THE COMMUNITY ISSUES MAGAZINE OF THE KENTUCKY LEAGUE OF CITIES SUMMER 2007 Delivering the news in Kentucky CITY SCAPES SUMMER 2007 • VOL. 9 • N O . 3 2 CITY LeaDERs 4 8 CITY scHOOLs Delivering the 6 news CITY SCENES The news is changing— and so is the ownership of news outlets in Kentucky. 14 CITY PERspectiVe B Y A L C R O S S 22 CITY BUsiness 18 24 Home ownership CITY CONVERsatiOn Kentucky's largest media company is family owned and operated. 26 CITY Bits B Y A L C R O S S & L A UR A C L E M M O N S 30 CITY Q & A 20 32 News A3 2G2BT? No. RLY. (News anytime, anywhere, anyplace. Too good to be true? No. Really.) B Y W I L L W A RREN 102 SUMMER 2007 Cover Illustration by Jim Edmon -SUMMER www.edmondesign.com 2007 1 need to seriously evaluate all the services a great city. Read the fine print of my Sylvia L. Lovely is the local government provides at some point budget and there are dozens of examples Executive Director/CEO of and ask if they are all central to our of partnerships where the city teams up with agencies, schools, the private sector, the Kentucky League of KENTUCKY LEAGUE OF CITIES mission. Cities, headquartered “And fourth, we will continue to focus state and federal government—all to OFFICERS move Louisville forward. B Y S Y L V I A L . L O V E L Y in Lexington. aggressively on economic initiatives that David L. Willmoth, Jr. we believe will bring new tax dollars to “Some of the most important Mayor of Elizabethtown, President our community—from new jobs to new partnerships involve members of the Glenn V. Caldwell bridges to new downtown and suburban Metro Council who have already worked Louisville Metro budget: a preview of what is to come Mayor of Williamstown, First Vice President developments. with us to provide matching funds for Connie Lawson “This budget reflects our values. We key projects in your districts. Mayor of Richmond, Second Vice President need to be clear about “Fifth, we value education. Bradley H. Collins Budget-making time is just coming to a close for costs. Mayor of Morehead, Immediate Past President those values as we make We recognize it is the ticket cities and counties across the commonwealth. But “Our revenue projections—and they are decisions in what are to opportunity for residents Sylvia L. Lovely this is a year unlike any other. The tough decisions aggressive—show our tax dollars will grow by 4 to Executive Director/CEO, KLC truly challenging financial and for our community. that have been made are just harbingers of more 5 percent next year. That’s about $23 million. You times. So let me share My budget punches difficult times ahead. have heard me talk about the rising cost of health EXECUTIVE BOARD some of the values I hear that ticket with strong It is no secret that states and the federal insurance for our employees. This year we will pay Jerry E. Abramson, Mayor of Louisville Metro reflected in the voices of support for our Louisville government are struggling with seemingly nearly $40 million, up from $25 million five years Susan Barto, Mayor of Lyndon our residents throughout Free Public Library. Irvin T. "Butch" Callery, Mayor of Covington unsolvable budget dilemmas: how to fund a war ago. Bill Ed Cannon, City Manager of Corbin our community—the values It supports innovative while fixing crumbling infrastructure; how to “You have heard me describe the escalating Stephen Gilmore, Mayor of Ashland that shape this budget and educational partnerships provide assistance programs that are an essential cost of pensions and retirement. We’ve seen the Anthony Massey, City Manager of Frankfort will shape our work as we like Metropolitan College, Michael D. Miller, Mayor of Jackson part of the compassionate society we claim to be. city’s pension payments—what we are required to put in a Mary Pate, Mayor of Beaver Dam move forward. which will expand soon At the same time, local governments find themselves in retirement fund each year to pay for employee pensions down William Paxton, Mayor of Paducah “First, we value public safety. It is to help more college students meet crisis. As more and more costs are shifted to the local level, the road—we’ve seen our share grow from $31 million in 2004 Darrell Pickett, Mayor of Glasgow the bedrock upon which we build a local workforce needs. This budget also H. Tom Rushing, Mayor of Murray cities must also meet the ongoing needs of worker salaries, to $66 million in the year ahead—more than double—while Elaine Walker, Mayor of Bowling Green strong community. So nearly one out increases city funding for the successful pensions and infrastructure. These fundamentals compete at the same time the number of employees in Louisville Metro of every three operating dollars goes new Youth Opportunities Unlimited with investments that target quality of life improvements—the government has actually gone down. If this pattern continues, to our police department. Add all our Center partnership with JCPS [Jefferson kind that appeal to people who can live and work anywhere our share would grow from $66 million to $100 million two public protection agencies—fire, EMS, County Public Schools], Jefferson and who frequently ignore the political boundaries that, years from now. EMA, corrections, animal services—and Community and Technical College and although honored by traditional governments, are increasingly “So, clearly, we have a challenge. public protection is responsible for more others. It’s already helped hundreds of anachronistic. “And that challenge is echoed across Kentucky and the THE VOICE OF KENTUCKY CITIES. than 60 percent of our entire operating disengaged 16- to 21-year-olds get back Thus, the innovative and forward-thinking leaders among nation—as baby boomers begin to retire from government jobs The Kentucky League of Cities (KLC) is a budget. in school and get jobs. voluntary association of cities, created in our local elected officials have begun to rethink their strategies. with health and pension benefits that represent a staggering 1927, to assist municipal officials in repre- “Second, we value quality of life. “Sixth, we value people and programs Louisville Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson is one such innovator. load for strapped budgets. senting the interests of cities and to provide You won’t find it defined one way that give them a hand up when they services to members which will foster His proposed budget for 2007-2008 offers a hint of what is to “The Kentucky League of Cities has called local government improved local government in Kentucky. in a dictionary. It means good jobs, need help. My budget continues our come. pensions ‘a time bomb.’ The cities of Covington and meaningful work, a paycheck that gives support for Louisville-area community KLC provides a forum for its 370 local His thinking reflects not only a reaction to a crisis of Owensboro have already cut their workforce. Florence, member cities across the Commonwealth to you choice about where and how you ministries that provide emergency diminishing revenues but also a prescient move toward Kentucky, has raised taxes. Closer to home, West Buechel has address their common needs, challenges and live. It means strong neighborhoods, assistance to people in need. Our opportunities. Some service program divisions something more important. He has identified a process laid off three police officers. Oldham County, one of the most of the League include: legal assistance, group manageable commutes to work, great Department of Housing and Family whereby we, as citizens, cannot avoid addressing the need to affluent areas in our state, has cut 10 percent of its workforce. insurance plans and risk management services, parks, arts, a vibrant 24/7 downtown— Services will introduce a new foreclosure capital financing and management services, participate in the difficult deliberations of how the city will From California to Texas, from Illinois to New Jersey, the story training and leadership development, the heart of our city that shapes the assistance program this year. It will continue its progress toward becoming a world-class place for is similar. downtown and economic development vitality and prosperity of our entire two- better coordinate services for homeless living, working and playing. “So: What should we be doing? I am not suggesting that we programs, information and research services. state, 23-county region. individuals and families. In his own words: back down on our commitment to workers who are retired or “Third, we value community. We “Seventh and last, we also value the “….Budget time is when you really think about values – not currently employed and part of the system. But there are things value our distinctive neighborhoods and land and water and air around us. We just those dollars-and-cents values of how much to spend on we must do: Editorial Staff suburban cities, our traditions and our will step up the work of our Partnership fire trucks or additional health department inspectors. but “First, we must keep our workforce lean. We have eliminated Publisher Sylvia L. Lovely institutions, the schools we’ve attended for a Green City, our collaboration also the other kind of values: Given the limits of revenue, more than 700 positions in the past four years. When we’ve Executive Editor Bobbie S. Bryant and the places we worship. But we with U of L and JCPS to stake out Editorial Services Diana Taylor new policies and practices that reflect what do we believe in, care about, recognize as our duty to added police, or EMTs or animal control officers, we’ve had to Communications also value the community crossroads our citizens? What investments do we believe are critical if we trim somewhere else.