The Republican incumbent for Kentucky’s House District 12 seat, Jim Gooch Jr., said the biggest issue facing the region is maintaining low-cost utilities. Democratic challenger, and grape farmer, Bruce Kunze, said the biggest need in the state and region is revenue.
Gooch said the state has seen some of the lowest utility costs in the nation because of coal. He says past presidential administrations imposed regulations to prioritize climate and carbon reduction over the “cheapest, most reliable utility.”
“I just was at a meeting today where we actually got a report from the energy and environment cabinet and they were showing what President Trump’s plan was going to be and it’s going to be a lot different. At least now we’re going to be able to make some decisions ourselves," said Gooch.
Gooch would like to see the state pass comprehensive tax reform because the existing system is “antiquated” and “outdated.” He also said he thinks medical marijuana will be addressed in the upcoming session as well as promoting hemp as a potential cash crop.
Kunze said he would address the pension issue and comprehensive tax reform. He says tax reform will have to be broad-based so that no one is treated unfairly. Kunze said there also needs to be enough revenue to resolve the pension issue, which will require some “give and take” from both parties. He said the state should either raise the sales tax and ditch the service tax or expand the service tax so all service-based businesses are taxed similarly.
“Also the state legislature went from a graduated income tax to a flat income tax and the problem with that is it puts more of a burden on lower and middle-income people. So, if I could make the change myself I would go back to a graduated income tax," Kunze said.
Kunze also said more money needs to be allocated to rural communities for infrastructure and job needs.
District 12 includes McLean and Webster counties as well as part of Daviess and Hopkins counties.
