Scott Invites Fischer to District 1 'Reality Ride'

Louisville Metro Councilwoman Attica Woodson Scott, D-1, will take Mayor Greg Fischer on a tour of neighborhoods in her district as part of a "Reality Ride” designed to show the mayor locations in the need of attention.The district covers several neighborhoods in west and southwest Louisville such as Chickasaw, Parkland, Lake Dreamland, Cane Run Road and St. Denis, where issues such as burglaries, abandoned properties and illegal dumping are a growing problem. Scott and Fischer are scheduled to leave the Metro Police 2nd Division on Saturday morning where the two will travel through West End areas,  including the Rubbertown neighborhood,  28^th & Dumesnil and the Parkland Boys & Girls Club.Scott says she appreciates the mayor's willingness to learn what her constituents concerns are and how Metro Government can address them collaboratively."I think it will encourage him to take a little bit more action because it’s different when you’re removed from the area, you don’t live in it everyday and you don’t see it everyday," she says. "This ride is an opportunity for him to get an up close look at some of the alleys where illegal dumping is happening, streets where abandoned properties have blighted the neighborhoods and for me to have a conversation with him about ‘Look mayor, what are we going to do about this together.'" The mayor has also been invited to join Scott for a second 'Reality Ride' in February to tour southwest neighborhoods in the district. Scott says the Fischer administration has been responsive to some issues, such as the chemical plant explosion in Rubbertown last year, but the mayor could do more to address systemic problems in the district."I feel like the administration can do a much better job of paying attention to southwest and west Louisville as it relates to economic development. There is definitely a lack of jobs in the area, a lack of retail, a lack of restaurants in the area. Both the southwest and west need much more attention from our administration," she says.The recently appointed councilwoman has also invited former state representative Eleanor Jordan, who is President of the Parkland Neighborhood Improvement Association to participate in the Reality Ride this weekend..