Jun 6 Politics Mourdock Web Ad Links Donnelly to Reid, Obama In an online video for the Indiana Senate race, Republican Richard Mourdock is going after Democrat Joe Donnelly by tying him to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nv., and President Obama.The 48-second spots goes after the congressman's votes in support of the bailout, stimulus package and Obama's health care overhaul. It marks the first official attack from the Mourdock campaign and demonstrates the president's unpopularity in Indiana this year."It's been a disaster," the narrator says. "Now Reid has the liberal ATM machine working overtime for Donnelly. Reid wants another loyal lieutenant to help implement the Obama agenda."Check it out: By Phillip M. Bailey Jun 6 Politics Mourdock Web Ad Links Donnelly to Reid, Obama Phillip M. Bailey
Jun 6 Politics Paul Okay With Wealthy Paying More—If Tax Code Simplified Appearing on CNN Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., supported the idea of wealthier Americans paying higher taxes if the code is simplified and all loopholes are closed. From Mediate: By Phillip M. Bailey Jun 6 Politics Paul Okay With Wealthy Paying More—If Tax Code Simplified Phillip M. Bailey
Jun 6 Politics McConnell, Yarmuth Mark D-Day Anniversary Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Ky., are celebrating the 68th anniversary of the D-Day invasion by meeting with World War II veterans.For historians, D-Day marks the turning point against Nazi Germany when Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy in France. Over 3,000 U.S. service members were killed on the day of the invasion. By Phillip M. Bailey Jun 6 Politics McConnell, Yarmuth Mark D-Day Anniversary Phillip M. Bailey
Jun 5 Politics Public Comment Portion of Budget Hearings Begins Wednesday The Louisville Metro Council will give the public a chance to comment on Mayor Greg Fischer’s proposed budget Wednesday.The meeting will likely be dominated by representatives from various external agencies and arts groups that receive taxpayer funding from the city.Last year, Fischer set aside $4.9 million for external agency grants and told those organizations to come up with a "plan B" to city funding, but the council added a half a million dollars to the proposal. The mayor has kept the funding flat in the upcoming fiscal year and the council is expected to add less money this year.Budget Committee Chairwoman Marianne Butler, D-15, says it is very important that lawmakers hear from the groups."I’m really not sure what to expect with this year’s budget. We have heard from a few of the external agencies who of course need more money and could more than likely use more money. We just have to look at the balanced budget and see where and if we can find it," she says. By Phillip M. Bailey Jun 5 Politics Public Comment Portion of Budget Hearings Begins Wednesday Phillip M. Bailey
Jun 5 Politics Fischer Not Interested in Privatizing Parking Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has resisted offers to privatize the city's parking despite pressure from out-of-town companies.The mayor is selling two downtown garages for $10.7 million to the Parking Authority of River City to help balance the budget. But PARC is a quasi-government agency that operates several downtown lots and garages for Metro Government.Council members have questioned why those properties are being sold to a city agency and not put up for competitive bid to potentially gain more for the structures.Louisville Chief Financial Officer Steve Rowland says the city has had several offers to privatize parking since Fischer took office, but the administration isn't interested."If we were to sell all our parking garages to the private sector, we would lose control over what the rates would be and we would possibly drive out over time businesses out of the downtown area because parking is a key cost to their employees," he says. By Phillip M. Bailey Jun 5 Politics Fischer Not Interested in Privatizing Parking Phillip M. Bailey
Jun 5 Politics James Hosting Public Forum With EPA Concerning Black Leaf Site Louisville Metro Councilman David James, D-6, will host a neighborhood forum for residents to discuss the latest information surrounding health concerns involving the Black Leaf plant site. By Phillip M. Bailey Jun 5 Politics James Hosting Public Forum With EPA Concerning Black Leaf Site Phillip M. Bailey
Jun 4 Politics Council Questions City CFO About Budget Deals With PARC Hearing testimony from Chief Financial Officer Steve Rowland, the Louisville Metro Council's Budget Committee began its review of the mayor's proposed spending plan on Monday.Mayor Greg Fischer's latest budget balances the city's books without raising taxes, cutting city services or furloughing Metro employee. However, council members spent most of the time grilling the administration about the budget's reliance on the sale of two downtown garages to the parking authority.The city is selling two downtown parking lots to the Parking Authority of River City for $10.7 million and selling two garages for $3.9 million. PARC technically purchased the garages from the former county government at merger nine years ago, but the payment was never received.Budget Committee Vice Chairman Kelly Downard, R-16, says the mayor's agreement is unacceptable because PARC owes much more money for the garages after Metro Government paid bonds on the structures since merger."They’ve been taking income off this—net income—for seven to nine years, that’s our money. We’ve been paying the bonds down, good lord," he says. "I think PARC’s got a problem because they have been taking our money on a garage they didn’t pay for, on debt that we’ve been paying and I think there’s a serious problem here." By Phillip M. Bailey Jun 4 Politics Council Questions City CFO About Budget Deals With PARC Phillip M. Bailey
Jun 4 Politics Hamilton to Host Forum Over Cruising, Chickasaw Park Concerns Louisville Metro Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton, D-5, is hosting a public meeting for residents on Monday to address growing traffic concerns.Every Sunday dozens of motorists flock to Shawnee and Chickasaw Park to take part in makeshift events, but residents are upset about the noise and cruising that takes place.Hamilton says neighbors have complained about the increased traffic, and the forum is to discuss what steps the city will take and if common ground can be reached."Cruising has returned to the West End," she says. "Buses can’t get through. EMS probably could not get through. We’re not against people having a good time, but it’s gotten out of control sometime." By Phillip M. Bailey Jun 4 Politics Hamilton to Host Forum Over Cruising, Chickasaw Park Concerns Phillip M. Bailey
Jun 2 Politics Noise and Notes: The Dark Side of Journalism and Violent Offenders at Louisville Zoo On this week's podcast we talked to a panel of media gurus about the trend of Louisville journalists flocking to public relations.Reporters have always had the tendency to move on to other communication fields whether it's working for a non-profit, government agency or elected official, but with the recent cuts in media jobs the trend has accelerated as of late.At least two good pieces on the subject have come out in the past month via Insider Louisville and The Highlander.I sat down with Insider Louisville founder Terry Boyd, WFPL News Director Gabe Bullard and former Courier-Journal reporter Thomas Nord, who now works as a spokesman for the city's Air Pollution Control Board, about the topic. By Phillip M. Bailey Jun 2 Politics Noise and Notes: The Dark Side of Journalism and Violent Offenders at Louisville Zoo Phillip M. Bailey
Jun 2 Politics Energy Association’s PAC Runs Ad for Rogers With over $1 million in cash on hand for his re-election bid, U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., isn't under any serious threat in November.But the folks at the American Chemistry Council released this ad to remind voters anyway. By Phillip M. Bailey Jun 2 Politics Energy Association’s PAC Runs Ad for Rogers Phillip M. Bailey
Jun 1 Politics Council Members, Public Works Officials Seek Help Catching Illegal Dumpers Joined by Public Works officials, Louisville Metro Council members Marianne Butler, D-15, and Cheri Bryant Hamilton, D-5, called on residents to help them crackdown on illegal dumping across the city.Butler and Hamilton announced on Friday that the city will install 19 new state of the art cameras over the summer in problem areas, which have seen repeated cases of trash and other junk items being dropped off improperly. The cameras are designed to be mobile and will be moved periodically in the case of violators moving to different locations.Butler says illegal dumping is a perennial problem in many neighborhoods, and the public can help track violators by visiting the city's website to report an incident and identify illegal dumpers caught on camera. "Hopefully with this we will stop the dumping," she says. "We are asking residents to go to the website. Look at the photos that are on it and help us prosecute the people who are devaluing your neighborhood. Because these people are dumping in everybody's neighborhood." By Phillip M. Bailey Jun 1 Politics Council Members, Public Works Officials Seek Help Catching Illegal Dumpers Phillip M. Bailey
Jun 1 Local News Sheppard Square Demolition Begins The Sheppard Square public housing development is coming down.The city is using a $22 million Hope VI grant to demolish and redevelop the 16-acre site. When work is complete, the area will host a mixed-income neighborhood. This is the third redevelopment of a barracks-style public housing complex in Louisville.The other redeveloped neighborhoods are Park Duvalle, which replaced Cotter-Lang development, and Liberty Green, which replaced the Clarksdale development. By Phillip M. Bailey Jun 1 Local News Sheppard Square Demolition Begins Phillip M. Bailey
May 31 Politics Ed Hart: Fischer, Beshear Dropped Ball on Kentucky Kingdom Louisville businessman Ed Hart is dismayed at the delays in reopening Kentucky Kingdom, and he puts much of the blame on Mayor Greg Fischer and Governor Steve Beshear.For the past few months, an investment group called Bluegrass Boardwalk Inc. has been trying to salvage the former amusement park. But officials confirmed this week that its planned reopening for next year is no longer an option because of serious disrepair. The group's investors now say the earliest the park can open is 2014.Two years ago, Six Flags abandoned the site due to bankruptcy and the state fair board spent almost 18 months negotiating with Hart to reopen the park. But those talks failed for reasons that have not been released.Hart says the mayor and governor need to take a greater role in getting one of the city’s chief tourist attractions running again instead of offering excuses."I can't read their minds. The mayor, the governor, his people, legislators—everybody says: ‘absolutely we want Kentucky Kingdom reopened.’ Yet they do nothing about it. It’s the typical, political and bureaucratic words and no deeds,” he says. "The fair board keeps saying that opening Kentucky Kingdom is a number one priority. They said it in 2010, 2011 and again in 2012. Can you imagine how long it would take to open up if it wasn't their number one priority? It's ludicrous." By Phillip M. Bailey May 31 Politics Ed Hart: Fischer, Beshear Dropped Ball on Kentucky Kingdom Phillip M. Bailey
May 31 Politics Donnelly Flaunts GOP Support Indiana Democratic Senate candidate Joe Donnelly has unveiled a group of Republicans who are supporting him over Tea Party candidate Richard Mourdock in the fall campaign.The group is made up of former supporters of Republican Senator Dick Lugar, who was defeated in the GOP primary by state Treasurer Richard Mourdock. Its initial six members have pledged to cross party lines and support Donnelly over Mourdock in November.Donnelly campaign spokeswoman Elizabeth Shappell says GOP voters will back the congressman due to his bipartisan approach."Moderate voices and folks who are wiling to compromise are too few and far in between these days. And that’s Joe," she says. "And in order to move this country forward, he truly believes—and as do I think many folks here in Indiana—that we need to work together and find common ground." By Phillip M. Bailey May 31 Politics Donnelly Flaunts GOP Support Phillip M. Bailey
May 30 Politics Paul Proposes Cutting Pakistan Aid to Help Release bin Laden Informant U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., plans to introduce legislation to cut all aid to Pakistan until the foreign country releases a physician who assisted the U.S. in killing Osama bin Laden. According to reports, Dr. Shakil Afridi worked with U.S. By Phillip M. Bailey May 30 Politics Paul Proposes Cutting Pakistan Aid to Help Release bin Laden Informant Phillip M. Bailey