Friday, July 23, 2010

Mayor to seek fourth term

According to NKY.COM Alexandria Mayor Dan McGinley announced Friday (July 23, 2010) that he will seek a fourth term in November.

"The reasons to live and work in Alexandria have continued to grow since I first became mayor," he said in a statement. "Our city is stronger financially. Our neighborhoods are patrolled by the best-trained police officers in Northern Kentucky. The city continues to develop - and we have accomplished all of it without any tax increases generated by city council."

McGinley, who has been the mayor for 12 years, is endorsed by Judge-executive Steve Pendery and former Alexandria mayors George "Sonny" Carmack, Ray Hildebrand, Roger Steffen and Victor Steffen.

McGinley will face Alexandria City Councilman William "Bill" T. Rachford Jr. in November. The deadline for candidates to file the paperwork to run for nonpartisan city offices is Tuesday, Aug. 10.

Update as of 07/27/2010

Political notes from around N.Ky.

McGinley seeks re-election as Alexandria's mayor

Make sure to read the reader’s comments following the articles at the links.

Reader Comments are also encouraged here. Just click on “comments” below this line to read or leave a comment.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Lame-Duck County Judge-Executive Pushing Smoking Ban in NKY

From the Kentucky Club for Growth blog.

NKY Politicians keep trying to send smokers across the river to Ohio by pushing a smoking ban.

Typically, the chief advocate is the CJE of Kenton County, who is attempting to drive it through before he retires.

But there's a sense that it's now or never: Kenton Judge-executive Ralph Drees, a driving force behind the ban, will retire at the end of the year.

Few other local officials have the political clout to bring all three counties to the table on such a controversial issue, as anything dealing with regionalism inevitably is in Northern Kentucky.

The feelings of Kenton County residents are probably well represented by the CJE's likely successor.

(Plus, Drees' likely successor, Steve Arlinghaus, opposes the ban.)

In Boone County, the CJE seems to have understood the results of the recent election that he barely escaped. From the NKY Tea Party:

At the Boone County Tea Party meeting last night, Judge Exec. Gary Moore said that the ban has no traction among the current or incoming fiscal court, especially in a bad economy because it could hurt small businesses.

Still, it's an agenda item in all three counties. If you'd like to make your voice heard on this issue, here are the next meeting dates:

Boone - Tuesday, July 27, 2010 @ 5:30pm at the Administration Bldg. in Burlington.

Campbell - TODAY Wednesday, July 21, 2010 @ 5:30 at 1098 Monmouth Street in Newport

Kenton - Tuesday, July 27, 2010 @ 7:00PM at the Independence courthouse

Not mentioned in the original blog post is that the make-up of Campbell County’s Fiscal Court could very well change in November and if so it is unlikely that the votes for a smoking ban would still be there in Campbell County.

To see how popular opinion is shaking out on this issue –

Poll: Ready for NKY smoking ban?

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Campbell County companies dispute taxes

Campbell County is experiencing a spike in the number of companies requesting property tax assessment values be lowered and local government tax revenues including fire districts and schools will feel the pinch.

One of those companies owns Village Green Shopping Center in Alexandria.

According to an article published in The Kentucky Enquirer (click on the link to view) the owners have requested a decrease in their evaluation for tax purposes of 2.6 million dollars.

The city has already passed their new budget and is now holding off on setting the tax rates for their citizen property owners until all of the ramifications are clear although they are approving street projects as though all is well.

Hold on to your wallets.

By the way, since Alexandria property owners also pay county taxes, hasn’t Sara Lee been on the receiving end of a sweetheart deal for quit some time?

Friday, July 9, 2010

Fiscal Court and job Hanky Panky

 

Pondering the imponderables

We’ve wondered why an 11 year position at the cost of $80,000 (including benefits) per year (Pat Dressman) was replaced by a newly created part time position of 100 hours per month at $15.72 per hour (Katie Tallon) back in April; and now Ms. Dressman has been re-hired for another newly created position of 100 hours maximum at $34.93 per hour after her failed political pursuit (which is why she retired(?) so as to not violate the Hatch Act in the first place).

This type of thing just smells bad.

Congratulations to Commissioner Ken Rechtin for taking the right position on this issue.

Job creation and hiring hanky panky however is not limited to the Fiscal Court.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Opening soon

Wyler in Alexandria reviving showroom for used sales

Plans are under way to reopen the Alexandria Buick Pontiac GMC dealership closed since October 2008 as a used vehicle showroom and lot.

Click here to read the article