KCC Legislative Update

The Land Stewardship Taskforce saved the best for last today when it voted to have two bills prepared for the 2010 Legislative session that would begin the creation of a state-wide Land Conservation program on a large scale. In one action, the Taskforce voted overwhelmingly to create a new over-arching Land Conservation Fund that will be able to draw on multiple sources of funds and a new Board to govern it. In a separate action, the taskforce endorsed the filing of a constitutional amendment to increase the state sales tax by 1/8th of a percent, the proceeds to be dedicated solely to providing funding for the varied state land conservation programs that remain grossly underfunded. It is estimated that the tax increase would collect about $59 million a year.

The members of a work-group of the taskforce felt that the citizens of Kentucky should have the chance to endorse a Land Stewardship program by putting the issue before the voters in the form of a constitutional amendment. If an amendment were to pass the 2010 session it would appear on the general ballet in 2012. Most of the membership acknowledged that the time frame to pass an amendment in the 2010 session was perhaps too short, but that an amendment might be feasible by 2011,which would still make the 2012 ballet.

If Kentucky is ever to get serious about land conservation, if we are to begin addressing the continuing  loss of so much of our unique natural areas, woodlands, agricultural resources and native biota, we are going to have to come up with a significant and relatively stable source of  long-term funding. A portion of the sales tax would do this. Minnesota recently passed just such an amendment. We believe that if the citizens of our state are given the facts and are convinced that the funds will be used efficiently and wisely that they too will endorse a program to protect large areas of the state. In the next few months, the KCC and hopefully other groups that were represented on the taskforce will begin to build the grass-roots support that will be needed to get this amendment before the voters of Kentucky.