Check out this article in the Bowling Green Daily News about a public forum organized by Bowling Green's mayor, Elaine Walker, to discuss the need for renters' protections in Bowling Green.

Bowling Green has not opted into the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, which is simply a set of guidelines to help renters and landlords maintain a good tenant/landlord relationship.  It protects both renters and landlords, but if a community hasn't adopted it, there is very little to protect renters.  Lexington, Louisville, Northern Kentucky communities, and Somerset have all opted into the URLTA.  So far, Bowling Green has not.

Our WKY chapter is trying to change that, so members were excited about coming to the Sept. 4th forum to show their support for renters' rights.  By all accounts, it was a great evening, not only for URLTA, but also for the ongoing dialog about the purpose of government, and the questions of how much more state and local governments can do to protect our families and communities.

Here are some excerpts highlighting KFTC members Greg Capillo and Dana Beasley-Brown.  Enjoy!

Tenant Act forum debate gets lively

Mayor says it gives landlords more power to evict bad tenants; some remain skeptical of benefits

JIM GAINES, The Daily News

Mayor Elaine Walker called for the meeting to get stories from local renters and give out information on URLTA in return. She said she plans to push for passage of the act in Bowling Green....

The crowd of about two dozen last night included a sprinkling of landlords; some were skeptical but others announced they would support URLTA. Also present were several members of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, a nonpartisan grassroots group that has worked on mining issues in Eastern Kentucky for more than 20 years and recently opened an office in Bowling Green....

Chris Derry, founder of the libertarian group Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions, declared that passing URLTA would raise local taxes, a claim quickly disputed by Walker and Kentuckians for the Commonwealth. Derry, who is neither a city dweller nor a Bowling Green residential landlord, spoke about intrusive government and sneered at the idea that a new law could have a positive effect.

Walker tried to steer him back to discussing the act, but he refused, so she finally asked him to sit down.

Dana Beasley-Brown of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth asked Derry what he thought was the purpose of government.

“The purpose of government is to protect our liberties,” Derry said.

Then he should favor URLTA, Brown said, because that’s what it’s designed to do – protect the rights and property of both landlords and tenants....

Greg Capillo of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth said URLTA would add no bureaucracy.

“All this is, is a system of rules for the courts to follow,” he said. “There are no ‘URLTA cops.’ ”