Abramson pushes tax reform

Published 11:15 am Thursday, June 20, 2013

Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson on Wednesday urged school superintendents to support proposed tax code recommendations if they want to see public education funding increased.

“The day of sitting around and complaining is over. We need to take action,” Abramson told the opening session of the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents Summer Institute at the Sloan Convention Center. “The governor and the lieutenant governor can’t do this alone. We need your help and leadership.”

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Abramson, a former Louisville mayor, said when he meets with business site selectors in Boston or New York, the No. 1 issue they bring up is the need for a skilled, educated and productive workforce when they look for a place to locate their businesses.

While Kentucky’s high school graduation rate has increased from 63.5 percent in 2000 to 77 percent in 2010, he said, about 64 students drop out of Kentucky high schools each day during the school year, with about 11,000 students taking that route in 2013.

He told the superintendents they need a “muscular” source of funds so that public education can perform its tasks of getting students college and career ready.

However, with $1.6 billion being cut out of the budget in the 13 times Gov. Steve Beshear balanced the state budget, the cuts are slicing into muscle, Abramson said. Economic development has been cut 29 percent, textbook funding has been eliminated, professional development for teachers has been cut 64 percent and Support Education Excellence in Kentucky, or SEEK, funding has been flat, while student enrollments have climbed. That is “not a formula for success,” Abramson said.

“You cannot cut your way out of this situation,” he said.

A tax study commission has called for Kentucky’s tax code to be more competitive with surrounding states, make it fair and allow the state tax framework to provide greater revenues that can be channeled toward public education needs.

“We want to get this tax code right,” Abramson said. He added that many of the 54 recommendations by the tax study commission remain to be implemented, “and we are not going to get anything done unless you get in the game.”

The KASS program today includes a presentation by Mark Edwards of Mooresville, N.C., the 2013 national superintendent of the year. Friday’s program includes Kevin Stull of the Kentucky Department of Education speaking on principal effectiveness.

— Chuck Mason covers education for the Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/bgdnschools or at bgdailynews.com.