Earlier this year, I told you that one of our main themes in 2013 is transparency as a means to make government accountable to you – a sovereign Kentuckian and taxpayer.

There are some serious policy issues brewing for Kentucky—the first is our ticking debt bomb, which could ruin the standard of living that most Kentuckians enjoy.

The second is an all out attack on our energy sector.

The Left has already revealed their solutions to these issues. 

They want to raise your taxes and if they’re going to take a hit on raising taxes, then they’re going to go for BIG TAXES.

They’re also bringing in BIG HOLLYWOOD. And for Kentuckians that means an actress who once referred to coal mining—our signature energy industry--as “the rape of Appalachia.”

That’s why we need you now. We don’t even exist without the generosity of members like you to support our work. By investing just 50% more TODAY you’ll enable us to fund our small and dedicated staff, to round out our strategy in fighting this big Leftist onslaught and to expand our output.

We need to be ready.

Doing nothing is not an option.

Will you invest in us today by making a generous gift of $50, $100, or $200 or as much as you can afford to help fund our 2013 transparency missions?

Already this year, your partnership with the institute has made two important transparency ideas gain traction in Frankfort – public pension transparency and shining the light on the 1,200 special taxing districts that now can collect, and in many cases even raise, taxes across the commonwealth.

We’ve already taken some heat on this issue from members of both parties, but the lack of accountability in Kentucky’s 1,200 taxing districts isn’t a nickels-and-dimes type of problem.

 And if these local “ghost” governments comprised of unelected bureaucrats can operate outside citizen oversight, then what is to stop big federal government from doing the same?

The 1,268 special districts found in every county in Kentucky spend more than $2.7 billion per year – more than one-fourth of the annual state budget’s General Fund. That’s money coming out of your pocket.

The highlight of the Kentucky Citizen Auditor Initiative on special districts is an interactive online database that we helped the Auditor’s office design! This database will finally shine some light on the state officials who run the districts and have the power to assess fees and levy taxes on Kentuckians – without having to be elected by you and other Bluegrass citizens.

I know we did the right thing in bringing transparency to these big-spending districts and there is so much more we can do to shine a disinfecting light into the murky corners of big government.

Our impact is only limited by our funding, so please invest in your Bluegrass Institute membership today! 

Your gift of $200 or as much as you can afford right now will ensure our crucial transparency reports continue to be released to stop run-away big government.

Together, I know we can force government accountability and stop the Left’s advances into Kentucky. And together we’ll keep on growing. Thank you in advance.

In Liberty, Kelly L. Smith, Vice President of Strategic Partners

P.S. We’re gearing up for some key policy battles for the heart of Kentucky and we’re looking to take the Bluegrass Institute’s impact to the next level. But we need your help to grow in impact.

Will you invest $50, $100, $200, or as much as you can afford, in us today?

If those of you who faithfully follow our content and work could help us expand our budget by just 50% in 2013, we can literally DOUBLE our impact just in time.

 Thank you for sticking with us through 10 years of advancing liberty.