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SubscribeTo help guard against the growing threat of tax fraud and identity theft, the Kentucky Department of Revenue (DOR) has taken additional steps that enhance the safety and security of processing taxpayers’ individual income tax returns, including an Identity Confirmation Quiz.
Beginning today, some taxpayers will receive letters from the department asking the taxpayer to take a short online Identity Confirmation Quiz before their tax refund is fully processed. The letter will give specifics as to what the taxpayer must do to take the quiz.
“We have multiple internal procedures in place, along with third party techniques, that assist us in preventing tax fraud,” said Daniel P. Bork, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Revenue. “We encourage taxpayers who receive this quiz letter to quickly respond, which will confirm their identities so we can continue processing their returns.”
The identity confirmation quiz will be available for 30 days from the date of the letter at revenue.ky.gov/quiz. Once a taxpayer successfully completes the quiz, the department will continue processing their return. If the taxpayer fails the quiz twice or does not take the quiz, the department will require additional documentation such as the hard copies of W2s or 1099s.
The taxpayer should not ignore this letter. The sooner the quiz is taken and passed, the quicker the Kentucky Department of Revenue can continue processing the return.
The Identity Confirmation Quiz can be taken online anytime or by telephone at (502) 892-3399, during regular work hours (Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET) with an authorized representative to help with the process.
Receiving the Identity Confirmation Quiz letter does not mean the taxpayer has been a victim of identity theft. It only means the Department of Revenue wishes to verify the identity of the person filing before issuing the refund.
If the taxpayer receives this letter and has not yet filed a return, he or she should contact the Kentucky Department of Revenue immediately by email at kyidquiz@ky.gov or telephone at (502) 892-3399.
A short video with more detail about the Identity Confirmation Quiz information is available on the department’s website at revenue.ky.gov/quiz.
Kentucky students who attend private or home schools have free access to Individual Learning Plans from the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority.
KHEAA works with Career Cruising, which provides the ILP the state uses in all public schools, to give private and home school students in grades 6 through 12 the same planning tool.
ILPs let students explore careers, set up education plans, create résumés and establish personal goals to become college and career ready.
A private or home school student who wants to set up an ILP should log in on kheaa.com. Private schools that want to set up accounts for their students should contact their regional outreach counselor. Contact information can be found behind the Counselors tab at kheaa.com by selecting KHEAA Outreach Services, then Outreach Counselors.
KHEAA is the state agency that administers the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES), need-based grants and other programs to help students pay their higher education expenses.
For more information about Kentucky scholarships and grants, visit www.kheaa.com; write KHEAA, P.O. Box 798, Frankfort, KY 40602; or call 800-928-8926, ext. 6-7214.
As part of his mission to seek justice for victims of sexual assault, Attorney General Andy Beshear is partnering with the University of Louisville to provide accountability in Kentucky’s efforts to address the sexual assault forensic exam (SAFE) kit backlog.
Beshear said the Kentucky SAFE Kit Backlog Research Project, announced yesterday with the university’s Department of Criminal Justice, will provide valuable data to ensure a rape kit backlog never happens again.
The project will aid Kentucky’s law enforcement and victim advocacy communities when responding to sexual assaults and further transform sexual assault investigations and prosecutions.
The overall goals of the project are to examine the outcomes of kit testing, identify data-driven, victim-centered responses to sexual assault and provide justice to victims, Beshear said.
“This important project allows us to further support sexual assault victims in the pursuit of justice and to ensure no victim ever has their courage locked in a box on a self ever again,” Beshear said. “I am proud that we are not only ending the backlog, but are also committing to do better. As a community that cares about victims, we will learn important, much-needed data from this project.”
Dr. Bradley Campbell with U of L’s Department of Criminal Justice will serve as principal investigator on the project.
“I am excited about the opportunity to work with the Commonwealth to study this under researched area,” Dr. Campbell said. “The project represents an innovative and progressive commitment from AG Beshear and his office to add a research component to statewide testing efforts. Through this funding, the University of Louisville research team will be one of the first to examine the problem of untested SAFE kits at the state level.”
Dr. Campbell said specifically the study will collect baseline data in the cases associated with untested kits, examine connections of tested cases, evaluate pre-arrest decisions, training efforts and the impact of legislation, and provide evidence-based policy recommendations.
Kentucky’s state auditor uncovered more than 3,000 SAFE kits languishing in police departments and in the Kentucky State Police crime lab in 2015.
Upon taking office, Beshear made ending Kentucky’s backlog and providing justice for rape victims a top priority.
In 2016, Beshear provided $4.5 million in settlement money to lawmakers to fund requested Kentucky State Police crime lab upgrades. The SAFE Act of 2016 ensures the submission of all SAFE kits, requires police receive training to conduct victim-centered sexual assault investigations and that timelines are set for testing kits.
Beshear’s office provided an additional $1 million from the settlement to aid law enforcement and prosecutors in the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases.
In launching the Kentucky SAFE Kit Backlog Research Project, Kentucky is one of the first in the nation to examine the SAFE kit backlog at the state level, and the project places Kentucky at the forefront of national efforts to respond to the problem of backlogged sexual assault kits.
To date, single jurisdictions like in Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles and New Orleans conducted studies. Kentucky’s study will most closely replicate the Houston Sexual Assault Kit Action-Research Project, but at the state level.
Like other projects, a website and regular reports with stakeholders will help to inform the public of project findings.
Kentucky’s project was established through a competitive procurement process and will be funded using nearly $50,000 from Risperdal lawsuit settlement funds, as provided for in the state budget.
Beshear said his Office of Victim Advocacy and Department of Criminal Investigations are supporting KSP, Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs, local law enforcement, prosecutors and victim advocates across the state in the implementation of the Safe Act.
Beshear’s office held a SAFE summit in September and is currently helping to train those working to end Kentucky’s SAFE kit backlog on how to conduct victim-centered investigations and prosecute sexual assault offenders.
In addition to working to seek justice for victims of rape, Beshear’s core missions for the Office of the Attorney General includes safeguarding children from sexual abuse, protecting senior citizens from scams and fraud and finding solutions to the state’s drug epidemic.
Customers who purchase prepaid cell phones or calling cards in 2017 will see a new, small service charge on their receipt, but it is a tax that helps save lives. The charge is comparable to fees that currently appear on customer billings for communications services from traditional wireless providers.
The new Kentucky law passed during the 2016 legislative session requires retailers that sell cellular phones or calling cards with preloaded minutes to charge an additional flat rate of $0.93 per purchase. The fee is effective Jan. 1, 2017.
This new small fee helps fund the vitally important 911 service throughout the Commonwealth.
“Retailers are our partners in collecting this service charge that has tremendous benefit to all Kentuckians,” said Daniel Bork, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Revenue. “This flat rate helps fund 911 services throughout the state. Safety of our citizens is everyone’s top priority. Our role is to ensure timely distribution of these funds so that local 911 services have the resources needed to continue to provide that security.”
This service charge helps fund a multitude of necessary items that 911 emergency services require to function properly. These important needs include hiring additional 911 operations personnel, developing or upgrading address databases, updating software for computer and phone equipment, improving GIS mapping and radio systems as well as technical training for staff.
The Kentucky Department of Revenue (DOR) has made necessary system changes and is ready to administer the new commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) 911 charge on Jan. 1.
Affected purchases include:
- Cellular phones preloaded with a set dollar amount for minutes or units of air time, or sold with rebates for air time;
- Calling cards for cellular phones preloaded with a set dollar amount for minutes or units of air time;
- The recharging of a reusable cellular phone calling card;
- The recharging of a cellular phone itself with additional minutes of units of air time.
Similar to collecting the sales tax, a business selling any of the above mentioned items must collect the prepaid service charge from the customer at the time of purchase for each item sold at retail. Affected retailers must register for the CMRS prepaid service charge with the Department of Revenue, and begin filing returns for each reporting period. The filing schedule is the same as the one for the retailer’s sales and use tax return.
Retailers must be set up to file and pay the CMRS charge when it begins on Jan. 1, 2017.
To file the CMRS prepaid service charge return, or access other online features, retailers must first register for this new charge within the Kentucky Business OneStop Portal (KyBOS).
Additional return and filing tips will be available on the DOR website, revenue.ky.gov, in the near future. For more information about registering and using the portal, visit onestop.ky.gov.
For taxpayer registration questions with KyBOS, call 502-564-5053. For general CMRS prepaid service charge questions, contact the Division of Sales and Use Tax at 502-564-5170, or via email at DOR.WebResponseSalesTax@Ky.gov.
Mayor Greg Fischer announced today that Louisville Metro has been ranked a top digital city, placing in the top 10 in the Center for Digital Government’s Digital Cities Survey.
The survey takes a broad look at how cities are approaching open data, transparency, innovation, citizen services and engagement, and much more.
“Our city prides itself on its innovative and entrepreneurial culture, and this recognition as a top 10 digital city is welcome affirmation that we’re on the right track,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “We’re working to move more and more services online and to meet citizens and businesses where they are.”
In recent months, the city has hired its first data officer, launched a new open data portal, and announced plans for a Gigabit Experience Center.
“This year’s top digital cities are using technology to ensure citizens can meaningfully interact with city government more easily than in any other time in history,” said Todd Sander, executive director of the Center for Digital Government. “From open data portals to enhanced connectivity and mobile platforms, this year’s top-ranked cities are actively promoting transparency, encouraging citizen participation and making it easier for people to do business with government. Congratulations to the winners!”
This year the survey honors cities in five population classifications. Louisville placed 9th in the 500,000 or more classification:
500,000 or more population category:
- City of Los Angeles, CA
- City of Philadelphia, PA
- City of Phoenix, AZ
- City of Charlotte, NC (tie for 4th)
- City of Seattle, WA (tie for 4th)
- City of Austin, TX
- City of Albuquerque, NM
- City and County of Denver, CO
- City and County of San Francisco, CA
- City of Louisville, KY
- City of El Paso, TX
Learn more about the awards on the Digital Communities website, part of e.Republic and get highlights from the winning cities.
About Center for Digital Government
The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government.
The Center is a division of e.Republic, the nation’s only media and research company focused exclusively on state and local government and education.
In recognition of October as Manufacturing Month, area students this month will visit manufacturing plants, job shadow workers and get a virtual tour of GE’s Appliance Park – all efforts to expose them to potential careers in manufacturing and create a new flow of skilled employees to fill good-paying jobs.
Mayor Greg Fischer will help tout Manufacturing Month at events throughout the month, including Carrithers Middle School’s first-of-its-kind virtual tour of Appliance Park on Oct. 7, which is National Manufacturing Day.
Other students will tour Appliance Park, KCC Manufacturing and the Louisville Ford Assembly Plant this month to learn more about careers in manufacturing and to gather information about training and educational opportunities.
“Manufacturing is vital to our local and regional economies, and it’s increasingly important that we create a stronger pipeline of educated and skilled employees to meet the demand,” the Mayor said. “These students are seeing the kind of jobs available in modern, technology-driven manufacturing facilities, and seeing people working as efficient teams to make a broad range of products.”
The Louisville area has 1,600 manufacturing companies employing approximately 76,000 people and providing an $11 billion impact to the local economy. The Louisville region has added 18,000 jobs in manufacturing since the height of the recession in 2009, outpacing the national recovery rate.
The tours at GE, Ford and KCC Manufacturing were developed by KentuckianaWorks, the Kentucky Manufacturing Career Center Employer Advisory Group and Junior Achievement of Kentuckiana, and funded by a grant from the Louisville Redevelopment Authority.
“Our goal is to promote career opportunities in manufacturing,” said Mike Kopp, recruiter with KCC Manufacturing. “By spotlighting our facilities and products, we hope to educate and motivate these young people to consider a career in manufacturing. “
“This year’s manufacturing celebration allows JA to reach even more students with JA Job Shadows,” said Debra Hoffer, president of Junior Achievement. “The experience of spending time in an actual workplace is extremely impactful for students and helps them to make better decisions in regards to their future careers. Students will have exposure to jobs in manufacturing that have opportunities for advancement, education and a great pay right here in our community. “
As manufacturing rebounds in the Louisville region, the demand is increasing for workers who have greater skills and training.
KentuckianaWorks is currently offering free training through the Manufacturing Training and Employment Connection (M-TEC). It’s an intensive, two-week program where participants can earn multiple training certificates valued by local manufacturing companies. Graduates also get direct connections to employers who have jobs to fill.
New M-TEC classes are scheduled for October and November at the Kentucky Manufacturing Career Center in south Louisville. For more information, call (502) 276-9711, ext. 4001.
Schedule of Manufacturing Month activities
October 4
- Students from Bullitt County High School will tour GE Appliance Park, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 4000 Buechel Bank Road.
October 6
- Rabbit Hole Distilling, NuLu’s first distillery, will break ground on its new $12.5 million distillery, 1:30 p.m., 711 E. Jefferson Street.
October 7
- Students from Butler, Iroquois and Shawnee High Schools will tour KCC Manufacturing, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., 2716 Grassland Drive. Contact: Mike Kopp, 502-491-9881.
- More than 90 middle school classes from Greater Louisville will participate in a first-of-its-kind virtual tour of Appliance Park. Mayor Fischer will join 8th grade students from Carrithers Middle School for the virtual field trip, 9:30 a.m., 4320 Billtown Road.
October 12
- Mayor Fischer will team up with Ford and Junior Achievement to give students from Jefferson County and Central High Schools a look inside the Louisville Ford Assembly Plant through the JA Job Shadow program, 9:00 a.m., 2000 Fern Valley Road.
October 14
- Crown World, dental laboratory and manufacturer, will have its ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening celebration of its new state-of-the-art facility, 1:30 p.m., 3841 Business Park Drive.
October 15
- Mayor Fischer will join officials from BAE Systems, along with employees and their families to celebrate the 75thanniversary of the Naval Ordnance, 2 p.m., 163 Rochester Drive.
October 21
- The West Louisville Career Fair will be heldFriday, October 21 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Louisville Central Community Center, 1300 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd. Companies recruiting at this career fair will have a heavy focus on the manufacturing sector.
October 26
- Mayor Fischer will join officials from Clariant Corporation to break ground on its new manufacturing facility, 11 a.m., 1300 S. 11th
Louisville-based manufacturers and those participating in events are encouraged to join in Manufacturing Month by using #LouMFG on social media.
To learn more about Louisville’s robust manufacturing sector, visit
Company to invest $36.4 million in move to Northern Kentucky, anticipates creation of 500 Kentucky-resident jobs
Gov. Matt Bevin today announced CTI Clinical Trial and Consulting Services, a global, privately held company providing therapeutic expertise to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, will relocate its headquarters to Covington with a $36.4 million investment projected to create up to 500 Kentucky-resident jobs.
“We are grateful for the decision by CTI to move its headquarters to Northern Kentucky and bring with them hundreds of highly skilled jobs,” Gov. Bevin said. “Our administration and local officials are committed to providing the space and resources needed for CTI to continue its growth in the years ahead. CTI is a recognized leader in the life sciences industry and we are delighted to welcome them to Kentucky.”
CTI plans to move its headquarters from the Cincinnati suburb of Blue Ash, Ohio, closer to the region’s urban center. It will lease about 125,000 square feet in the RiverCenter building. The relocation will help the company consolidate its locations and facilitate future growth.
“We’re thrilled for CTI to be starting a new chapter at RiverCenter,” said Timothy Schroeder, CEO of CTI. “We feel that this location will be a state-of-the-art headquarters for our staff, enabling collaboration and innovation. This site allows us to retain and grow the most talented team in the industry who are helping to develop some of the most innovative life-changing therapies.”
Founded in 1999 by Schroeder and Lynn Fallon, CTI is a global leader in clinical research, working with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to plan, manage and analyze clinical trials, a critical step in bringing new drugs, therapies and medical devices to market. The company is therapeutically focused on critically ill patient populations, chronic diseases and unmet medical needs including the areas of regenerative medicine, cell and gene therapy, rare disease, immunology, transplantation and oncology.
CTI has associates in more than 25 countries and has worked on over 2,700 projects across six continents. CTI has contributed to more than 100 new drug and device approvals by regulatory agencies around the world.
Sen. Christian McDaniel, of Taylor Mill, said the company’s relocation and employment growth will serve Northern Kentucky well in the coming years.
“This company’s relocation from Blue Ash to Covington is yet another example of Kentucky’s business-friendly atmosphere and opportunities for economic growth,” he said. “I am excited to welcome CTI Clinical Trial and Consulting Services to Covington and I look forward to their future endeavors in our region.”
Rep. Arnold Simpson, of Covington, said the location of CTI is evidence of the region’s ability to support large-scale business growth.
“This is great news for Northern Kentucky,” Rep. Simpson said. “We are encouraged by CTI’s confidence in the Commonwealth with this significant investment and trust that other corporate leaders will take note. I want to thank CTI for making this decision and bringing these jobs here. We look forward to making their employees feel right at home in Covington.”
Rep. Addia Wuchner, of Florence, chairwoman of the Northern Kentucky Legislative Caucus, said CTI’s move will advance the area’s biomedical industry.
“On behalf of the Northern Kentucky Legislative Caucus, we extend a warm welcome to CTI,” Rep. Wuchner said. “We look forward to a surge in the life sciences industry in our region with CTI’s leadership.” Continue reading
