Well darn. Just like a rash. It goes away then come back somewhere else.

Look for Jerry to assume a larger role once the cabinet resignations start rolling in.

Congratulations to Former Mayer Jerry Abramson. Although I'll be in the minority, I'm a really big fan!

 

Even after the Management Letter issued by Crit Luallen after her audit of the City of Louisville's operations noting numerous Significant Deficiencies and Material Weaknesses?

 

During my audit days I participated in a few audits where the findings in Auditor's Management Letter were bad enough that the state came in and had to take serious action and in some cases remove senior management from these organizations (ie Kentucky Lottery and Kentucky State University) but even those management letters paled into comparison to Crit Luallen's findings as Abramson was winding down his days as mayor just before assuming the role of Lt. Gov. That was embarassing for the city.

 

While I didn't vote for Fischer four years ago I will admit he did a splendid job cleaning up the mess he inheritted which I believe is why he faced no serious GOP opposition. No I do not consider DeVore serious opposition when most in the city didn't even realize someone was running against Fischer.

 

Somewhat ironic that his successor was the KY official which published the findings which put such a blotch on his record going out the door. Fortunate for Abramson, must citizens do not even know what significant deficiences and material weaknesses are. I am not even sure our governor really does either to be honest.

They stripped that office of almost all responsibility with the 1992 Constitutional amendments.

 

I was trying to figure out an answer to that question and found a summary of those amendments. Didn't realize that until 1992, if the governor left the Commonwealth -- for any reason -- the lieutenant governor instantly became the acting governor. That is hilarious.

 

They also took away the Lt.'s role as President of the Senate and made that a position elected from within the body itself.

 

No clue what that person does now.

Sounds like an AWESOME job. If anyone plans to run for Governor let me know. I'm your guy. I'm surprisingly REALLY good at doing nothing.

I think Thelma Stovall as Lt. Gov. controversially exercised some type of gubernatorial power whilst the real Gov was out of state, if I recall correctly.

 

Late '70s. The Equal Right amendment to the US Constitution was being considered for ratification. It had passed the 2/3 vote in both houses of the US congress and was being voted on by the states. Both houses of the KY legislature had voted to ratify it but then for some reason (and I don't remember what) several state legislatures (including KY) voted to rescind the ratification. Carroll left the state and Stovall vetoed the rescinding. It was very controversial in that Carroll was only out of the state for a few hours and whether the Governor even had the authority to veto that action. As I recall the point became moot when not enough states ratified the amendment by the deadline and it died.

Somewhat ironic that his successor was the KY official which published the findings which put such a blotch on his record going out the door. Fortunate for Abramson, must citizens do not even know what significant deficiences and material weaknesses are. I am not even sure our governor really does either to be honest.

 

I'm with you, Bert. Not a big fan of Dishonest Abe. His favorite practice was selling off big chunks of the city to developers for a song, dash the consequences. Anyone in city government who has ever thought it was a good idea for us to continue putting faith in the Cordish Co. and do business with them has a serious problem for me.

I'm with you, Bert. Not a big fan of Dishonest Abe. His favorite practice was selling off big chunks of the city to developers for a song, dash the consequences. Anyone in city government who has ever thought it was a good idea for us to continue putting faith in the Cordish Co. and do business with them has a serious problem for me.

 

The selling off of city property for pennies was another reason I am glad the city is rid of Jerry. I can understand selling it at an attractive price with the contingency it must be developed but millions of dollars of city property were almost given away. I am guessing the owners of Cordish have pictures of Jerry hanging in their offices. I wonder if they look at Jerry as a buddy or a sucker.

Sounds like an AWESOME job. If anyone plans to run for Governor let me know. I'm your guy. I'm surprisingly REALLY good at doing nothing.

 

Wasn't there an election a decade or so ago where the candidate for Lt. Gov said one of his goals while serving as Lt. Gov was to put himself out of a job by working on an amendment to eliminate the position of Lt. Gov? Either he lost or was not successful in amending the KY constitution.

While I understand what you are saying, Bert and Getslow, I think there are a lot of other things that people are quick to put to the wayside, maybe because they're taken for granted:

 

Operation Brightside-I absolutely think this is one of the best community involvement programs in the nation. It has a very visible impact on our city, and given the number of high-profile events we get in Louisville, it's important to have such a program in place to showcase the city on the "big stage". And it lasts throughout the year, serving as a point of pride, especially in some previously blighted areas.

 

It was under Abramson that the UPS Hub and Airport expansion took off. Neither would have happened without the other, and UPS is an major reason for the relocation of a lot of industry into Louisville.

 

Waterfront Park-If you'd rater it have stayed scrap and rail yards, then...I'm not sure what I can say. But the Waterfront Development has been an important catalyst in the revitalization of Downtown.

 

I don't necessarily agree with his deal with the Cordish group. But from the perspective of someone who worked in the hospitality industry in downtown Louisville, the 4th Street Live development has certainly had an impact on providing a venue with recognizable establishments that make visitors feel a comfort in patronizing. Before 4th Street, and before the YUM! Center, and before Waterfront Park, weekends in hotels were death. Now, hotels are viable 6 days a week. (Sunday is death-day in all hotels, unless there's a convention, or such).

Rockmom, I think all those things are possible without the backroom dealings and sleazy compatriots that Abramson brought into Metro Government. I have a lot of problems with Mayor Fischer as well, but I'm not seeing nearly as many of the same things going on now that he's in charge.

Rockmom, I think all those things are possible without the backroom dealings and sleazy compatriots that Abramson brought into Metro Government. I have a lot of problems with Mayor Fischer as well, but I'm not seeing nearly as many of the same things going on now that he's in charge.

 

While "backroom dealings" and "sleazy compatriots" are what you remember, and you feel that the city could have done these things without him, I'll disagree. I am old enough to remember downtown before it because down-death-town. And I worked downtown when it declined into utter desolate nothingness. And I don't know if what was accomplished there could have, in fact, been done with out whatever it is he did to lure SOMEONE to invest in downtown. There was NO one who wanted to be downtown, forsaking all for the east side of Louisville. The death of downtown contributed to the death of the South End, and the re-birth of the downtown and the south end are spurring the rebirth of parts west of 9th street, like Portalnd. I honestly feel without Jerry Abramson, there is no Worldport, there is no Humana headquarters, there is no viable downtown.

I'm afraid I think otherwise.

 

Urbanism was an idea whose time had come. Look around the country: Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, etc. Louisville's downtown revival is not unique... and there are several cities doing it better. I would suggest that the closed group of selectmen that Abramson enjoyed such a partnership with has actually been detrimental to Louisville while other cities have passed us by.

I'm fine with us being in disagreement. I'm interested though, in hearing the details of how you think it COULD have been done, and what you feel Louisville SHOULD be at this point (had things been done differently).

 

I think, too, it's easy to stand here in 2014 and look back and see mistakes or missteps. A lot was very, very different 30-35 years ago.

Urbanism was an idea whose time had come. Look around the country: Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, etc. Louisville's downtown revival is not unique... and there are several cities doing it better. I would suggest that the closed group of selectmen that Abramson enjoyed such a partnership with has actually been detrimental to Louisville while other cities have passed us by.

 

I see where you are coming from. If you look at the urban renewal Louisville had done, it was very similar to what Nashville, Indy, Cincy, and St. Louis had already been doing. Saying that, I have nothing against imitating the success of other cities, I am just not going to consider those leading such imitation as being innovative.

 

On the flip side, while I didn't vote for Fischer, I watched the video of his ideas and was pretty impressed with them.