Lexington Herald Leader by John Cheves
March 14, 2019
FRANKFORT
Without discussion, the Kentucky legislature poked another hole in the state’s Open Records Act late Wednesday, tucking a provision that would make tax-related records secret into a 233-page tax bill that was not shared with the public until after it won final passage in the House and Senate.
House Bill 354 — now headed to Gov. Matt Bevin’s desk for his signature or veto — will cut taxes by $105 million a year with a batch of special breaks for banks and others.
But it also will place off-limits to the public several categories of documents held by the Kentucky Department of Revenue, including final tax rulings that are not appealed, requests for tax guidance, private letter rulings and requests concerning the division of income for interstate businesses.