Kentucky Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ashli Watts, left, questions House Speaker David Osborne, center, and Senate President Robert Stivers during a panel discussion Monday. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley)
LEXINGTON — Republicans will quickly move to keep lowering Kentucky’s income tax when the legislature convenes in January, while changes in the local tax system would be far more challenging to achieve, legislative leaders said Monday.
Republicans House Speaker David Osborne of Prospect and Senate President Robert Stivers of Manchester — the top-ranking lawmakers — spoke at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Preview Conference.
Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Ashli Watts asked about prospects for tax reform at the local level, which the GOP leaders said would be a tall order because it would require amending Kentucky’s Constitution.
“Until we get cities and counties and other types of governmental entities involved, it’ll be really difficult to change the Constitution,” said Stivers. “You’ve seen how hard it was to change the Constitution the last three or four times we’ve proposed amendments.”