State Rep. Donna Mayfield, R-Winchester, will begin her second term in Frankfort Jan. 8, and she is optimistic about what can be accomplished this year, despite the short 30-day session.
“I’d like to see us accomplish what we need to accomplish in the time we have,” Mayfield said.
This term will be busy, with issues like redistricting, pension reform and tax reform likely to be on the agenda.
On Dec. 17, the Blue Ribbon Tax Commission, formed earlier this year by Gov. Steve Beshear to look for inefficiencies in Kentucky’s tax code and led by Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson, submitted its formal recommendations to the governor. Now it is up to lawmakers to also review the suggestions and use them as a starting point for possible legislation.
While Mayfield said she has not reviewed all the commission’s recommendations, unlike Winchester’s other legislator, Sen. R.J. Palmer, she is not in favor of any increase in taxes, even on what the commission deems “luxury” items.
“I know it’s going to make a lot of people unhappy. Basically, I’m not in favor of raising taxes,” Mayfield said.
The commission recommended broadening the sales tax base by taxing services tied to a product already taxed and taxing luxury items, like drycleaning or limousine service. The increased tax base could make it possible to lower other taxes, like the corporate tax rate and state income taxes.
Mayfield said she does support lowering the corporate tax rate, but would like to see the state focus less on taxation as a solution to fiscal difficulties.
“I don’t consider drycleaning and things like that a luxury. ... I’d like to see us come up with plans where taxing and bonding is not the only solutions we have to look at,”¿Mayfield said.
She also said she hoped the General Assembly would be able to pass some sort of pension reform this session.
“We need to come up with a solution because we cannot afford to keep putting it off for someone else to take care of in two or three years,” Mayfield said.
The Task Force on Kentucky Public Pensions submitted its recommendations earlier this month and Mayfield said she was in favor of doing whatever is necessary to keep the state out of debt.
“We need to fix the problem we have without going further into debt,” Mayfield said.
Like tax reform, pension reform will require a specific bill to be filed before any recommendations can become law, and legislators are free to modify recommendations from both committees as they see fit.
If the legalization of industrial hemp comes before the House, Mayfield said she would not be in favor of the measure, because of a lack of support from law enforcement. As a former employee of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service, Mayfield said her background makes her sympathetic to the concerns of police.
“I’m not comfortable with it until law enforcement is comfortable with it. I support the farmers and alternative crops, but I cannot support hemp at this time,” Mayfield said.
Law enforcement officials have voiced concerns over regulating hemp, and distinguishing between legal hemp production and illegal marijuana production.
“It opens the door to make it real easy for people who are growing pot to mix it in with hemp. ... Our police are taxed enough,”¿Mayfield said.
As the national debate continues over gun control, at the state level, both Mayfield and Palmer said they expect school safety issues to be targeted. Mayfield said she believes there are things that can be done to make schools safer, and would not be opposed to having armed guards.
“It is too easy to get into some of the schools,” Mayfield said. “I’m not sure every school would warrant it, but I certainly think they need to be secure and to keep strangers from having access to the building.”
She also is optimistic that the state can look at redistricting again, an issue that caused controversy earlier this year. Mayfield said she believes it, like pension reform, should be dealt with this session rather than calling a special session.
For more information on the Blue Ribbon Tax Commission’s recommendations, visit ltgovernor.ky.gov/taxreform/. For more information on the Task Force on Kentucky Public Pensions, visit www.lrc.ky.gov/committee/Special/KPPTF/home.htm.
