NOTE from the Chair

Memorial Day and the May 17 Primary

Dear Friend,

The last Monday in May is Memorial Day, the day America honors her veterans past and present, the millions of men and women who have served our nation. Our veterans served so that all citizens may participate in the affairs of government through the act of voting. With Kentucky's Primary Election on May 17, it is fitting that we honor our veterans by remembering to vote. The Primary Election will not only determine the Democratic Party's nominees for constitutional offices in the fall, but it is the first step in the determination of Kentucky's direction for the next four years.

Millions have served and some have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect our privilege of voting. It is not enough to honor veterans on Memorial Day, honor them by casting your ballot for the candidates of your choice in the May 17 Democratic Primary.

Paul L. Whalen, Chair

Campbell County Democratic Executive Commiteee

Legislation just passed by the Ky. General Assembly enacted sweeping reforms to sentencing and prison guidelines. While the state stands to save significant money over the next 10 years by sentencing non-violent offenders to treatment programs and community supervision, county coffers and services will be negatively impacted.

  

• A loss of c. $500,000 in revenue for housing Class D felons who staff the center's community service program. This program, universally lauded as a tremendous savings to tax-payers as well as a valuable community service, has been curtailed pending initial outcomes of the reforms.
• Class D inmates will now be housed at county tax-payer expense with no reimbursement from the state. Drug and gang activity are expected to rise with many drug offense charges now classified as misdemeanors rather than felonies.
• Prisoners with a bond will be given a $100/day credit toward their bond to be released at some point. Record-keeping for this mandate must be performed manually by existing staff with no funding, software or technology provided to support the added clerical and administrative work required.

The bill also restricts the ability of prosecutors to fight the "War on Drugs."  Campbell County Commonwealth's Attorney Michelle Snodgrass, who has successfully prosecuted significant drug offenders for over 10 years, says the new law makes it easier for drug dealers and drug users to commit crimes in our community. Just two examples include:

• The new law eliminates the enhancement penalties prosecutors may seek for "repeat offender" drug users.  
• The "school zone" enhancement allowing prosecutors to seek higher penalties for crimes occurring within 1,000 yards of a school has been reduced to only 1,000 feet - effectively inviting dealers to sell drugs closer to our schools and our children.

To discuss details of  this bill, please contact Rep. John Tilley of Hopkinsville, Co-Chair of the 2010 Task Force on the Penal Code and Controlled Substance Act, at 502-564-8100.

Power Grab in Michigan

Think it can't happen here?

Think again.

The city of Benton Harbor, Mi., certainly had its challenges. An eroded tax base. Depressed, crumbling infrastructure. High unemployment. Per capita income less than $9,000.

But the city also had a mayor who had successfully righted the financial ship before, and a new city council determined to effect positive change. What it didn't need and didn't see coming was Gov. Rick Snyder's appointment of an emergency financial manager who immediately set aside the will of the people by ousting the elected leaders and imposing what some consider "financial martial law."

That's right. The new Republican governor of Michigan fired elected officials and replaced them with an appointed financial czar.

The people of Benton Harbor know the governor's goal isn't really to shepherd the city to financial solvency but to PRIVATIZE CITY ASSETS, specifically to redevelop city property into an upscale golf village. A glorified land grab.

This aggressive act is just another example of the consequences of elections. Across the country, we are seeing democracy threatened and overturned, individual rights stripped, the rich and powerful becoming more rich and powerful.

We absolutely cannot let this happen in Kentucky. We cannot elect a Republican governor to march in lockstep with the authoritarian Republican party bosses in Washington.

We must re-elect Gov. Steve Beshear in November!