News and Music Discovery
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Ky. League of Cities Pushes for Local Option Sales Tax, 9-1-1 Fee Increase

facebook

  The Kentucky League of Cities is heading to Frankfort this week with a full legislative agenda. Near the top are two long standing issues: stabilization of funding for emergency 9-1-1 services, and giving cities the option of pursuing a local sales tax. League Executive Director Jon Steiner says it's all about flexibility.

"Local home rule for cities. Give cities options, so they don't have to go to Frankfort and beg for money,” Steiner said. “More tools in the toolbox, local stewardship, local control, let the citizens have a voice, and really let cities control their growth, their patterns, their destinies."

KLC Deputy Director J.D. Chaney says the league is seeking an increase in the monthly 9-1-1 fee for cell phone users. He says currently over half of the funding for emergency notification services across the state comes from local governments' general fund.

"And it is mainly coming out of general fund, diverting those resources that were typically used for other city services, public services for the community, because they don't have an effective way to replace that lost revenue coming from the landline."

Kentucky lawmakers return to Frankfort tomorrow to continue with the 2015 session. 

Stu Johnson is a reporter/producer at WEKU in Lexington, Kentucky.
Related Content