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We all know Mayor Jerry Abramson is not seeking another term and will instead try to become Lieutenant Governor Jerry Abramson. Abramson helped shape the merged government, and we’ve been looking at what Jefferson County will be like without his presence.
I reported on how Abramson’s absence might or might not sway the vote to a Republican for the first time in decades. The last Republican city mayor left office in 1969. Before merger, the county had a history of electing Republican leaders, but that momentum was more or less stopped by Abramson’s electoral popularity. Without him in the race, the old city and the old county will come to a head politically.
Even though they may vote differently, the city and county are one entity, and Stephanie reported this week on what exactly that means, and what it will mean once Abramson’s last term ends. Many old county residents and politicians are anxious to see how the next mayor handles merged government. Several candidates say the promises of merger must be fulfilled; the old county must feel included in decisions and they need to see the benefits of decisions made downtown. Most of the candidates have said this, but it’s not clear how it can be accomplished by one person in power.
Since Abramson was such a proponent of and influence on merger, it will be interesting to see how candidates from the outside approach a government they didn’t have such a powerful hand in creating.
Mayor Jerry Abramson and Governor Steve Beshear have made their nominations to the Ohio River Bridges Authority. Against the Metro Council’s wishes, no council members are on the panel.
From the Mayor’s office:
Gov. Beshear’s appointments include:
- Joe Prather, former secretary, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). Prather has a long record of public service, including 19 years in the General Assembly and an appointment as secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet under former Gov. Brereton Jones. Prather left KYTC on Sept. 30, 2009.
- Charles Buddeke, president, Buddeke Industries Inc. Buddeke has previously served as executive director of the Louisville and Jefferson County Office of Economic Development, president and CEO of the Louisville Area Chamber of Commerce and publisher of Louisville magazine. He currently serves on the boards of the Louisville Metro Parks Foundation, the Greater Louisville Inc. Advanced Manufacturing Network, The Bridges Coalition and the University of Louisville’s Logistics Distribution Institute.
- Jamie Fiepke, president and CEO, the Kentucky Motor Transport Association (KMTA). As president of KMTA, Fiepke has worked with a variety of industry groups and state and federal administrators on improving highway safety and continuing the trend of reducing highway fatalities involving commercial motor vehicles. He has more than 15 years experience in the retail and trucking industry.
Mayor Abramson’s appointments include:
- Sandra Frazier, founding and managing member, Tandem Public Relations. Frazier, a director of the Brown-Forman Co. and Commonwealth Bank and Trust Co., is an active community leader and philanthropist.
- Dr. Charles Moyer, dean, University of Louisville College of Business and Public Administration. Moyer, an expert on the cost of capital and related issues, has published more than 80 articles on issues including leasing, public utility regulation and finance, corporate governance, and cost of capital during nearly four decades in higher education.
- Joe Reagan, CEO, Greater Louisville Inc., the metro chamber of commerce. Reagan has been a leading force in the business community’s support for the Ohio River Bridges Project to continue the safety and free flow of traffic essential to the economic vitality of both Kentucky and Indiana.
- Benjamin Richmond, president and CEO, Louisville Urban League. Richmond has been an active participant in the research and planning of the Ohio River Bridges Project for the past decade, including serving on citizen panels during development of the Environmental Impact Statement for the project.
The governor’s appointments are subject to confirmation by the Kentucky State Senate. The mayor’s appointments are subject to approval by the Louisville Metro Council. The other members will represent Indiana.
Mayor Jerry Abramson will be on State of Affairs today at 1. Call 502-814-TALK to ask him a question.
Here’s what we reported on today:
Mysterious YouTube user SenRace2010 has released his (or her) second compilation of apparently secret recordings of Lt. Governor Daniel Mongiardo. Mongiardo seems to be bashing Governor Steve Beshear again.
Beshear will be on State of Affairs today. Will he dismiss the recordings as more “pranksterism?” We’ll know at 1:00.
I imagine someone at Jack Conway headquarters is already putting together a TV ad with these clips.
Last week, Mayor Jerry Abramson reiterated his support for Conway’s Senate bid. Abramson’s 2011 running mate Beshear has endorsed Mongiardo.
Governor Steve Beshear’s spokesperson Jay Blanton is leaving to work for Keenland. A member of Mayor Jerry Abramson’s staff, Kerri Richardson, will now work for Beshear. Blanton and Richardson are both great to work with. I wonder, though, if Richardson’s move is in anticipation of a Beshear/Abramson victory in 2011, or if she’s simply accepting the opportunity to move up to a larger communications office.
Here are WFPL stories featuring Richardson and Blanton.
Here’s what we reported on today:
Have we all heard the now-infamous recording of Lt. Gov. and Senate candidate Daniel Mongiardo bashing Gov. Steve Beshear? (If you haven’t, listen here)
Beshear dismissed the first clip as chicanery, but this second recording may be harder to brush off.
The clips are posted under two different YouTube accounts and are (as of 11:15 Wednesday) the only videos posted.
The first clip is posted by user senrace2010. The next video is posted by kentuckyfight10.
Both accounts were created on September 18th. Kentucky Fight was also the name Rand Paul supporters gave to their last money bomb. The video on the Kentucky Fight homepage, though, is posted by YouTube user LastStandingGround.
Why would a Republican candidate’s supporters push damning information about a financially-weak Democratic candidate during the primary? Perhaps this isn’t the work of Paul and the username kentuckyfight10 is a coincidence or inspired by the money bomb. Perhaps this person knows Tjenkins106.
What happens if Beshear gets fed up with Mongiardo over this? If Mongiardo steps down, will Jerry Abramson get to start his dream job as Lieutenant Governor early?
I wonder, though, who recorded these comments.
The four non-paid furloughs mandated for non-emergency city workers this fiscal year have been called off.
The CJ reports that Mayor Abramson is convinced there are other ways to save $2 million.
The measures probably will include:
Reducing overtime.
Delaying filling some non-essential vacant positions.
Eliminating some vacant positions.
Reclassifying to lower-paying slots some positions that become vacant through retirements.
A memo sent to city workers Friday afternoon said, “cost-savings methods may vary from department to department, depending on the services involved. … We hope to avoid additional employee layoffs, but some may be required in the future, depending on economic conditions and revenue collections.” More than 100 workers were laid off at the start of the fiscal year.
Here’s what we reported on today:
