Goals:
1:40
KENTUCKY FORWARD
COALITION
Kentucky Forward Meeting
July 14, 2010
1:00-3:00
Catholic Conference of Kentucky Office, 1042 Burlington Lane, Frankfort
Debrief the special session
Updates
Create a plan for the coalition moving forward
Purpose of meeting and introductions
Announcements and updates
Note that there is a lack of clarity among agencies and cabinets what the budget
really says. What's the baseline, at this point?
Updated coalition list
Oo CKPJ
0 Seven Counties
0. Friends and Children.
O MNC having the conversation
MACED
Oo MACED was asked to be the SFAI group in Kentucky, and decided to
accept that role. This means that they'll be funded to work on state tax
reform and budget issues. Will be doing this leg of their work as the
Kentucky Center for Economic Policy
O Great news for the coalition! Having access to clear and timely policy
briefs around tax and budget issues will add value to our work.
Special Session Debrief and follow-up
Implications of the passed budget
= State worker pay cut
= Long-term Policy Research Center
= Transition program for foster kids shifted to 12 already-
overstretched state workers
= Teachers probably haven’t felt the impacts yet, but will when they
see their paychecks.
= The community health providers are still trying to figure out what
the cuts mean, what their budget is. Very messy.
e Rally follow-up
0 Debrief
= Got lots of press, though their grasp of the event varied.
= Good timing, good action, good to have framed the Special
Session
= There could have been greater consistency in sticking to the
agreed upon message.
0 Follow-up with legislators at the rally
= [We didn’t get to this, but if it’s something that folks want to do as
a coalition, | have a letter drafted.]
0 Update on cost
= Total cost was $158.16. If anyone would like to contribute
toward the costs, please send a check to Kentucky Coalition or
KFTC, P.O. Box 1450 London, KY 40743
2:10 Thinking through options moving forward
© We'll plan a coalition-wide meeting in September that gives coalition members
an opportunity to discover anew their stake in this work and their role in the
coaition. We'll do lots of reaching out to member groups to try to get most of
them there.
e In January, we'll have another coalition-wide meeting that preps for the General
Assembly, and that could be more focused on policy.
3:00 Adjourn
Next meeting will be the coalition-wide meeting in September, date TBD, unless we
need to meet again to plan that meeting. Otherwise, we’ll plan it over phone and
email.
KENTUCKY FORWARD
COALITION
July 17, 2010
Dear Rep. Collins,
Thank you for coming to the Kentucky Forward Rally on May 24", the first day of this summer’s
Special Session. We appreciate your willingness to stand with the members of the Kentucky
Forward Coalition, and the people in Kentucky who were depending on compassionate budget.
Without revenue reforms, a compassionate budget is impossible. As we’ve moved through the
summer, Kentuckians have continued to feel the deepening impact of the budget cuts. We've
also continued to affirm that our revenues are sinking, and real solutions are needed. The
Kentucky Forward Coalition is made up of twenty-three faith, labor, education advocacy, health
advocacy, and community groups who are working for comprehensive and long-term solutions
to our chronic budget deficits. We encourage all Kentuckians, including our elected leadership,
to move Kentucky Forward by supporting revenue reforms consistent with the following
principles.
We believe a high quality revenue solution for Kentucky should:
Support and sustain a high quality of life in Kentucky through essential investments in
good schools, health care, public safety and other public structures and services.
e Be fair. Our revenue system should minimize regressivity, minimize taxes on low-income
people, and ensure that fiscal responsibility is shared equitably among all citizens and
businesses.
e Provide adequate and sustainable revenue over time. The taxes we pay should support
quality public services we can count on. Kentucky’s revenue system should grow as the
economy grows and include revenue from multiple sources to ensure adequate funding
in good times and in bad.
We look forward to talking with you more about ways that you can continue to show your
support for tax reforms that make possible a budget that is adequate and compassionate.
Thank you, again, for joining us at the rally!
Sincerely,
Advocacy Action Network; AARP; AFL-CIO; AFSCME Council 62; Appalshop; Brain Injury
Association of Kentucky; Bridgehaven Mental Health Services; Catholic Conference of Kentucky;
Central Kentucky Council for Peace and Justice; Covering Kentucky Kids and Families; Family and
Children’s Place; Jefferson County Teachers Association; Kentuckians For The Commonwealth;
Kentucky Council of Churches; Kentucky Domestic Violence Association; Kentucky Education
Association; Kentucky Equal Justice Center; Kentucky Jobs with Justice; Kentucky Psychological
Association; Kentucky Society of Friends; Seven Counties Services, Inc.; Sisters of Charity of
Nazareth; Mountain Association for Community Economic Development
