Secretary of State Trey Grayson commended members of the Kentucky Senate after the passage of Senate Bill 112.  The bill passed with 34 votes in favor of the bill in today’s floor vote. 

“I applaud the strong bi-partisan support from members of the Senate to rid Kentucky of taxpayer funded political campaigns,” said Secretary Grayson.

Secretary Grayson testified on behalf of the bill in front of the Senate State and Local Government Committee on February 9, 2005.  The bill would eliminate tax-payer funded gubernatorial campaigns in the Commonwealth.  Although in recent sessions of the General Assembly the legislature refused to allow taxpayer dollars to fund political campaigns, the framework of the laws have not been repealed.

Secretary Grayson stated during his testimony, “Simply put: taxpayer funded political campaigns did not achieve what it set out to do.  When given the choice of funding education or healthcare for our citizens, or using taxpayer dollars to purchase attack ads and bumper stickers, I think the choice is clear.  It is time that we set our priorities straight and no longer fund welfare for politicians.”

The committee passed the legislation with no votes in opposition of the bill.  The bill now proceeds to the house chambers where Secretary Grayson is calling for immediate action.
 
“I hope that the House will consider this legislation expeditiously and ultimately see to it that taxpayers never have to fund gubernatorial campaigns again.”

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