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sulting in destroyed and pol luted lands. Ford never promised to loos en the validity of the broad farm deed—on the contrary he affirmed its lawfulness—and the legislature has done prac tically nothing in response to pleas and complaints from strip mine enemies. The governor has boasted his new $3.5 billion budget is ori ented towards people. Ironical ly, the Associated Industries of Kentucky has upheld his claim by bitterly denouncing numer ous bills. The AIK said the new legisla tion is telling employers in ef fect: ‘To hell with you take your jobs elsewhere!”’ It mentions among other things the indirect $18 million a year additional income tax on corporations—which after all could have been imposed on personal incomes of people. It mentions workmen’s and unemployment compensation measures which will cost in dustry and business more—and consequently will benefit work ers more. It mentions the $40 million annual severance tax—which could have stayed on in the form of the sales tax on grocer ies. The AIK in effect is con firming that the shift in tax ation in the past session has been towards business rather than people, and the General Assembly made the change only because the governor so decreed. To that extent the “little man” is a beneficiary of 1972 legislation. But, just as he is caught in the lending squeeze, he also is forced to spend an other 2 cents per gallon of gasoline for his car under the administration's tax increase and that tax is by no means “progressive.” The urban Kentuckian prob ably has been given more free dom by the General Assembly to determine his destiny. Examples are the home rule bill for Louisville, the local op tion bill on Sunday closings and even the local option arrange ment for liquor sales on Sunday in certain cities. Yet, the rural Kentuckian has received benefits, too, in the form of various bills offering potential state aid. And the traditional tobacco base of the small farmer re mains untouched by any real or imagined threat from an addi tional tax on cigarettes, now among the lowest in the nation. As for the majesty--or idiocy--of the law, a much-her alded Kentucky Penal Code to modernize and coordinate all statutes has been passed. But it won't take effect for another two years and it won't contain a section originally written to liberalize abortion restrictions.
Newspaper Details
Harlan Daily Enterprise
Harlan, Kentucky, US
Sun, Mar 19, 1972
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USA 11 Feb 2026
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Harlan Daily Enterprise
