UPDATED: Owensboro Mayor Considers Dropping League of Cities
We've mentioned the ridiculous spending of the Kentucky Association of Counties (Living the High Life on Your Dime), but we've been remiss to mention the similar investigation of the Kentucky League of Cities.
As Page One Kentucky put it a month ago:
Does the League of Cities really need to give Sylvia Lovely a BMW SUV and pay her $315,000? And how can three people spend $300K on travel? Lovely has a LOT of explaining to do. Robbing this state blind. Oh, and Jim Newberry? He's technically her boss. Imagine that. ANOTHER scandal involving hundreds of thousands of dollars on Newberry's watch. [H-L]
Well, one mayor is taking action. Mayor Ron Payne of Owensboro is recommending to his city that they need to shop around:
Just days ago, Kentucky State Auditor Crit Luallen's office announced that the League and the Kentucky Association of Counties will be audited.
The League has taken several actions in response to the criticism, but Payne said the league has not done enough.
"With an audit under way, we'll take action pending the outcome of that audit," Payne said.
Chief among his concerns, Payne said, is the apparent lack of knowledge by the League's board of staff salaries and spending.
"There needs to be some policy changes made," he said. "I'm anxious to see what comes out of the audit."
Cheers for a Mayor taking action when the real problems of the good-ol'-boy system are exposed. So much of Kentucky is run on a perversion of the golden rule: "I won't criticize your actions as long as you look the other way on mine." This is where accountability should enter the system, and a gold star for Mr. Payne for actually acting.
UPDATE: Not yet.
The Herald Leader has updated its story, saying that Payne has basically put the league on probation. Let's hope he continues to exert pressure for change.
