Damon Thayer lays down the law

Sen. Damon Thayer (R-Georgetown) took the opportunity of a speech to the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Friday to encourage support for some familiar Bluegrass Institute themes.

"My pledge to you and the citizens of Northern Kentucky is that I will strive to be a leader that puts problem solving before politics," Thayer said.

"That means not raising taxes. That means fixing our education system. And that means protecting taxpayers from the partisan agenda of a governor who just doesn’t seem to get it."

Thayer criticized big-spending politicians who now seek to raise taxes.

"Government should be forced to do more with less. Not do more with more.
But the drumbeat for higher taxes has already begun. And the band leader is Steve Beshear."

Beshear has been actively involved in promoting a cigarette tax hike.

Thayer mentioned the absence of Beshear's promised $180 million a year "efficiency study" and the legislature's continued support for prevailing wage policies.

"The state of Kentucky could easily save $130 million a year by eliminating the prevailing wage law on public construction projects. This silly idea costs the taxpayers millions at a time when we can ill-afford to cater to any special interest group."

Thayer listed several education statistics in making the case for reforming school policies that mislead parents and policymakers to believe schools are performing better than they actually are.

"It is high-time we got rid of the CATS testing system, and replaced it with something that actually tells parents, educators, and policymakers what we need to know."