120 Counties

[masonsdaughter]

Sgt, I see where you are coming from. You live in the flatlands. Imagine, if you will, 20 minutes travel time, part of it down a mile long winding mountian road covered with 2" of packed snow, hairpin curves, no gardrails, and no sholders, knowing that if you make one wrong move with steering wheel, clutch, or brake, you are on a rollercoaster from he**, you decide. I am not whining, I chose to live here, I am just trying to say that travel is a bit harder for those of us who live in the hills, thus, the smaller towns and county seats make it easier for us. Actually, you make my point for me. Clark and Madison counties are rather flat, but are bordered by mountainous counties and each have their own diverse problems and needs. If such counties were combined, the officials would have to understand this and allow for it. I very much doubt that that is possible.
If you are really concerned about the budget, take a look at some of the perks for employee's and elected officials that we pay for. At least, as taxpayers, we are getting some returns from the county officials, we are getting 0 returns from these perks.

[SGT]

Originally Posted by masonsdaughter

Sgt, I see where you are coming from. You live in the flatlands. Imagine, if you will, 20 minutes travel time, part of it down a mile long winding mountian road covered with 2" of packed snow, hairpin curves, no gardrails, and no sholders, knowing that if you make one wrong move with steering wheel, clutch, or brake, you are on a rollercoaster from he**, you decide. I am not whining, I chose to live here, I am just trying to say that travel is a bit harder for those of us who live in the hills, thus, the smaller towns and county seats make it easier for us. Actually, you make my point for me. Clark and Madison counties are rather flat, but are bordered by mountainous counties and each have their own diverse problems and needs. If such counties were combined, the officials would have to understand this and allow for it. I very much doubt that that is possible.

masons, I was born in Pike County, and have driven Eastern Kentucky roads most of my life.

You're suggesting that I "make your point for you," but I'm clueless what point of yours I made... are you saying that Clark and Madison county officials wouldn't understand the needs of the area because the counties are too geographically diverse even though both counties are relative "flat-lands"?... that Jackson, Clay and Leslie county officials would be ignorant of the needs of those counties because they're too geographically diverse? ...or that Lawrence, Johnson and Martin are too diverse?... or that [look at judicial districts map and insert county names here] are?

I just don't see it that way.

Originally Posted by masonsdaughter

If you are really concerned about the budget, take a look at some of the perks for employee's and elected officials that we pay for. At least, as taxpayers, we are getting some returns from the county officials, we are getting 0 returns from these perks.

I'm willing to look at it. Any specific perks you have in-mind?

You're proposing a false choice. It's not this instead of that. It's all of the above, and then a matter of prioritizing what options will have the most substantial impact in remedying our situation.

With all due respect, I can't vouch for any of these reasons you have proposed. None are valid reasons to resist abolition of a slew of high-level, larger-compensation county positions. Just my humble opinion, but they all seem ridiculously shallow, and indicative that the budget shortfall isn't really to be taken that seriously. There appears to be an unwillingness to engage the clear logic in doing that, and I'm uncertain (but suspicious, of course) as to why that's so.

I'm sorry if this sounds offensive. I am sure you are very reasonable person otherwise.

[nalabama]

I'm curious as to the compensation of the "high-level, larger-compensation county positions" in the different counties. Are all such positions paid the at the same level; i.e., do the administrators in Owen County (pop. approx. 11,500) receive the same compensation as those in Jefferson County/Louisville? Are all these positions eligible for state-funded retirement and health benefits? Is a specified minimum managerial hierachy and staffing required for each county regardless of county size?

I live only part time in Kentucky, so I'm ignorant regarding such fine points. But, I have a gut feeling that I'm dealing with much less high-level, larger-compensation county bureaucracy in Owen County than I see even in Franklin County (pop. approx. 40,000).

[Cabe09]

Sandman, I live in Indiana and I tell people what county I'm from because the nearest town is almost 10 miles away! You can't be from a town if you don't live there.

[SGT]

Originally Posted by nalabama

I'm curious as to the compensation of the "high-level, larger-compensation county positions" in the different counties. Are all such positions paid the at the same level; i.e., do the administrators in Owen County (pop. approx. 11,500) receive the same compensation as those in Jefferson County/Louisville? Are all these positions eligible for state-funded retirement and health benefits? Is a specified minimum managerial hierachy and staffing required for each county regardless of county size?

I live only part time in Kentucky, so I'm ignorant regarding such fine points. But, I have a gut feeling that I'm dealing with much less high-level, larger-compensation county bureaucracy in Owen County than I see even in Franklin County (pop. approx. 40,000).

I can't speak to total compensation, but I think that avoids the real point, which is that if you ONLY whittle 120 counties to 60, and even if you ONLY eliminate 60 judge-executive positions, at total average compensation of say just $65K, that's almost $4 million dollars annually. And that's just one position, albeit probably the best paid one. In some counties, there are going to be several others that are hatchet-worthy.

Look, no single line item in the budget is going to to produce the total savings necessary, but this is one that just makes so much sense, it's to our shame and embarrassment as Kentuckians if we continue to ignore it.

[blue_eyedgirl]

Oh dear, I don't think merging counties would go over very well with most people. I'm from Grayson County and the vast majority of people there would probably rather eat dirt than merge with Edmonson or Breck. Besides that who in the world would GCHS play in the Tobacco Bowl every year.

[Tennesseestorm]

Most all of the eastern states have alot of counties, with the western states having much less and with even larger states, they are even larger counties.

[SGT]

Originally Posted by blue_eyedgirl

Oh dear, I don't think merging counties would go over very well with most people. I'm from Grayson County and the vast majority of people there would probably rather eat dirt than merge with Edmonson or Breck. Besides that who in the world would GCHS play in the Tobacco Bowl every year.

Bon appetit, I say.

Better to eat a little dirt than government to eat paychecks, to my mind.

Also, with regard to schools, see post #37, second paragraph... essentially, this isn't a school consolidation matter, nor even necessarily a reduction in school board members... but why two superintendents, and duplication of county schools personnel?

Please don't let emotion and sentimentality undermine what should be a choice based on what is cost-effective.

[SGT]

Originally Posted by Tennesseestorm

Most all of the eastern states have alot of counties, with the western states having much less and with even larger states, they are even larger counties.

Storm, refer back to post #30, and you'll see that I've spent some time researching how KY compares to the states that are most similar to us in terms of population and land area.

Tennessee is the top "competitor," and Kentucky still "wins" (actually loses) by about 20% to your own state's count... while your state puts a hurtin on us in terms of taxpayers' average state and local tax burden.