BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FLORENCE -- Democratic congressional candidate Ken Lucas put his second radio commercial of the campaign on the air this week and also released his platform on federal taxes.
Mr. Lucas, the former Boone County judge-executive and a Richwood resident, is running against Republican State Sen. Gex "Jay" Williams in Northern Kentucky's Fourth District race. The seat is now held by U.S. Rep. Jim Bunning, the Southgate Republican running for the U.S. Senate against Democrat Scotty Baesler.
In the ad, Mr. Lucas fuses his upbringing on a Grant County tobacco and dairy farm with his views of workplace issues.
"You learn a lot about work growing up on a Grant County farm," he says in the 30-second ad.
The spot also states that Mr. Lucas "will help eliminate welfare fraud by fingerprinting welfare recipients . . . and fight for pension reform so corporations can't raid workers' pension funds."
"On the farm, everybody pulled their weight. It should be the same today," Mr. Lucas says in the ad. "We'll help you get a job, and we'll protect your pension, but you've got to work for a living." Mr. Lucas, a financial planner, no longer lives or works on a farm.
Mr. Williams said Thursday he had not heard the ad and would not comment on the radio spot.
"We're putting together some issue and policy statements right now, and we'll be addressing those issues and more in the near future," he said.
Mr. Lucas' first ad, which went on the air around the week of the Fourth of July, used the candidate's service in the U.S. Air Force as a theme.
John Lapp, Mr. Lucas' campaign manager, said the Lucas campaign plans to run ads continuously until the November election.
Earlier this week, Mr. Lucas said he supports "a simpler, fairer tax code."
Mr. Lucas also said he supports:
IRS reform that puts the burden of proof on the tax collection agency, not the taxpayer; forbids the IRS from seizing a taxpayer's home without a court order; and provides spouses with broader protections from tax problems caused by a former wife or husband.
A balanced-budget constitutional amendment.
A three-fifths majority in Congress to raise taxes.
The elimination of so-called death taxes.
Maintaining the tax deduction for home mortgage interest and charitable giving.
Eliminating the marriage penalty deduction.
Allowing a tax deduction for health care premiums.
Mr. Williams has said he advocates scrapping the current tax code and at the very least would work to increase the deduction for married couples, cut business taxes and expand tax breaks for parents. He also wants to keep mortgage and charitable deductions.
Mr. Lucas took a swipe at Mr. Williams for voting against a bill in the General Assembly that its sponsor said would save the state $3.9 million.
House Majority Caucus Chairman Jim Callahan's bill abolished Kentucky's tax on retirement annuities and decreased taxes on life insurance premiums.
But Mr. Williams maintains the bill will increase tax revenue to the state and therefore he sees the bill as an increase on insurance companies.
"I've never voted for a tax increase," he said, "and I never will."
