Economic Justice

Kentucky needs the following reforms:

Public disclosure or the right-to-know laws, these laws are designed to give the public more information about economic development activities, so that projects can be more carefully judged upon application and monitored during performance.

Clawback Laws, that demand a return of public subsidies from companies if they move out of state or otherwise betray the public confidence by causing environmental damage or mistreating workers. Receive environmental or work relocating during the life of the subsidies, often with interest.  Anti-Poaching Laws that prevent Kentucky from giving tax incentives to companies who are only relocating to get new tax incentives.

Good neighbor requirements that require all companies receiving tax incentives to pay a living wage, for example, or sign fair contracts with farmers or whatever actions make sense for that particular industry to demonstrate responsible corporate citizenship.  Public participation laws, tax breaks as a line in the budget, anti-poaching laws reduce tax breaks to corporations under Kentucky's present system and reinvest that money in small businesses and farms.


CFA's economic justice compiled a manual, "Big Money/Little People," that examines other states procedures, describes Kentucky's programs and who makes the decisions, looks at CFA issues and provides an overview of the trends surrounding corporate tax breaks on the national level.