Downard to run for mayor

[Roland99]

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050322/NEWS01/50322005

Former Metro Council president and Republican caucus chairman Kelly Downard announced today that he will run for mayor of metro Louisville against popular incumbent Jerry Abramson.

Downard, 58, who represents District 16 in eastern Jefferson County, held a press conference this morning to officially announce his candidacy.

Downard, the president and CEO of Louisville Real Estate Development Co., an affiliate of the Louisville Community Development Bank, said Louisville has fallen behind neighboring cities such as Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Nashville and is in "desperate need of new leadership."

"If the head coach had been losing that long, we would have called for a new coach long ago," Downard said.

So, any chances the urban sprawl will stop and our roads get updated before more development goes in?


Doubtful.

[doodadem]

1. Louisville has fallen behind

Cincy, Indy, and N-ville in what, precisely? I'll take Luavul over those cities any day (and I had the misfortune to live in Cincy for 10 years).
I always liked Abramson when we were still there. He seemed to be fairly in tune with people, and was just a plain nice guy.
I'll be missing my hometown the first weekend in May. Derby Week is always a good time!

[Roland99]

2. Traffic jams, I suppose

Life is good here but there's been a bit of struggle getting some new industry in here and we did lose B&W (due to it being bought out.)

But, Yum! is headquartered here, UPS is growing, both Ford plants are going strong. The downtown is becoming revitalized and we have some condo towers going up. Our science museum could use an influx of cash but the arts are great, traffic isn't bad, cost of living is decent.

I know there are plenty that dislike Abramson but I think things are going fine.

[doodadem]

3. What happened to Philip Morris?

Hey Roland--I used to be a salaried employee of Philip Morris in Louisville in my dim dark days (boy--could I tell you some stories from THAT place). I heard they had closed the Louisville plant. 3,000 employees there when I left. Do you know how that went down?
I hadn't heard that B&W left.....does that mean all the cig factories are gone now?

[Roland99]

4. They're all gone now. All we have left is liquor and fast food

;)

As for PM, here's an article from about a year ago:
http://www.philipmorrisusa.com/en/pressroom/content/press_release/articles/PR_May_6_2004_PMUCLO.asp

[LouKYDem]

5. Abramson...

While I will definitely vote for and support Abramson, he has lost a lot of my respect. I don't know if it was ever posted here, but he secretly supported (and voted for) Anne Northup in the 2004 election, while publicly pretending to support Tony Miller. Just that one incident is enough for me to lose most of my respect (which I had a LOT of) for him. I understand that politicians do not necessarily ALWAYS have to support their party's candidate, but I have a lot of trouble respecting any "Democrat" that will vote for somebody that is as vile and right-winged as Anne Northup.

Regardless, Abramson is safe for 2006, which is the last time he can run for mayor. Hopefully in 2010, we can get one of the metro council members (hopefully my favorites, Tina Ward-Pugh or Tom Owen, or maybe even Rick Blackwell from the southwestern part of the county, who is able to maintain great Democratic values while having broad appeal to all voters) to take over as mayor.

[yellowdoggess]

6. and so goes the state

It seems we have the strong potential to become a mirror image of the consolidation of power in Washington. Not only is our state budget in a mess, our "tax reform" capital unwisely spent for the next 10 years, but the starve out of social programs and government function has begun. If the state house ever goes with Republican majority, you can bet we will see the same unabashed, unconstitutional power wielded by the executive branch with blessings from the legislative branch.

And just like the DC scene, no one is asking questions about anything!!

I add this under this post because Jeff Co has had a tradition of voting for the "D".

[smurfygirl]

7. this guy is for more urban sprawl

and sees none of the development in the city as progress.
He will never get my vote.
I think he is gonna have a tough run in Louisville.