Louisville Magazine is Louisville's city magazine, covering Louisville people, lifestyles, politics, sports, restaurants, entertainment and homes. Includes a monthly calendar of events.
Issue link: https://loumag.epubxp.com/i/138735
POLITICS Best idea for downtown improvement Cut the Cordish cord and support local retail ventures Best use of a frugal budget End local government grants to nonprofits and church groups "We give every bar owner in the world an incentive to sell liquor on Fourth Street, so why not give somebody an incentive to sell a pair of pants?" — Runyon "I'm sure there are many cases of that money being well spent, but there's no oversight." — Kelley Kelley adds: "This would address the issue of residence downtown, too. You don't want to live and work downtown and have to go to the suburbs to buy groceries." Best first-term accomplishment of Mayor Greg Fischer Auditing of several government agencies "Greg Fischer, in many ways, is actually trying to bring efficiency to government." — Bailey Which is not to be confused with transparency, Kelley adds: "He's been far from transparent with the media." Best aspect of 2003 City-county merger One chief executive "That alone has helped this community." — Stone Runyon adds: "No longer are there disputes about whether the city or the county police or EMS should respond to an incident at a given address; previously there were such disputes, which wasted precious time in emergencies." Bailey dissents: "The best part of merger is having a metro council where people from all parts of the city are forced to meet with each other and deal with each other." Runyon adds: "I love the arts, but why are all these arts groups getting grants when the basic functions of government are being ignored; people are being furloughed. Just get government out of that business." Best newcomer/ rising star of local government Councilwoman Attica Scott, District 1 "Attica is the kind of person you want in politics. She came out of an activist background. She had passion for her community and about getting jobs for people in a part of our city that desperately needs them." — Runyon Best transformation of a public servant Metro Council President Jim King "He's been baptized. He was really beaten up by the media. He's gone through a political fire, and I think it's humbled him." — Bailey Runyon adds: "If you look at the Jim King before the mayor's race and the Jim King now. . . . He's provided some real leadership." Experts' choice Best accomplishment of Sen. Rand Paul His political rise nationally "He goes to New Hampshire: packed house. He goes to Iowa: packed house. He is a serious national figure." — Stone After playing a recording of an interview with Paul from 2010 in which Runyon asks if the candidate would have voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Runyon dissents: "Anybody in 2010 who had qualms about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 should be fundamentally disqualified from serving in public office." Bill Stone President of Louisville Plate Glass Co. Former chairman of the LouisvilleJefferson County Republican Party Stone says: "He doesn't have a racist bone in his body." Best accomplishment of Sen. Mitch McConnell The tax deal he hammered out at the 11th hour with Vice President Biden Phillip Bailey Political editor, WFPL "That tax deal saved this country economically; it saved farms in this state." — Stone Best accomplishment of Rep. John Yarmuth His vote, and continuing public support, for the Affordable Care Act Keith Runyon Former opinion page and book editor of the Courier-Journal "He's proud of that. He's the one person in the Kentucky delegation who defends the benefits of the Affordable Care Act." — Bailey Runyon adds: "When you had (former Congressman) Ben Chandler just running and hiding from it." Stone dissents: "Well, I would run from it. . . . It's horrible public policy." Sarah Kelley Editor, LEO 7.13 LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE 53