55. Several Interesting Ideas for Kentucky and Jefferson County, worth reprinting

I do not intend to reprint other's work often, but now and then I read something that is worth a reprint and a full reading.

This is not my work, and as such comes with a disclaimer that the opinions expressed in it are not necessarily my own. But, they are damned close. And they are ideas I have heard before from politicians who aren't afraid to lead, as opposed to following the trend. Ken Herndon, the portfolio-less Jefferson County Judge Executive, who has ambitions of being on the Metro Council, and I discussed special taxing districts several times over our fifteen year political friendship. We both support library funding through a taxing district. We have spoken of an umbrella taxing district for Parks, the Arts, and other amenities which have been cut short by the Right's misguided mania for a reduced government, going back to California's Prop 13 in 1978 and Kentucky's House Bill 44 in 1979 - both horrid legislation aimed at limiting taxes, but in fact resulting in limiting government and the government's ability to properly function.

I read this on a blog operated by Paul Hosse, a Democrat-turned Republican who lives in the Penile area of southwestern Jefferson County, and who is someone I have known for many years as a decent fellow. We were each unsuccessful candidates for different districts in the inaugural races for the new Metro Council. Mr. Hosse didn't write this either, as it was written by one of his readers who calls himself Moderate Man. Moderate Man's article is called "Big Steps". Mr. Hosse found it interesting. So do I.


Moderate Man wrote:

Where is the leadership? Why do you vote for candidates without vision? How about the ones who will promise you anything to get elected and part you from your money? Why aren't the major parties redesigning their methods? If the parties are failing to serve the population, then why don’t the cities and some regions become self sufficient to a greater extent than presently? Let me give an example. The Kentucky State legislature considers Louisville Metro and Jefferson County a donor county towards their budget. We consistently give more tax dollars to Frankfort than we receive. As we are the largest city in the state, it probably is justified to assist the other parts of the state with our taxes. However, the other parts of the state have an obligation also to be frugal with the states money. 120 counties for a state this size are too many. Too many county seats with patronage employees and political potentates. I recommend reducing the number of Kentucky counties by one third. But I am a realist. I know this will never happen as the people we vote for would not vote themselves out of a job and will gladly splurge at the taxpayer feeding trough. So the other parts of the state thumb their nose at their responsibility to be guardians of the budget money. And they resent Louisville Metro for being so successful. Its time for our City leaders to realize that if we want anything done, we will have to start pulling us up by our bootstraps. Frankfort won’t help us unless they think that without their help our town’s revenue machine may dry up and they will receive less funds. Our town needs additional tax monies to expand a stagnant population, develop a robust economy, attract high wage employers and more corporate headquarters. We need a small City sales tax added, increased property tax not capped at 4 %, increased occupational tax and less user fees for city services. We also need a separate taxing district for the parks, another one for the arts, and another one for the library. We already give special districts for sporting facilities. The medical community for the most part is a for-profit business and only a select group of non profit facilities should be subsidized, like additional medical care for indigents and the poor. Our town could use the extra revenue for tax abatement to lure corporate headquarters, develop light rail, rebuild our aging infrastructure, keep the arts groups intact, enhance the parks for generations to come, provide an educational Mecca in our libraries. The funds could be even used to give 60% partial college scholarships to every one who wanted to go and who attended a 4 year local public high school, have good grades and will then attend their hometown college like Kalamazoo, Michigan does. This town had the will. Do we?

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Here is the link to Mr. Hosse's blog: http://hosse.blogspot.com