Paula Clemons-Combs | Kentuckians For The Commonwealth

Paula Clemons-Combs

Political party: 
Question 1: 


I envision a House District where the economy is experiencing an upswing, where school children are provided the same opportunities that their peers in more affluent parts of Kentucky are receiving, where workers are respected and encouraged, where no one has to spend an inordinate amount of their annual income on utilities, where our political rhetoric no longer drowns out the cries of our most vulnerable populations, and where elected leaders actually represent those who voted for them. I will be working on Day 1 to bring these visions to life in our district. Legislative Committees I would like to serve on are the ones that have a direct impact on HD 91 economic development, education, transportation.

Question 2: 


Yes, the voting rights for those who have served their full sentences should be restored. To streamline this for everyone involved (from the voter to the county clerk), we need a constitutional amendment to automatically restore voting rights. Once the time is served (whether through probation, parole, incarceration), then to deny restoration is an unlawful penalty in my opinion.

Question 3: 


In order to allow participation for all citizens of the Commonwealth, Kentucky needs to modernize state election laws. Early voting, mail-in ballots, extended hours, these are some ideas that can easily be implemented. To require a photo ID on Election Day isn't unreasonable but we will need to make provisions for citizens to obtain such ID's at no cost and perhaps go out into the communities and take said ID's in mobile units.If this accommodation cannot be made for our citizens, then the voter ID law should be challenged.

Question 4: 


The tax code must be re-visited because the working class cannot sustain the corporate tax breaks. True tax reform cannot occur until a fair and balanced tax rate is established. What Kentuckians are facing right now is a disingenuous attempt at "reform" where those who can least afford it are being unfairly targeted while losing millions in tax revenue each year to large corporations.

Question 5: 


“Treat your neighbor like he’s your kinfolk” is an old adage that we should follow in combatting the COVID-19 virus. We need to pool our resources from the outreach programs which exist within these communities as they have first-hand knowledge of the individuals who live there. Medical care to prevent or treat one individual has the potential to slow or stop the spread of the virus from that individual to scores of others – including you and me. In helping others, we help ourselves, our family, our friends.

Question 6: 


For too long, our mountain region has been in an economic slump and our people have suffered from that. Coal is an important part of our culture and our economy and should not be abandoned, but we need diversification. Solar and wind energy -we have reclaimed strip mines where direct sun and winds can provide a lot of our communities' needs in partnership with coal. Utilizing these three sources, our power plants can produce cleaner energy for our people and create new jobs that boost our local economy. We need to work at the state and federal levels to insist on having basic needs met that support human life - clean water and clean air.

Question 7: 


The role of the legislature is to have legal protections for all races - pay equality and programs to advocate for education that leads to positive change. "Not group that promotes hatred of any race shall be tolerated" is the message we need to convey. Two policy initiatives would be to promote empathy programs in community classrooms and PSA's for voting registration and voter rights in all areas of Kentucky and in several languages.

Question 8: 


As a whole, Kentucky needs to re-visit the reasons why one becomes incarcerated and financially if the sentence fits the crime. Does jailing someone for years over small amount of cannabis really give taxpayers a good deal? Does putting children into the foster care system because their mother was jailed due to not showing up for court really do service to justice? We need to explore the expanded use of electronic monitoring systems (where it is safe to the public of course) to cut down on costs and reduce overcrowding in jails/prisons.

Question 9: 


Reading on official Commonwealth documents, one would think that Kentucky has a Fairness law, "The Commonwealth of Kentucky does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity, ancestry, age, disability, political affiliation, genetic information, or veteran status in accordance with state and federal laws", so I was surprised to learn we did not. All law-abiding citizens should be protected and have no fear of interference from the government, public institutions, or hate groups. LGBTQ conversion "therapy" needs to be banned as it is not only harmful to participants but bilks large sums of money from those duped into pay for it. This removes medical charlatans who seek to financially profit from vulnerable people.

Question 10: 


Answer 10: 

We need to look at healthcare not just as "healthcare" but as a financial cornerstone of our economy. Not only would expanded access create jobs directly tied to the healthcare field but there are ancillary jobs that would also be created. For the consumer side of expanded healthcare, remember that sick people cannot work and be part of building a healthy economy. If we cannot get our message out on compassionate ears then let us address those who have financial acumen.