http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com Covering Kentucky politics and government Tue, 22 May 2012 21:44:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/03/30/beshears-will-take-state-plane-to-final-four-but-democratic-party-will-pay-for-it/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/03/30/beshears-will-take-state-plane-to-final-four-but-democratic-party-will-pay-for-it/#comments Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:55:06 +0000 Jack Brammer http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=21410 By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT — Gov. Steve Beshear will use a state plane to take his family to New Orleans for the NCAA Final Four. The Kentucky Democratic Party will reimburse the state for use of the plane because Democratic Party activities will be involved on the trip, said Beshear spokeswoman Kerri Richardson. Richardson did not immediately know what state political party activities will occur in New Orleans or what family members will be going with the governor other than first lady Jane Beshear. The Beshears used a state plane March 9 to go to the Southeastern Conference basketball tournament in New Orleans and to take a side trip to Ocala, Fla., for Jane Beshear to visit friends.]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/03/30/beshears-will-take-state-plane-to-final-four-but-democratic-party-will-pay-for-it/feed/ 1 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/03/06/beshears-tax-reform-panel-holds-first-meeting/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/03/06/beshears-tax-reform-panel-holds-first-meeting/#comments Tue, 06 Mar 2012 22:37:31 +0000 Jack Brammer http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=21043 By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT – Gov. Steve Beshear’s special commission to draft a plan to overhaul the state’s tax laws started its first day of work Tuesday by putting out a proposal to hire a consultant. Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson, chairman of the 23-member panel, said Beshear considered it “imperative that we have someone from the outside who could lead this group through the issues” the governor considers important. The consultant, Abramson said, will focus initially on how Kentucky’s tax structure measures up with surrounding states and should be in place by the commission’s next meeting on April 10. Cost for the consultant has not yet been determined, he added. Beshear announced in January the formation of the panel to try to make the state’s tax code more equitable and to make it more competitive in economic development. It is to submit its report by the end of the year. ]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/03/06/beshears-tax-reform-panel-holds-first-meeting/feed/ 0 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/12/13/beshears-abramsons-lead-inaugural-parade-on-capital-avenue/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/12/13/beshears-abramsons-lead-inaugural-parade-on-capital-avenue/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:40:04 +0000 Jack Brammer http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=19899 By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT — Gov. Steve Beshear and first lady Jane Beshear rode up Capital Avenue Tuesday morning in an open horse-drawn carriage provided by the Kentucky Horse Park as part of an Inauguration Day parade that had more than 4,150 participants. Following them in another carriage were Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson and his wife, Madeline Abramson. When their carriages arrived at the front steps of the Capitol, the couples dutifully took their place in a reviewing stand to watch 54 high school marching bands wish them well. Beshear and Abramson were officially sworn into office at midnight. A public swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday. It will mark the second time Beshear and Abramson will call the state's Capitol building their workplace.]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/12/13/beshears-abramsons-lead-inaugural-parade-on-capital-avenue/feed/ 0 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/11/08/abramson-its-not-over-til-its-over/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/11/08/abramson-its-not-over-til-its-over/#comments Tue, 08 Nov 2011 23:15:38 +0000 Rich Copley http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=19676 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/11/08/abramson-its-not-over-til-its-over/feed/ 0 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/31/williams-beshear-launch-new-tv-ads/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/31/williams-beshear-launch-new-tv-ads/#comments Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:12:02 +0000 Beth Musgrave http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=19581 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/31/williams-beshear-launch-new-tv-ads/feed/ 0 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/28/after-leading-louisville-jerry-abramson-wants-job-in-ky-capitol/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/28/after-leading-louisville-jerry-abramson-wants-job-in-ky-capitol/#comments Fri, 28 Oct 2011 21:30:39 +0000 Accountability Editor http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=19578 By Beth Musgrave bmusgrave@herald-leader.com LOUISVILLE — They took the trash can. Again. Louisville city workers were supposed to dump the trash from the wicker-wire trash can near the Abramson's grocery store on Preston Avenue and put it back. But frequently the can would disappear. One day, a 12-year-old Jerry Abramson turned to his exasperated father, Roy, and said: "Don't worry Dad, someday I'll be mayor and I will have that can bolted down." Roy Abramson, now deceased, loved to tell that story about his son, Louisville's longest-serving mayor. But Jerry Abramson, 65, who spent much of his childhood working at his father's three-aisle grocery store in Smoketown, said he doesn't' remember that conversation or having aspirations for public office at that age. Yet, 50 years later, Jerry Abramson has become almost synonymous with the city of his birth. Abramson's long tenure as Louisville's mayor, three terms as mayor of the city and two terms as mayor of the merged city government, is on trial as he seeks his first statewide elected office. Rather than run again for mayor he decided in 2009 to join Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear's campaign as his pick for lieutenant governor.]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/28/after-leading-louisville-jerry-abramson-wants-job-in-ky-capitol/feed/ 0 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/28/claim-that-abramson%e2%80%99s-friend-didn%e2%80%99t-show-up-for-work-much-at-city-job-true/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/28/claim-that-abramson%e2%80%99s-friend-didn%e2%80%99t-show-up-for-work-much-at-city-job-true/#comments Fri, 28 Oct 2011 21:19:19 +0000 Accountability Editor http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=19576 By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com The Herald-Leader will fact-check statements made by candidates and their surrogates leading up to the Nov. 8 election. The statement: “Turns out Abramson used tax dollars to pay his friend 85 grand for a job she hardly showed up for.” — David Williams’ campaign for governor in an online video ad. The ruling: True The facts: A video posted on YouTube this week by Republican David Williams’ campaign for governor focuses on Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear’s running mate, former Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson.]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/28/claim-that-abramson%e2%80%99s-friend-didn%e2%80%99t-show-up-for-work-much-at-city-job-true/feed/ 0 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/25/at-debate-candidates-for-lieutenant-governor-disagree-on-tax-reform/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/25/at-debate-candidates-for-lieutenant-governor-disagree-on-tax-reform/#comments Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:11:10 +0000 Accountability Editor http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=19511 By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com With two weeks to go before the Nov. 8 general election, the three candidates for Kentucky's second-highest political office — lieutenant governor — appeared in their first and only debate Monday night before a statewide television audience. Democrat Jerry Abramson, Republican Richie Farmer and independent Dea Riley argued issues ranging from taxes to coal but maintained a mostly civil tone throughout the hourlong debate on Kentucky Educational Television's Kentucky Tonight. The sharpest disagreement came when host Bill Goodman asked the candidates their opinions on the need for tax reform.]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/25/at-debate-candidates-for-lieutenant-governor-disagree-on-tax-reform/feed/ 0 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/12/beshear-rakes-in-9-5-million-for-re-election-bid/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/12/beshear-rakes-in-9-5-million-for-re-election-bid/#comments Wed, 12 Oct 2011 15:21:09 +0000 Jack Brammer http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=19259 By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT -- Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear’s re-election campaign has raised more than $9.5 million, it said Wednesday in a news release. Beshear and his running mate, former Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson, collected more than $4.1 for the most recent filing period -- from May to early October, according to disclosure forms filed with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance. The campaign reported having $1.07 million cash on hand. It said it has pre-purchased $1 million of television advertisements for the final weeks of the campaign. Election Day is Nov. 8.]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/12/beshear-rakes-in-9-5-million-for-re-election-bid/feed/ 0 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/09/06/farishes-will-hold-fundraiser-for-beshear-abramson-campaign/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/09/06/farishes-will-hold-fundraiser-for-beshear-abramson-campaign/#comments Tue, 06 Sep 2011 18:47:22 +0000 Jack Brammer http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=18942 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/09/06/farishes-will-hold-fundraiser-for-beshear-abramson-campaign/feed/ 0