.
KFTC is in need of digital cameras to continue to document our work across the state. If you have an old digital camera that is in working condition that you would like to donate
Local UpdatesMembers in Long Branch battle Whymore Coal Company An ongoing struggle over illegalmining in Leslie County has a formerKFTC chairperson fighting to save her land. “Theolddaysarenotover!Thesethings are still going on,” reportedMary Jane Adams of Long Branch inLeslieCounty. Mary Jane and her husband, Ra-leigh, are entangled in a legal battlewith Whymore Coal Company over abrokenleaseagreementandchargesoftrespassingwhileongoingillegalmin-ingontheirpropertyisdestroyingtheirforestandmountain. InDecember2007,WhymoreCoalCompany of London broke a leaseagreement and contract with the Ad-amsfamilywhentheystoppedpayingthe couple wheelage, a fee to use thecouple’sroadtohaulcoalacross.Sincethat time, the companyhas continuedtousethefamily’sroadandisactivelyminingonapieceofpropertythecou-plesaidtheyownbutaneighborisalsoclaimingtherightsto. Previously, theAdams had leaseda portion of their property to the coalcompany to be mined, but this leasebecame void after the corporationbrokethetermsof theiragreement. InDecember when the contract was first
violated, Raleigh sent the company aletteracknowledging that the contractwas now void and demanded thatWhymoreCoal immediatelystoptres-passingonhispropertyandleave. The company had 15 days to re-spond,buttheAdamsreportthattheyonly receivedonephone call and thatsince that time and the company hasneverattemptedtoremedythebreach. The situation quickly escalated tobecome more serious. Whymore Coalmovedheavyequipmentontoportionsof the Adams’s private property inMarchof thisyearandbeganactivelyand illegally clearing their land with-out payment or notification to the Ad-ams. The retired couple also reportedthreatshavebeenmadetotheirsafetybyemployeesofWhymoreCoal. AsoftheAdams’slastcourtdateinApril,thecompanyhadalloftheprop-ertyonLongBranchclearedofalltreeson one side of the creek. Residentsthought they were disregarding prop-erty boundaries and trespassing onneighbor Leonard Joseph’s property,but later found that the companyhadgotten access to one heir in an undi-videdtract.Josephandhisthreesistersareagainstthemining. BecauseofKentucky’s convoluted
laws,Whymorewasnotharvestingthelogs as it scalped the hillside becausestatelawdoesnotallowoneheirwithaminorityownershipinteresttoallowlogging.Butthelawdoesallowonemi-norityheirtoallowthepropertytobemined.Scalpingthehillsideof trees isconsideredpartoftheminingprocess,soitispermitted. WhymoreCoalnowisminingcoalonapieceoflandthatiscurrentlybeingdisputed in court between theAdamsfamily and a neighbor. The Adams’sclaim the property as their own, butthereisadisputewithaneighboroverpropertylines.ThenexthearingwherethepropertylinesandthelegitimacyoftheleasewillbearguedisMay7. Inthemeantime,thejudgehasal-lowedthecompanytocontinueminingonthedisputedproperty. For theAdams family, this meansthat even if the judge rules in theirfavor and grants them the ownershipoverthedisputedproperty,thecouplewill retainapieceofpropertyalreadydestroyed by Whymore Coal Com-pany. “There is no right, rhyme or rea-son for the lease, and it just astoundsme that the judge ruled in favor ofthe company. We’re now in a waitinggame.NothingIhaveexperiencedhas
everbeensostressful,notevencancer,”saidMaryJaneAdamswhoiscurrentlybattlingovariancancer. If the judge grants ownership tothe Adams, the couple might at leastbe paid some money for the coal il-legallyminedfromtheirproperty.Butit’s likely this sum would be small incomparisontothedamagedone. Thecoupleinsiststhatmoneyisnotthepointanddoesnothingforthemiftheirlandisdestroyed.“Wedon’twantmoney. I would live in poverty if itmeant this company would see somejustice,”saidMaryJane. Despitethesesetbacks,theAdamsare determined to stand their ground.The couple will continue to organizewiththesupportofKFTC. “We’regoing todoeverythingwecan to stop them,” said a determinedRaleighAdams. MaryJaneAdamsisaformervicechairpersonofKFTCandservedasthechairpersonoftheorganizationduringthe Broad Form Deed Campaign inKFTC’s early history. The couple arelong-time supporters of the organiza-tion. KFTC members in the region arecontinuing to support Mary Jane andRaleigh Adams in their fight to keep illegalminingofftheirland.
Raleigh Adams and his neighbors continue to monitor the coal operators at a distance to document if they continue to trespass on his land.
CoalfieldresidentstraveledtoCapeCod,MassachuettsinlateAprilinsupportof the Cape Wind Project. While there members participated in demonstra-tionsandsharedtheirstoriesoflivinginthecoalfields.Asglobalwarmingbecomes a larger national issue, different groups are taking notice of the stronghold King Coal has on the Appalachian Mountains.
balancing the scales, April 28, 2008Page 10
Local UpdatesKFTC members work with ally organizations to advance fair housing goals in local Bowling Green elections BowlingGreenmembersandKFTCallies are gearing up for the primaryelection season by continuing to placefairhousingonBowlingGreen’spoliti-calagenda. InrecentmonthsattentionhasbeendrawntofairhousinginBowlingGreenprimarilybyKaleidoscope,anorganiza-tionthatconnectsyouthtosocialactiv-ismthroughthearts. One of Kaleidoscope’s programs,Voices 4 Justice, holds an annual eventinsupportofanissueofinjustice. Ben Kickert, Kaleidoscope’sCommunity Youth DevelopmentCoordinator, said that over the lasttwo years Voices 4 Justice has high-lightedglobalissuesofinjustice,andthatthisyearthestudentswantedto
workclosertohome. “Housingdiscriminationandunfairlandlord practices are among the mostpressingissuesintheneighborhoodthatKaleidoscopeserves,”saidKickert. AnothereventKaleidoscopehostedcalled unCOMMon UNITY brought at-tention to the lackof renters’ rightandotherfairhousingprovisionsinBowlingGreen. Students brought their ownexperiences — stories from their ownfamiliesandfriends—totheworkshop,usingthemtocreatesongs,poetry,hungart,andperformancearttodescribetheproblemsofrentersinBowlingGreen. Muchoftheartondisplayshowedthe veneer of happiness and harmonythat is presented at first glance, trying to whitewash over what is the real-
Below is an excerpt from “LISTEN”
Syleethia Holesome and KFTC member Bonny McDonald wrote and per-formed the poem “Listen” below at the Voices 4 Justice event on March 4
Oppression it’s mutated and transformed Like a virus Infecting homes Of the nameless The so-called ‘Aliens’
Hold your opinion until you’ve heard the stories
Americans fought England for liberty only to chain up millions of slaves Oh, we revised our ways— traded chains for illegitimate taxes and unlivable wages
Listen to the stories There are hundreds in our city they come like waves when you’re willing to listen they come crashing down like breakers breakers of contracts and hearts There’s a sea of ugliness at work
Please hold your opinion until you know the stories
there are pages and pages of the same old truths in the history books nothing’s changed since 1890 our streets are hiding secrets landowners direct the flow
KFTC member Dana Beasley-Brown spoke to the crowd about housing issues at the March 4 Voices 4 Justice event in Bowl-ing Green.
Photo by WKU Herald photographer Luke Sharret
ity for manyin BowlingGreen — ra-cial discord,economic in-equity, and,underlying itall, a dearthof resourcesforrenters. A d -d i t i o n a l l y,the spokenword, poetrya n d s o n g salso pointedto significant differencesinthequalityoflife betweent h e h a v e sandthehave-nots. M e l i s s aRodarte , aKFTC mem-b e r w h oheightened the workaround fairhous-inginBowlingGreen,said,“Thiseventbrought light to an area in BowlingGreenthathasnotbeentakencareofbylandlords. It’s embarrassing when yourealizethatyouarepartofacommunitythatpridesitselfonsuchhighChristianvaluesandstillallowspeopletobemis-treated.” Rodarte is excited about the po-tential that Kaleidoscope and KFTC,workingtogether,havetohelprentersinBowlingGreen. “Our alliance helps these youngpeoplerealizethattheyarenotaloneinwhattheydo,”saidRodarte.“Theyareable to see that there really are adultsfrommanybackgrounds,races,culturesandageswhoarewillingtomakeadif-ference.” unCOMMon UNITY laid thegroundworkforthismonth’sevent—aFair Housing Forum sponsored by theBowlingGreenHumanRightsCommis-
sionwithKFTC,Habitat forHumanity,andtheHousingAuthority. The forum is an opportunity to airoutconcernsandshowsupportforUni-form Residential Landlord and TenantAct(URLTA),otherfairhousingpolicies,and to develop relationships betweenresidents of the west side of BowlingGreenandWesternKentuckyUniversity(WKU)students—twogroupsthatareespecially affected the lack of renters’rights. Rodarte sees this forum as a waytofurthertheworkthatVoices4Justicestarted, and has been working withothermemberstoreachouttoresidentsof thewest side to involve them in theforum. “I just hope to make more peopleaware of the issues involving the westpartof town,especially the lackofcitycode enforcements and lack of laws toprotectlandlordsandtenants,”saidRo-darte.
Stay up-to-date with KFTC members, visit www.KFTC.org/blog
balancing the scales, April 28, 2008 Page 11
High Road Initiative UpdateHigh Road Initiative builds momentum during session toward long-term economic development policy change Buildingonthegubernatorialelec-tionlastyear—whereHighRoadeco-nomicdevelopmentideaswerepartofthecampaigndebate—theHighRoadInitiative approached the 2008 legisla-tive session with a goal of spreadingtheseideasanddiscussionamonglaw-makers. KFTC members and staff fromKFTC and the Mountain Associationfor Economic Development (MACED)logged many hours in the hallwaysintroducing the High Road to legisla-tors,workingwithsponsorstodeveloplegislationandtobuildsupport. More than one legislator was sur-prised to learn that KFTC is involvedineconomicdevelopment.Whilesomelegislators, especially in the coalfields, are happy to have some commonground with KFTC, there are otherswhoareonlynowbecomingawareoftheorganization. Though the High Road Initiativeis now on the radar of legislators, theCabinet for Economic Developmentand the governor’s staff, there stillremains the challenge of being takenseriouslyandgivenarespectfulear.
2008 Policy Goals Prior to the beginning of the 2008General Assembly, the High RoadStrategy Team set policy goals for thesessionto:a) increase support for homegrown
torslikesustainableforestry,renew-able energy/energy efficiency; and
c) enacteconomicdevelopmentsystemreforms to broaden membership ofthe Partnership Board, require aUnified Development Budget report and implement sunsetting provi-sionsforincentiveprograms.
Highlights DuringthesessiontheHighRoadInitiative helped to introduce fourpiecesoflegislationwiththreedifferentsponsors. House Concurrent Resolu-tion 178, sponsored by Rep. DwightButler,calledforastatewidetaskforcetosupportentrepreneurshipandsmallbusiness. House Bill 718 wanted toexpand the Partnership Board and
requireanewstateeconomicdevelop-mentplan. House Bill 748 would have setexpiration dates and an evaluationprocessbeforeanyincentiveprogramscouldbereauthorized.House Bill 750would required an annual public re-portofrevenuelostfromincentives. TheHighRoadInitiativealsoactive-ly supported three pieces of renewableenergy/energy efficiency legislation. House Bill 92wouldhaveloweredthe investment threshold from$1mil-lion to $50,000 for renewable energyfacilities to receive state incentives.House Bill 313 expanded Kentucky’sexisting net-metering law to includewind, biomass, and hydro electricalgeneration,andincreasethemaximumamount of electricity to be put backon the grid. House Bill 2 created taxincentivesforhomesandbusinessestoinstallrenewableenergysystemsortoimprove their energy efficiency. The High Road bills and HB 92(like more than 92 percent of the billsintroducedinthe2008session)didnotbecome law. Most of the provision ofHB 313 were incorporated into SB 83,which is now law. HB 2 also was ex-pandedasismadeitswaythroughthelegislativeprocessandwaspassed. Even though the economic devel-opment bills did not pass, memberswere very successful in creating newlevels of discussion about economicdevelopmentandenergypolicy.Addi-tionally,theyprovidednewopportuni-tiesforKFTCandMACEDtodevelopspecific policy proposals for people to bringreallifeexperiencetothehallsofFrankfort. The High Road Initiative wasintroduced to members of Housecommittees for Agriculture and SmallBusiness;EconomicDevelopment;Ap-propriations and Revenue; and Tour-ismDevelopmentandEnergythroughKFTCmembersandalliestestifyingin
fourcommitteemeetings. Thelegislativesessionalsoprovid-edthesettingtobeginadialoguewiththenewBeshearadministration.HighRoadInitiativemembersandstaffmetthree times with representatives fromthe administration including CabinetSecretary Larry Hayes, Executive As-sistant Colmon Elridge and EconomicDevelopment Secretary John Hind-man. The high profile of the High Road Initiative was due in large part to the
Heartwood Forest Council in Ohio18th Annual Heartwood Forest Council,
held Memorial Day weekend, May 23-26, 2008, at Boy Scout Camp Oyo in the Shawnee State Forest near West Portsmouth, Ohio.
Hosts for this years event include Heartwood, the Buckeye Forest Council, Save Our Shawnee Forest, Voices for the Forest, Meigs Citizens Action Now, Protect Biodiversity in Public Forests, EarthWatch Ohio and Southern Ohio Neighbor’s Group. The theme of this year’s Forest Council is “Burning Issues: Climate is a Forest Product.”
What is the Heartwood Forest Council?
The Heartwood Forest Council is the largest annual gathering of citizens from across the eastern, midwestern, and southern United States who care about the health and well-being of the nation’s forests. The gathering will focus on threats to the region and to human and community health in an atmosphere of collaboration designed to form stronger personal and organizational connections. While addressing the issues and celebrating the work done, the Forest Council offers participants an opportunity to identify lasting solutions and proven action steps that will move people, as a community, toward a shared vision of a healthy, just, and sustainable society.
Up-to-date information, including program, registration, directions, a complete presenter list, and ride-share information will soon be available at www.heartwood.org/forestcouncil.
dedicatedleadershipofKFTCmemberMary Love of Jefferson County. Lovepatientlyandpersistentlymetwithleg-islators on numerous days and testified onseveraloccasions. “Ifit’ssomethingIbelievein—andIreallydobelieveinwhatwe’redoingin KFTC, it’s hard to keep me quiet,”saidLove.“I’mreallyhavingaballlob-byingandmeetingwithfolks.It’sveryimportantworkandI’mlovingit!”The High Road Initiative rec-ognized and extended its thanks toReps. Dwight Butler, Don Pasley,HarryMoberlyandJimWaynefortheirleadership and belief in the principlesbehind the High Road Initiative. EachsponsoredoneormoreoftheHghRoadbills. KFTC members are excited toworkwiththemoverthecourseofthisnextyearandintothe2009session.
“If it’s something I believe in — and I really do believe in what we’re doing in KFTC, it’s hard to keep me quiet.”
Mary Love, Jefferson County member
balancing the scales, April 28, 2008Page 12
Canary Project leaders and members travel to Washington, DC to lobby in support of the Clean Water Protection Act
by Sara Pennington
On April 5, thirteen KFTC mem-bers, including five members of the Canary Leadership Network, arrivedinWashington,D.C.to joinmorethan100volunteersfrom20statesinlobby-ingfortheCleanWaterProtectionAct. Thisyear’sMountaintopRemovalWeek in Washington was brought to-getherbytheAllianceforAppalachia,aconsortiumof13grassrootsorganiza-tionsthroughouttheregion,includingKFTC. The Clean Water Protection Act(HR2169),atwo-sentenceamendmentrestoring languageof theCleanWaterAct,wouldonceagainmakeillegalthedumping of mining waste into water-ways.TheCleanWaterActwasmodi-fied by an administrative rule of the Bushadministrationin2002. Prior to the Week in Washington,HR2169hadbipartisansupportof129cosponsors.Thegoalof theweekwastosharewithlegislatorstheimportanceof halting mountaintop removal min-ing and to garner further support forHR 2169 in the form of more cospon-sors. During the lobbying training onApril 6, KFTC members spoke along-side residents from Virginia, Tennes-see and West Virginia on the issue ofmountaintop removal mining in Ken-tucky. In addition to providing a coalfield
perspective, the Alliance for Appala-chiatrainedalltheparticipantsonthedetailsofthebill,lobbyingtechniques,and effective messaging. Before goinginto lobby visits the next day, par-ticipantspracticedtheirskills inmockmeetingswithlegislators. Participants made more than 130lobby visits on Capitol Hill MondaythroughWednesday.Bytheendoflob-bying, HR 2169 had gained four newcosponsorsandthestafffordozensoflegislators had been deeply informed,many of them for the first time, on the issue of mountaintop removal miningandhowtheCleanWaterProtectionactwouldreininthepractice. KFTC members spoke to legisla-tors and staff about their personalexperiences in the coalfields. Members spokealongsideconstituentsoflegisla-torsfromscoresofdistrictsoutsideAp-palachia. KFTCmembersalsoparticipatedinmeetingswithboththeHouseandSen-atestaffoftheEnvironmentandPublicWorks committees. The real progressof thesemeetingswillbemade in theweeks to come as citizens follow upwith those staff and legislators whopromisedtoconsidercosponsoringthebill. Last year the Alliance gained 20newcosponsorsintheweeksfollowingthelobbyvisits. During the week, KFTC memberRullyUriasmetwiththecongressionalstaff of all three presidential candi-
dates, Senators Clinton, McCain andObama. According to Urias, all three arestill “dancing around” the issue of
mountaintop removal coal mining.Each still talks about the possibilitiesof“cleancoal,” thoughObama’saide,Todd Adkinson, was quick to correcthimselfandsay“cleaner”coal. Urias summedup theopinionsofthe senators’ staff this way: they allacknowledged,“Westillhavetouseit(coal),butwe’vegottodoitbetter.” Inadditiontoparticipatinginsuc-cessful lobby visits, KFTC members
Lorelei Scarbro of West Virginia, Anne Leigh of Tennessee, Larry Bush of Virginia and KFTC member Carl Shoupe of Benham, Kentucky, spoke as coalfieldresidentsduringtrainingforthe2008MountaintopRemovalWeekin Washington.
Photo by Jamie Goodman, Parson Brown Productions
and all the other groups participatingbecame further empowered in the fight against mountaintop removal miningbyjustbeingineachother’scompany.
From sharing stories about indi-vidual fights and successes against Big Coal, to belting out karaoke songs, tojammingtogethertooldtimetunes,tosharing meals, to comparing blistersfrom all the walking on Capitol Hill,thisgroupofmorethan125volunteersfrom the east coast to the west to ev-erywhere inbetween leftWashington,D.C. energized and ready for all thehardworkahead.
Canary Project Update
Busy bees in eastern Kentucky
Sharman and Jeff Chapman-Crane met with members of the Beehive Collec-tive at their home in Eolia of Letcher County.
A group of young artists fromMaineareworkingonagraphicban-ner project that will tell the story ofcoalfield resistance to mountaintop re-movalandtheroleeveryconsumerintheUnitedStatesplaysinthedestruc-tion of Appalachian mountains andstreams. The Beehive Collective is aninternationally known design groupwhose work takes on pressing socialjusticeissues. Nine artists from the collectivestayed in Harlan County and visitedwith KFTC members in mid-April tocollaborate on designing a bannerthatwill tell thestoryof resistance to
coalindustryabusesandmountaintopremoval in the coalfields, and offer a visionofhopeforthefuture. Theposter is expected tobe com-pletedthisfallandKFTCwillhaveac-cesstoalargebannerandwillbeabletosellpostersofthedesignaswellasuseitasaneducationalandorganizingtool. Additionally,theartistsarealsode-signing educational materials on coalthatwillsupplementtheirartwork. To learn more about The BeehiveCollective and view some of theirwork, visit them online at: www.bee-hivecollective.org.
balancing the scales, April 28, 2008 Page 13
Canary Project UpdateCoalfield residents to travel to Columbia to share stories KFTC members Rully Urias andSaraPenningtonwill joinstaffmem-berPattyTarquinoasapartofaWit-ness For Peace delegation to Colom-biaonMay24–31. The purpose of the journey is tofollow the trail of the coal that sup-plies power to New England andmeet with human rights activists,trade unionists, members of Afro-Colombian indigenous communities,and others affected by coal produc-tioninColombia. The trip will give members theopportunitytosharestoriesanddrawconnections between the work inKentuckyoncoalissuesandtheorga-nizing work happening in Colombiaaroundcoal. “Ifeelwewillbeabletoserveasan important cultural bridge for theparticipants traveling from Massa-chusetts,”saidPennington.“LikethemembersofWitnessforPeace,RullyandIareU.S.citizens.Butliketheres-idents of the coalfields of Columbia, weliveinaregionthatisconsidereda ‘sacrifice zone’ for the energy needs oftheUnitedStates.” Colombia is home to two of thelargestcoalminesintheworld,whichexporttotheU.S.JustasithasinAp-palachia,thecoalindustryinColom-bia has devastated the land and thepeople. The Colombia excursion is a
leadership development opportunityaswell asauniquevenue forbuild-ing international connections amongcoalfield residents. Colombia is a country rich inculture, beauty, and resources withan abundance of oil, minerals, andother natural resources. However,manyColombiansareleftdesperatelyimpoverishedand trapped inanun-justeconomicsystembecauseaneliteminorityandlargemultinationalcor-porations from North America andEurope control the vast majority ofthecountry’swealthandresources. Making matters worse, govern-mentforces,onmanyoccasions,haveworkedwiththeparamilitarytosup-pressworkerrightsmovements,laborunions,organizers,andhumanrightsdefenders.Thesocial,environmental,andeconomicinjusticegoeshand-in-handwithacycleofviolence. Coalisaprimaryimpetusofthis
injustice and vio-lence. Colombiaishometotwoofthe largest open-pit coal mines inthe world. Exxoncreated El Cer-rejoninthe1980s.A consortium ofEuropean-basedcompanies andLa Loma (ownedby the Alabama-basedDrummondCompany) nowownsElCerrajon. The Colom-bianminesexportlargequantitiesofcoaltotheUnitedStates and havebeen accused ofserious human
Specific products from the trip will likely include:
• Audio pieces produced in collaboration with the Community Correspondence Corps and the Place Stories Project at Appalshop. These pieces can be aired on local radio programs and accessed through the KFTC web site so that a broader audience can experience the exchange.• Digital stories that merge audio and photographs that will allow folks to take a virtual tour of the Colombian mining communities. These digital stories will be accessed through the KFTC web site and will be used in Canary Leadership Network trainings.• Press advisories and press releases to local and statewide newspapers which will inform Kentuckians about what is happening in Colombia while also demonstrating that KFTC is providing leadership in creating a future beyond coal within Kentucky and abroad.• Speaking engagements in which the KFTC delegation will share the story of their exchange with other KFTC members, students, allies, and the general public.
rightsviolations. Also, as a former coal miner,Uriassaidhe“canrelatetothehard-shipsthattheindustryputsontotheworkersandthecommunity.” CoalcompaniesinKentucky,likeinColombia,extractcoalatanycost,starvetheregionofopportunity,andworkdiligentlytosquashanythreatsto their profits all while causinggravedestructiontotheAppalachianmountains and headwater streams.Thisoutlawindustryhasscarredtheland and the people — in KentuckyandinColombia.
But the similarities don’t stopthere.LikeinColombia,inKentucky,there are ordinary — yet extraordi-nary—communitymemberswhoaretakingastand. KFTC members are fighting hard toprotecttheir land,waterandheri-tage while at the same time build amovement for a sustainable futurebeyond coal. KFTC members areworkingtoestablishlocalsustainableeconomies that do not compromisethewell-beingofthecommunity,andare putting renewable energy andenergy efficiency alternatives on the table as direct alternatives to morecoal. The excursion will explore howto build solidarity around holdingcorporations accountable, will helpKFTC members draw connectionsbetween their local campaigns andglobalenergyandclimatechange is-sues,andwill lay the foundationfora cross-cultural coalfield exchangebetween Colombian residents andKFTCmembersineasternKentucky.
Track their travel at www.KFTC.org/blog
“LikethemembersofWitnessforPeace,RullyandIare U.S. citizens. But like the residents of the coalfields of Columbia, we live in a region that is considereda ‘sacrifice zone’ for the energy needs of the United States.”
Sarah Pennington, Knott County Chapter
balancing the scales, April 28, 2008Page 14
Floyd County members’ stories inspire steering committee “Thisisthenextplacethat’sgoingtogetlickedbystripminingifwedon’tdo something,” warned Bev May ofWilsonCreekinFloydCounty.Shewasspeaking to the KFTC Steering Com-mitteethatmetinPrestonsburgforitsAprilmeeting. The Floyd County chapter wel-comed their fellowKFTC members totheircommunityandsharedhighlightsfromtheirwork. “It used to be beautiful here,”noted Barbara Bailey who lives inHueysville. “It used to be peaceful.KidscouldplayoutsidewithoutbeingscaredandIcouldhangmyclothesoutontheline.” “Thisusedtobeparadise,”addedBailey’s husband, Todd. “It’s not likethatanymore.” Injustice — and resistance to it— isn’t new to Floyd County. WhenKFTC began in 1981, Floyd Countyemerged as one of the first chapters. In fact, the first KFTC office was located in Prestonsburg. Members in those early daysworked on coalissues, educationissues, and laterworkedonwelfarereform. However,the chapter fadedout in the mid-1990s. I n s u m m e r2007, the chapterwas revived whenfolks from severalFloydCounty communities, includingWilson Creek and Hueysville, cametogether. “Werealizedthattoholdachaptertogether,we’dhavetobeaboutsome-thing,” explained May. “We couldn’tjust be individual communities fight-ingindividualproblems.” “Because of KFTC,” May added,“we’ve had the tools we needed to fight backagainstthecoalindustry.” FloydCountymembershavechal-lenged valley fill permits and filed nu-merous complaints with the Environ-mental and Public Protection Cabinetto challenge its lack of enforcement.They have learned about regulationsand have partnered with attorneys atthe Appalachian Citizens Law Centerto force enforcement agencies to payattention. MemberslikeRickHandshoekeepmeticulous records of all their com-plaints. “If I learned one thing when I
workedforthestate,it’sthatyouhavetokeepgoodpaperwork,”saidHand-shoe. Although they face significantchallenges,theFloydCountymembershaveseenimportantresults. “Our work has shut down thewaythecoalcompaniesdobusiness,”affirmed Handshoe. “They usuallyjustcontinuedoingwhat theydo,butwe’vehelduptheirpermits.” Not only are coal operations feel-ing the Floyd County chapter’s resis-tance, state enforcement agencies arealso having to pay attention to theircomplaints. Recently, Paul Rothman,the director of the Division of MineReclamation and Enforcement, metwithHandshoeforanhourtodiscusscomplaints filed by the chapter. During this meeting, Handshoewas able to point out major mistakesenforcement officers made on admin-istrative reports regarding the FloydCounty complaints. He showed Roth-man one complaint that coal opera-tors were burying trees in hollow fills
which is illegal. The first state inspector denied that trees were being buriedto which Floyd County members re-sponded,“Thenwherearethetrees?” “It’s not a lack of enforcement,”saidHandshoe.“It’snoenforcement.” Becausetheircomplaintsaredraw-ing attention, Floyd County membersare beginning to feel substantial com-munity pressure and have becometargetsofintimidationtactics. “They try to intimidate me everynow and then,” explained Handshoe,“butthatdoesn’twork.We’llkeepdo-ingwhatweneedtodo.” TheFloydCountychaptercontin-uestoorganizearoundminingissues.They are planning a candidate forumfor the May primary election and arereaching out to other communities inthe county including people in Allenandinahousingprojectwhoaredeal-ingwithissuesrelatedtoacoaltipple. “Wetrytogetintouchwithotherfolks and make them feel welcome,”
noted May. “We want to double ourmembershipagainthisyear.” Baileyexplainedtheimportanceofhavingone-on-oneconversationswith
neighbors.“WhenRick came to talktomeaboutKFTC,I thought it wasgreat. It’s amaz-ing what we canaccomplish goingdoortodoor.” “ I b e l i e v ethere’s a lotmoremembers here es-pecially ifwecan
makeavictoryoutofonething,”add-edHandshoe.“They’llseethatchangecanhappen.” Steering Committee membersdrewmuchinspirationfromtheFloydCountypresentation. “Ifeltliketheyweretalkingaboutwhat is going on with us in PikeCounty,”saidEricaUrias.“Ilearneda
In addition to hearing about the work of the Floyd County Chapter, during their April meeting, the Steering Committee:
•Heard reports on KFTC’s legislative issues and evaluated work during the 2008 General Assembly.
•Discussed organizational changes that might be pursued in order to broaden our voter empowerment work.
•Discussed the political landscape around coal and energy issues and brainstormed priorities for moving forward.
“The Floyd County Chapter’s dedication and work is an inspiration to the entire organization.”
Doug Doerrfeld, Chair, KFTC Chairperson
thingortwofromthem.Wewon’tbackdown either. We’re all fighting for the samething.” “TheFloydCountychapterisonaroll,”exclaimedPamMaggardofKnottCounty.“Theirpassionanddetermina-tionarecontagious.” “Their work is important becausetheygiveusallhope,”sheadded. Steve Boyce of Madison Countyagreed. “I was struck by how muchcourageittakestodowhatthey’redo-ing and by how resourceful, patient,andingenioustheyhavebeen.There’sa lot we can learn from the folks inFloyd County about the work we’vebegun in Madison County to opposethebuildingoftwonewEastKentuckyPower Cooperative coal-fired power plantsnearus.” Towin,Boyceadded,“We’llneedsome measure of the courage thatFloydCountymembersarebringingtotheirwork.Theysetaprettyhighstan-dard.”
Floyd County members Beverly May (center), Rick Handshoe and Barbara Bailey spoke at the April Steering Committee meeting about the success the chapter has seen as well as the challenges facing the community.
balancing the scales, April 28, 2008 Page 1�
Amy Hogg Joins Staff Team Amy Hogg joined KFTC’s staff team in early April, filling the position of Writer.AsWriter,Hoggwillassisttheexecutivedirectorandotherstaffmembersin maintaining consistent and effective communication with leaders, allies, andfunders. Among other writing projects,Hoggwillplayamajorroleingrantwrit-ingandreporting. Hogg is originally from LetcherCountyandnowlives inBereawithherhusband,Mike,andtheir twodaughters— Ellie who is 12 and Claire who is 9.Whenshe’snotwriting,sheenjoyscook-ing, reading, camping, raising a garden,andwatchingherdaughtersperforminalocalchildren’stheatergroup. HoggcomestoKFTCfromBereaCol-legewhereoneofherresponsibilitieswasmaintaining correspondence with foun-dationsanddonors. “NowthatIhavechildren,I’mincreasinglyawareoftheurgencyofsolvingKentucky’s problems, particularly in eastern Kentucky where I grew up,” saidHogg.“Iseeourmountainsdisappearing,andI’mangrythatmychildrenwon’tenjoythemasIdid.That’swhyI’mgladtobeatKFTC—tohelpdosomethingaboutit.”
Jessica George Transitions to Development Director In March, KFTC filled the Development Director position. KFTC’s new Devel-opmentDirectorisJessicaGeorge! George has been the JeffersonCountyChapterOrganizersinceFebru-ary 2005. In that time, the chapter hasnearly doubled in size and George hasworked to deepen KFTC’s alliances inLouisville and raised the profile of cam-paigns around mountaintop removaland restoration voting rights to formerfelons. Georgeplanstobringherorganizinginstincts and fundraising experience tothenewposition. “As Development Director, I’mexcitedtotaketheskillsthatI’vegainedas an organizer and apply them tofundraising,”notedGeorge.“Ithinkthestrengthandsustainabilityofourworkandourorganizationisthroughourabil-itytosolidifygrassrootssupport,$15atatime.” Whenshe’snotworkingongrassroots fundraising,Georgespendsher timecreating spreadsheets, crafting, and house hunting with her partner, Heather. Ifyou have any leads on a great house near the Louisville office, give Jessica a call!
Dave Newton Becomes KFTC’s First Voter Empowerment Organizer Although KFTC has done voter empowerment work throughout its history,this work has significantly increased in the last four years. Last year alone, KFTC registeredmorethan1,300votersanddistributednearly20,000non-partisanvoterguides. Inordertoincreasecapacitytodoevenmorevoterregistration,education,andmobilizationaroundthestate,theSteeringCommitteedecidedtohireaVoterEm-powermentOrganizertocoordinatethisbodyofwork.KFTC’sCentralKentuckyOrganizer Dave Newton has been chosen to fill the position. NewtonhasbeenorganizinginCentralKentuckysincethesummerof2004.Asan organizer, Newton helped the Cen-tral Kentucky chapter grow to nearly1,400membersandhashelpedbuildtheRestorationofVotingRightsforFormerFelons Campaign. He has also playeda key role in developing KFTC’s voterempowermentprogram. “Through our growing system ofvoter registration, education, and mo-bilization, I think we have a chance atfundamentally changing how electionsarewon in thestateofKentucky,”saidNewton about the potential of KFTC’svoter empowerment work. “I think wecanmakeitlessaboutmoneyandmoreabout issues and connecting with thepeopleofthestate.” Inadditiontoregisteringvotersandsendingout candidate surveys,Newtonenjoyszombiemovies, clipboards, fruitrollups,andspendingtimewithhisgirlfriend,Caitlinandhiscat,Emma.
KFTC is in the process of hiring chapter organizers to replace George and Newton. In addition, KFTC will soon be announcing a new position — a Development Associate — who will manage the growing database, sync it with the voter empowerment work, and assist with grassroots fundraising. Please check the KFTC web site in the coming weeks for more information about this position.
KFTC staff expands with new hire, new duties and openings
Steering Committee Members Reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
April 4th marked the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s death. During their April 5th meeting, Steering Committee members reflected
on Dr. King’s legacy and what it means for KFTC’s work today. Here are some of those reflections.
“Even though Martin Luther King was killed, the movement went on. The same is true for us. For KFTC, we’ll keep going on no matter what.”
Rick Handshoe, Floyd County
“Martin Luther King Day is the most important holiday we have. We need to recognize everyone’s humanity. We need to honor his work. He was right on and his message applies perhaps even more today.”
Lyle Snider, Perry County
“They put their entire lives on hold for the movement. They risked everything for the cause.”
K.A. Owens, Jefferson County
“I remember going through the Civil Rights Museum in Birmingham thinking, ‘This is incomprehensible. Why would people do this to other people?’ I hope one day folks will go to the Coal Mining Museum in Benham and there’ll be pictures of mountaintop removal and people will see them and say ‘this is incomprehensible.’”
Pam Maggard, Knott County
“When I joined the military and went to the South to Fort Benning, it grieved my heart. You could see the oppression as soon as you stepped off the bus. What Martin Luther King did wasn’t popular at the time. It’s an inspiration. What we’re doing isn’t popular, but we keep doing it.”
Truman Hurt, Perry County
balancing the scales, April 28, 2008Page 16
Calendar of EventsMay 6 Harlan County chapter meeting, 6 p.m. at Southeast Community
College Appalachian Center, Cumberland
May 6 Bowling Green/Western Kentucky member meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Kaleidoscope Office on Durbin
May 12 Jefferson County chapter meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the KFTC office in Louisville (901 Franklin Street)
May 12 Letcher County chapter meeting, 6 p.m. at the KFTC office in Whitesburg
May 12 Floyd County chapter meeting, 7 p.m. at St. Martha Catholic Church near Prestonsburg
May 13 Pike County chapter meeting, 6 p.m. at the Pike County Public Library
May 15 Rowan County chapter meeting, 6 p.m. at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church on 5th Street in Morehead
May 15 Central Kentucky chapter meeting, 7 p.m. at the Episcopal Diocese Mission House (on the corner of Martin Luther King Blvd. and 4th Street) in Lexington
May 17 KFTC Steering Committee meeting
May 20 Kentucky Primary Election, Remember to Vote!
May 20 Knott County chapter meeting, 5:30 p.m. at Hindman Settlement School
May 20 Perry County chapter meeting, 6 p.m. at Hazard Community College vocational education building, room 116
May 26 Madison County chapter meeting, 7 p.m. at Child Development Lab on Jefferson St., Berea
June 3 Harlan County chapter meeting, 6 p.m. at Southeast Community College Appalachian Center, Cumberland
June 3 Bowling Green/Western Kentucky member meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Kaleidoscope Office on Durbin
June 9 Jefferson County chapter meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the KFTC office in Louisville (901 Franklin Street)
June 9 Letcher County chapter meeting, 6 p.m. at the KFTC office in Whitesburg
June 9 Floyd County chapter meeting, 7 p.m. at St. Martha Catholic Church near Prestonsburg
June 10 Pike County chapter meeting, 6 p.m. at the Pike County Public Library
June 19 Rowan County chapter meeting, 6 p.m. at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church on 5th Street in Morehead
HaveyoueverwantedtoknowwhatKFTCmembersareuptobetweenissuesofbalancing the scales?AreyouinterestedinseeingmorephotosandvideosfromrecentKFTCevents?Wouldyouliketoparticipateinadialogwithothermembers(and opponents) about KFTC’s issues and work? If so, come pay a visit to theKFTCblogatwww.kftc.org/blog. Recentpostsincludereportsonthestatebudgetandthegrowingeconomicdi-videintheUnitedStates,aseriesofarticlesoutliningthesystemiclackofenforce-ment of mining laws by state officials, a report on members at the Bank of America shareholdersmeeting,andreprintsoflettersandop-edsbyKFTCmembers. Since its debut almost a year ago, traffic on the blog has increased nearly every month.Alongwith thegrowingamountofvisitors, thenumberofcontributorswritingaboutvarioustopicshasalsoincreased. TheKFTCblogprovidesauniquespaceonthewebforpeopletotalkaboutgrassrootsactivismandsocialjusticeinKentucky.Ifthisappealstoyou,nowisagreattimetojoinKFTC’scommunityofbloggers.Youcansubmitablogpostorsimplycommentononeofthevariousentries. Membersareneededwhoareinterestedintellingtheirstoriesorprovidingcommentaryoncurrentevents.Ifyouareinterestedincontributingtotheblog,[email protected].
