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Metcalf:  Kentucky Taxes Must Come Down

As April 15th approaches, Kentucky's small businesses suffer under a state tax system that hurts the whole state year-round, according to a former state Senator who is running to regain his old seat.

"When mom-and-pop businesses sneeze in Kentucky, the whole state catches a cold," said 34th district candidate Barry Metcalf, a Republican from Richmond.  "Passing the gross receipts tax on small businesses last year was a huge mistake."

A non-partisan taxpayer advocacy group in Washington D.C. agrees.  According to The Tax Foundation, Kentucky was the 33th most tax-friendly state in 2004.  This year, largely because of the gross receipts tax on businesses that forces them to pay income tax even when they don't make a profit, Kentucky fell to 44th on the list.

Metcalf suggested the least we could do is get rid of the gross receipts tax to help our small businesses.

"The General Assembly dropped our lowest-earning citizens off the income tax rolls last year, which was good,"  Metcalf said.  "But if they penalize our small businesses, who employ 90% of our citizens, we are shooting ourselves in the foot."

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