2008

We've done it again. With only the passing of 24 hours, we've dismissed 2007 and welcomed 2008. Happy New Year to my five faithful readers, and also to the rest of you who happen upon the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606. The new year made its way in today with a strong dose of very cold air, and this evening has brought snow - glorious snow - covering the streets and lawns to the depth of about 1/100 of an inch - frankly, not enough.

It will be a good year. We have the opportunity to build on the Democratic majorities in the House of Representatives in Frankfort, as well as both houses of Congress in Washington, DC. With lots of hard work, a boatload of money, and the right candidate, we can defeat the United States Senate Minority Leader, although first we need to find a consensus candidate, one with instant name recognition across the Commonwealth and the ability to raise money. It can also be a year to retire David Williams as president of the Kentucky Senate and install therein someone more responsive to Kentucky and her citizens. But it will also be a year in Frankfort to address the shortfall of money that former Governor Fletcher and his Republican partisans either ignored or simply lied about.

Nationally, we've a long road ahead of us, with a war and a recession, neither of which the current presidential administration seems willing to do without. Hopefully the elections to be held this November will put the country on a surer and more realistic footing. But emerging from the damage caused by the Bush/Cheney junta will take several years, which is unfortunate.

Like the state and nation, our City/County merged/assimilated form of government is also short of money, although His Honor the Mayor proclaimed 2007 a very good year for the City. Somehow, he missed the failure of the Library Tax, the court-overturning of the Smoking Ban, the dilution of the Dog-Control ordinance, and the hiring freeze and fiscal shortfall that he himself announced late last year, shortly after the tax defeat at the polls. He cited as the two biggest accomplishments the Museum Plaza and the Downtown Arena, both projects I supported, although both come at great costs, both financially and culturally. And while the Museum Plaza is a great addition to the Waterfront, the Arena would have been better placed between Second/Third and Liberty/Muhammad Ali. And 8664 remains the only logical and cost-effective way to address the downtown traffic problems. Completing the East End Bridge, further complicated by the need to re-bid the Tunnel under US 42, should be a first priority for His Honor and his cohorts at the Courier-Journal, but that doesn't seem to be on their agenda. They are too busy comdemning the 8664 project and care too little about the destruction of the Waterfront and the surrounding areas, especially the downtowns of both Louisville and Jeffersonville, to have or make any reasonable judgments. It is time to build the East End Bridge.

What else 2008 might bring (or might not) I can't say here. But, as always, it is good to look forward and work to make it good for all involved. And, we get an extra day on February 29 to make it all happen.

Happy New Year.