Erlanger city council passed a Fairness resolution Tuesday night at the regular council meeting, making them the 10th city in Northern Kentucky to pass this legislation, and the 24th in the state of Kentucky.
The resolution encourages “the prohibition of certain discriminatory practices within the city of Erlanger, and condemning racism, discrimination and bigotry.”
But it didn’t come easy. Five of the twelve councilmembers voted no: Tyson Hermes, Renee Skidmore, Stephen Knipper, Steven Doan, and Don Skidmore. The other members, Tom Cahill, Vicki Kyle, Jennifer Jasper-Lucas, Rebecca Reckers, Gary Meyer, Diana Niceley, and Ryan Elmore voted yes.
“I am going to be voting no on this,” said Councilman Hermes before the vote, “and I wanted the opportunity to explain why. First of all, the resolution is redundant. There’s nothing in this resolution that isn’t mentioned in current law. We’ve got the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, KRS 344, the Kenton County Fair Housing act, and our own Erlanger Employee policies. I am not a big fan of repeating law or of being redundant.”
He went on to say he didn’t like some of the language in the resolution. He said it makes it seem like a stepping stone to creating other laws, especially one part which encourages passages of fairness regulations in the city. He reminded the city that resolutions last for a long time, and while it may seem benign now, this could be used as an argument to council 20 to 30 years in the future. He said it didn’t seem fair to do that to them.
Councilman Cahill objected, saying this is a resolution, not a law, and said some people don’t have the means to make sure laws are applied equally. He said Erlanger schools are some of the most diverse in the Commonweath.
Councilmember Renee Skidmore said she rarely agrees with Tyson Hermes, but she does agree with him on this matter.
Resident speaks out against city tax
Deacon Paul Yancey is retired, and lives in Erlanger, and he came to the council meeting to complain about being overtaxed on the basis of something he said residents can’t control.
He wanted to know why his tax bill was $500. He said he was told it was based on insurance, and that it was an insurance premium tax. He told the mayor that it wasn’t fair, because in Kentucky people have to have car insurance.
“That’s about the dumbest thing I have ever heard,” he stated, adding that taxation should be a graduated system based on income. “So why you decided to put this enormous tax that is 30 percent of my federal tax, and an infinite amount on my state tax because I earn so little that I don’t pay state taxes, my county tax is $14, and you guys want $500?”
He said he just wanted to know why the city decided to tie the tax to car insurance, because residents have to have car insurance. He said he has four cars, two that are 12 years old, one 8 years old and one that is 7 years old.
Mayor Jessica Fette said that the tax was 10 percent, and it was reduced to 9.75 percent a while ago.
Yancey reiterated that most taxes are based on income, which is what they are supposed to be based on.
“Why is a city tax based on something the homeowner has no control over, and may hurt those who earn very little, trust me, a whole lot more than it does the wealthy?” he asked. “And apparently we don’t have an answer.”
“To be honest, I don’t agree with the insurance premium tax,” said Fette. “It is very hard to just eliminate a tax.”
She said they do have control over the percentage. But it does bring in $600,000 for the city.
Councilmember Jasper-Lucas said the city could raise their property tax to make up for the difference if they would eliminate it. As an insurance agent, she didn’t fully agree with Yancey’s claim of unfairness.
Council member Hermes said he had an answer— they do it because the state allows it. There is a state law that says the city can tax the insurance premium, and it has been set up that way for a long time, and many cities take advantage of it, even if it isn’t fair, which he didn’t think it was.
“I am going to try one more time to get my point across, you guys have a moral obligation to treat people fairly!” Yancey stated. “And this tax doesn’t do it! So find another way to raise the money, with a tax, that is more equitable! Don’t hurt the poor and save the rich—we just don’t need to do that anymore!”
Closing portion of Erlanger Road
Last Thursday city officials set up a tent on Sycamore Tree Lane to encourage residents to come to the meeting and voice their opinions on closing the portion of Erlanger Road that leads onto Sycamore Tree.
About 50 people came to the public workshop last Thursday. Discussions were held in small and large groups, but Cahill said the indications to close the road remain the same, in that the city has put in a lot of repair on the little bridge on the lane that is only built to hold 15 tons, and the semi’s keep going over it. He also said the city has been putting in $1600 a quarter on road work and property damage caused by the semi’s when they try to turn around.
Cahill said they will have to work with Boone County because semis are being directed down Queensway to go to Sycamore Tree Lane, so the trucks are not only going up the lane but also down the lane. He reminded council that the city has contacted Google maps, who agreed to change their maps, but cannot get Apple maps to change their maps, so that solution is virtually a dead end.
Cahill said he talked to a former truck driver, who offered some solutions, but Cahill said they might have worked before the advent of the GPS and online map systems.
He told council that they need to discuss the issue a little more and then make a final decision.
In the meantime, Julie Estep came to the meeting, along with her neighbor who also lives on Sycamore Tree, to reiterate her opposition to the portion of Erlanger road being closed.
Awards and recognitions
School Resource Officer Joel Shepherd introduced two girls who won the letter writing contest through the STAND program, which is in the Erlanger-Elsmere elementary schools.
STAND represents Students against Narcotic Dependence, and the classes were instructed to write letters to people in drug treatment centers encouraging them to keep resisting drugs, and telling them they know they can do it, and the students believe in them.
Noorah Lafi won from Miles Elementary, and Sydney Greenwald won from Lindeman Elementary, and they both read or recited their letter.
Mayor Fette told the girls that they were awesome, and that she was very proud of them.
Business spotlight
Dixie Chili was the business spotlight for the month. Mark Sarakatsannis gave a brief history, telling council how his grandfather came to America from Greece in 1915, and started Dixie Chili 93 years ago in Newport.
He said he was 15 when his father asked if he was ready to go to work, and he started washing dishes for the business.
Sarakatsannis said the business has been in Erlanger for 60 years, and he loves being in the city. He encouraged people to pray on National Prayer Day.
Proclamations
Mayor Fette read a proclamation for Kids to Parks day on May 21, 2022. She also read a proclamation for city services, declaring May 1 through 7 to be city clerk day, May 15 through 21 to be Police, Public Works, and EMS week, and the entire month of May to be Building Safety month.
