KFTC Voter Guide – Fayette 2020 Primary

FAYETTE COUNTY EDITION

Kentuckians For The Commonwealth

Change Service Requested

VOTER GUIDE

Kentuckians For The Commonwealth P.O. Box 1450 London, Ky. 40743

2020 KENTUCKY PRIMARY ELECTION

Online at www.kentuckyelection.org

Because of the public health pandemic, voting will be different for the June primary. Voting by mail is the preferred way to vote, and available to all registered voters. Ballots can be obtained through GoVoteKY.com or from your local county clerk. Limited in-person voting also will be available on and before Election Day. See the back cover for details.

We do know – perhaps now more than ever – the importance of good political leadership. This voter guide will help us choose leaders who will show up with us and for us, and who want what’s best for all of us.

NON PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID LOUISVILLE, KY. PERMIT NO. 879

Primary Election Day has been moved to Tuesday, June 23

This Voter Guide contains information about elections in Lexington and central Kentucky on the June 2020 primary election ballot.

Urban County Council District 3 ................................ 3 District 9 .................................11 Kentucky House primaries District 45 ............................ 16 Disitrct 56 ............................. 21 U.S. House, District 6 Democratic Primary.......... 26 U.S. Senate Democratic Primary.......... 29

Election Day is Tuesday, June 23. Voting by mail ballot will take place up until Election Day.

2 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

is a statewide grassroots social justice orga­­ni­zation working for a new balance of power and a just society. KFTC uses direct-action organizing to accomplish the following goals: • foster democratic values • change unjust institutions • empower individuals • overcome racism and other discrimination • communicate a message of what’s possible • build the organization • help people participate • win issues that affect the common welfare • have fun KFTC membership dues are $15 to $50 per year, based on ability to pay. No one is denied membership because of inability to pay. Membership is open to anyone who is committed to equality, democracy and nonviolent change.

MAIN OFFICE P.O. Box 1450 London, Kentucky 40743 606-878-2161 www.kftc.org info@kftc.org CENTRAL KENTUCKY FIELD OFFICE CHAPTER STAFF: Meredith Wadlington 250 Plaza Drive, Suite 4 Lexington, Kentucky 40503 859-276-0563 Meredith@kftc.org www.facebook.com/CKYCKFTC Instagram: @centralkentuckykftc

www.kftc.org | May 2020

We’re creating a healthy democracy Kentuckians For The Commonwealth (KFTC) is a community of people, inspired by a vision, building grassroots power and a better future for all of us.

For nearly 39 years KFTC has organized for a fair economy with good jobs, a healthy environment, new safe energy, racial justice, health care, housing and more. None of these goals are possible here in Kentucky without a healthy democracy.

A healthy democracy is one where everyone is included, elections are fair, voters have good candidates to choose from and those elected are responsive to folks in their communities. When we go to the polls, we don’t just choose between parties or candidates. We choose what kind of state we want to call home. We choose what kind of jobs we want, whether we can go to the doctor when we’re sick, and how we want to care for our seniors and kids.

We know this is an extraordinary time in our state, nation and the world. While we strive to remain healthy and take care of one another, we know that it is more important than ever that we continue this work toward building a healthy democracy. This voter guide is part of that effort.

This is an important election year in Kentucky and the nation. In November, Kentucky voters will choose a U.S. senator and six members of the U.S. House. Those races are included in this guide as we choose party nominees in the June 23 primary election. We also will elect 100 members of the Kentucky House of Representatives and 19 members of the Kentucky Senate, members of the Urban County Council and vote for a U.S. president.

Through our Action for Democracy campaign, KFTC will engage 100,000 voters who share our values by November 2020. We’ll connect with voters in as many ways as appropriate and safe in this era of social distancing. We’ll change the political discussion to reflect our hopes, lift up issues our communities care about and solutions they believe in, train and encourage new political candidates and elect better leaders to represent Kentucky.

It’s going to take a lot of Kentuckians working together. That’s why we’re recruiting grassroots leaders who commit to connect with their neighbors, friends and family to register them to vote, share information about the candidates and help them vote on election day.

Working together, we can choose a bright future for Kentucky. Volunteer and take Action for Democracy, starting right now. Even a couple of hours a month can make an impact.

Sign up at https://WeAreKentuckians.org/volunteer To confirm your registration, check your voting location and request a mail-in absentee ballot, go here:

www.GoVoteKY.com To view a sample ballot for the county where you live, visit:

http://web.sos.ky.gov/electionballots This Voter Guide is published by Kentuckians For The Commonwealth and mailed third class from Louisville, Ky. Please send feedback to P.O. Box 864, Prestonsburg, KY 41653 or jhardt@kftc.org.

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 3

Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council Council Districts

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council includes representatives from 12 districts plus three at-large members.

All district seats have two-year terms and are up for election this year.

The at-large seats have four-year terms and are not up for election in 2020.

The races are nonpartisan. When more than two candidates file, a primary election is held and the top two vote-getters go on to the November general election.

Only the 3rd and 9th districts have more than two candidates (each has four) and therefore a primary election in 2020.

Go to this website and enter your address to find out what council district you live in:

Three districts have two candidates and therefore a contested race in November.

Seven incumbents have no opposition.

www.lexingtonky.gov/browse/ government/council

Urban County Council District 3 Four candidates are running for the District 3 council seat, held recently by the late Jake Gibbs.

The top two voter getters will run against each other in November.

Hannah LeGris www.hannahforcouncil.com www.facebook.com/ hannahforcouncil

Jessica Mohler jessicafordistrict3.com www.facebook.com/ VoteJessicaMohler

Charles D Smith

Christine Stanley

www.charlieforthe3rd.com

www.christineforlex.com

www.facebook.com/ charlieforthe3rd

www.facebook.com/ ChristineStanleyLex

District representatives are elected for two-year terms and may serve up to six consecutive terms.

Surveys responses from the four candidates begin on the next page.

4 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

Urban County Council District 3 QUESTION:

What do you think are some of the most pressing issues facing Lexington in 2020? What is your vision for Lexington, and how will the lives of Lexingtonians be improved as a result of your time in office?

Hannah LeGris: I believe that affordable housing, responsible development, environmental sustainability, and equity of access to power and policy-making processes are all urgent issues affecting Lexington. These challenges are all interlinked with one-another which is why it is so important to address them holistically, with an emphasis on collaboration and utilizing evidence-based strategies from other communities.

If elected, I will advocate for responsible development, focusing on infill, block-by-block development, and equitable investment. I understand the need for more housing options, especially within the urban service boundary, and I will work with stakeholders in the city, region, and state to ensure that all plans are humane and responsible. It is essential that we as a city incorporate far-reaching green practices, such as comprehensive recycling and waste management, net carbon neutrality, and incentivized low-congestion transportation (including bike and pedestrian infrastructure and reliable public transit) into our current and strategic operations.

Both the government and elected officials have an obligation to be transparent, to share information and to seek feedback from affected residents, and as the 3rd District representative I will create more points of access for both interested and affected groups, especially those who have consistently felt disenfranchised and left out of said processes.

Jessica Mohler: I think the most pressing issue in Lexington is sustainable growth. The city’s growing economic inequality—the gap between the rich and the poor, and the Black-White racial wealth gap––is widening, and as our city grows, so does this disparity. From affordable housing and spatial inequality to the economic segregation of our neighborhoods, schools, and school districts, our city is headed toward more concentrated areas of poverty and affluence than we already have.

“Urban revival” shouldn’t come at the expense of pushing our current neighbors out. My vision for Lexington is a unified city committed to creating vibrant,

QUESTION:

amenity-rich communities for residents of every income level, regardless of zip code––not one that’s solely focused on creating profits and increasing the quality of life for a select few. Growth is only sustainable when it’s done with an equitable framework in mind. I vow to dedicate my role and responsibility to making decisions and advocating for initiatives that work to decrease economic disparity, and to work to make sure all of the city’s population is served.

Charles D Smith: One of the biggest concerns is the amount of money the LFUCG is spending to maintain its’ old and outdated office spaces. Estimated deferred maintenance costs make it very important that a new Government Center be built: sooner, rather than later. The ultimate savings can be used for other services that will benefit all of Fayette County.

Lextran has the capabilities of being a huge benefit to our community. For many, many years there have been many attempts to encourage people to ride the bus. Mostly those efforts have failed, but Lexington already has the infrastructure (Transit Center, new Lextran garage and offices, and new electric buses) to make bus travel convenient and affordable for everyone. The more riders, the more routes can be run.

Christine Stanley: Some of the most pressing issues facing Lexington in 2020 include: Housing, Environmental Quality, Economic Development & Infrastructure.

My vision for Lexington is that together we will be creative and resilient in addressing social and economic challenges in an equitable and sustainable way.

The lives of Lexingtonians will be improved as a result of my time in office because I will collaborate with city council members, local officials and the community to deliver on our responsibility to shared well-being. I will stand resilient in the face of adversity, address the needs of our citizens by advocating for and shaping policies that support their success, and remain compassionate, open & honest every step of the way.

In 2015, nearly eight hundred students in Fayette County Public Schools were homeless. There is also a severe shortage of affordable housing for people in our community that make minimum wage, even when they are working full time. What will you do to address the problems of homelessness and the lack of affordable housing in our community?

Hannah LeGris: Homelessness and housing insecurity have been ongoing challenges in Lexington for years. These issues remain intractable because of geographical constraints, historical inequity, pricing, infrastructure and development, and municipal servicing. Neighborhoods have been favored or neglected by the city, financial lenders, and utilities over time -- and have changed for good or ill as a consequence. We have learned that communities suffer collectively when they fail to plan and care for all residents.

We also know that Kentucky has a high rate of student homelessness, evidenced by several studies on that issue -- and on housing insecurity in general

-- by the LFUCG and other groups. However, there has been some reticence to act and a lack of decisiveness, for fear of angering constituents. I believe Lexington needs to rally its leadership and work with other invested organizations to determine the resources that are available, internally and externally, to help the housing insecure. As a member of City Council I will work to build support at the neighborhood level to promote, invest, and create affordable housing. This issue is larger than any one district; it affects people of all ages and backgrounds and will worsen unless Lexington addresses root causes and works proactively. answers continued on next page

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 5

Urban County Council District 3 ANSWERS CONTINUED: affordable housing …

Jessica Mohler: Homelessness is increasing because of stagnant and declining wages. People do not make enough money to afford Lexington’s cost of living.

While I am for increasing the minimum wage, and turning low-wage jobs into family-supporting work, Frankfort, not Lexington, sets our minimum wage. I would like to change that.

The opioid crisis and chronic mental health issues are compounded by rising rents and home prices, leaving many people without permanent housing. As your councilmember, I would continue to work with local existing structures while advocating for harm reduction approaches and permanent supportive housing models for people who experience chronic homelessness due to disability, substance dependences and mental health issues.

Affordable housing is in a state of crisis. People aren’t just being priced out of home ownership, our renters are being pushed out, too. As your councilmember, I would fully finance the affordable housing fund. I would explore new ways to incentivize developers to create more affordable housing, provide more rental subsidy, and work proactively to catch up and close the affordable housing gap.

As our city grows and we focus on increasing density we must make decisions with a framework of equity in mind.

Charles D Smith: I would encourage the LFUCG to follow the lead of the University of Kentucky by raising the starting wage for employees to $12.50 per hour. Since 2015 the Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention has been funded to try and overcome obstacles to having a home. The most recent count of homeless people in Fayette showed a drop of 12.5% from January 2019 to January 2020. So progress is being made and funding for these programs needs to be kept in place.

QUESTION:

Lexington Community Land Trust has plans to build more affordable houses in the Davis Bottom area as soon as the land is turned over to them by the state.

These houses maintain their affordability even when the owner decides to sell, since the land belongs to the trust.

Christine Stanley: I believe that safe and stable housing is a human right. No one can be expected to be at their best when they’re worried about where they’re going to sleep that night. Broadly, I would say that the Council needs to take steps to evaluate the effects of gentrification, particularly as it primarily affected people of color.

Moving forward, an effective housing policy would require coordination between city planners, policymakers, and the communities themselves. More specifically, the city needs more affordable housing stock in conjunction with higher density development. High-density mixed-use area benefits everyone: owning a car becomes less necessary, important businesses are easily accessible to foot traffic, and when vehicle traffic is reduced bike safety increases and the city’s carbon footprint shrinks.

Additionally, high-density development lends itself to investing in our public transportation system. Research shows that for every dollar invested in public transportation approximately $4 in economic return are generated through job creation, business sales, and increase in home values. Public transportation reduces air pollution, reduces traffic congestion, increases mobility and independence; especially to those individuals who had to relocate due to gentrification.

High-density development and public transit also facilitates an increased feeling of community by interacting with … answer exceeds word limit

What is the role of the Lexington Urban County Council in opposing white supremacy, addressing racial inequality and supporting racial justice for Black people, Indigenous people, Latinx people, immigrants, those who are undocumented, and all people of color in our city?

Please identify at least two policy initiatives you would propose while in office to address racial and systemic inequalities.

Hannah LeGris: Lexington is a center of diversity within Kentucky and has a long history as a tolerant and welcoming community. I believe the city government should continue to work for all its residents, inclusive of ethnicity, orientation, income, faith, or ability. The LFUCG can work to address some of the structural problems of equity and inclusivity in several ways: 1. Simplifying assistance to existing social service benefits and housing 2. Continuing to work with effective partner organizations like Kentucky Refugee Ministries, KCTC, and Workforce Development to provide aid, education, job training, and assistance to people who need it most 3. Promoting multicultural and multilingual spaces in Lexington through arts funding and public/private partnerships I recognize the ways that people interact with the government and legal system can be markedly different. Equitable and just treatment is critical to maintaining the legitimacy and trust of the public. We can respect the fundamental right of people to demonstrate and express their opinions, just as we can

prioritize keeping people safe while celebrating our different beliefs. These values are not in opposition. By engaging with people throughout our city, we can make Lexington a safe and welcoming community for everyone.

Jessica Mohler: Racial injustice has been the seminal issue of our country since its inception. I will always listen to and follow the lead of those most directly impacted by racial inequality.

The FBI just ranked Kentucky ninth among states with the most hate crimes. It’s important our city is fully aware of what hate crimes look like and how to identify white supremacy groups that are increasingly preying on college towns for recruitment.

LFUCG sets the tone for how welcoming and inclusive we are. It has always been about the system, and I am committed to fully understanding––and rebutting––our government’s continuing role in facilitating race-based inequality. answers continued on next page

6 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

Urban County Council District 3 ANSWERS CONTINUED: White supremacy and racial equity …

I would introduce policy initiatives to: 1. Following other cities, draft an ordinance declaring racism a “public health crisis.” This measure will acknowledge the threat – financially and mentally - racism causes people of color and solidify our commitment to understanding how racism affects communities. Further, the measure would provide tools and programs to address this real crisis.

2. Establish a grants program to support the production and marketing costs of arts events created by and with a focus on communities of color, LGBTQ, and disabled communities.

Charles D Smith: In our current national political climate, it is very difficult to sidestep this issue. The recent removal of the confederate statues from the courthouse is very symbolic that in Lexington we want all people to be comfortable and get respect from their government.

Ending the war on drugs, which has incarcerated an inordinate number of “minority” people, would be a great start. The stigma of serving time in jail makes it very difficult to overcome and get a good-paying job. But ending this war on drugs is not something our local city council could do; it would have to come from the Federal Government. It is very important that Lexington treat all of its citizens and their own LFUCG employees fairly. The ordinances are in place, people must be willing to accept people of all faiths and races. I try to always do so.

QUESTION:

Christine Stanley: The role of the Lexington Urban County Council in opposing white supremacy, addressing racial inequality and supporting racial justice for Black people, indigenous people, Latinx people, immigrants, those who are undocumented and all people of color in our city is to develop relationships to build trust between the government and the community; to engage individuals, community leaders and organizations in developing specific strategies, programs and policies that explicitly address institutional racism and to expand opportunity and access for individuals by strengthening outreach, public engagement, and access to City services.

First, I would propose the creation of a bank to be owned and operated by the Urban County Government. This institution would allow the LFUCG to streamline the service of its existing debt. Fees that are currently paid to private banks or Wall Street brokerages would be greatly reduced or eliminated, freeing up a substantial amount of money. The council could then use the Bank and its attendant savings to do things like prioritizing low-interest loans for minority-owned businesses or guaranteeing home loans to those who might not otherwise be able to borrow money due to redlining or other discriminatory practices.

Secondly, even though the primary purpose of the Bank would … answer exceeds word limit

In recent years, elected leaders in the Kentucky legislature have been pushing for more proactive cooperation with federal immigration agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. What is the role of local city councilors in this conversation about protecting undocumented immigrants in Kentucky?

Hannah LeGris: The United States has been a nation of immigrants since its founding, and our community is no exception. Our city government’s first responsibility is to its residents. Therefore, I believe that we should protect people who work, raise families, and contribute to our community in a variety of ways -- and allow them to live responsibly without fear of threats or persecution. Local governments are often referred to as ‘laboratories of democracy’ and Lexington should continually aspire to be an inclusive and accommodating city for people of all different backgrounds.

As councilmember, I would work with community leaders at both the neighborhood and citywide levels to meet immigrant communities where they are and create spaces of mutual respect and trust. I know that Lexington can also offer more and better access to benefits and resources for the non-english speaking population, including translating materials and city services. In addition, I would partner with groups like CivicLex to promote community-wide education about the reasons for immigration and the roles that immigrants play in our region and economy. When we value relationships with different types of people, we can better understand the human aspects of immigration and appreciate how different cultures enrich us collectively.

Jessica Mohler: The role of the local city Council is to ensure a safe environment. To that end, LFUCG should prohibit police officers from arresting anyone

solely because of their civil immigration status. Likewise, we need to ensure that victims of or witnesses to a crime can feel safe coming forward.

I would continue our membership in the Welcoming America Network. This network provides access to government leaders across the nation who are creating immigrant-friendly, welcoming communities wherein leaders share ideas, goals, and successes.

I would choose public service announcements that have a message of inclusion and welcome to help build economic and social collaboration between newcomers and longtime residents.

Charles D Smith: Once again, this seems to be an issue that our national government needs to resolve. The pictures of children being held in cages along the border make all of us think we, as America, need to be better than that. The knowledge that many potential immigrants wait for months and months on the Mexican side of the wall just to simply have a hearing on whether they can legally enter the country or not is terrible. This system should be streamlined to prevent such hardships.

I, like I think most Lexingtonians do, believe that the vast majority of legal and illegal people entering our country are good people who want a better life, not the kind of people that are described as being non-desirable and detrimental answers continued on next page

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 7

Urban County Council District 3 ANSWERS CONTINUED: immigration policy … to our country. We need a better, more humane system to assimilate immigrants and potential immigrants.

Christine Stanley: This is an area where my profession and my faith informs my outlook.

The fundamental constitutional protections of due process and equal protection embodied in our Constitution and Bill of Rights apply to every “person” and are not limited to citizens.

Undoubtedly, our nation has unquestioned authority to control its borders and to regulate immigration. But we must exercise this power to exclude or deport immigrants consistent with the rule of law, the fundamental norms of

QUESTION:

humanity and the requirements of the Constitution.

When the government denies legal rights and due process to one group, everyone’s rights are at risk.

The book of Matthew also gives two clear instructions: first, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Second, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Given the current outlook on immigration enforcement, I believe the LFUCG should decline to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement insofar as that is possible. Besides the obvious harm of splitting up families and sending people to be held … answer exceeds word limit

The science on climate change is more robust than ever, and many agree that we are in a critical moment for the future of our planet. What has you concerned about climate change? What will you do as a city councilor to minimize Lexington’s carbon footprint?

Hannah LeGris: Our current economic system and lifestyle are unsustainable; environmentalism must be practiced at both the individual and institutional levels. I am a strong advocate for bicycling, walking, carpooling, and using the public transit system, both as a society and in my personal life. The city’s Comprehensive Plan and the UK Transportation Master Plan will improve bike/pedestrian access and limit single driver traffic. However, both plans can be massively improved and coordinated to influence traffic design and flow. Lexington must cease promoting private automobiles over public transportation and walkability.

Recognizing how neighborhood-centric planning, dependable and equitable public transit, and bike/pedestrian infrastructure can greatly enhance livability while reducing environmental impact.

If elected, I will build consensus to incentivize alternative forms of transportation and develop policies that are oriented toward environmentalism and minimizing waste. LFUCG should continue to incentivize green building practices and provide tax credits for energy-efficient practices for residents and business owners, alike. Lexington should create an offset program with Reforest the Bluegrass to plant more trees and shift toward city-wide composting. Education is central to the success of these initiatives, crucial for maintaining a functional recycling system, and necessary for cultivating green practice from an early age.

Jessica Mohler: Having two young children, I am most concerned with the world we will leave them. Humans as a whole need to move away from energy sources that produce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as soon as possible.

Lexington is currently powered by LG&E KU’s Brown Station in Harrodsburg, which, unfortunately, is a coal-fired power plant. Until we can turn our city into a 100% renewable energy city (which should absolutely be our goal), I will support policies that require increased efficiencies in new and existing construction and provide incentives for solar and wind power. LFUCG should also be doing more to install renewable energy technologies in existing city buildings, and to incentivize other businesses to do the same.

As your councilmember, I would support smart investments in solar hot water, solar window tinting, and green roof tech. These steps would go a long way

toward reducing the city government’s own carbon footprint while providing a blueprint for businesses and residences in the 3rd District to follow suit.

I support investments in public transportation to help reduce vehicle emissions, increasing our bike-friendliness, and working to make LexTran an efficient and convenient alternative, even for Lexingtonians who already own vehicles.

Charles D Smith: I am very concerned because so many think climate change is a hoax or a farce. I do not. I think it is very real and needs to be addressed globally, nationally, and locally.

While I am on the council I will encourage ridership of our LexTran buses, as they transition to an electric bus fleet. Making downtown and our neighborhoods more walkable will also encourage less use of automobiles. I wish there was an inexpensive way to separate bike paths from automobiles; many people do not feel safe in the bike lanes on heavily traveled roads. Lexington is finishing many dedicated bike/walk trails and that is a start. Many people are working to increase Lexington’s tree canopy which I totally support.

All of these things are important. For Lexington, many of these problems could be solved with more money, but apparently that is in short supply.

Christine Stanley: My concerns about climate change are: that our farms and city will have new pests, heat waves, heavy downpours, and increased flooding which damage or destroy our agriculture; plant and animal species will become extinct; and allergies, asthma, and infectious disease outbreaks will become more common due to increased growth of pollen-producing ragweed, higher levels of air pollution, and the spread of conditions favorable to pathogens and mosquitoes.

I think local governments have a great deal to contribute to the fight against climate change.

As city councilor I will continue and support the work to PLANT MORE TREES! Continue and support the work of the Hickman Creek Conservancy to improve and sustain water quality. answers continued on next page

8 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

Urban County Council District 3 ANSWERS CONTINUED: climate change …

Advocate for an optimized and expanded public transportation system.

Continue and advocate for recycling and composting.

Advocate for reducing/eliminating the use of single use plastics.

Support and advocate for cyclist with bike protected intersections, i.e., corner refuge islands; protected curb extensions for bicycles; forward stop bars;

QUESTION:

setback bike crossing; a buffer zone between bikes and car traffic and bike-friendly signal phasing; special lights to indicate when bikes should cross; and raised bike lanes.

Promote, preserve and protect our farms.

Finally, work to find a way to … answer exceeds word limit

How would you include constituents in your district and across Lexington in the development of the annual budget? What area(s) of the budget would you prioritize funding? What revenue increases would you propose to meet our city’s future budget needs?

Hannah LeGris: Budget development is an important part of the council’s responsibilities, though community participation is very low. As a councilmember I will propose a more intensive outreach effort to attract input from people who have not historically been included in the budget process. It is important to generate dialogue across community groups and through a wide range of channels.

LFUCG can partner, accordingly, with civic groups to create additional citizen budget workshops While tax credits and incentives can be useful for attracting certain economic interests, I believe some of the best ways to develop the city’s revenue base are by developing the city. Broadband internet, public parks and greenspace, livable neighborhoods, and thoughtful development all contribute to quality of life within a city and attract a variety of people. We can reduce brain-drain and increase entrepreneurship with a range of people-centric incentives, which would be the focus of my budgetary priorities. However in order to bridge spending gaps and avoid shortfalls, additional taxation might be needed to generate revenue. By working in conjunction with a long-term commercial plan, Lexington can minimize the possibility of disruption and provide a good quality of life while protecting its future budgetary requirements.

Jessica Mohler: It should be noted that the Lexington city budget is developed by the Mayor and her budget department, and then set by the Council. I believe the more unified we are, the more resilient and vibrant Lexington will be. I support creating a model for citizen participatory budgeting from outside organizations, not just partner agencies.

Our nonprofits and community organizations serve communities that are often left behind in the budget. Having their direct input on the needs and services most requested from their communities will help better identify and fill the holes in government services.

Councilmembers also have discretionary money allotted to them each year for projects specifically in their district. As your councilmember, I will host neighborhood meetings and roundtable discussions at various locations and times to listen to your needs. I will meet my constituents at their table so I have a

clear understanding of how I can best advocate for a fair and equitable budget for the people in the 3rd District. Together, we will flourish.

Charles D Smith: Lexington needs to do something to broaden its stream of revenue so it is not so dependent on payroll taxes.Additional revenue could be used to solve a host of problems, environmental and otherwise. I would propose that the LFUCG create a citizens fee that would be paid by each resident of Fayette county over the age of 18. I think something in the $5 to $10 per month range with a sunset provision that would end it in 5 years. Revenue raised (based on Fayette County’s population) would be in the $15 to $40 million range. These additional funds should be split equally among the 12 council districts, where the people in the each district could decide to fund one or two projects per year.

Christine Stanley: I support the implementation of participatory budgeting in Fayette County. I believe that ordinary citizens can and should contribute directly to formulating the spending priorities of the Urban County Government.

We can look to cities in other countries, namely Brazil, for compelling evidence that participatory budgeting results in more equitable public spending, increased transparency and accountability, increased levels of civic engagement among all citizens—but especially by marginalized and poor communities, and a greater level of civic knowledge across the board. Implementing participatory budgeting across Fayette County would require some work on the part of the Council, but I believe its long-term impact would be extremely positive.

I believe priority should be given to vital government services, including education, housing (particularly the Lexington Affordable Housing Trust), and mitigating the harm done by market forces, such as gentrification.

To meet our city’s future budget need I would propose to revise pricing models. For example, fines for speeding are broadly linked to the income of violators and how far over the speed limit they were traveling when caught. This approach has the potential to not only fairly penalize offenders and reduce instances of speeding but also to generate more revenue.

I would … answer exceeds word limit

Get involved with KFTC to help turn out the vote in June and November, and to continue working year round to improve life for everyone in central Kentucky.

Join our Central Kentucky chapter www.facebook.com/CKYKFTC Instagram: centralkentuckykftc Meredith@kftc.org • (859) 380-6103

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 9

Urban County Council District 3 QUESTION:

Important meetings in the local government are often held during hours when many working folks are at work or unavailable. What specific initiatives would you enact to make local government more accessible to those who may not have the time or resources to participate?

Hannah LeGris: Lexington already holds open meetings for city council but few constituents attend; part of the issue is the lack of civic education and the isolation of city hall from other aspects of public life. Increased civic engagement is key to my campaign and to the practices I will promote as a city council member, especially in regard to transparency and accessibility.

LFUCG could develop more robust partnerships with CivicLex and other organizations to increase familiarity and access to the processes of governance.

Rather than simply providing more public education, city government could actively encourage involvement through a citizen-participation program. Given the possibility of more accessibility for young constituents, diverse perspectives, renters, students, the city government could encourage these organizations and establish a stronger relationship with related civic groups.

Publishing minutes and other public information on the LFUCG website is another positive way to increase the availability of information for interested residents. The website for the LFUCG could also be updated to improve navigation and include more translated materials. Finally, the government could consider resident participation when reviewing its own internal processes. For example, council members could host ‘open houses’ several times throughout the year after 5pm to engage more citizens.

Jessica Mohler: I know firsthand how work and family obligations make it difficult for everyday people to have an active role with civic engagement. The government and how it functions should be easy to understand and access, but we all know that’s not the case. I work full-time during the day and have two young children whom my husband and I want to spend our free time with. It is hard to make it to Council sessions and even more difficult to attend committee sessions.

I have found CivicLex to be a great resource. This organization stays current on relevant city issues and provides a host of resources, including free budget workshops. I would make it a priority to identify and fund organizations like this which prioritize transparency over closed-door politics and hold councilmembers accountable.

Along the same lines as accountability, I would commit to creating an in-

QUESTION:

dispensable monthly Council report. This e-newsletter will provide constituents a meaningful recap of what the Council has been doing, a collection of archived video links of Council and committee sessions, and a schedule of upcoming meeting times. I would follow with reviews of the report at neighborhood association meetings.

Most importantly, I will always make myself available. As your councilmember, I work for you and I will never forget that.

Charles D Smith: One of the main reasons I decided to run was because of the frustration I had felt when attending zone change hearings, where the neighborhoods are at a tremendous disadvantage.

I am proposing the government lease or allow space to be used for a Neighborhood Resource Center. Two or three government employees could work at the center, which should have ample parking and space inside for mid-size meetings.

Ideally the center would be open some evenings and citizens could get copies of documents necessary at cost. They would be able to hold meetings with developers there or meet with other government officials or council members. The center would be equipped with the technology to make presentations.

The resource center could also house the Fayette County Neighborhood Council which could continue to offer training classes for neighborhood associations in a central location.

Easy parking, some evening hours, and the ability to access documents concerning neighborhood changes would increase the transparency of government.

Christine Stanley: I would support moving meetings to times that are less likely to conflict with work schedules, increasing the use of internet streaming and supporting the ability of citizens to submit written questions or comments online during meetings, perhaps via social media. The internet offers a myriad of ways to increase citizens’ access to their government and access to the internet on our public transportation system would also be beneficial to capture the time to and from work.

Transgender students are more vulnerable to bullying than their cisgender peers. (Cisgender is a term for people whose gender identity matches the sex that they were assigned at birth.) What protections or policies would you propose or support to protect trans youth in Lexington from bullying and discrimination?

Hannah LeGris: We are fortunate to live in an accepting community for people of all backgrounds and orientations. One way to protect the rights of trans and queer people, however, is to ban conversion therapy with an ordinance and to work with state legislators to implement similar protections at the state level. In addition, the city should work with the school board to promote anti-discrimination and anti-bullying policies specifically for queer and trans-identifying individuals. An additional part of the solution would be to ensure that a wide

range of constituents are included at the table, and that coalitions are formed that give more space and voice to LGBTQ+ citizens in the system of governance.

LGBTQ+ issues are central to my platform and I am invested in getting Lexington’s Municipality Index Score up to 100, which means both maintaining and increasing services and protections for LGBTQ+ individuals across our community. answers continued on next page

10 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

Urban County Council District 3 ANSWERS CONTINUED: protecting trans youth …

Jessica Mohler: Every student deserves a safe environment to learn. As your councilmember, I would continue the LGBTQ police liaison task force, and investigate all reports of bullying and hate crimes against trans youth and follow-up on recommendations. I would report such incidents as hate crimes to the FBI and provide a liaison to the Board of Education Equity Office and Equity Council Committee ensuring all policies pertaining to trans youth are fully implemented.

While councilmembers have no direct authority over school policy, we can provide leadership to engage schools in conversation that brings visibility and understanding to issues transgender students face. Most Fayette County Public Schools have a Climate Committee that addresses bullying and other social issues. I would support an annual forum for Climate Committee members, transgender students, their families, and other allies.

Organizations like GLSEN, Lambda Legal, and the National Center for Transgender Equality offer educational materials that can guide our efforts.

GLSEN’s Safe Space program is an example of something that, with the support of a single Climate Committee member in each school, could make a meaningful difference for transgender students. I believe increased opportunities for LGBTQ representation within our city’s leadership structure is an important step.

Charles D Smith: The Lexington Fairness Ordinance was passed almost 20 years ago. I continue to believe that Lexington is at the forefront of making sure everyone’s rights are protected. I personally have always had a live and let live attitude

QUESTION:

and try to give everyone equal respect.

As a council member I would have to develop a clearer understanding of what kind of action the Urban County Council could take to help with bullying or discrimination.

Christine Stanley: I support strengthening and enforcing the current Fairness Ordinance. Currently, the Ordinance does not explicitly protect transgender individuals; I would support amending it in order to include transgender people.

To address the epidemic of transgender violence: I would propose LGBTQ liaisons in the police department to ensure that the police are more accountable to the LGBTQ community and more aware of the ways in which the LGBTQ community’s concerns about interactions with the police are unique (pronouns and & legal name use). A liaison can be called and provide context about the social conditions that make transgender people particularly subject to discrimination and violence.

Other policy recommendations address anti-transgender discrimination to alleviate the discriminatory pressures that can push transgender women, particularly of color, toward situations like survival sex work which put them at extreme risk of violence. These recommendations include passing non-discrimination laws, ensuring health care coverage includes gender-affirming care, focusing on transgender-specific employment placement and training programs, and working with school boards to educate them about the importance of LGBTQ inclusive anti-bullying policies.

What is your plan for ensuring that long term residents are not displaced from neighborhoods that are undergoing redevelopment? What is your position on Tenants’ Rights ordinances that seek to protect renters from unjust evictions? Please explain.

Hannah LeGris: Development is not a universally positive process. Neighborhoods are the fundamental unit of community -- and redevelopment can be destabilizing and disruptive. I support using assets-based models when creating redevelopment plans to recognize and celebrate the character and diversity of neighborhoods. I will bring residents into the conversation and make space to promote development without displacement. Proper execution of this vision involves public agencies, business owners, tenants, landlords, and homeowners, alike, and generating neighborhood plans that place positive human relationships, and not just economic interests, at the forefront.

It is critical the city creates and funds options for low-income housing within the master housing plan. Home ownership is important for developing household wealth; the city should set-up a commission to encourage home ownership as part of the Comprehensive Plan. But many Lexington residents will continue to rent, and it is also important to protect their interests. I strongly support tenant rights and cooperative housing. Space is at a premium in the city; we need to promote engaged development while disincentivizing irresponsible, unjust ownership. Vacancy taxation and additional scrutinization over the eviction process are possibilities, as are investment in a wide range of housing types and infrastructure to address larger housing issues.

Jessica Mohler: Like many of you, I’ve seen my neighborhood go through immense change in the last decade. I have struggled and celebrated with our great city simultaneously.

I’ve attended meetings of the Task Force on Neighborhoods in Transition and believe it’s possible to create communities where our current residents feel protected and our new neighbors feel welcome. I want positive development that works with the neighborhood’s vision, not displacement. We should value our long-term residents by exploring options such as freezing property taxes in certain situations and other initiatives.

The use of code enforcement to bully our residents, especially our older neighbors, is unacceptable. Who can file a code enforcement violation and when an enforcer is allowed to enter someone’s home should be regulated. People shouldn’t be cited for not having a fresh coat of paint on their house while a landlord gets away with not providing heat to their tenant. I would prioritize ordinances that put safety over aesthetics. I support strengthening more comprehensive tenants’ rights. Tenants and homeowners, alike, need to have clearly written rights, so both their property and their livelihoods are safeguarded.

Choose me in May and I promise to offer meaningful discussion and thoughtful analysis. answers continued on next page

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 11

Urban County Council District 3 ANSWERS CONTINUED: tenant rights and displacement …

Charles D Smith: The continued gentrification of many neighborhoods creates economic problems for tenants living in those areas, many who have lived there for several years. There is nothing I know of in the Tenant’s Rights ordinances that gives anyone protection if a landlord gives proper notice of increased rent.

I know several council members have raised the alarm on this and I am very open to try and find solutions to help people stay in place.

Christine Stanley: I support the strengthening of the Lexington Affordable Housing Trust. A key part of housing policy in Lexington must include further measures to combat gentrification and to mitigate or eliminate its tendency to displace longtime residents. This will ultimately be accomplished by the construction of more affordable housing stock.

I strongly support the expansion of tenants’ rights and the energetic enforcement of existing laws designed to protect tenants.

Additionally I would edit the criteria upon which landlords can screen tenants when they are seeking a rental unit, and would place limits on the amount that can be charged for a security deposit at the beginning of a tenancy.

Both of these proposals will improve fair access to rental housing throughout our community. People of color and low-income renters are disproportionately impacted by aggressive screening criteria that restrict access to housing based on a wide range of arbitrary measures like criminal background, and credit scores.

Expensive security deposits–sometimes triple a month’s worth of rent–contribute to our current affordable housing crisis, pricing low-income neighbors out of the city.

Urban County Council District 9 Four candidates are running for the District 9 Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council seat, held currently by Jennifer Mossotti who is not seeking re-election. The top two voter getters in the nonpartisan race will run against each other in November.

Willy Fogle

Jacob Glancy

Colby Khoshreza

www.WillyFogle.com

www.glancyfor9th.com

www.colbykforcouncil.com

www.facebook.com/ FogleforCouncil

www.facebook.com/ Glancyfor9th

www.facebook.com/ ColbyKforCouncil

QUESTION:

Willy Fogle, Colby Khoshreza and Jacob Glancy completed the KFTC candidate survey and their responses follow. Whitney Elliot Baxter also is on the ballot.

What do you think are some of the most pressing issues facing Lexington in 2020? What is your vision for Lexington, and how will the lives of Lexingtonians be improved as a result of your time in office?

Willy Fogle: Lexington’s revenues are forecast to increase at a rate lower than future expenses. So it will be crucial to effectively and efficiently manage how taxpayer dollars are spent. There will most likely have to be cuts small and large and it will be necessary to find new revenue streams to make the City’s balanced budget work. The budget must be balanced by law. I know the budget inside and out with my 19 years of reviewing the City budget in every aspect as a former Lexington Councilmember, former aide to the Mayor, and as a Council Aide.

My experience is invaluable and will ensure that I hit the ground running on day one. I will not require the extensive learning curve that inexperienced candidates have on how the City budget works. It is an intricate process involving hundreds of millions of dollars. With strong commonsense leadership in place, I envision

a thriving Lexington where people want to live, work and play--and other cities want to emulate. Where ALL people have the equal opportunity to prosper and want to call our community “home.” We need to preserve what makes us special and expand our reach in hi-tech and Agricultural businesses that provide good paying jobs.

Jacob Glancy: Growth and infrastructure. We need to come up with and maintain a plan to responsibly grow Lexington without losing the beauty and charm of the area. answers continued on next page

12 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

Urban County Council District 9 ANSWERS CONTINUED: Vision and issues …

Colby Khoshreza: There are many important issues facing Lexington. At the top of the list is the safety of our citizens. The number one job of local government should be to keep its citizens safe. This requires that we continue to adequately fund police and fire services as well as ensure that we have an appropriate number of first responders to address the needs of our citizens throughout the county .

Preservation and growth are also ongoing issues of significance. As Lexington grows, we must be strategic about using the existing space inside the urban

QUESTION:

boundary so as to protect our farmland. At the same time, it is important that we identify and protect dedicated green space in our local neighborhoods. I will be a councilmember who advocates for effective policy for our entire city while remaining a strong champion for the residents in my district.

Whitney Elliot Baxter: Did not respond.

In 2015, nearly eight hundred students in Fayette County Public Schools were homeless. There is also a severe shortage of affordable housing for people in our community that make minimum wage, even when they are working full time. What will you do to address the problems of homelessness and the lack of affordable housing in our community?

Willy Fogle: I currently work with several organizations that serve our homeless population such as the Hope Center, Nathaniel Mission, Rescue Mission, Lighthouse Ministries and Catholic Action Center. I would fully support the ongoing efforts of the City’s Office of Homeless Intervention and Affordable Housing to ensure that they have the funding and tools needed to effectively meet the needs of this segment of our community. I will also focus on how we can encourage the private sector to build more affordable housing. We are all in this together and there is certainly more that can be done on this front. Lexington must partner with Fayette County Public Schools to properly address this important issue. I welcome the partnership opportunity.

Colby Khoshreza: Lexington has and continues to make strides in terms of affordable housing and decreasing homelessness. As a result, we saw a 12.5% year-over-year decrease in the number of homeless residents in Lexington from 2019 to 2020 (LexCount). I will commit to supporting the Office of Homeless Intervention and Prevention and continued funding for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. I will be involved in the the strategic planning process on homelessness and housing and encourage community and non-profit leaders to get involved as well. Long term we must set forth plans for preventing homelessness, rapid rehousing and permanent housing, affordable housing, creative funding for affordable housing, and accessibility of substance and mental health services.

Jacob Glancy: Housing costs are outrageous in Lexington. Affordable housing needs to be at the center of our plan for growth of the city.

Whitney Elliot Baxter: Did not respond.

QUESTION:

What is the role of the Lexington Urban County Council in opposing white supremacy, addressing racial inequality and supporting racial justice for Black people, Indigenous people, Latinx people, immigrants, those who are undocumented, and all people of color in our city?

Please identify at least two policy initiatives you would propose while in office to address racial and systemic inequalities.

Willy Fogle: Discrimination on any level is unacceptable. The Council must work with the administration to ensure that the proper policies and procedures are in place to address hate and discrimination. Lexington is a very welcoming community and we must work hard every day to ensure it remains so. I fully support the efforts of Lexington’s Human Rights Commission to address discrimination and will work with my Council colleagues to ensure the Council is properly addressing such community concerns. All voices deserve the right to be heard and fairly represented by elected officials.

Jacob Glancy: Inequality and racism will not be tolerated in any form if I am elected. I’m my opinion, policy only goes so far, we must lead by example and hold each other accountable.

coming and inclusive city for all people who wish to visit or call Lexington home.

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government should take a leadership role in supporting fairness and equal treatment for all citizens regardless of race, ethniticy, or national origin. One major area of interest is recruitment and training of diverse candidates to serve on city boards and commissions. Many boards and commissions are currently lacking in members who reflect the diverse demograph which represents Fayette County. I am a gradaute of United Way’s Get On Board program which was designed to train diverse candidates to serve on non-profit boards. Working with the administration and fellow council members to engage and recruit diverse and minority community members for boards and commissions is crucial to effective governing. When diverse citizens have a seat at the table to make policy our city will be stronger.

Colby Khoshreza: I will support policies that continue to make Lexington a wel-

Whitney Elliot Baxter: Did not respond.

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 13

Urban County Council District 9 QUESTION:

In recent years, elected leaders in the Kentucky legislature have been pushing for more proactive cooperation with federal immigration agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. What is the role of local city councilors in this conversation about protecting undocumented immigrants in Kentucky?

Willy Fogle: As a former City Councilmember, experience has taught me that it is important to review these cases on a individual basis. Each situation is unique and requires in-dept consideration. No matter the individual circumstances however, all people should be treated with respect and not be discriminated against and afforded the opportunity to due process. Due process balances the power of the laws of the land while protecting the individual from it. Ongoing conversation is crucial towards ensuring the City Council is best serving and balancing the current and future needs of the community.

QUESTION:

Jacob Glancy: I believe laws should be followed but must be done so in a humane way.

Colby Khoshreza: No local law enforcement officials or local tax dollars should be used for ICE investigations or deportations. If ICE wishes to conduct federal immigration initiatives in Lexington, it should be with their own agents and at their own expense.

Whitney Elliot Baxter: Did not respond.

The science on climate change is more robust than ever, and many agree that we are in a critical moment for the future of our planet. What has you concerned about climate change? What will you do as a city councilor to minimize Lexington’s carbon footprint?

Willy Fogle: I fully support enhancing Lexington’s long-term sustainability and resilience in response to environmental resource and energy challenges. I will work to ensure our sustainability goals, priorities for implementation, and implementing programs are where they should be. I agree that the youth of today will inherit the world of tomorrow and we must educate, empower, and inspire our youth on this front. We need more efforts such as Lexington’s Green Check program--a certification program that recognizes businesses for their green initiatives and helps them expand their sustainability efforts. Bluegrass GreenSource is another excellent effort and resource that I applaud for their work in ensuring we continue to press forward to minimize Lexington’s carbon footprint. Buildings, energy systems, transportation, water infrastructure, and waste prevention and management must all be reviewed and revamped as applicable.

Jacob Glancy: I would find ways to minimize traffic.

Colby Khoshreza: Climate change is highly concerning and is an immediate issue for our country. As a city, we must continue to do our part. We can play a role in combating climate change by promoting and encouraging more robust recycling programs, expanding and enhancing our mass transit services, and improving our general climate education in our city. We can also work to make city owned buildings more energy efficient and form partnerships with our utility companies to promote smart meters in homes throughout Fayette County.

Whitney Elliot Baxter: Did not respond.

Urban County Council District Races District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6

Incumbent James Brown is unopposed Incumbent Josh McCurn is unopposed Four candidates are running to replace the late Jake Gibbs, who had not filed for re-election.

Incumbent Susan Lamb is unopposed No primary; in November incumbent Bill Farmer Jr. will face Liz Sheehan No primary; in November incumbent Angela Evans will face David Kloiber

District 7 District 8

Incumbent Preston Worley is unopposed No primary; in November incumbent Fred Brown will face Christian Motley District 9 Four candidates are running to replace Jennifer Mossotti, who is not seeking re-election District 10 Incumbent Amanda Mays Bledsoe is unopposed District 11 Incumbent Jennifer Reynolds is unopposed District 12 Incumbent Kathy Plomin is unopposed

14 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

Urban County Council District 9 QUESTION:

How would you include constituents in your district and across Lexington in the development of the annual budget? What area(s) of the budget would you prioritize funding? What revenue increases would you propose to meet our city’s future budget needs?

Willy Fogle: Open communications with constituents is essential. Keeping citizens informed via newsletter and neighborhood meetings and such is paramount.

I would encourage citizens to attend or watch Council budget discussions. Sadly, very few people do. Public safety, basic and social services would be my priority.

Lexington is facing a mounting pension liability and we must proceed cautiously.

Every budget dollar is precious. I will fight to make sure that operations that have dedicated taxes that are not general fund dollars are used first in those areas; like solid waste and sewer. If we do that effectively, we will have more General Fund dollars to use elsewhere as needed. Budget prioritization experience is what I can offer as the next 9th District Councilmember and thus be very effective down at City Hall in ensuring our citizens and neighborhoods are receiving the essential, commonsense representation they deserve.

Jacob Glancy: I would have a constant and open conversation with those that I represent. I would focus on how to streamline government spending along with

QUESTION:

helping small local businesses grow which would increase the city’s revenue.

Colby Khoshreza: Public safety is funding priority number one, always. Other essential services (roads, sewers, traffic systems) must also be given top consideration. I plan to host quarterly district wide meetings where I can gain feedback and engage in frequent communication with my constituents. I will also host frequent social events at local coffee shops and businesses to stay connected with the residents in my district. I generally do not support revenue increases. It is important that we look at how to be more efficient with our revenue and resources before asking working families to pay more in tax dollars. I will always keep an open mind, listen proactively, consider all feedback offered by my constituents, and be the voice for their suggestions and concerns as the Council plans and administers the budget.

Whitney Elliot Baxter: Did not respond.

Important meetings in the local government are often held during hours when many working folks are at work or unavailable. What specific initiatives would you enact to make local government more accessible to those who may not have the time or resources to participate?

Willy Fogle: Local government has never been more accessible but all too often, citizens are unaware of how to take advantage of the various avenues for communicating their views. We must do more to educate the community at large of the numerous ways to participate in the process. As a Lexington Councilmember and later a Council Aide, it was my experience that unless the issue is extremely controversial, the public rarely takes the time to weigh in. All things considered, there’s a certain degree of understandable apathy in our current culture but the old adage is true, “All politics is local.” That said, I am certainly open-minded to new considerations. Simply because our Council Work Sessions and regular monthly Council meetings are always held on Tuesdays and Thursdays doesn’t mean the schedule shouldn’t be adjusted going forward. I invite and solicit public feedback always.

even if they are not able to attend the meetings. That is the job of an elected official.

Jacob Glancy: I would be their voice, I would express their concerns for them

Whitney Elliot Baxter: Did not respond.

Hey, You Misspelled That!

Colby Khoshreza: I plan to host quarterly district wide meetings where I can gain feedback and engage in communication with my constituents. I will also host frequent social events at local coffee shops and businesses to stay connected with the residents in my district. I will stay connected via social media, produce a monthly newsletter for distribution to district residents, and promote LexTV (on TV and online) for those who wish to watch and stay updated on government meetings from the comfort of their homes. Social media is one of the greatest and easiest ways to stay in touch. I am very accessible - in person, via phone, email, or social media. I promise to always contact my constituents back in timely fashion.

We print responses from candidates exactly as we receive them. If there’s bad grammar or misspelled words, it’s because that’s how the candidate submitted it.

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 15

Urban County Council District 9 QUESTION:

Transgender students are more vulnerable to bullying than their cisgender peers. (Cisgender is a term for people whose gender identity matches the sex that they were assigned at birth.) What protections or policies would you propose or support to protect trans youth in Lexington from bullying and discrimination?

Willy Fogle: Discrimination for any reason, on any level, is patently unacceptable. Bullying is equally as reprehensible. I support the full enforcement of the Fairness Ordinance. It’s the law. I supported its creation while serving on the Council previously and am proud that Lexington was out in front on this issue. I want my soon-to-be-born first grandchild to grow up in a community where all people are free from hate, fear, discrimination, and bullying.

Jacob Glancy: Once again, I believe we would have to lead by example and spread a culture of common human decency that has been lost lately.

Colby Khoshreza: It is important that all people feel loved, welcomed, and accepted. I will always support LGBTQ offices and services within our schools.

QUESTION:

These offices offer resources, counseling, and support services to students struggling with bullying or acceptance. I have many trans friends and I know that they want and expect the same rights and value being treated with the same dignity as their CIS counterparts. It is important to make sure that trans students feel comfortable and safe in communicating with their teachers and other school personnel preferred pronouns/preferred names from day one. Making gender-neutral or non-designated restrooms available at each school is also an important step to making sure trans students feel comfortable in their school environment. It is important to have open communication with our schools, colleges, and universities as we work to make Lexington a more welcoming and comfortable place for all.

Whitney Elliot Baxter: Did not respond.

What is your plan for ensuring that long term residents are not displaced from neighborhoods that are undergoing redevelopment? What is your position on Tenants’ Rights ordinances that seek to protect renters from unjust evictions? Please explain.

Willy Fogle: I applaud and support the efforts and fact-finding mission of the City’s Task Force on Neighborhoods in Transition. Councilmember James Brown is doing an extremely commendable job on leading the effort. The data that is determined through that task force will be a welcome guide on how we as a community must address this concern. Clearly, spiking rents and displacement are unacceptable and unjust evictions must be stopped. Ongoing investment in our neighborhoods is healthy and welcome but we must ensure that occurs through smart planning.

Colby Khoshreza: All landlords should be required to follow Kentucky law regarding eviction proceedings. I would be open to supporting ordinances that protect renters from unjust evictions. Maintaining a supply of affordable housing - especially as neighborhoods undergo redevelopment - is important to ensure residents are not displaced. We must continue planning and investing in affordable housing and promote/approve small and mid-size mixed-income developments throughout the city and especially in neighborhoods where there is risk for displacement.

Jacob Glancy: I think that problem would correct it self if we have a common sense growth plan for the city that focused on affordable housing.

Whitney Elliot Baxter: Did not respond.

16 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

Kentucky House of Representatives .

All or part of 10 seats in the Kentucky House of Representatives include Fayette County. All seats in the Kentucky House are up for re-election every two years. Two Fayette County districts have Democratic primaries in 2020 – the 45th and the 56th.

45nd House District: there is a Democratic primary with three candidates, with the winner running in November for the seat currently held by Republican Stan Lee, who is not seeking re-election.

Fayette

56th House District: there is a Democratic primary with the winner running in November to replace Democrat Joe Graviss, who is running instead for the state senate.

Kentucky House District 45 – Democratic primary

Fayette County

Shirley Flynn Mitchell, Corey M. Nichols and Sean Mike Pickard are seeking the Democratic nomination for the District 45 Kentucky House seat in the June 23 primary.

The winner will face Republican Killian Timoney, who has no primary opposition, in November.

Shirley Flynn Mitchell

Corey M. Nichols

www.shirleyforkentucky.com

www.facebook.com/ Corey-Nichols-for-HouseDistrict-45-105905364274632

www.facebook.com/ ShirleyForKentucky twitter.com/ ShirleyForKYRep

twitter.com/ CoreyForKY

Sean Mike Pickard Did not respond

Mitchell and Nichols responded to the KFTC survey.

Their answers begin on the next page.

The seat is entirely in Fayette County. Republican incumbent Stan Lee is not running for re-election.

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 17

Kentucky House District 45 – Democratic primary QUESTION:

What’s your vision for Kentucky? How will the lives of Kentuckians be improved as a result of your time in office?

Shirley Flynn Mitchell: My vision is based on a 4 E’s platform, Education + Economic Growth + Earth + Everyone. The first step in my vision starts with connecting the full pipeline from preschool to K-12 to universities, then investing in our most valuable resource—our talented people—to ensure we grow our economy in smart, sustainable ways while protecting our earth so we build a Kentucky that works for everyone.

We must invest in public education, children, and teachers to ensure our workforce is competitive and prepared for the jobs of the future. Our universities should be viewed as our economic engine.

All my life, I’ve lived in the 45th District of Kentucky, except when I was serving my country as a civil engineer officer in the U.S. Navy. My parents

QUESTION:

worked two jobs each to support our family. They instilled in me a hard work ethic, patriotism, and a belief that I can achieve anything.

I’ve served on a board to fight human trafficking and volunteered in schools and churches to build stronger communities. I’ve blazed trails where few have dared to go. I’ve succeeded because I know how to design a vision, lead large initiatives, and bring diverse teams together to accomplish common goals.

Corey M. Nichols: My vision is one that enriches our communities by supporting our public schools, expanding our workforce and creating new sectors of revenue (like sports betting and medicinal/recreational marijuana), and enabling affordable access to good healthcare.

Even after Governor Beshear’s December 2019 executive order, over 170,000 Kentuckians with felonies in their past are still ineligible to vote. Do you support a constitutional amendment to automatically restore voting rights to all Kentuckians with felonies in their past once they’ve served their time, probation, and parole? Please explain.

Shirley Flynn Mitchell: A Kentuckians right to vote should not be contingent on who is currently occupying the Governor’s office, which is why we need a constitutional amendment to codify voting rights for ex-felons who have paid their debt to society. Kentucky was 1 of only 2 states that banned ex-felons from voting for life. The second state is pushing to eliminate this ban, too.

This ban disportionately affected black voters because of the percentage impact to the total black voting population. Studies have shown that when ex-felons vote, they feel like they are part of the community and statistically, they are less likely to commit another crime.

I believe Governor Beshear’s Dec 2019 executive order is a step in the right

QUESTION:

Fayette County

direction so Kentuckians who have served their time, probation, and parole and did not commit violent crimes have hope. We need to explore the next step to lift the ban for those who are on probation. We need to send a clear message that we believe our fellow Kentuckians are deserving of a second chance and give them hope for a better way of life starting with civic engagement.

Corey M. Nichols: Absolutely. As a criminal defense attorney, re-enfranchising our citizens will be a high priority. Those that have paid their debt to society, whatever that may be, should be restored the most important civil right they have: a voice in our government.

What is your view on modernizing state election laws? Specifically, do you support allowing early voting, mail-in ballots, same-day voter registration, extended hours at polling locations, offering ballots in multiple languages, and other election reforms? Do you support legislation requiring that Kentucky voters present a photo ID on election day even though many Kentuckians do not have that kind of ID? Why or why not?

Shirley Flynn Mitchell: From my middle school civics class, I learned and still believe two key principles: 1) voting is both a right and a responsibility, and 2) democracy works when everyone has a voice. In order to address the numerous changes that have occurred over time - including different workday hours, more sophisticated methods to collecting votes, and more non-English speaking citizens - we need to modernize the state election laws to match our citizens and make it more accessible so everyone who is eligible can vote.

This includes early voting, mail-in ballots, same-day voter registration, extended hours, and multiple language ballots. I think mandating photo IDs on election day creates new problems that silences voices without solving the real problem of preventing any potential voter fraud. We must remove the barriers that make it difficult for people to vote in order to improve voter turnout.

Our right to vote was hard-won, and we should continue to find ways to make sure every eligible voter has access and is equipped with correct and impartial information on the candidates.

Corey M. Nichols: Any measure that gives Kentuckians a reliable and secure way to vote as easily as possible is worthwhile. I support extended access to polls by allowing early voting, mail-in ballots, and even making Election Day a state holiday. Our voice is the most important thing we have: we should not have to bend over backwards to speak up. I would oppose a mandatory photo-ID law. I can understand that we want secure elections, but the type of voter fraud that would prevent simply does not happen in any significant way in Kentucky. That burden would be unduly hard on our minority and immigrant population, as well.

18 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

Kentucky House District 45 – Democratic primary QUESTION:

Kentucky has a tax code that does not raise enough revenue to meet the Commonwealth’s budgetary needs – a problem that was made worse by the legislature’s tax shift of 2018. After years of budget cuts, the funding for pensions, public education, infrastructure, and other essential programs have reached dangerous levels of disinvestment. How would you work to create a more equitable state tax structure – where everyone pays their fair share – that raises adequate revenue, fights poverty, and invests in Kentucky’s under-resourced communities and the services we all need?

Shirley Flynn Mitchell: I was disheartened that a state that is cutting funding for pensions, education, and other basic programs would also change the tax code in favor of the highest income earners. Since income tax is our highest revenue source, we need to develop a better solution for a more equitable tax structure, and make sure we do not put more of the burden on low and middle-income families.

If elected, I would support tax changes that do not place a disproportionate burden on the middle and lower classes. The biggest indicator of any healthy economy is the strength of the middle class, so I believe it is economically counterproductive to place the very highest income tax burden on the middle 20% of Kentuckians. Furthermore, studies consistently find that services that help the

QUESTION:

economically disadvantaged, such as Medicaid and food stamps, generate more in economic activity than what is initially spent on them.

Let’s face it. We have a revenue problem. We need to change our mindset from short-sighted ideas to building a true, long-lasting strategy for economic growth which means focusing on the industries that are our strengths and making a concerted effort to be a leader in the emerging industries.

Corey M. Nichols: A more modernized and progressive marginal tax bracket would allow everyone to contribute equitably to our public projects. We also need to infuse our budget with additional revenue, by creating and taxing new sectors like sports betting and recreational marijuana.

Many Kentucky’s local governments have a policy that people will not be questioned about immigration status by local authorities, and that local police will only assist federal agents in enforcing immigration laws when there is a warrant signed by a judge or a risk of violence. What is your view of these types of policies and what would you do to expand support and resources toward our immigrant population, undocumented or otherwise?

Shirley Flynn Mitchell: I think it is the right move forward that local governments have made a policy that people will not be asked immigration status by local authorities unless there is a risk of violence. The police are there to address the issue at hand to keep our communities as safe as possible. Many times, undocumented immigrants are too scared to report a crime when they have been victimized. Those that have hurt them know of their fear and they use it to their advantage, since they think they will not get caught. Law enforcement is there to protect everyone - citizen, green card holder, or undocumented immigrant - and not to enforce the role of ICE Agents on a daily basis.

I believe we need this clarity between law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be state-wide. As a board member to a non-profit aim-

QUESTION:

Fayette County

ing to fight human trafficking and protect those who cannot protect themselves, I stand for enabling Kentucky’s members of law enforcement to be seen as people who victims can put their trust in to protect them.

Corey M. Nichols: I’m proud to live in Lexington, where all are welcome. I would support keeping those policies in place -- it’s not our job to enforce those federal laws, and we shouldn’t spend our taxpayer money to do it. I would look for every opportunity to allocate/expand resources to support organizations like Kentucky Refugee Ministries, who provide valuable help to our most vulnerable populations.

Is acting to address the climate crisis a priority for you? What policies do you support to ensure that solutions – such as clean energy jobs and reducing high energy bills – benefit all Kentuckians, including low-income communities, communities of color, and those who are most impacted by the changing climate? And what policies would you support to ensure that all Kentuckians have clean air and water, no matter the color of our skin, income, or zip code?

Shirley Flynn Mitchell: Absolutely! Protecting our earth is a top priority for me.

My master’s thesis at UK was funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, and I’ve worked on sustainability initiatives throughout my career.

I’ve already engaged with some of our top thought leaders on sustainable energy & forestry, clean water & air, and discussed with them how to propel answers continued on next page

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 19

Kentucky House District 45 – Democratic primary

Fayette County

ANSWERS CONTINUED: Climate crisis …

Kentucky forward as a leader in the new economy, which is green and high-tech.

I would build upon HB213 that didn’t make it out of committee in 2019.

This establishes renewable portfolio standard (RPS) targets with clean energy goals for the upcoming years. I support HB126 Affordable Utility Rates, enabling solar rooftops, boosting the solar energy industry, and incentivizing carbon sequestration in farming.

ALL Kentuckians should have clean air and water no matter the color of their skin, income, or zip code. Every child’s health matters. This means we need to engage with federal initiatives like EPA’s Clean Power Plan, where state’s are designing their progression towards targets where carbon pollution is reduced by 32% nationally.

The power of human imagination is on the verge of major breakthroughs to

QUESTION:

Corey M. Nichols: Absolutely a priority -- I have two kids who are going to have to live on this planet hopefully long after I’m gone. It’s irresponsible to not address climate change with every option available to us. Specifically, I would focus on making more effective and efficient public transportation -- starting in our urban centers and moving outward. There’s a bus stop in Lexington on New Circle Rd. that’s on the shoulder, in a ditch, with no cover and no protection from nearby traffic. We can do better to have a safe, affordable, and effective public transportation system that helps minimize our carbon footprint.

What is the role of the Kentucky legislature in opposing white supremacy, addressing racial inequality and supporting racial justice for Black people, Indigenous people, Latinx people, immigrants, those who are undocumented, and all people of color in our state? Please identify at least two policy initiatives you would propose while in office to address racial and systemic inequalities.

Shirley Flynn Mitchell: In the 50 years since Martin Luther King, Jr died, we saw some progress, but we still have more work to do to achieve true racial equality. I want to bring a more hopeful, inclusive, and sensible vision and conversation on this issue and bring us together so hope and opportunity can thrive.

As Kentucky State Representative, my first role is to lead by example by supporting all people of color and having zero tolerance for white supremacy.

I would propose strengthening our hate crimes laws, which currently do not include certain types of violent crimes. They also do not allow for someone to be charged with a standalone hate crime and have time added to their sentence.

Immigrants play a big role in Kentucky’s economy, especially in our agriculture and forestry industries. We need to ensure that people who come here to provide a better life for their families and contribute to our economy feel safe, since sometimes undocumented immigrants are the victims of crimes and don’t

QUESTION:

meet such challenges. New jobs are being created, and communities are impacted for good … answer exceeds word limit

feel safe reporting it. I would propose a statewide measure to keep law enforcement agencies 100% independent from ICE. Corey M. Nichols: It is the job of anyone with a voice to speak up for the voiceless. Our Legislators have the opportunity to speak up the loudest. Specifically, I would advocate for specialized outreach and substance abuse treatment to support community-based substance abuse treatment programs targeted to minority populations. I would also propose a program that helps health care providers develop integrated, community-wide systems that serve the uninsured and under-insured. The program would be designed to increase access to health care by eliminating fragmented service delivery, improving efficiencies among safety net providers, and by encouraging greater private sector involvement.

Kentucky has the ninth highest incarceration rate in the nation, is second in the nation for incarcerating women, and has the second-highest rate in the country of children separated from a parent due to incarceration. In addition, Black Kentuckians make up 8.3 percent of the state population but 21 percent of the state’s incarcerated population. Are you committed to ending mass incarceration in Kentucky? Why or why not? If elected, what will you do to make strides toward ending mass incarceration and reinvesting resources into the communities most impacted by this system?

Shirley Flynn Mitchell: We need to stop this mass incarceration and pass meaningful criminal justice reform. I agree with our Governor when he said in his state of the union address, “Our people aren’t more violent, we don’t have more criminals, we just put more people in our prisons and jails.”

I hear the educational impact from the teachers when they describe the number of their kids who have one or both parents in jail and being raised by their grandparents. When children lack a strong home support system, learning

barriers are created, passing ramifications to the next generation.

I would propose modifying the bail system, which keeps thousands accused of low-level offenses behind bars without ever being convicted of a crime because they cannot afford bail. Criminal records can follow individuals the rest of their lives and impact their employment opportunities, thus perpetuating the cycle of poverty. When people who want to work hard to provide for their families are

20 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

Kentucky House District 45 – Democratic primary

Fayette County

ANSWERS CONTINUED: Ending mass incarceration … kept of the job market, the whole state suffers. I would propose a Clean Slate Act that would expunge the records for those who served their time for nonviolent, low-level offenses and have remained crime-free so that they can find self-sustaining employment.

Corey M. Nichols: Absolutely. Our (privatized!) jails are overcrowded, and our criminal justice system lends itself to incarceration at an inordinate rate. In my work as a criminal defense attorney, I most often see that other sentencing

QUESTION:

Do you support a statewide Fairness law to protect LGBTQ people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer) from discrimination in housing, employment, financial transactions, and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity? What will you do to support LGBTQ Kentuckians?

Shirley Flynn Mitchell: Discriminiation in any form is wrong, plain and simple.

I support HB225 that protects LGBTQ people from discrimination in housing, employment, financial transactions, and public accomodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This type of fairness is basic for a civil society.

I also support HB 199 that would protect LGBTQ youth from the practice of conversion therapy.

All my life, I have been a voice for those who felt unnoticed and unheard. All of my work career, I have strived to support my LGBTQ coworkers. On a personal level, I have close friends that I consider family who are part of the LGBTQ

QUESTION:

options, like diversion, rehabilitation, and/or supervised probation are more effective at deterring our Defendants, while jail time only leads to more jail time, and no real change. Our substance abuse laws need pretty fundamental overhaul -- we need to focus on curing the addiction instead of punishing the addict. For example, our current laws punish anyone who drove home from their methadone treatment with a DUI -- regardless of whether they were actually “under the influence.” We need to make access to rehab and treatment as easy as possible, instead of incarcerating those who try to get better.

community. I will be a State Representative for every resident in District 45 and ensure everyone is protected in our state.

Corey M. Nichols: One hundred percent, yes. It should be obvious that your ability to find a place to stay, or to work, or to keep a bank account, shouldn’t be impeded by your sexual orientation or gender identity. I will support ANY legislation that protects the rights of ALL citizens to be treated with respect as fellow human beings.

Nearly 400,000 low-income Kentuckians qualified for health care – including vision, dental and mental health – for the first time under the Affordable Care Act. But there are major challenges here in Kentucky. The Bevin administration failed to respond to Kentucky’s Hepatitis A outbreak, local health departments are underfunded and are slated to lose about a third of their workers, and the legislature has recently passed a bill restricting access to reproductive health. The legislature has a role in getting Kentucky on track for better health. What would you to build on the progress of Medicaid expansion and to ensure that all Kentuckians have access to quality, affordable health care?

Shirley Flynn Mitchell: Every Kentuckian should have access to quality, affordable medical care. We need to cap the out of pocket cost of insulin (HB12), end surprise medical billing, and protect healthcare coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.

I support HB 180, which would end employer-imposed waiting periods for new employees’ health insurance coverage. This has personally impacted my family when my daughter was switching jobs and did not have medical coverage when she needed it. New employees should have coverage on day one.

American maternal mortality rates are on the rise and are some of the worst in the developed world, especially among women of color. We need to end these preventable maternal deaths in our state by joining the thirty other states that have passed a Maternal Mortality Prevention Act establishing a Maternal Mortality Review Board. By identifying and addressing the causes of maternal mortality,

states can save the lives of mothers and babies while significantly cutting back on healthcare costs.

I believe that medicaid is a great deal for Kentucky because it is largely paid for by the federal government. For every state dollar invested in Medicaid in 2019, the federal government invested $3.36. Quality Healthcare empowers people to care for their families, work their jobs, and live their lives.

Corey M. Nichols: Our healthcare has regressed substantially in the last fourfive years, much to my disappointment. Gov. Steve Beshear had one of the most successful Medicaid expansions nation-wide, and every Kentucky tax dollar was matched and exceeded in Federal dollars. I’d help the legislature pick up where he left off and undo all the damage from Gov. Bevin’s regressive policies, to make sure we’re taking advantage of all the assistance we have available to us.

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 21

Kentucky House District 56

Woodford County and parts of Fayette and Franklin counties

Lamar Allen and Bob Gibson are seeking the Democratic nomination for the District 56 House seat, which covers Woodford County and portions of Fayette and Franklin counties. Incumbent Democrat Joe Graviss is running for the state senate instead of seeking re-election. Ben Nolan dropped out of the race but will still appear on the ballot; votes for him will not be counted.

Lamar Allen

Bob Gibson

www.lamarforky.com

www.facebook.com/ gibsonforky

www.facebook.com/ LamarforKy

Twitter: @gibsonforky

The winner will face Republican Daniel Fister in November. He has no primary opponent.

Allen and Gibson responded to KFTC's candidate survey and their responses follow.

Twitter: @LamarforKY

QUESTION:

What’s your vision for Kentucky? How will the lives of Kentuckians be improved as a result of your time in office?

Lamar Allen: A highly developed education system increases the potential of every Kentuckian. Every child in our state has the right to a high quality education that transforms their family and community. Kentuckians should expect expanded healthcare options with caps on life-saving medication. Like teachers, the Kentucky Labor Unions should never feel under attack, as they have been critical to our states success and are pivotal to its future. My time in office will bring sensible policies that benefit the working class and strengthen our disenfranchised rural and urban communities. As a teacher, I’ve dedicated my life to working with our most vulnerable children and families. I understand the urgency needed

QUESTION:

to keep our generational promise ensuring our children have a better future.

Kentuckians will have a relentless fighter for education, blue collar workers, and health care in Frankfort.

Bob Gibson: I am running for office to bring civil discourse to the many issues Kentuckians face and to support public education, public employees, quality pension programs, the right of workers to organize, as well as, collectively bargain, wage growth and affordable healthcare for all.

Even after Governor Beshear’s December 2019 executive order, over 170,000 Kentuckians with felonies in their past are still ineligible to vote. Do you support a constitutional amendment to automatically restore voting rights to all Kentuckians with felonies in their past once they’ve served their time, probation, and parole? Please explain.

Lamar Allen: Yes. Voting rights are critical to being a Kentucky citizen. Kentuckians with past felonies who have served their time, probation, and parole should have their voting rights completely restored. I advocate that inmates should have the right to vote. These people are redeemable members of society who should go through the the correctional system with a goal of rehabilitation. Major reforms are needed in this area as Kentucky incarcerates too many of their citizens and denies many the opportunity to fully return to society as active and contributing members.

Bob Gibson: Yes, individuals who have been convicted, served their time with no incident, and have been successfully rehabilitated, should have their voting rights restored as a part of the release process. I believe convicted felons who have paid their dues to society should be fully reinstated back into our communities.

22 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

Kentucky House District 56 QUESTION:

Woodford County and parts of Fayette and Franklin counties

What is your view on modernizing state election laws? Specifically, do you support allowing early voting, mail-in ballots, same-day voter registration, extended hours at polling locations, offering ballots in multiple languages, and other election reforms? Do you support legislation requiring that Kentucky voters present a photo ID on election day even though many Kentuckians do not have that kind of ID? Why or why not?

Lamar Allen: The act of voting should not in itself, be a hindrance to participating in the political forum. Kentucky does not have a voter fraud problem.

Requiring Kentuckians to present a photo ID on election day negatively impacts our most disenfranchised communities. It is more likely that a person of color or an individual in a rural area will not have a photo ID and therefore be removed from the political process. This also put forth a financial requirement to voting.

Individuals would likely have to pay for their photo ID. This is unacceptable for Kentucky.

QUESTION:

www.kftc.org | May 2020

Bob Gibson: I certainly support modernizing state elections by allowing early voting, mail-in ballots, extending polling hours, and offering ballots in multiple languages. These reforms will help Kentuckians who are elderly, have health issues, are disabled, have a lack of transportation, or who have shift employment access our elections. A person’s signature is a form of ID as that signature is on file with their voter registration. That should be all that is required on election day. Many of our citizen residents due to age, income, disability, and more have no need for a photo ID so why should we make their vote out of reach. I do support having a means to ID the individual voting but that should be done with their signature.

Kentucky has a tax code that does not raise enough revenue to meet the Commonwealth’s budgetary needs – a problem that was made worse by the legislature’s tax shift of 2018. After years of budget cuts, the funding for pensions, public education, infrastructure, and other essential programs have reached dangerous levels of disinvestment. How would you work to create a more equitable state tax structure – where everyone pays their fair share – that raises adequate revenue, fights poverty, and invests in Kentucky’s under-resourced communities and the services we all need?

Lamar Allen: Our lawmakers have refused to legitimately seek additional revenue to the detriment of all Kentuckians. Millions of taxable dollars will go to neighboring states every day. In fact, Governor Andy Beshear stated Kentucky is missing out on capturing 550 million dollars of taxable revenue each year. Developing an economy where all Kentuckians have a chance to succeed is critical.

I was in Frankfort like your neighbors, friends, and family members. I was fighting to ensure that the promises made regarding Kentucky’s pension were kept. This issue impacts all Kentuckians. I want the best and brightest in classrooms across Kentucky. This can only happen if we are honest about our obligations to public employees.

We should exhaust all efforts to increase revenue and limit corporations from paying lower tax rates after exemptions and loopholes than a middle class Kentuckian. We should create an e-cigarette tax and expand gaming in Kentucky.

We are losing revenue as many Kentuckians are going to our bordering states and spending their money in casinos and online. Real tax code reform is necessary to capture the revenue we are currently losing. These funds will help Kentucky reinvest in disenfranchised communities and classrooms across the state.

Bob Gibson: It is important that we seek means of generating revenue to meet the budgetary needs of the state. Some areas open to this would be to approve sports gambling and tax it, increase the cigarette tax, and raise income taxes on the state’s top 2% and also slightly on the state’s top 10%. Our priority needs to be on funding public education, funding public employee pension programs, funding public higher-education, funding road projects, and funding healthcare for all.

If you consider this Voter Guide a valuable resource, please consider a donation to support KFTC’s yearround Voter Empowerment work.

Online at: kftc.org/support Mail to: KFTC PO Box 1450 London, KY 40743-1450 Thanks!

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 23

Kentucky House District 56 QUESTION:

Many Kentucky’s local governments have a policy that people will not be questioned about immigration status by local authorities, and that local police will only assist federal agents in enforcing immigration laws when there is a warrant signed by a judge or a risk of violence. What is your view of these types of policies and what would you do to expand support and resources toward our immigrant population, undocumented or otherwise?

Lamar Allen: Documented and undocumented immigrants help fuel our economy and make Kentucky a more diverse and amazing place. Immigration status should not be questioned during a stop. Our law enforcement officials should only enforce immigration law if an individual is posing a safety risk that any reasonable officer would normally intervene. Not only does this create trauma for the individual being stopped, it creates an additional burden on officers and public servants who are already overworked. Our officers and immigrants deserve better treatment. We should begin to look at our documented and undocumented citizens as an asset to revitalizing our neighborhoods and communities.

QUESTION:

Bob Gibson: Immigration policy is solely vested to the federal government so it is their job to determine who is undocumented and place them in the court system if necessary. Local agencies and appropriately assist with the effort. This separation is important so that undocumented individuals feel comfortable to work with local authorities in any number of situations. One example would be if they witness a crime or a fire. I want them comfortable enough to call the police or fire departments so that public safety is maintained.

Is acting to address the climate crisis a priority for you? What policies do you support to ensure that solutions – such as clean energy jobs and reducing high energy bills – benefit all Kentuckians, including low-income communities, communities of color, and those who are most impacted by the changing climate? And what policies would you support to ensure that all Kentuckians have clean air and water, no matter the color of our skin, income, or zip code?

Lamar Allen: Yes, acting to address the climate crisis is a priority. I feel for our miners in the mountains of Kentucky. Appalachia is hurting and their struggle doesn’t seem to be a priority for many of our lawmakers. Most of my family lives in Flint, Michigan. The major industry in Michigan shuttered and for generations the economy has not worked for the people there as well. This is only compounded by the fact that we are in the midst of a climate crisis that is hurting crop yields, increasing droughts, floods, and weather patterns. Our low-income and communities of color will overwhelmingly feel the impact of this climate crisis. We can help curb the impact of the climate crisis and improve air quality for all Kentuckians through incentivizing carbon farming, designing streets that make it easier to walk/bike, and improving mass transit options and affordability.

We should focus on retraining and providing Kentuckians with the skills to work in green career fields that combat climate change.

Every Kentuckians deserves clean water as well. We must improve our waste water infrastructure and push for water reuse and recycling. Modernizing our wa-

QUESTION:

Woodford County and parts of Fayette and Franklin counties

ter infrastructure to eliminate incidents of leaching and contamination will keep Kentuckians healthy for generations.

Bob Gibson: The climate crisis is just that, it is a crisis that we must address.

Quality regulations on polluting KY industries is needed to quickly reduce the levels of pollution produced on a daily basis. To move into the future we need to support solar farms throughout KY to generate clean electricity to be utilized across the state. Solar farms can be installed in small or large areas which can certainly help Eastern KY move off of dirty coal production and into solar farm creation. I also support tax incentives to allow individuals to install solar panels on their homes in order to sell the produced energy to grid and then that amount be removed from their monthly energy consumption. How awesome would it be for individuals to have little or no electric bill while at the same time, removing KY from non-renewable energy and helping reduce the climate crisis.

What is the role of the Kentucky legislature in opposing white supremacy, addressing racial inequality and supporting racial justice for Black people, Indigenous people, Latinx people, immigrants, those who are undocumented, and all people of color in our state? Please identify at least two policy initiatives you would propose while in office to address racial and systemic inequalities.

Lamar Allen: Protecting black people, indigenous people, Latinx people, and documented and undocumented immigrants from white supremacy should be a priority of the Kentucky legislature. These communities have been threatened

by white supremacy for centuries. It is time that we codify these protections and eliminate any appearance that white supremacy is acceptable in Kentucky. I answers continued on next page

24 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

Kentucky House District 56

www.kftc.org | May 2020

Woodford County and parts of Fayette and Franklin counties

ANSWERS CONTINUED: White supremacy and racial equity … support legislation condemning white supremacist and labeling them as domestic terrorist. I believe our state should have an Institutional Racism Task Force that seeks out policy and practices that create inequities between white people and people of color.

Bob Gibson: The KY Legislature needs to take steps to ban discrimination of all types from government activities and transactions, as well as, for all businesses in

QUESTION:

the state. Their is no place for hate or discrimination of any kind and especially that of white supremacy with their fool-hearted ideas and history of violence.

The two policies I support are to first, add hate crime provisions into our current crime laws. Meaning, if someone is assaulted for example and it is determined the motive is considered a hate crime, additional consequences will be considered.

This provision needs to be in the criminal code across the board for all crimes.

The second policy would be to

Kentucky has the ninth highest incarceration rate in the nation, is second in the nation for incarcerating women, and has the second-highest rate in the country of children separated from a parent due to incarceration. In addition, Black Kentuckians make up 8.3 percent of the state population but 21 percent of the state’s incarcerated population. Are you committed to ending mass incarceration in Kentucky? Why or why not? If elected, what will you do to make strides toward ending mass incarceration and reinvesting resources into the communities most impacted by this system?

Lamar Allen: Kentucky’s mass incarceration problem is a crime against its own citizens. It destroys families and creates real economic and social devastation for our disenfranchised communities, often those that contain black and brown people. Real justice reform and rehabilitation is needed in our prison system. I am committed to ending mass incarceration in Kentucky. If elected, I will fight for criminal justice reform and focus on rehabilitating inmates and preparing them for life after prison. Real job training and education advancement is needed in our correctional facilities. Furthermore, we have failed our citizens if they exit a correctional facility without a trade skill and job to begin their new lives. This improves the economy, communities, and families.

Bob Gibson: The underlying problem of poverty is the first issue that must be addressed in order to reduce mass incarceration. When individuals and families have their basic needs met of having quality food, water, shelter, love, and quality

employment, the crime rate will do down. After that, we need to design education and rehabilitation programs so that convicted individuals can better their lives and never have the desire to commit a criminal act again. Those programs need to be positive in nature and utilize the individuals’ gifts/talents. Another place to reduce mass incarceration is to stop imprisoning individuals for minor non-violent crimes and place them in the programs mentioned above. These programs can be for imprisoned inmates and those convicted but are not imprisoned. The ultimate goal is to train everyone to better themselves, our society and their families. We need to give them tools to do so. Our resources need to go to programs to help people versus the prison industry. I would also like to remove private prison companies from managing our state prisons. Their focus is to make money, whereas, public servants (employees hired by the state) will have a focus on doing what is best for rehabilitation of the incarcerated.

Central Kentucky House District Races 39 There is a Republican primary, with the winner facing Democrat Carolyn Dupont in November. Incumbent Russ Meyer (D) is not running for re-election.

45 Shirley Flynn Mitchell, Corey Nichols and Sean Mike Pickard are seeking the Democratic nomination. The winner will face Killian Timoney (R) in November. Incumbent Stan Lee (R) is not running for re-election.

56 Lamar Allen and Bob Gibson are seeking the Democratic nomination. The winner will face Republican Daniel Fister in November. He has no primary opponent. Incumbent Joe Graviss (D) is running for the state senate.

61 Incumbent Savannah Maddox (R) has no primary or general election opposition.

62 There are no primaries. David Mayo (D) is challenging incumbent Phillip Pratt (R) in November.

72 There are no primaries. Todd Neace (D) is challenging incumbent Matt Koch (R) in November.

75 Incumbent Kelly Flood (D) has no primary or general election opposition.

76 Incumbent Ruth Ann Palumbo (D) has no primary or general election opposition.

77 Incumbent George Brown Jr. (D) has no primary or general election opposition.

78 There are no primaries. Libertarian James Toller is challenging incumbent Mark Hart (R) in November.

79 There are no primaries. Incumbent Susan Westrom (D) is being challenged by Jon Larson (R) in November.

88 There is a Republican primary, with the winner facing incumbent Cherlynn Stevenson (D) in November.

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 25

Kentucky House District 56 QUESTION:

Do you support a statewide Fairness law to protect LGBTQ people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer) from discrimination in housing, employment, financial transactions, and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity? What will you do to support LGBTQ Kentuckians?

Lamar Allen: I support statewide Fairness laws to protect the LGBTQ+ community. There should be no barriers for any Kentuckian who is seeking employment or housing when qualified. Sexual orientation has no bearing on job readiness or employability. I will push for a statewide Fairness law and ensure that all Kentuckians are safe from discrimination. Incidents involving discrimination should result in an admonishment and fine.

QUESTION:

Woodford County and parts of Fayette and Franklin counties

Bob Gibson: I am so proud of the communities throughout Kentucky who have passed Fairness ordinances. I am blessed to live in a county (Woodford) where both of our city governments (Versailles and Midway) along with the county fiscal court all pass Fairness ordinances. I am hopeful that the movement continues throughout the state and soon all local governments along with the state legislature do the same. I will support that legislation when that day comes and if its arrival is not timely, I would be glad to sponsor. Their is no place for discrimination in any area in our society.

Nearly 400,000 low-income Kentuckians qualified for health care – including vision, dental and mental health – for the first time under the Affordable Care Act. But there are major challenges here in Kentucky. The Bevin administration failed to respond to Kentucky’s Hepatitis A outbreak, local health departments are underfunded and are slated to lose about a third of their workers, and the legislature has recently passed a bill restricting access to reproductive health. The legislature has a role in getting Kentucky on track for better health. What would you to build on the progress of Medicaid expansion and to ensure that all Kentuckians have access to quality, affordable health care?

Lamar Allen: Kentucky should be a leader in providing its citizens with quality health care services. We are currently experiencing major access issues which are directly related to funding. Furthermore, the price for medication and service creates a larger access issue in our most disenfranchised communities. I will increase healthcare access through additional mobile locations in our rural communities. I will fight to place caps on critical and life-saving medication to stop the skyrocketing prices. Serious tax code reform is necessary to meet the health care needs of all Kentuckians, but simple measures like creating an e-cigarette tax could bring immediate relief to some of our neighbors. This revenue will help fuel our health care expansion. Our legislature has a role in improving health care for all Kentuckians, we need the right leaders who will fight on the behalf of the average Kentuckian to make it happen.

Bob Gibson: The first move is to restore the Medicaid expansion taken away by the Bevin Administration and then we need to expand it to cover more residents.

The Affordable Care Act was a good first step towards providing healthcare to more Americans but now it is time to implement a public option into the federal legislation. That will enable individuals and families to choose an affordable option with quality coverage over the private insurance industry who focuses on profits. Once the people have a choice and they choose a quality public option with quality benefits, it will show that Americans ultimately want a single payer, Medicare for all, type system. That way everyone is covered. In KY, we need to start by expanding Medicare.

26 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

U.S. House of Representatives All six of Kentucky seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for re-election in 2020. All have contested races in November. Not all have primaries in June.

District 6, which includes all or part of 19 counties in central Kentucky, has both a Democratic and a Republican primary on June 23. KFTC sent a questionnaire to the Democratic candidates.

U.S. House of Representatives – District 6 There are two candidates in the Democratic primary for the 6th Congressional House seat.

The winner will face the Republican nominee – either incumbent Andy Barr or his primary challengers Chuck Eddy or Geoff Young – in the November general election.

The Democratic candidates are: Josh Hicks www.joshhicksforcongress.com www.facebook.com/ JoshHicksKY Twitter: @joshhicksky

Daniel Kemph Did not respond.

U.S House District 6 includes the following counties: Anderson, Bourbon, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Franklin, Jessamine (part), Madison, Montgomery, Powell, Scott, Woodford, Bath, Fleming, Harrison (part), Menifee, Nicholas, Robertson and Wolfe.

QUESTIONS What’s your vision for Kentucky? How will the lives of Kentuckians be improved as a result of your time in office?

Josh Hicks: My vision for Kentucky is an egalitarian society with good educational opportunities that begin with preschool education and continue through post-secondary education, to include job training and a well-funded workforce development program.

To foster an environment that is attractive for businesses to locate, hire, and retain Kentuckians, and to help develop Kentucky — both rural and urban — into an economy that works for everyone.

Daniel Kemph: Did not respond.

----------

How would you create a more equitable federal tax structure – where everyone pays their fair share – that raises adequate revenue, fights poverty, and invests in under-resourced communities and the services we all need?

Josh Hicks: I would advocate for legislation that creates an equitable tax structure so that those least able to bear the burden are not stuck with regressive taxes that lower their quality of life, and those most able to bear the burden pay their fair share. We should be seeking adequate revenue from income-based tax programs, and move away from regressive tax policies that burden low-income people (e.g. gas tax, sales tax, and surcharges).

Daniel Kemph: Did not respond.

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 27

U.S. House – District 6 Democratic Primary What would you do to make sure that every Kentuckian has quality, affordable health care? What are your top health policy priorities, and what approaches to health care coverage do you support?

Do you support Medicare For All?

Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District

Josh Hicks: I want to ensure that everyone who doesn’t feel well can go to the doctor without the fear of bankruptcy. I am for a healthcare plan that ensures affordable, quality care, that includes a public option as well as oversight of healthcare companies to prevent the improper denial of legitimate medical care.

I do not support Medicare for All but favor a Medicare buy-in public option. I support the Medicaid expansion, which not only provided care for people who otherwise would not be able to get treated, but also provided much-needed funding for rural hospitals facing bankruptcy.

Daniel Kemph: Did not respond.

----------

Do you support comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for young people and adults? What are your plans to expand support and resources for immigrants and refugees, undocumented or otherwise?

Josh Hicks: I support the DREAM Act, which provides a pathway to citizenship for those who qualify. I support an immigration system that is much more fair and much more transparent, and advocate for funding our overburdened immigration court system. We should all treat all persons with equal dignity. I believe that any removal or deportation efforts must be prioritized to focus on those who have committed serious crimes in this country.

Daniel Kemph: Did not respond.

----------

Is dealing with the climate crisis a high priority for you, and if so, do you support federal legislation for a Green New Deal? How would you ensure that solutions to the climate crisis benefit all Kentuckians – no matter the color of our skin, income, immigration status, or zip code?

Josh Hicks: I believe that climate change is real and is a crisis. I believe we should pursue a comprehensive energy plan that includes clean and renewable energy sources, not just for the environmental benefit, but also for the economic benefit of the people of Kentucky. I believe those environmental and economic benefits should be available to all of the people of Kentucky.

Daniel Kemph: Did not respond.

----------

What is the role of the U.S. Congress in opposing white supremacy, addressing racial inequality and supporting racial justice for Black people, Indigenous people, Latinx people, immigrants, those who are undocumented, and all people of color in our country? Please identify at least two policy initiatives you would propose while in office to address racial and systemic inequalities.

Josh Hicks: The role of the US Congress is to legislate equally and to ensure that all policy does not put an undue burden on a certain class of people, or inure to the benefit of a certain class of people, regardless of their race or religion. The policy initiatives I would pursue include reforming our cash bail system to ensure equal access for justice to everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status, and promoting community policing standards in federal law enforcement to ensure that our law enforcement officers are of, from, and live in the communities that they serve.

Daniel Kemph: Did not respond.

----------

answers continued on next page

28 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

U.S. House – District 6 Democratic Primary Kentucky has the ninth highest incarceration rate in the nation, is second in the nation for incarcerating women, and has the second-highest rate in the country of children separated from a parent due to incarceration. In addition, Black Kentuckians make up 8.3 percent of the state population but 21 percent of the state’s incarcerated population. Are you committed to ending mass incarceration in Kentucky and in the United States as a whole? Why or why not? If elected, what will you do to make strides toward ending mass incarceration and reinvesting resources into the communities most impacted by this system?

tiative that places checks on those who have a pattern of discriminating against anyone’s voting rights, including discrimination against people of color.

Josh Hicks: We need to focus on equal justice under the law, not privatizing prisons and putting a profit motive on incarceration. One solution to decreasing mass incarceration is to end the funding for private prisons in America, that keeps that incarceration rate high, to remove the profit motive and focus on rehabilitation.

Josh Hicks: Yes. I support those — it is imperative that we not only take care of the people who have worked in coal mines or in coal communities, but also restore the land so that is livable for future generations.

Daniel Kemph: Did not respond.

----------

Do you support restoring voting rights to Kentuckians with felonies in their past? Specifically, do you support the Democracy Restoration Act to restore voting rights to people upon release from prison for purposes of voting in federal elections? Do you support restoring the Voting Rights Advancement Act to ensure strong federal oversight of state and local governments with a history of voter suppression aimed at communities of color? Please explain.

Josh Hicks: Yes. The Criminal Justice System I envision is heavy on reformation, and therefore I would support those who have served their time being restored their rights — including the right to vote. And yes, I would support any ini-

To be eligible to register to vote, a person must: • Be a resident of Kentucky not less than 28 days before the election • Be at least 18 years old by the date of the next General Election (November 3, 2020) • Not be a convicted felon (or, if so, have had your voting rights restored by executive order or pardon) • Not have been judged mentally incompetent in court • Not claim the right to vote anywhere outside Kentucky Minors 17 years of age who will become 18 by the November general election may register and vote.

Daniel Kemph: Did not respond.

----------

Do you support proposed Just Transition bills in Congress to take care of coal miners and communities by investing in abandoned mine land reclamation (H.R. 2156 and H.R. 4248) and extending current funding for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund for another 10 years (H.R. 3876 and S.3171)? Why or why not?

Daniel Kemph: Did not respond.

----------

What will you do to support LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer) Kentuckians? What will you do to protect people from discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity?

Josh Hicks: I would support initiatives that provided people in the LGBTQ community with the same rights as every other American. I believe that all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, deserve equal civil rights. I will advocate for everyone to be treated equally under the law, which is a fundamental principle of American democracy.

Daniel Kemph: Did not respond.

Kentucky voters have the responsibility to: • • • • • • • •

Register to vote at least 29 days before the election Respect the privacy and voting rights of others Follow instructions concerning election procedures Follow all federal and state voting laws Review your ballot before casting it to ensure it is complete and correct Treat election workers and other voters with courtesy and respect Be informed about candidates and issues on the ballot Keep your voter registration and address records current

If you are uncertain whether you are registered to vote or unsure if you are registered to vote at your current address, please visit the Kentucky Voter Information Center: www.GoVoteKY.com

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 29

U.S. Senate – Democratic Primary One of Kentucky’s two U.S. Senate seats, currently held by Mitch McConnell, is up for re-election in 2020. There are both Democratic and Republican primary elections on June 23 to select the candidate for each party to run in the November 3 General Election.

Ten candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination. Eight responded to the KFTC candidate survey. Their answers begin on the next page.

Jimmy Ausbrooks

Charles Booker

Mike Broihier

Maggie Jo Hilliard

www.jimmyforkentucky.com

www.bookerforkentucky.com

www.mikeforky.com

www.ElectMoJo.com

www.facebook.com/ jimmyforUSSenate

www.facebook.com/ Booker4KY

www.facebook.com/ mikebroihierky

www.facebook.com/ ElectMoJo

@jimmy4congress

Twitter handle: @booker4ky

Twitter: @mikeforky

Twitter: @ElectMojo

Photo not provided

Amy McGrath

Eric Rothmuller

John R. Sharpensteen

Bennie J. Smith

www.amymcgrath.com

www.ericrothmuller.com

benniejsmith.com

www.facebook.com/ AmyMcGrathKY

www.facebook.com/ ericrothmuller

www.facebook.com/ BJSMITH4US20

Twitter: @AmyMcGrathKY

Twitter: EricRothmuller

@BennieJSmith1

30 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

U.S. Senate – Democratic primary QUESTION:

What’s your vision for Kentucky? How will the lives of Kentuckians be improved as a result of your time in office?

Jimmy Ausbrooks: My vision for Kentucky is one of prosperity and renewal. I want to see economic growth for our communities. I want Kentucky to engage in and invest in Green / Renewable Energy so we can bring sustainable jobs to Kentucky.

Provide equal opportunity for education and training to meet the needs of this expanding transition from fossil fuels and insure miners of employment and wages.

I would like to see true representation by our leadership, expanding equality, human rights, and social justice across the Common Wealth. We will secure living wages for our hardworking families and every single Kentuckian. I want healthcare coverage with affordable prescriptions so Kentucky families do not have to worry about putting food on the table or buying insulin. I want to see lives saved by responsible and affordable healthcare. I want to mandate changes for pharmaceutical companies. They no longer should be allowed to continue putting profits over the lives of Kentucky families.

I see our family farms being supported and provided opportunities for growth and sustainability. Securing high yields and unprecedented prices by protecting farmers in Trade Deals that benefit our farmers and their families.

Generation family farms that are working hard and doing the … [response exceeds word limit] Charles Booker: My vision is a Kentucky where people from every corner of the Commonwealth; no matter who you are, where you come from, who you love, how much money you have in your pocket, what you believe, what pronouns you use, whether you are walking or in a wheelchair; that you know that your lives matters. It is a vision where everyone is heard and accounted for and is represented by a government that elevates your voice over corrupted interests. This campaign is about building a movement where Kentuckians are encouraged to stand, lock arms and lead for the changes we deserve.

By taking this stand not only will we beat Mitch McConnell, but we will win our future. We will no longer die because we choose to feed our families over buying necessary life saving medicine. As U.S. Senator I will lead by creating a process for transparent and authentic engagement to ensure the voices of Kentuckians are the priority. As a result of our leadership in Washington we will stand to end generational poverty, address structural racism and inequity, and build pathways of opportunities for all the people of Kentucky.

Mike Broihier: My vision is one where the nation acknowledges its centuries-old extractive relationship with Kentucky where first timber, then coal, were stripped out of the state and the residents were abandoned with ill-health, pollution, crumbling infrastructure and poverty. My vision includes a federal plan that addresses the wrongs done, not just to Kentucky, but all of Appalachia’s coal producing states, were the entire region’s infrastructure (roads, waterways, bridges, schools, hospitals) are rebuilt or improved in a comprehensive manner where the work is done by union workers or workers getting paid the prevailing wage.

Instead of working underground, retrained workers would work in the solar and wind powered energy field on the grounds of reclaimed coal mines. In my vision of Kentucky, we are a commonwealth where our education system, infrastructure and skilled workers instead of tax breaks are a lure for businesses.

Maggie Jo Hilliard: In my practice, I hear individuals’ stories about the effects of government inefficiency, systemic discrimination, corporate corruption, consumer fraud, financial distress, injustice and healthcare policy every day. Our Senator ranks number one in legislative seniority, but Kentucky is 45th in the nation for high school graduates, 47th in the nation for the number of bachelor’s degree-holders, leads in opioid and cancer deaths, and it is home to over 30 sites where drinking water has tested positive for PFAS and PFOA cancer-causing toxins. Kentucky is also home to corporate pollution leftover from coal extraction methods that have toxified our environment. Kentuckians need to feel heard and understood, but 58% of registered voters do not vote. Mitch is not advocating for election security, universal healthcare, free college education, net neutrality, raising the minimum wage nor acting on the environmental crises here at home. Kentucky deserves a fighter that will bring the people’s many issues to the forefront and seek to address them in democratic fashion. Senator McConnell’s cynical viewpoint is not helping everyday people, but I hope to bring innovation, optimism and empathy to Washington.

Amy McGrath: I’m running because like most Kentuckians, I’ve had enough of the D.C. establishment and the dysfunction where nothing gets done. If we keep the same people in power, nothing will change. Mitch McConnell is everything that is wrong with Washington. Kentucky needs a new generation of leaders, specifically someone who has worked in the 21st century global economy and world.

I am running for Kentucky’s future, for my kids’ future. Working Kentucky families demand and deserve respect, and I will work to ensure their voices and concerns are heard in D.C. Let’s just take one example, many Kentuckians have to decide whether they can pay the rent or pay for their prescription medication each month. I’ll be a senator who will not be bought off by Big Pharma and will actually fight to get these prices down. We need to put country over party and take on the special interests running Washington.

Eric Rothmuller: My campaign isn’t just about Kentucky, the vast majority of Americans are struggling. America is the wealthiest country in the world but we’re also world leaders in income and wealth inequality. Over 500,000 Americans are homeless every night, nearly half of all workers make less than $30k a year, credit card debt is over $1 trillion, student loan debt is over $1.5 trillion, and while productivity and corporate profits are at record highs, most Americans still live paycheck to paycheck.

It’s not just income and wealth inequality either, it’s political inequality. The Supreme Court’s decisions on Buckley v. Valeo (1976) and Citizens United (2010) have allowed big money to flow into the political process which has led to the literal buying of elections and a government that doesn’t reflect the will of the people.

Research clearly shows that today in America the bottom 90% of income earners have virtually zero impact on legislation passed.

All of my policy positions are aimed at reversing our current trajectory, restoring democracy, and transforming our system into one that works for all Americans.

As one of the poorer and more disenfranchised states in the union, Kentucky will be positively affected more than others. answers continued on next page

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 31

U.S. Senate – Democratic primary RESPONSES CONTINUED: Vision for Kentucky …

John R. Sharpensteen: Better health care, equal treatment under the law, better and more job opportunities, education, better treatment for Veterans, cleaner environment, more opportunities for senior citizens, etc.

Bennie J. Smith: My immediate vision for Kentucky is to change the external and internal perception of Kentucky by implementing more 21st century ideas while addressing the health, education and socio-economic needs of its citizens.

We will focus on closing the achievement gap of students; focus on getting citizens more healthier so they can feel better and cut into health care costs; focus on climate change while implementing renewable energy and energy efficient

QUESTION:

technology jobs for urban, rural and Appalachian areas; offer Universal Healthcare via a single payor system for Kentucky residents that includes pre-existing conditions; more funding for public schools and more funding for the arts; investment in jobs skills training while encouraging high school students not entering post-secondary education options to learn a trade or skill; restoration of the air, water and land with cleanup of polluted areas of the states affected by fossil fuels and carbon emissions.

Andrew J. Maynard: Did not respond.

Mary Ann Tobin: Did not respond.

How would you create a more equitable federal tax structure – where everyone pays their fair share – that raises adequate revenue, fights poverty, and invests in under-resourced communities

Jimmy Ausbrooks: The first thing I would do is repeal the Trump’s Tax Cuts for the Wealthy 1% and corporations. Companies like Amazon that reported over $10 Billion in profits and somehow did not pay a dime in taxes has to stop.

I would look at a defined tax structure that insures families making less than $55,000 a tax credit and a 7% federal tax rate for families making less than $100,000. I would also favor a flat tax rate for families making over $100,000 a year. I would also demand a fixed federal tax rate for corporations making over $500,000 a year, I do not want to increase the burden small business, but I do want major corporations to pay their share. I would remove loopholes and unwarranted tax credits for major corporations and the elites.

I would increase the minim wage, this is imperative to working families. The increase in wages will drive additional tax revenues. I would seek a 0% tax for individuals and families making less that $25,000 to aid in decreasing poverty.

I will advocate for additional federal resources to expand rural community agencies by offering grants and incentives for economic growth … [response exceeds word limit] Charles Booker: Our federal tax structure is broken. This problem was made even worse by the 2017 Republican tax bill that Mitch McConnell helped shepherd through the Senate. Now, those of us near the bottom are paying a greater portion of our income in taxes than rich folks like Donald Trump. Kentuckians and all Americans deserve real action on tax reform that will provide relief for struggling families, and ensure that large corporations and the wealthiest few pay their fair share. It is time to address our regressive structure, so that Kentuckians can thrive and live gainful lives.

As Senator, I would press for an overhaul of the federal tax code that undoes the harm caused by the 2017 tax law, closes loopholes that corporations and the wealthy use to avoid paying their fair share, and eases the burden on working families in communities like mine and all across Kentucky.

My campaign and this movement is focused on ending structural racism, gross inequity, and generational poverty. I believe that no Kentuckians should have to decide between paying the rent, or buying a life saving prescription. I believe that all Kentuckians deserve the security of a good paying, unionized job.

And yes, I … [response exceeds word limit] Mike Broihier: I envision a tax structure where all profit is taxed in a graduated

system, not just the income of those who work. Whether it’s an individual or corporation, if you’re net value is more on Dec. 31 than it was on Jan. 1, you’re going to be taxed. By removing exemptions and loopholes, like allowing the very rich to pay a lower Capital Gains tax vice income tax, I’d ensure that the very wealthy are paying their fair share. I also believe that the tax system can be used to reinforce positive behavior. For example, green energy improvements, climate change mitigation actions, savings for higher education are all areas that I’d feel comfortable in incentivizing.

Maggie Jo Hilliard: I favor many existing proposals to tax extreme wealth to fund individuals’ childcare needs, college education and resolve the student loan crisis (Sen. Warren’s proposal). I also find Andrew Yang’s VAT (Value Added Tax) to work similarly, yet more directly, to combat corporate tax avoidance and pay citizens directly for corporate exploitation of our shared resources. Bernie’s plan acknowledges the more urgent need to close the wealth gap by reducing billionaires’ wealth by half over 15 years. All these plans acknowledge the problem – Mitch McConnell’s promises to deliver a trickle-down of wealth to the people have been broken. In McConnell’s office, money talks and people are ignored, so I would also approve plans to tax lobbyists at high rates when spending over $500K to influence government policy, similar to Warren’s plan. Federal taxation policy must consider America’s past errors and correct the many complex results of systemic inequity.

Amy McGrath: Kentucky deserves a leader who will work toward fair and comprehensive tax reform. The only thing Sen. McConnell did when he led his party and it had the full power of both chambers and the presidency was to pass a massive tax scam that showered tax cuts and benefits on corporations and the wealthiest 1 percent. I am not bought off by special interests and will work toward a more equitable tax structure that will benefit everyone, not just the wealthy few.

Eric Rothmuller: In order to ensure corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share, I will vote for and fight to: - Pass an annual tax on the extreme wealth of the top 0.1% of U.S. Households (which will only affect roughly 200,000 families whom hold about 20% of the entire wealth in this country). answers continued on next page

32 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

U.S. Senate – Democratic primary RESPONSES CONTINUED: Equitable federal tax structure …

- Establish a progressive estate tax on multi-millionaire and billionaire inheritances.

- End special tax breaks on dividends and capital gains for the wealthy.

- Establish a Wall Street speculation tax.

- Eliminate many tax loopholes that allow corporations and the wealthy to avoid paying their fair share of taxes.

- Eliminate all tax havens that allow corporations and the wealthy to hide money from taxation.

- Increase the top marginal tax rate on incomes above $10 million.

The revenue generated from ensuring the wealthy pay their fair share will help fund many programs that benefit normal Americans like guaranteeing tuition-free public college, universities, trade schools, and minority serving institutions; eliminating student loan debt; creating millions of good paying jobs by investing in green renewable energies and our infrastructure; eliminating medical debt; and providing universal healthcare for all Americans though Medicare For All. John R. Sharpensteen: I would do away with ALL tax deductions and set a fair tax rate for all citizens based upon the ability to pay. This would include all busi-

QUESTION:

nesses. With the possibility of those earning at the poverty level or less not paying any taxes at all.

Bennie J. Smith: I would offer to deschedule and legalize marijuana-cannabis for medicinal and recreational purposes. Also set up licensed dispensaries and tax appropriately to generate revenue as well as fairly offer other hemp growers an opportunity and create the unlimited products made from hemp with manufactirers based in Kentucky. Build hotels in regional Kentucky counties modeled after Hotel Louisville and Wayside Christian Mission to aggressively address the homeless issue. This will assist many of our homeless citizens and veterans get the health and wellness treatment needed and offer job skills training in various service and hospitality careers to get them back on their feet to being productive citizens.

Andrew J. Maynard: Did not respond.

Mary Ann Tobin: Did not respond.

What would you do to make sure that every Kentuckian has quality, affordable health care?

What are your top health policy priorities, and what approaches to health care coverage do you support? Do you support Medicare For All?

Jimmy Ausbrooks: I will support the best healthcare program that meets the needs of Kentucky families. I do not care if it is called Medicare For All, Medicare For All That Want It, or the expansion of Obama Care. I am going to fight for Healthcare For All. I am committed to no individual being denied healthcare because of cost or any pre-existing conditions. Healthcare should never again be viewed as a privilege, but rather as the human right it is. I will demand that any healthcare program also include expanding of mental health care services and substance abuse treatment, and in addition, a truly affordable if not free prescription care program. No longer will pharmaceutical companies profit off the lives of hard working Americans and their families. Life is to precious, no amount of profits should ever be valued higher than a human life.

pharmaceutical companies. Second, I’d reauthorize all of our healthcare agencies (HHS, CDC, NIH, etc.) to return to science-based policy making, getting rid of ideological proscriptions against gathering data on gun violence, benefits of marijuana use, etc. Lastly, while I don’t specifically oppose Medicare For All, I can’t see a path forward without an intermediary step like enhanced ACA.

Charles Booker: As a Type 1 diabetic, I personally know the reality of having to ration insulin because there isn’t enough money. That is unacceptable. I believe that healthcare is a right for all Kentuckians and Americans, regardless of how much money they have in their pocket. When Kentuckians are healthy and productive, we all benefit. With this being said, I am an advocate for Medicare for All. Like many families, I had to make the choice of whether to take care of my family or buy my expensive medication. I chose my family, and almost died.

Kentuckians deserve so much more than that.

When I say I support Medicare for All, it is rooted in a core belief that your zip code or financial status should not determine your health prospects. Our lives are not commodities. We need a Senator who fully understands this, and not someone who would call themselves the ‘Grim Reaper’ we continue to die.

Maggie Jo Hilliard: I support any plan that makes it possible for every American to receive affordable, adequate and accessible universal health care coverage, including preventative care, dental care, eye care, mental health treatment, emergency treatment, annual exams, medicine and physician-guided treatment.

Too many people do not get medical assistance because of economic hardship and administrative mazes. Medicare For All is a very viable solution to eliminate the administrative headaches of private insurance eligibility, enrollment, renewal, coverage, deductibles, benefit/coverage confusion and would not prevent Medicaid coverage extension for vulnerable populations against the high out-of-pocket costs. Some MFA proposals would eliminate nearly $200BN in state spending on Medicaid, saving state’s the trouble of administering 50 different systems across the nation. The Affordable Care Act was created so we all would fund a national plan to assure everyone was covered by all choices, but provisions (i.e. the mandated funding, for example) have been chipped away leaving sick Kentuckians in limbo. Kentucky’s health is poor and we rank 47th in poverty, with far lower median incomes and higher income inequality than other states. Healthcare workers’, families’ and patients’ voices are being ignored, and I would fight to change that by inviting more people to the table … [response exceeds word limit]

Mike Broihier: I support a single-payer health care system and I think the fastest way there is through expanding the ACA with a Medicare Option. My first priority would be to authorize HHS to negotiate prescription drug prices with

Amy McGrath: I remain committed to fixing, in a bipartisan way, the problems with the Affordable Care Act, which brought down Kentucky’s uninsured rate answers continued on next page

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 33

U.S. Senate – Democratic primary RESPONSES CONTINUED: Affordable health care … in a dramatic way. Every Kentuckian needs access to high-quality, affordable health care and that includes a government insurance plan like the one I purchase for my family as a military retiree. A public option would lower premiums and guarantee that in those counties with just one or two insurers, rates would not artificially spike with a lack of competition.

The average Kentuckian spends over $2,000 annually on prescription medications—the second highest in the nation. We must address the rising cost of prescription medications. There are bipartisan bills to fix this issue sitting on Sen. McConnell’s desk that he is actively blocking. That is inexcusable.

version or another of a single payer system, they cover all of their people, pay about half the price as us, and no one goes bankrupt or dies because they lack health insurance. Medicare For All is a single payer system and it’s a damn good one.

Eric Rothmuller: I fully support Medicare For All. Our current health care system leaves us paying the most in the world, 32,000 - 45,000 Americans dying because their either uninsured or underinsured, and over 500,000 Americans going bankrupt with medical bills being a contributing factor. Those advocating for simply expanding the Affordable Care Act are advocating for a system that still leaves millions of Americans uninsured, tens of thousands dying, hundreds of thousands going bankrupt, and Americans still paying the most in the world, all so that the Health Insurance Industry can rake in hundreds of billions in profit.

I believe it is beyond time that we join the rest of the industrialized world in providing healthcare to all Americans through a single payer health care system.

For those whom don’t know what single payer system is, it simply means that the government is the sole insurer. Every industrialized country in the world has one

Bennie J. Smith: I support Universal Healthcare with a Single Payor System (SPS) that would allow insurance companies to compete across state lines and help reduce costs in prescription drugs and premiums. We can address that by keeping AFFORDABLE CARE ACT and tweak it to allow those who already have coverage who like their coverage to keep it. No person should go without health care regardless of your age, class, economic or social status. I also support Paid Maternity Leave and FMLA.

QUESTION:

John R. Sharpensteen: My plan for health care is to introduce legislation that would mandate the ENTIRE health care system to become a non-profit. Possibly with the formation of health care Co-Ops. I believe in health care for all but do not support Medicare for All. However taking the profits from health care could be a way to finance Medicare for All of it becomes a reality.

Andrew J. Maynard: Did not respond.

Mary Ann Tobin: Did not respond.

Do you support comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for young people and adults? What are your plans to expand support and resources for immigrants and refugees, undocumented or otherwise?

Jimmy Ausbrooks: I recognize we need comprehensive immigration reform. We are a nation of immigrants. I am proud of my long family history in America, but I recognize we came here as immigrants too.

I would immediately get children out of cages at our boarders and reunited them with their family. No human being deserves to be treated like an animal, no family should be separated, and especial children separated from their parents when they are looking for a better way of life and a safer living situation for their families. The need to trek across countries or find passage across continents demonstrate both commitment and need. We need to offer these individuals and families mental healthcare services and medial care at our boarders.

I will support Dreamers receiving citizenship. Not just a pathway, but actually provide them with citizenship. I recognize that we will have a task before us in having comprehensive immigration reforms, but with diligence and stewardship we can and will address immigration. We have to also recognize that we are going to have to demonstrate change to make any attempt of build back and obtaining the trust of illegal immigrants, refugees and undocumented workers in our country. We … [response exceeds word limit] Charles Booker: I fully support comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for young people and adults. In fact, I believe we need immigrants and refugees to bring their skills, talents, resources, and hard work to the United States in order to continue to grow our economy. Our nation thrives on the multiculturalism that comes with immigration. Embracing this truth is

exactly how we will win our future.

I fully support comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for young people and adults. In fact, I believe we need immigrants and refugees to bring their skills, talents, resources, and hard work to the United States in order to continue to grow our economy. Our nation thrives on the multiculturalism that comes with immigration. Embracing this truth is exactly how we will win our future.

Progressive, comprehensive immigration reform starts with undoing many of the harsh, inhumane policies of the Trump Administration. As Senator, I would support legislation that makes it illegal to separate children from their families at the border, end the “Remain in Mexico” policies, reassess legal immigration quotas, codify Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and Deferred Action for Parents of Arrivals, and create a path to citizenship for … [response exceeds word limit] Mike Broihier: Immigrants, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are all unique cases despite the Trump administrations attempt to paint them all as one evil mob. The first step is to rebuild and refund the Department of State which has been under attack for the last three years. Engaging with all four groups should start overseas with a fully functional State Department not at points of entry. The latter two are protected under international conventions to which we are signatories. We need to follow existing law on their protected status and stop answers continued on next page

34 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

U.S. Senate – Democratic primary RESPONSES CONTINUED: Comprehensive immigration reform … contributing to conditions that cause them to flee their homes to start with.

As America ages and we approach full employment there is a growing need for both migrants and immigrants to keep our economy afloat. I’d rather see labor organizations for both skilled and unskilled work helping to obtain migrant visas than individual companies. For immigrants, I’d open the door to anyone who is of good character and wants to contribute to our nation.

Maggie Jo Hilliard: Yes, we need reform and a pathway to citizenship for everyone living in America. Human DNA is over 99% similar, so there is no reason to deny kindness and compassion to everyone regardless of their heritage. I am disturbed that post-9/11 racism and the extreme-right’s lack of compassion for non- citizens have seeped into 2020 politics as though it were the 1940’s. President Trump, similar to Hitler,seeks to blame immigrants for the many problems Americans’ face today as a result of governmental, corporate, environmental, economic and international policy disasters. Torturing asylum-seekers, preventing resident reentry, complicating lives for Dreamers, forbidding immigrant employment, denying healthcare to children or any denial of civil rights to any human being is wrong. A wall will not fix our lack of jobs due to automation; disallowing Muslim Americans does not assure anyone’s safety; separating a child from her mother will have no positive societal nor psychological consequences; and American citizens commit more crime than non-citizens. If I were elected, I would vote to modify policies to reflect actual data, not racist traditions and restore funding to the many existing government administrations and nonprofit entities which lost federal support after the 2016 elections.

Amy McGrath: I’ve been to the border. I’ve talked with Border Patrol officers.

The entire immigration issue is manageable if we’re just sensible about how we handle it. We need leaders with the courage to stand for secure borders but who will do so in a humane way in accordance with our American values. We will only solve this issue if Congress is willing to act on meaningful, comprehensive immigration reform.

Eric Rothmuller: I fully support comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship. We are a nation of immigrants. Outside of the native

QUESTION:

american people, all of our families came here from somewhere else. America has consistently been world leaders on the amount of legal immigrants and refugees we accept into our country. In believe this tradition is morally correct and extremely beneficial to us all. Here are some of the policies I support: - Reinstate and expand DACA and DAPA. - Provide a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

- Stop construction on the ineffective U.S.-Mexico border wall and invest in more innovative methods to counter the threats of drug importation and human trafficking.

- Overturn the Trump administration’s Muslim Ban and pass legislation that’ll limit the President’s ability to target classes of people and restrict or suspend their entry.

- Protect sanctuary cities from being denied Federal funding.

- Eliminate ICE and CBP (both were created in 2003) and have their responsibilities go back to their previous departments.

- Establish a more humane and fair review process for asylum claims.

- Appoint more immigration judges to hear asylum and immigration cases quicker.

- End for-profit immigration detention facilities and ensure …answer exceeds word limit John R. Sharpensteen: Yes. We need to get all immigrants registered and into the system and treat them as any others citizen.

Bennie J. Smith: Absolutely. This immigration policy is broken and we should do all we can in providing resources to assist in processing those human beings who work in this country a pathway to citizenship. Business owners who knowingly thwart the rules and employ undocumented immigrants should make arrangements to speed up the process to assist their workers to become U.S. citizens. I am also a DACA supporter. The current policy of the criminalization of immigrants wanting a better life for themselves and their families should offer more humane measures to address the legal process.

Andrew J. Maynard: Did not respond.

Mary Ann Tobin: Did not respond.

Is dealing with the climate crisis a high priority for you, and if so, do you support federal legislation for a Green New Deal? How would you ensure that solutions to the climate crisis benefit all Kentuckians – no matter the color of our skin, income, immigration status, or zip code?

Jimmy Ausbrooks: Climate Change is real and climate change has to be a priority.

We have a limited opportunity to redirect this crisis. This crisis is not just a crisis bases on your skin, social economic status, or zip code. This crisis is blind to prejudices and is not bias. We are all impacted by climate crisis, farmers, families, etc.

I do not only support a Green New Deal, but I want to engage Kentucky in being a center for Green/Renewable energy jobs, technology, and educational opportunities. We have an opportunity to educate, train and bring innovation to Kentucky. We should bring the Kentucky fossil fuel industry leadership to the table, they should utilize their resources to aid in developing technology and sustainable jobs. Together, through collaboration and commitment we can find solutions, aid in transition, and provide valuable opportunities to hardworking

men and women in Kentucky. We need to save the planet and our Kentucky.

Generations to come need to be able to enjoy rural Kentucky. We have some of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen. I want generations to come have the opportunity to witness a green meadow with wildflowers in Simpson County, a stag walking across … [response exceeds word limit] Charles Booker: Make no mistake, we are in a state of emergency. The movement we are seeing in Kentucky, and across the country, is an urgent declaration that we must lead now. I have two young daughters, and I want them to grow up and thrive in a Commonwealth that can support them. I believe addressing answers continued on next page

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 35

U.S. Senate – Democratic primary RESPONSES CONTINUED: Green New Deal … the climate crisis is not only one of the greatest imperatives of our time, but also one of the greatest economic opportunities for Kentucky. Further, addressing environmental injustice and racism is critical to protecting our families and our livelihood. That is why I’m an enthusiastic supporter of the Green New Deal, and why I’ve signed the No Fossil Fuel Dollars pledge. This is not a time to be politically calculated, or shirk away from the real challenges we face. This is not about outsiders telling us what we should do. This is about us taking a stand. For me, it is not simply that we need a Green New Deal, but we need a Kentucky New Deal. It’s time for us to lead the way.

Make no mistake, we are in a state of emergency. The movement we are seeing in Kentucky, and across the country, … [response exceeds word limit] Mike Broihier: Climate change, ultimately, will respect no boundary. Leading the world in transitioning to a green economy will be a great first step in mitigating climate change but also provide huge economic benefits for working Americans, raising wages and increasing awareness for the need for better education as we move into a post-industrialism era. The Green New Deal annunciates a vision where good jobs at good wages are a solution to our growing climate crisis and I support it.

Maggie Jo Hilliard: The climate crisis is my highest priority because Earth is our only home. Poor farming practices, pesticides, corporate pollution and our dietary preferences are causing the destruction of our natural resources, killing wildlife species, eroding beaches, melting polar ice, polluting water and contaminating food. Citizens alone cannot fix the problem, as 71% of the problem is corporate-caused. Smart voters acknowledge that blame games aren’t fixing problems, and The Green New Deal will require our sacrificing of many spoils of the industrial age like convenient plastics. We must work together to change the way we live so resources will sustain future generations. During WWII, Americans made sacrifices for the war effort to defeat fascism and genocide, and we can, again, acknowledge our common evil and join together to resolve it. To deny science in the face of floods and fires is foolhardy. I would like to see a growth in worker cooperative companies, which would grant ownership rights, voting rights and fair pay to employees. These entities, which are common throughout the world, consider human and planetary needs over corporate profits.

Amy McGrath: Climate change is intricately tied to our national security. Climate change and resource scarcity are with us today—we already have climate change refugees in America. Scientists around the world know it, and the United States military is already testing, adapting, and researching how to operate and succeed in these rapidly changing environments.

Our naval bases around the globe are seeing the effects now. In the past 10 years, nine major floods crippled Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Key West Naval Air Station (where I learned to dogfight in the F/A-18) will be almost completely under water in the next 80 years. Weather patterns are changing as well, with tragic effects. We are seeing hurricanes, floods, and fires in ways we’ve never seen

before. Large parts of the world (the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia) are experiencing dramatic desertification at an alarming rate. This means less food will be produced and large migrations of people will be forced out of the lands they occupy today. In the 20th century, we fought wars over values or economic clashes. In the 21st century, it will be over water and resources.

This is the world we will live in. This is the world our children … [response exceeds word limit] Eric Rothmuller: The science is settled. Climate change is real and we must take immediate action. It’s a global emergency and the United States should be leading the fight. It’s the right thing to do morally, logically, and economically. There are millions of jobs waiting for us in the renewable energy sector if we choose to be leaders in this fight. I will vote for and fight for the following: - The Green New Deal.

- Rejoining The Paris Agreement.

- Investing in the research and development of green renewable technology which will lead to millions of new jobs here in America.

- Setting progressive limits on carbon emissions to get our companies and consumers to cut carbon pollution in half by 2030 and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

- Financial support to the Green Climate Fund.

- Ensure displaced fossil fuel and coal workers (not executives) get preferential treatment in the hiring process for new jobs created in the renewable energy sector.

We only have one planet Earth and we all call this home. All countries must come together and work together to solve this problem.

John R. Sharpensteen: I am a firm believer in Global Warming. I don’t know a lot about the Green New Deal so I will hold my comments. I will work with other like minded Senators to find the best solutions possible. I view all citizens of Kentucky equally regardless of race, creed or religion. I will not bow to the rich or ignore the not so rich. what is good for one Kentuckian I hope will be good for all Kentuckians.

Bennie J. Smith: First of all, fire-powered plants that spew out green gas emissions affects the health of all within the areas of the facilities. I want to ensure that we create and lure renewable energy and energy efficient technology jobs to our urban, rural and Appalachian areas. With the continuous decline of the coal industry, we have to offer those miners and their families alternative sustainable options for an economic rebirth for their respective areas and their families. We can train and license those citizens, including immigrants and refugees, who want to work, go to school, and improve their lives.

Andrew J. Maynard: Did not respond.

Mary Ann Tobin: Did not respond.

Primary Election Day is Tuesday, June 23. Make sure your absentee ballot is mailed on or before that day.

36 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

U.S. Senate – Democratic primary QUESTION:

What is the role of the U.S. Congress in opposing white supremacy, addressing racial inequality and supporting racial justice for Black people, Indigenous people, Latinx people, immigrants, those who are undocumented, and all people of color in our country? Please identify at least two policy initiatives you would propose while in office to address racial and systemic inequalities.

Jimmy Ausbrooks: The role of the U.S. Congress is to serve the people and protect the constitution of the United States. I accept their is a imperfect and sometimes bias world we live in, but I hold true to basic fundamental rights of equality. I believe all men are created equal, our constitutions states that, but it has been hundreds of years in the making and we have not yet perfected it.

As a member of the U.S. Congress I would have to accept that Freedom of Speech is a fundamental right and it will take diligence and fortitude to overcome injustices and inequality that has played out on the stage of life for centuries.

We have to strive and work tirelessly to oppose discrimination and inequality. I feel that it is imperative that we bring education to the forefront of addressing racial inequality, negative stereotypes of people of color, and indigenous people, and immigrants. Education is key, openly expressing hate is usually more about fear, insecurities and a lack of knowledge. Encouraging inclusion and opportunity for engagement is beneficial.

I would initiate an Educational Inclusion Act, this policy that is directed at and for every public school and every … [response exceeds word limit] Charles Booker: I believe we cannot move forward as a nation until we come to terms with our past. This requires us to acknowledge our structural ills, and dedicate our policy and budgetary decisions directly toward removing inequity that has continued for generations. I’m a lifelong Kentuckian, and several generations of my family have called the Commonwealth home. I’ve had relatives who were enslaved in Kentucky. I’ve had relatives lynched in Kentucky. My grandparents were redlined in Kentucky. I understand intimately the legacy of slavery and white supremacy isn’t in our distant past; we still grapple with it today.

I’m running my campaign because I believe it’s time for Kentuckians to stand up for system-level change and tackle structural racism and inequity headon. I also believe we need real criminal justice reform, including an end to the war on drugs, as well as expungement opportunities and automatic restoration of voting rights to all people with felonies in their past. This belief is why I have been a relentless advocate in the Kentucky State Legislature for amending the Kentucky Constitution to allow for the automatic restoration of voting rights.

I am grateful to have worked alongside KFTC in this effort during my time … [response exceeds word limit] Mike Broihier: For decades, tracking the growth and behavior of White Supremacist groups has fallen solely on non-governmental groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Jewish Defense League and the NAACP when it should have been the portfolio of the FBI and national anti-terrorism agencies. Those selfless groups should continue to provide oversight, but the burden of tracking all hate groups and those who espouse violence should be done by the federal government.

Congress needs to be wary of prior restraint, free-speech and privacy concerns but legislating against ideologies that espouse violence and discrimination is surely constitutional. If elected, I’d have two priorities in addition to environmental and voting issues discussed in this questionnaire. The first, readdress the status of our treaties with indigenous nations. I’d form an independent commission to exam-

ine all existing claims of tribal sovereignty and associated treaties with the United States to ensure that the promises made over a long period of time are collected, reconciled and reaffirmed by Congress. Secondly, I would support a commission to address reparations for the descendants of formerly enslaved persons.

Maggie Jo Hilliard: Systemic racial injustice was built into American government and corporate systems through centuries of government-sponsored slavery, discrimination, criminal injustice, and separatist policies. American jurisprudence is based on white supremacy; thus, economic and societal equality will require a moral change in Washington. Elected leaders must be leaders – to tell constituents the truth about our gross history and move forward with plans to correct past errors and prevent future ones. Mitch McConnell should be loudly protesting racial injustice at all levels, yet he supports a hateful and discriminatory president and administration. Unfortunately, these are the cynics that have appointed judges which will determine Constitutional interpretation for years to come. If I were elected, I would like to work on bills like Cory Booker’s plan to require the FBI and DOJ to allocate resources to fight white- supremacist-inspired-violence at the same level as international terrorism funding. Our government needs to respect and defend indigenous lands and heritage against harmful corporate behavior and set the record straight on the true positive consequences of fair immigration when discussing our borders, instead of inciting violence, exclusion and hate.

Equal protection under the law should be afforded to everyone, especially those which have, historically, been underserved … [response exceeds word limit] Amy McGrath: I will be a leader who has the courage to speak out against injustice, prejudice and racism. I will be a leader who celebrates diversity, pushes for inclusion, and encourages people to speak out and speak up when injustice is occuring. And further, speak out and speak up when our government tries to pass harmful legislation in education, health care and other areas vital to the well-being of minority communities. Kentucky needs a senator that will work to ensure economic justice and opportunity for all, no matter where you live, where you come from, or what you look like.

Eric Rothmuller: The United States Congress plays a vital role in ensuring that the protections granted to people by the United States Constitution are upheld and in protecting people from discrimination in areas where the Constitution falls short.

Here are just some of the initiatives I will fight for while in office that address racial and systemic inequalities: - Restoration of voting rights for all Americans whom have had their voting rights taken away and ensuring the right to vote of every American citizen over 18 years of age shall never be taken away.

- Making Election Day a national holiday.

- Automatic voter registration.

- End voter suppression and gerrymandering.

- End redlining practices that still exist. answers continued on next page

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 37

U.S. Senate – Democratic primary RESPONSES CONTINUED: Opposing white supremacy and racial inequality …

- Raise the Federal minimum wage to $15 an hour and tie it to inflation so we don’t have to keep having this fight. Raising the minimum wage will increase the wages of over 30% of African-American and Latinx workers.

- Prioritize infrastructure spending on poverty stricken communities.

- Guarantee tuition and debt-free public colleges, universities, trade-schools, and minority serving institutions (HBCUs & Tribal Colleges) and eliminate student loan debt.

- Guarantee health care to all Americans through Medicare For All and eliminate medical … answer exceeds word limit

place programs to work with employers to train employees for good paying jobs.

I would also work to establish guide lines for a living wage.

John R. Sharpensteen: The role is to lead by example. This actually falls on the shoulders of the voters to really know who they are electing. I would put into

Andrew J. Maynard: Did not respond.

QUESTION:

Bennie J. Smith: 1. I would strengthen the federal TITLE VII Anti-Discrimination Law that prohibits discrimination based on race, gender, sex and sexual orientation.

2. I would also create legislation that would target Domestic Terrorism as aggressively as we target other outside terrorist groups. Seizure of assets for individuals and groups would also be a means of redress.

Mary Ann Tobin: Did not respond.

Kentucky has the ninth highest incarceration rate in the nation, is second in the nation for incarcerating women, and has the second-highest rate in the country of children separated from a parent due to incarceration. In addition, Black Kentuckians make up 8.3 percent of the state population but 21 percent of the state’s incarcerated population. Are you committed to ending mass incarceration in Kentucky and in the United States as a whole? Why or why not? If elected, what will you do to make strides toward ending mass incarceration and reinvesting resources into the communities most impacted by this system?

Jimmy Ausbrooks: Currently I am in support of Kentucky House Bill 221. It would be an initiative to decrease incarceration for non-violent offensives. I would advocate to shut down for profit prisons. Once these for profit prisons are closed we will see a drastic decrease in incarceration. When prisoners are no longer profitable we will have a real opportunity for change, treatment, and education.

The legalization of marijuana could also decrease the incarceration rates, while bringing in vital revenues into the state. Legalization of marijuana could provide viable and legal employment/entrepreneurial opportunities. As a professional counselor, I understand that prison has been an unethical means to imprison those that need both mental healthcare and substance abuse treatment, not incarceration.

I believe in opportunities not limitations. I recognize the injustices of our current criminal system. I recognize the bias and conservative attitude within Kentucky especially in some rural areas and pledge to bring more inclusive educational programs to both urban and rural communities through federal grants and incentives.

Charles Booker: I am extremely committed to ending mass incarceration, as well as mass criminalization. Our justice system is rooted in inequities that disproportionately harm minority and impoverished communities; we lock up people of color at a rate much higher than other communities, and it costs the government and taxpayers a lot of money to do it. According to the ACLU, one in every three black boys and one in every six Latino boys will go to prison at least once in their lifetimes compared to just one in every seventeen white boys. These numbers are clear proof that mass incarceration is putting people of color behind bars at alarming rates. This is not keeping communities safe. This is not helping families to heal.

As a community organizer, former director at a national non-profit focused on comprehensive solutions to violence, and now as a State Representative, I

have dedicated my passion and expertise to this work. It is why I sought to serve on the House Judiciary Committee in the Kentucky General Assembly. I firmly understand that reforming our justice system will heal generational trauma, boost our economy, and directly combat poverty. As U.S. Senator, I will stand with the growing … [response exceeds word limit] Mike Broihier: I envision a country where incarceration is the last resort, where the first time a person receives health care or dental care or treatment for mental illness or addiction isn’t behind bars. Mass incarceration gives lie to the those who claim to be fiscal conservatives because study after study prove that money spent on programs as diverse as universal pre-K education, school nutrition and drug use prevention pay huge dividends on the back end in preventing incarceration. I am, therefore, committed to ending mass incarceration and educating the nation, as best as possible, in the efficacy, moral and economic, of investing in people before they run afoul of the law.

Maggie Jo Hilliard: After 15 years working in criminal courts, I am moved to run for office to provide an insider’s look into our criminal justice system, its many injustices and economically wasteful processes. The death penalty is ineffective at deterring crime, expensive for taxpayers, unequally applied and can unfortunately kill innocent people awaiting court action. I am moved to run for office to fight addiction stigma and encourage rehabilitation for those that need a handup, not a jail cell, to cure the root causes of their criminal behavior. Incarceration should be reserved for violent offenders, not PTSD-sufferers or Cancer-patients using cannabis. I believe solitary confinement should be banned. Citizens need a vote in local criminal laws and procedures by way of “citizen review boards” and more pathways to post- conviction relief for victims of injustice. All too often, answers continued on next page

38 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

U.S. Senate – Democratic primary RESPONSES CONTINUED: Ending mass incarceration … our slow criminal system leaves taxpayers footing bills to incarcerate harmless and innocent people, or those in need of medical, not penal, attention. Americans are growing more savvy on matters of criminal law with the emergence of social media, video technology, genetic testing for the masses, documentary films and news stories, yet the system works frustratingly show to release the innocent, heal the ill, … [response exceeds word limit] Amy McGrath: I will work to reduce our prison population through increased federal funding for state and local rehabilitation programs and opioid treatment centers. We also need to look at reduced sentences for non-violent offenders.

I applaud the Senate for passing the First Step Act, since it was a crucial step toward comprehensive criminal justice reform.

Eric Rothmuller: The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world. We account for only 5% of the world’s population but we have nearly 20% of the world’s prison population. Our system focuses more on punishing people and does very little in terms of focusing on rehabilitation and trying to reduce recidivism. There are many things we can do to address these issues and here are just some of the policies I support and will fight for: - Legalize marijuana, expunge past marijuana convictions, and decriminalize all drugs with an emphasis on rehabilitation.

- Release all non-violent drug offenders.

- Institute a just transition program for prisoners upon release.

- End cash bail.

- Ban for-profit prisons.

- Abolish three strikes laws, mandatory minimum sentences, and the death penalty.

- Institute a housing for all program to address homelessness.

- Allow certain types of felony convictions to be expunged after the sentence is

QUESTION:

served and a decided amount of time has passed with no other convictions.

- Refocus our criminal justice system into one that focuses less on punitive measures and more on rehabilitation programs. This includes investing in rehabilitation programs for those incarcerated, on probation, or on parole.

John R. Sharpensteen: Yes. Mass incarceration isn’t the answer. We need to develop alternate programs to punish and rehabilitate wrong doers. Community service could be an answer as well as allowing those whose crimes are as severe to possible serve their time in the military instead of a prison.

Bennie J. Smith: I have always been one opposed to the Prison Industrial System. It appears focus of resources have been more concentrated on locking up citizens, particularly citizens of color, rather than rehabiliation. Most citizens who may have alcohol or drug addiction need treatment and rehabilitation rather than being criminalized. Private prisons have been built in communities in an effort to boost their respective community’s economic outlook. Resources should go toward assisting those who lack a GED to receive one while incarcerated. Also resources should go toward job skills training to help prevent recidivism. There should also be resources to assist in the aftercare of those released to allow them to be more productive citizens. Transportation services should be provided for families who have loved ones incarcerated at a distance to assist with their visitation. And predatory services from vendors at these correctional facilities should be reviewed to determine if there’s any excessive hardships on families. I would want to investigate why women incarceration rates have significantly increased?

Is there something we as a society can do to address this issue on a community support basis? And what steps can we take to address youth violence?

Andrew J. Maynard: Did not respond.

Mary Ann Tobin: Did not respond.

Do you support restoring voting rights to Kentuckians with felonies in their past? Specifically, do you support the Democracy Restoration Act to restore voting rights to people upon release from prison for purposes of voting in federal elections? Do you support restoring the Voting Rights Advancement Act to ensure strong federal oversight of state and local governments with a history of voter suppression aimed at communities of color? Please explain.

Jimmy Ausbrooks: Every American deserves the right to vote, it is a constitutional right. No person should be denies the right to vote. We should not now nor ever muffle or silence a citizens voice by denying them of their vote. I completely support the Democracy Restoration Act. The reason I fee that all citizen should have the right to vote is because our founding fathers were all criminals in the eye of their government, the English King. They stood together, revolted, and created a country founded on freedom. One such freedom was the right to vote, hold open and fair elections, and providing opportunity to collectively make changes as need arises. We no longer have to live under tyranny or a tyrant.

“The bill declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence” Each American citizen deserve their right to vote and not suppression.

Charles Booker: Yes, yes, and yes!

I fully support restoring voting rights to Kentuckians with felonies in their past. This has been my top priority as a legislator, and will continue to be my urgent focus as our next U.S. Senator. This session, I am the lead sponsor of a bill in the Kentucky General Assembly that would automatically restore voting rights to all Kentuckians who finish their sentences. I fully support the Democracy Restoration Act. Our criminal justice system systematically targets the poor and people of color, and too many of our brothers and sisters in Kentucky have had their voices taken away because they’ve lost voting rights due to a past mistake they’ve already paid for. This is very personal to me. Some of my own family members who helped raise me, instruct me, inspire me, and push me to succeed, cannot vote today because of felony disenfranchisement.

The federal government -- and all governments -- have a responsibility to answers continued on next page

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 39

U.S. Senate – Democratic primary RESPONSES CONTINUED: Voting rights … make voting as easy and accessible as possible for all of its citizens. That means that we must have strong oversight to ensure that voter ID laws aren’t able to disenfranchise voters, that voters aren’t removed from voting roles, that early … [response exceeds word limit]

Amy McGrath: Formerly incarcerated individuals have paid their debt to society.

Giving non-violent offenders a chance to become full citizens again aligns with the American principles of due process and fairness. It only hurts our Democracy to prevent people from participating and contributing to our election process.

Mike Broihier: I fully support the restoration of voting rights for prior felons on both the state and federal level. In light of the previous question which highlights the disproportionate jailing of people of color, restoration of voting rights is as much about individual fairness as it is about equal representation. The Voting Rights Advancement Act would go far to codify rules regarding the supervision of states that have repeatedly and flagrantly acted in an unconstitutional manner and has my full support.

Eric Rothmuller: I do support restoring voting rights to all Americans with felonies convictions. In my view, the Democracy Restoration Act doesn’t go far enough because it doesn’t allow people currently serving felony convictions the right to vote. I would support the Democracy Restoration Act but would propose an amendment to ensure that the vote will never be taken away. I personally believe all American citizens 18 years of age and older should have an inalienable right to vote and that right should never be infringed.

I do support the Voting Rights Advancement Act. It’s clear many states and local governments have been participating in gerrymandering and voter suppression.

The Federal Government needs to step in and provide oversight to help curb these discriminatory and undemocratic practices.

Maggie Jo Hilliard: No human should ever be voiceless in their governments’ decisions. I support Universal Suffrage for people over 16-years-old and will create a beta-version online voter platform during my candidacy to offer a survey to all people who may wish to voice their opinions on pressing political issues, not media headlines nor political figures; and provide citizens information to connect to elected leaders and organizations to assist with emergencies. At age 16, each American should be automatically registered to vote without any restrictions or preconditions and granted a government-issued email address by the U.S. Postal Service through which their votes would be cast and validated. A democracy is “a system of government by the whole population”. Technology is available to create a more democratic country. Our current system is fraught with politics and data insecurity, old machines and varied laws by jurisdiction as to who may vote, and who may not. Antiquated American election traditions which exclude voters for one-reason-or-another have proven to cause social disruption for lack of trust in the process. It will take all of us to tackle the climate crises and correct historical errors, and all voices should be heard.

John R. Sharpensteen: Yes. Everyone should have the right to vote. Voter suppression should not be tolerated. However I would like to see programs available to actually educate the voters on how to select the best candidate regardless of party, race or social status. We need to get past voting for one party or the others just because that was who mom or dad would vote for or even because that is who our spouse would vote for.

Bennie J. Smith: One of our platform initiatives supports the restoration of voting rights for nonviolent ex-felons. We also support job skills training, housing, job preparation and transport assistance to those reentering society. Definitely better aftercare resources are needed to help get each person leaving incarceration a hand up in improving their lives.

Andrew J. Maynard: Did not respond.

QUESTION:

Mary Ann Tobin: Did not respond.

Do you support proposed Just Transition bills in Congress to take care of coal miners and communities by investing in abandoned mine land reclamation (H.R. 2156 and H.R. 4248) and extending current funding for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund for another 10 years (H.R. 3876 and S.3171)? Why or why not?

Jimmy Ausbrooks: I support Kentuckians, and the Just Transition bills, it demonstrates potential opportunities/options and considerations for a lingering problem for both Kentucky and millions and hardworking individual’s lives and the lives of their families.

We have to recognize the plight of miners and seek compensation and security. The Black Long Disability Trust Fund should in equivalently be extended.

These miners did their jobs in good faith and the threat of harm should have been address well in advance and the government and mines/ mine owners are responsible for the illnesses and deaths. The miners and their families deserve compensation.

Charles Booker: Absolutely. Those coal miners are our family. They gave their

livelihood and sacrifice their lives, just so we can have light and warmth. It is time we stand up for them, and push back on corrupt interests that only seek to exploit, extract from them, and leave them stranded on the tracks. We know the coal industry is declining. Instead of abandoning our family, we need to be intentional about investing in them and providing pathways to opportunities for them to pursue their dreams and take care of their loved ones.

Coal miners and coal communities deserve respect. That means that we need leaders who recognize what the people and communities of coal-producing regions like Eastern Kentucky and Western Kentucky have given to our country.

It also means that we must take much-needed steps to protect the land and water and create economic opportunities in coal country. answers continued on next page

40 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

U.S. Senate – Democratic primary RESPONSES CONTINUED: Just Transition …

Not only am I a proponent of previously-introduced legislation such as the RECLAIM Act and ensuring funding for black lung benefits for our miners, I am pushing that work in the Kentucky General Assembly. I am proud to have joined a bipartisan group of legislators this session in co-sponsoring legislation that would make … [response exceeds word limit] Mike Broihier: Yes, and yes. Just Transition and the BLDTF aren’t just about mitigating past damage but acknowledging where responsibility for those damages lie. By blocking these bills, politicians, most notably Mitch McConnell, shift the cost of righting wrongs from corporations (and large donors) onto taxpayers. The inequity of this shift has grown starker as the current administration has rolled back environmental regulations that will only exacerbate poor living conditions in coal country. I will fight to reinstate environmental regulations that place the responsibility for clean operation and mitigation where it belongs, on those who seek to profit from an extractive economy. My wife and I are farmers. We run our operation on sustainable principles: no chemical pesticides or herbicides, no GMO seedstock and no prophylactic hormones or antibiotics. It is a more challenging path, but you can make a living while being good stewards of the land. There is no reason that everyone shouldn’t be held to the same high standard we set for ourselves.

Maggie Jo Hilliard: Yes, absolutely. Expediting $1BN from the Abandoned Mine Land Fund to clean-up abandoned coal mining sites must be done to address the scars of mountaintop removal mining (MTR), valley fills and toxic pollution. The RECLAIM Act would grant miners access essential healthcare, fairer pay for their work and secure retirement funding while also employing thousands of Kentuckians in efforts to restore damaged land and water resources.

MTR causes contamination to groundwater, streams and the air around topped mountains, resulting in lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and the loss of fish and other wildlife. In 2016, federal laws required mining companies to monitor and restore the more-than-500 mountain regions impacted by MTR, but McConnell and Trump got rid of the Stream Protection Rule early in the Trump administration. Such rules will need to be back in place to protect Kentuckians.

In 2018, McConnell neglected The Black Lung Disability Trust Fund tax, allowing it to revert back to 1978 levels; then the rate was extended for just one year. Now the rates are set to expire in December of 2020 without government action to extend care. Communities impacted by coal production deserve consistent support, not political rhetoric. Central Appalachia is facing a … [response exceeds word limit]

QUESTION:

Amy McGrath: Kentucky coal miners have powered this nation for generations.

The country now owes a debt to Kentucky’s coal regions for their service in the construction of America. When paid, that debt will help build a new economy for the future of Kentucky’s coalfields. One way we can do this is by passing the RECLAIM Act. I will work to make sure coal miners’ and their families are guaranteed the benefits and pay they earned through years of hard work. That’s why I support extending current funding for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund.

Eric Rothmuller: I support all four bills. Coal country has been hit hard. Many don’t see light at the end of the tunnel and I don’t blame them. The coal industry is dying. Trump and other politicians can tell you they’re going to save the coal industry but I won’t lie to you. They can’t, I can’t, and you can’t. The market has spoken and coal power is ever increasingly becoming a thing of the past. The people of coal country are the ones that suffer. They’re left with economic troubles, environmental issues, and health issues. We must invest in these communities and take care of our people.

Beyond those four bills, I will also fight for amendments to be added to any bill that has to do with investing in renewable energies (which I support) so that a transition plan is laid out for displaced fossil fuel and coal workers (not executives) be implemented where those displaced workers get preferential treatment in the hiring process for new renewable energy jobs. I will also fight to get those jobs located in communities affected by job loss due to our divesting in the fossil fuel and coal industries.

John R. Sharpensteen: I am not very familiar with theses resolutions but will take the opportunity to meet with as many coal miners as possible as soon as possible to get a better understanding of what they need and want.

Bennie J. Smith: I had a father--in-law (Mr. Woodrow Lowe) who was a 50- year coal miner in Harlan, KY who eventually experienced a long and painful death with BLACK LUNG DISEASE. So I know firsthand the scourge of this dreaded disease. So I am wholeheartedly in favor of any legislation and efforts to assist our coal miners and their families, especially extending funding permanently for the BLACK LUNG DISABILITY TRUST FUND. Andrew J. Maynard: Did not respond.

Mary Ann Tobin: Did not respond.

What will you do to support LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer) Kentuckians? What will you do to protect people from discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity?

Jimmy Ausbrooks: As a member of the LGBTQ community, I would be Kentucky’s first openly gay United States Senator, first openly gay elected Federal official and be the best preson to advocate and demonstrate the need for protection from discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodations, fostering/ foster to adoption, and many other imperative issues facing the LGBTQ community. I will demand consideration on the Senate floor the the Equality Act. I will advocate for LGBTQ education in public schools, I will support and advocate

for LGBTQ youth, be an effective and positive role model to other LGBTQ individuals and break the stigma associated with being LGBTQ. I will join two other positive role modes currently serving in the United States Senate. I will be a strong advocate.

Charles Booker: I’ve always been an ally to our LGBTQIA+ family -- in my answers continued on next page

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 41

U.S. Senate – Democratic primary RESPONSES CONTINUED: Support for LGBTQ … personal life, as a candidate, and in my role as state Representative. I’ll continue to be an ally as Kentucky’s next U.S. Senator. My declaration for this movement that will beat Mitch McConnell and help us win our future, is a clarion call that no matter where you are from, what you look like, how much money you have in your pocket, who you love, or what pronoun you use, that you matter and deserve a government that is accountable to you.

Our governments have ignored discrimination against LGBTQIA people for too long. In the State House, I co-sponsored legislation to ban conversion therapy in Kentucky, as well as legislation to create statewide fairness. I believe we should have a nationwide fairness law that ensures that our loved ones recognized as a protected class, and makes housing and workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity illegal.

I am also firmly committed to locking arms with all Kentuckians, and fighting back against hateful legislation that would seek to infringe on access to public accommodations based on gender identity. Those types of laws cause trauma, intense heartache, and … [response exceeds word limit] Mike Broihier: `A decade ago, as editor of a weekly rural newspaper, I argued in an editorial titled, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Care,” that the only people who cared about LGBTQ people in the military were preachers and politicians and they only cared because they thought my readers cared. I said, in my wife’s and my combined 40-years in the military, we knew few people who cared about this issue. Those who go in harm’s way care only about dependability, integrity and intrepidity, not who someone loves. Shockingly, it was well received. What I learned was that even rural, conservative, religious people are open to progressive ideas presented with reason, patience and an appeal to fairness. While I believe that the 14th Amendment should be enough and acknowledge that it is unfair to urge patience on those whose rights are being denied, I’d point to the progress of the Fairness Campaign as they’ve won the passage of ordinances in over a dozen cities. I will argue on the basis of fairness and legislate on the basis of Equal Protection that discrimination because of sexual orientation or sexual identity, in any form and in any forum is morally wrong and legally unconstitutional.

Maggie Jo Hilliard: I will support the LGBTQ community in every way possible to ensure equal access to all privileges of American life regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation or other traits. I am an ardent supporter of inclusion at all levels of society and government for the LGBTQ community, including marriage equality, military inclusion, public accommodations, universal healthcare, hate-crime enhancements for violent acts against the LGBTQ community, and the federal Equality Act to give nationwide legal protections to the LGBTQ community. Leaders should fervently speak-out against discriminatory acts we see on our news daily, and equally represent their constituents regardless of the color

Presidental Primary

of their skin, where they are from, whom they wish to love and associate, the God they worship or other differences. Fueling ignorant acts of hate or ignoring it, is wrong. The majority of Americans do not hate people at first sight nor seek to harm people that are different from them. The extremists that hurt people because of their differences should be punished, not endorsed, by our leaders.

Amy McGrath: No Kentuckian should be discriminated against because of their sexual orientation and I will support legislation that protects LGBTQ Kentuckians from any discrimination they may face whether in housing or employment or public accomodations.

Eric Rothmuller: I am proud to have seen so much progress made in this country over the course of my lifetime in support of the LGBTQ+ community but there’s still work to be done. The law still allows discrimination of the LGBTQ+ community in many areas of their lives and this needs to be changed. Here are some of the policies I support and will fight for: - Support for any bill that protects against LGBTQ+ discrimination.

- Pass The Equality Act. - Pass The Student Non-Discrimination Act and The Safe Schools Improvement Act - Oppose any legislation aimed at protecting religious liberty at the expense of others’ rights.

- Institute a ban conversion therapy.

- Expand affirmative civil rights testing for anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination.

- Expand the Fair Housing Act to make it illegal to deny housing to any LGBTQ+ person.

- Make it illegal to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people by banks, and creditors.

- Institute anti-discrimination protections for workers by supporting the BE HEARD in the Workplace Act. - Repeal the Trump Administration’s ban on transgender people from serving in the military.

John R. Sharpensteen: As a Born Again Christian I believe we are to love one another regardless. I will not discriminate against the LGBTQ community and will oppose anyone that does. I don’t believe in their chosen life styles but respect their right to choose.

Bennie J. Smith: I will simply support any legislation that prohibits discrimination of any kind based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sex and sexual orientation.

Andrew J. Maynard: Did not respond.

Mary Ann Tobin: Did not respond.

Also in the primary election, Democratic voters may select their preference for U.S. president. Though most of these candidates have suspended or ended their campaigns, they will still be listed on the ballot: Michael Bennet, Joseph R. Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg, John Delany, Tulsi Gabbard, Amy Klobuchar, Deval Patrick, Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer, Elizabeth Warren and Andrew Yang.

42 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

Who can vote and who can't in Kentucky elections To register and vote in Kentucky, one needs to be at least 18 years old by Election Day (Tuesday, November 3, 2020), must live in Kentucky (temporary student housing works), and is a U.S. citizen. The deadline to register to vote in the June 23 primary election is May 26, 2020.

Those are the basics, but things get a little trickier in Kentucky because our criminal justice system plays an unusual role in taking away people's right to vote.

People with felonies in their past – Many can’t vote … but about half can because of Governor Beshear’s Executive Order.

•

• •

Kentucky’s constitution disenfranchises people with felonies in their past and is harsher than almost any state in the U.S. in that regard. Governor Beshear restored the right to vote to 152,000 Kentuckians. To see if you were one of them, visit www.CivilRightsRestoration.ky.gov You can alternately use the decision tree graphic on this page to see if you got back your right to vote through the governor’s pardon – http:// kftc.org/resources/voting-rights-eo-decision-tree People who are not covered by the executive order but who have served their time can still apply to get their rights back individually with the governor’s office through a form found here: www.kftc.org/campaigns/ restore-your-right-vote. People who have had their record expunged of felonies also can vote.

KFTC's long-term goal is to change Kentucky's constitution so that people automatically get the right to vote back when they've served their debt to society, including prison time, probation and parole. But for now, this remains a barrier for more than 100,000 of Kentuckians.

People with misdemeanors in their past – Can Vote!

If someone has a misdemeanor in their past, that doesn't stop them from voting in Kentucky. Many people in this situation may have been told that they can't register and vote, but they absolutely can.

People currently in jail serving for a misdemeanor – Can't Vote This disenfranchisement comes from section 145 of the Kentucky Constitution along with felony disenfranchisement.

People serving probation and parole for a misdemeanor – Can Vote!

Even though you're still serving your time, there's nothing stopping you from registering and voting in this case.

People in jails pre-trial who were charged with either a felony or a misdemeanor – Can Vote!

If you're in jail because you're awaiting trial or sentencing for any offense (and you've never been convicted of a felony), you do have the right to vote. That's a big deal, because in many Kentucky jails about 70 percent of the population is pre-trial.

Pre-trial folks in jail can legally vote by absentee ballot though the logistics of that are tricky.

To vote absentee, there are a lot of hoops to jump through for anyone: You have to be registered to vote and you have to know what county you're registered in. Alternatively, in this case, you can register at the jail, but then that's an extra step.

You have to make the request by phone, email or fax to the county clerk in the county where you're registered for an absentee ballot, and you have to give a legally recognized reason such as: • • • • •

Advanced in age, disabled or ill Military personnel, their dependents, or overseas citizens A student who temporarily resides outside the county A voter who temporarily resides outside of Kentucky and who maintains eligibility to vote in Kentucky, such as a "snowbird" Incarcerated, but not yet convicted of a crime (or a few other conditions)

The clerk will then check your name against the voter file and will mail you a formal application for an absentee ballot.

You'll fill out that application and return it by mail, and the clerk's office will have to receive it soon for it to be valid.

The clerk will then mail you an absentee ballot, which you have to receive, fill out and mail back so that the clerk receives it by 6 p.m. on Election Day. That's a lot of mailing and back and forth, so keep that in mind when planning to vote by absentee ballot.

To complicate matters a little more, jails have some restrictions of what people can get in the mail that might be challenging to navigate. And it's not automatic that third parties will be able to gain access to jails to register people or help them through the process.

But it's also not legal to disenfranchise people in jails who are pre-trial and it's a misdemeanor to prevent someone from registering to vote. So the law supports voting by people who are pre-trial.

If you consider this Voter Guide a valuable resource, please consider a donation to support KFTC’s yearround Voter Empowerment work.

Online at: kftc.org/support Mail to: KFTC PO Box 1450 London, KY 40743-1450 Thanks!

www.kftc.org | May 2020

KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition | 43

The fight for Voting Rights for people with felonies in their past We believe that all Kentucky citizens should vote and that our Democracy is stronger when we hear from everyone.

In most states, after people serve their time they get their voting rights back automatically.

In Kentucky, even a class D felony is enough to cost someone their voting rights forever unless they got a pardon from the governor, or go through an expensive process of having their record expunged for a limited number of Class D felonies. Kentucky is one of the most difficult states for someone to get their voting rights back.

Even after Governor Beshear’s executive order in December 2019, more than 100,000 Kentuckians who have served their time can’t vote because of this barrier – disproportionately from low-income and people of color communities. This takes away tremendous voting power from these communities and hurts us all.

We Believe …

We believe that after someone has served their time, they should be given back their right to vote – be-

cause that’s the fair thing to do and because it makes Kentucky’s democracy stronger.

And it’s only fair that people who work, pay taxes, have kids in public schools and contribute in other important ways be allowed representation in our government.

Restoring voting rights even contributes to crime prevention. People with felonies in their past who vote are statistically half as likely to recidivate (commit future crimes) than those who don’t vote. When you think about it, it makes sense. When someone feels like part of a community, they’re less likely to act out against that community.

Solutions A change is needed in Section 145 of the Kentucky Constitution to correct this problem. This would start out as a bill passed by legislators in the General Assembly which would then allow Kentucky voters to decide whether to grant automatic restoration of voting rights to people once they have paid their debt to society.

Getting Involved Winning this issue will take a mass movement of people connecting with their neighbors, sharing stories of why this issue matters, being active online and finding new ways to engage as many voters as possible. If you’d like to get involved in this issue, please reach out to your local KFTC organizer or contact Dave Newton at 859-420-8919 or Dave@kftc.org. It’s especially important to us to have more people who have lost the right to vote because your voices are especially powerful.

44 | KENTUCKY Primary ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – Fayette County Edition

www.kftc.org | May 2020

Voting by mail and other voting options Voting will be a little different this year for the June 23 primary election, with most voting happening by mail. But there are a few different options Kentucky voters have to cast their ballot.

There is a link where you can request a mail-in ballot at www.GoVoteKY.com Alternatively, you can call your county clerk now to request a mail-in ballot, but that process will have added steps. You can find your county clerk’s number at https://bit.ly/ KYCountyClerks. Some county clerk websites also have an online form to request a ballot.

There’s a June 15 deadline to request mail ballots. Ballots need to be postmarked no later than June 23 and received by June 26.

• Getting it mailed earlier is better.

• Postage on ballots is already paid.

• There will be local drop boxes at limited locations if you’d prefer to drop it off (your county clerk can tell you where).

The June 23 primary includes elections for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, state legislative seats and some local governing bodies. To see who’s on your ballot, where they stand on issues, check your voter registration and more, visit www.KentuckyElection.org.

There will be in-person voting at limited locations (not your usual precinct) on Election Day, with some early voting by appointment at the county clerk’s office. This process likely will vary from county to county, so check with your county clerk (https://bit.ly/ KYCountyClerks).

Design by Grid Principles • https://gridprinciples.com • Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @seunerinle

Have question? Reach out to Dave Newton at Dave@kftc.org or 859-420-8919.