Lt. Gov. Abramson says industries already have begun lobbying for lower taxes

Few details have been set for Kentucky’s tax reform task force Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson will head up but already interest groups and industries have begun lobbying for breaks, the lieutenant governor said.

Abramson gave a 25-minute speech Tuesday evening to business leaders from the St. Matthews Area Chamber of Commerce at the Olmstead in Louisville, where he served 21 years as mayor. He went through the highlights of Gov. Beshear’s budget address from Jan. 17. And he elaborated on some of the financial challenges facing the commonwealth, the future of the Louisville bridges project and the Blue Ribbon Tax Commission.

Abramson underscored the political challenge of leading a group to agree on recommendations for revamping the tax code by saying they “ … will either raise your taxes or cut your taxes and in either case you’ll be very unhappy with whatever ultimately goes forward.”

The group, he said, will be named in the coming weeks. Here’s what else he said about it:

“It’s interesting once I was named chairperson I’ve had many groups come to see me,” Abramson said. “Many business groups interest groups regarding taxes. How many do you think have come through my door in the Lieutenant Governor’s office, that have raised their hand saying, raise my taxes?” (1:40 in the video)

The lieutenant governor also spoke about the bridges project saying, “ I think I’ve been to three groundbreakings over the last 20-years, and this one is the real deal.”

Hear more on the Lt. Governor’s speech on Education money, and the Obama administrations stimulus project on Wednesday’s edition of Pure Politics.