Williams Avoids Comment on Beshear's Change of Heart on Tax Reform

Senate President David Williams is staying out of the mud when it comes to commenting on Governor Steve Beshear’s new tax commission.Williams proposed his own commission last legislative session. It would have included tax experts, economists and others and charged them with completely re-writing Kentucky's tax code. The new tax code would then be subjected to an up or down vote in each chamber of the General Assembly.But Beshear hasn’t wanted any part of tax reform...until recently.Williams says he doesn’t know what made the governor have a change of heart.“It serves me no purpose to second guess why he’s doing anything," Williams says. "You know it serves no purpose to do that. But you know I told him last night, publicly in front of hundreds of people that I hope at the end of this four years I can look back upon this term of his and say he was the most successful governor that we’ve ever had and I hope that he will be.”Beshear’s new commission is short on details, though Lieutenant Governor Jerry Abramson will chair the group.The governor will appoint the other members at a later date.When asked what advice he would give to Beshear when it comes to his commission, Williams offered a slice of his own plan.“If he wants some unsolicited advice, I would put tax experts on that commission," Williams said. "And then let stakeholders and everyone else give them information as to what they think the tax code and policy should be and draft the changes.