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Opinion: Secrecy, eminent domain and the erosion of public trust in Kentucky
BY JONATHAN SCHAAFSMA What do a runway, a data center and pickleball courts have in common? In Kentucky, the answer is secrecy and a troubling disregard for taxpayer voices. In Bourbon County, we recently witnessed the unraveling of the controversial Bluegrass Station Airport proposal—a $300 million-plus project that would have used eminent domain to seize
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Kentucky legislators’ latest power grab is a direct attack on transparency
Ever get the feeling politicians would prefer you did not know what they are up to? Well, House Bill 368 basically is that. The bill, introduced Feb. 5, would allow government agencies to ditch independent newspapers and publish public notices exclusively on their own websites. Sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Decker (R-Shelbyville) and backed by a
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Compliance is where you find the ‘light’
Public trust is the foundation of good governance. When agencies handle taxpayer money, they owe the public full transparency and accountability. That is precisely what lawmakers intended when they enacted KRS 65A in 2013. With the recent suspension of state funding for three Martin County entities—the Tourism Commission, Housing Authority, and Big Sandy Regional Airport
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State halts funding to three county boards for violating ‘transparency’ laws
BY LISA STAYTON MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — State officials suspended public funding for three Martin County agencies for violating a state law meant to ensure financial transparency. Funding will be withheld from the Martin County Tourism Commission, Martin County Housing Authority, and Big Sandy Regional Airport Authority due to their failure to submit required financial
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Public must speak out: HB 509 is still a threat to transparency
BY JON FLEISCHAKER and MICHAEL ABATE Repeatedly in recent weeks, Gov. Andy Beshear has come out in favor of HB 509, a bill that would dramatically weaken Kentucky’s Open Records laws. The governor has tried to assure citizens the bill would result in more transparency, not less. The governor is wrong; this bill will inevitably
