Opinion writer Joe Gerth recently posted an opinion piece on the dissolving of the home rule city of Norwood. He suggested dissolving other home rule cities because the goal of the merger between Louisville and Jefferson County was to allow Louisville to speak with one voice. He’s wrong there.
Lexington/Fayette County had just merged their governments and instantly became the largest city population-wise in the state. Louisville politicians couldn’t stand that, so the merger of Louisville/Jefferson County occurred to give bragging rights of the largest city back to Louisville.
Gerth’s next comments on dissolving home rule cities started with Ten Broeck. As mayor of Ten Broeck, I believed a response was necessary. Joe is correct when he mentions differences in larger cities — Metro Louisville as an example — and home rule cities. Among the differences are:
Murders, assaults, gun-related robberies, regular robberies, drug dealing, car hijackings, car break-ins, home burglaries, rapes, kidnappings, police chases and many other law breaking activities. Mr. Gerth may be able to provide suggestions as to how home rule cities could increase their overall crime rates to compete.
The city of Norwood, in eastern Jefferson County, has been around for 50 years. Now the daughter of the city’s first mayor thinks it should be disbanded.
The citizens of the city of Ten Broeck pay more than $300,000 to Jefferson County in property taxes. I asked other residents here what was received in return, and no one could think of anything. Perhaps Mr. Gerth needs to reevaluate his thinking and ask home rule city officials how Metro Louisville could change its programs and policies to better reflect the positive contributions the 80-100 home rule cities in Jefferson County provide for their residents.
—David Bradley, mayor of the city of Ten Broeck, 40241
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville should learn from small cities, not dissolve them | Opinion