2007 House Bill 51 (Give veterans discounts at state parks)

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Introduced by Rep. Tommy Thompson (D) on January 2, 2007, to create a twenty percent discount for overnight stays at Kentucky State Park lodges, cottages, and camp grounds for Kentucky residents who are members of the military or are veterans.
- Referred to the House Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee on January 3, 2007.
- Substitute offered in the House on February 14, 2007, to create a 15 percent discount on Kentucky State Parks accommodations, gift shop purchases, and rounds of golf beginning after 2 p.m. for members of the military services, the Kentucky National Guard, and veterans who are Kentucky residents.
- Reported in the House on February 14, 2007, favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar .
- Amendment offered by Rep. Tommy Thompson (D) on March 1, 2007, to make Kentucky resident members of the military reserve eligible for the discount.

Most Recent Comments

1) tramdol [by Anonymous Citizen on January 26, 2007]
I always have terrible trouble with comment-related plugins that require me to put some line in the comment loop; I can never seem to find the right spot. Can anyone tell me where I should put the php line in my comments loop? I haven not modified anything much, and I would be very grateful. Thanks!
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2) How about an alternate plan [by newmark on November 15, 2006]
Something I've been kicking around for a while, is the idea that people that have served should be able to live income tax-free while in the service, and for after they retire or leave the service for the same period of time they were in the service.

So, if someone is full time, enlisted, for 4 years, and then switches to the civilian side, they would live without income tax for those 4 years, and then live income-tax free for 4 years as well.

Someone who is in the National Guard would have their National Guard pay tax-free, and then once their service was over, their total time of service (weekends + 2 weeks per year) would be added, and that period of time would be tax free. So for 5 years, assuming they did 1 weekend per month and 2 weeks per year, and then left the service, they would be entitled to 180 days of no income tax on their earnings, pro-rated. So their tax burden would be halved the first year out of the service.

Half price admission to state parks is fine and all, but really, the service people I know don't often say "Hey, let's go to the state park!". In other words -- will this proposal really DO anything for vets anyway?

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3) Unfair & unethical [by patriotgal on November 14, 2006]
Excuse me, but all payment for service should come from the military - how about increasing military pay? Providing adequate body armor? I could think of many other things, but they should all be provided by the military. Public citizens already pay for the military through taxation. If there's not enough money to pay them sufficiently, then restore the taxes on the ultra rich. Why should a military individual, and their family, get a discount when visiting public parks, or any other type of discount on any other product or service, for that matter, when millions of citizens do not? Why shouldn't the ordinary citizen get the same discount? There are many ways in which we all serve our country, and a job is a job.

I see this as a thinly veiled attempt to pander to the right wing, and also, and quite unethical, pander to the poor.

The uneducated and the poor will look at this incentive, and others out there, as a lifelong benefit for joining the military. Recruiting by pandering to the poor is both unfair and unethical. I vehemently oppose this legislation.
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