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Bernie Kunkel’s Comments to Northern Kentucky Legislative Caucus members on Saturday February 22, 2003 in Burlington --  Boone County

 My name is Bernie Kunkel and I reside in Walton.  Thanks so much for this opportunity to speak to so many legislators at one time.

 I ask your support for Senate Bill 77 sponsored by Senator Richard Roeding and the companion House Bill 340 sponsored by Representative Joseph Fischer. Forced unionism is un-American and these Right To Work Bills are needed in our state. Most Kentuckians agree fully with Thomas Jefferson who stated: “To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.”

 I ask your support also for House Bill 478 and House Joint Resolution 134 by Joe Fischer, as well as Senate Joint Resolution 91 by Senator Katie Stine.  All these initiatives would get Northern Kentuckians out of the hated tail-pipe testing.  The Legislature removed Jefferson County residents from this obnoxious program last year and now it is our turn in Boone, Kenton, and Campbell.

  Just say NO to any of the expanded gambling bills.  The Louisville Courier Journal has run a series of articles on the social ills that gambling causes and no matter what benefits gambling might procure in the short term, it will most assuredly cost the taxpayers much more in the long run.

 I ask your support for Senate Bill 208 as sponsored by Katie Stine.  This is an ACT that will implement competitive sealed bidding for government contracts, and this legislation will ultimately save millions of our hard earned tax dollars.

  I also want to point out that you must not increase taxes on your constituents.  To do so will have a detrimental effect on business and taxpayers.   I agree with Winston Churchill who said: “We contend that for a nation (in this case Kentucky) to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.”

  Finally I want to add an e-mail message of the other day that I received from my good friend Emily Shelton.  She points out that Governor Bill Richardson, a Democrat from New Mexico, is now promoting tax cuts.   The Governor correctly says this will stimulate the economy of his State and he wants to be sure to get the message out that New Mexico will do what it can to attract new businesses that bring high paying jobs. The governor of New Mexico “gets it” and, unfortunately for Kentuckians, Governor Paul Patton does not.  It is up to you all in the Legislature to make sure that he does “get it”.   Kentucky needs to be put in a position to compete head to head with New Mexico so we can determine which of the two States can become the most business friendly, thereby creating more jobs for our citizens. Remember, more jobs equal more taxpayers.

   On behalf of all Kentuckians, I ask you to work hard to cut down the size, cost, reach, and power of BIG STATE GOVERNMENT. As Thomas Jefferson so eloquently proclaimed: “That government governs best which governs the least.”    

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