June 2009 Comrade of the Month
The June 2009 Comrade of the Month is Ft. Mitchell Mayor Tom Holocher!
Holocher was nominated because of his love of tax increases.
In June, Mayor Holocher proposed that Ft. Mitchell citizens be faced with the full 4% property tax increase. He desired a tax hike despite the higher burden it would place on citizens in this difficult economy, and despite a forecasted budget surplus!
Additionally, he proposed a budget that spent $120,000 on recreation including trips to a skydiving jump zone and offered no spending cuts.
Faced with criticism, Holocher lowered his tax hike request to $1.47 per $1000 of assessed value, which still was a hike, a notch above the compensating rate of $1.46.
Fortunately for the taxpayers of Ft. Mitchell, the council enacted a tax cut despite Holocher's wishes.
According to Page One Kentucky, resigning Kentucky League of Cities director Sylvia Lovely had this to say about Mayor Holocher's award:
Spotted on Sylvia Lovely's Facebook page: "Just got back from Montgomery, Alabama and the Southern Municipal Conference. What a history filled city. That is why I love cities - they tell stories! Talked about stimulus money, health care reform (gonna be a while) and a host of issues affect...ing cities. Travelled with Mayor Holocher, Ft. Mitchell - a great mayor and public servant!"
Mayor Holocher is the inaugural winner of the Comrade of the Month, winning with 57% of the vote. Lovely's organization only netted 9%. Other nominees this month received: John Yarmuth and Ben Chandler (31%); KACo and KLC (9%) and Kentucky House Democratic Leadership (3%).
Be sure to send us new nominees!
