Letters to the Editor for 4-22-15

William Whitley chapter of DAR to celebrate 50th anniversary Saturday

To the Editor:

Organizations such as the Daughters of the American Revolution contribute to the vitality of its communities and improve the lives of its local citizens.  The local, state and national organizations promote patriotism, education and preservation of historical landmarks.

On Saturday, April 25 at 11 a.m., members of the William Whitley Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution will celebrate the Chapter’s 50th Anniversary. The local chapter is named for Colonel William Whitley, who aided and protected pioneers moving into Kentucky through the Cumberland Gap. Our members proudly prove ancestry to one who served or assisted in the Revolutionary War that gave freedom to the young country.

The public is invited to join us at the Williamsburg Tourism Center on Saturday, April 25 at 11 a.m. to help us commemorate this important event in our community.
 
Marcella Faulkner Mountjoy
Chaplain
William Whitley Chapter NSDAR

Encourage leaders in Frankfort to pass cap on payday lending rates

To the Editor:

We would like for the voters of the 25th Senate District to know that their Senator, Senate President Robert Stivers, stood with other members of Senate Republican Leadership to block a hearing on Senate Bill 32, which calls for capping payday lending interest rates at 36% a year.  The payday loan industry can currently charge borrowers up to 391% interest, while all other lenders are limited to 36% per year.  This has been the case only since 1998 when the payday loan industry cut a deal with the General Assembly at the expense of borrowers and the Kentucky economy.

Payday lenders say they deserve special consideration because of the short term nature of the loan. They say they offer a one-time quick fix, but the truth is that they trap borrowers in a cycle of debt. 99% of payday loans in Kentucky in 2013 were generated by borrowers taking out multiple loans per year. The average payday loan borrower in Kentucky is stuck in 10 loans per year.

Senate Bill 32 was assigned to the State and Local Government Committee, where  8 of 11 members signaled their support. Despite this overwhelming display of support, Senate Leadership used their power to prevent the bill from getting a fair hearing. Why would Senate Leadership oppose a bill which stands to benefit thousands of Kentuckians? Why would leadership stand in the way of leveling the playing field for all lending businesses in the state?

Leadership’s decision does not reflect the views of the 73% of Kentuckians (Republicans and Democrats equally) who support a 36% cap on payday loans. Nor does it reflect the views of the 32 faith groups and 57 non-profits which make up the Kentucky Coalition for Responsible Lending. These are people who have experience with picking up the pieces when desperate borrowers come to them for help with getting out of the payday loan debt trap.

Please let Senator Stivers and your State Representative know that you are outraged that the General Assembly has allowed 391% loans to thrive in our state. This year’s session has ended, but it is not too soon to get the message out for the 2016 session. Call Senator Stivers at his Frankfort office (502)564-3120 or write him at 702 Capitol Avenue, Annex Room 236, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601.

Katherine Goetz
Kentucky Coalition for Responsible Lending

Decision to renege on tax incentives for Ark Encounter project a mistake

To the Editor:

Congratulations to the Kentucky Christians. You have begun to call your state representatives demanding that the Dept. of Tourism stop reneging on their agreement with Answers in Genesis? You Kentuckians have a wonderful project being presented to your state by AIG, the Ark Encounter. It’s a biblical real sized Ark to be built in Grant County, but your Dept. of Tourism has reneged on its original agreement with AIG by not allowing them to participate in a tax incentive program. Your Dept. of Tourism is deceptive and must now be dealt with in court. There goes more of your tax money, Kentucky, because AIG is taking the Dept. of Tourism to court and they will win because your Dept. of Tourism has violated both federal and state laws by engaging in viewpoint discrimination. This legal dispute is about more than just future tax rebates: it is about the right of religious organizations to be treated fairly. What’s next, your churches? AIG isn’t asking for special treatment. They have met all the requirements necessary to be accepted into this program, and they were accepted, but only to be thrown out because of some atheist complaints.

Keep it up, Christians. Protect your rights now before it’s too late. Call your state representatives and tell them to place AIG back into the Dept. of Tourism tax program and perhaps a lawsuit can be avoided. 
 
Nick Lally
Chairman, Board of Directors, Creation Science Hall of Fame