West Kentucky Star

McCracken County

(22) Comments

Vote No Merger

Paducah/McCracken Merger Resoundingly Defeated

By WestKyStar Staff

PADUCAH, KY - Paducah and McCracken County voters resoundingly decided not to merge the city and county governments.

Final totals are: No - 20702, while Yes votes are 8879.

Published 08:00 PM, Tuesday Nov. 06, 2012
Updated 02:26 PM, Wednesday Nov. 07, 2012

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- Name: Independent T.
  
  11/7/2012 7:50:45 PM
  
  Horrible governing and mismanagement ran up a debt of 31 million for Paducah. Apparently the unspoken purpose of a city/county merger was to saddle county taxpayers with the debt. Guess what? It didn't work, but fret not, Paxton has moved on the take his place among equally bad managers in one of the worst run state governments ever. He should thrive in that environment.
  
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  Name: Darrell D.
  
  11/7/2012 4:39:32 PM
  
  I was against the metro-gov. idea from the start. Cannot see any more of my money going to the mis-managed, bumbling city government. Noticed that the merged county-city government idea in Evansville, Ind failed also.
  
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  Name: eddy a.
  
  11/7/2012 8:22:56 AM
  
  The city government is going to have to come-up with more tax money.One Ideal was the city again could have a 10.00 dollar city sticker for cars,suv,trucks for people who live in the city and for people who work in the city.The county will never be able to get totally away from all the city problem.
  
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  Name: Chris M.
  
  11/7/2012 7:57:24 AM
  
  Patrick, the only reason anyone has to "drive to town" is because anytime the county adds tax base, the city annexes it.
  
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  Name: B T.
  
  11/7/2012 7:34:47 AM
  
  When the city learns to spend less money than what is generated, I might, then, listen to the benefits of a city county merger. And who knows ... if the city had a surplus of money, then maybe there wouldn't be a need for someone else to help them out. This country is headed more and more to "who can help us" instead of "what can I do to help."
  
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  Name: Independent T.
  
  11/7/2012 7:05:28 AM
  
  I lived in the city. It was a miserable place to be. Intrusive, unfriendly, with an unbelievably arrogant city government. And since I the time I escaped to the county living in the city has even worsened, unless of course you are a city employee, a downtown artist, or a visiting quilter. Oh yeah, and out-of-town consultants think a lot of the place as well. Can city government improve? Of course, but it will require having a group of elected city officials capable of listening to something other than the sound of their own egos. Hopefully the new group of folks can do that.
  
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  Name: Keith S.
  
  11/7/2012 6:06:30 AM
  
  You are right patrick. That is the way we like it. Everybody save your no signs and we wil reuse them. Take a chill pill patrick. Move to the county. Its not as regulated as the city
  
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  Name: Kyle W.
  
  11/7/2012 2:03:39 AM
  
  Well thankfully this failed. Maybe when the folks running the city remove their heads from their bottoms the county folk would accept merger more Joe. But when you have inept leadership for so long making bad decisions what do you expect? It will probably pass someday but thankfully not now.
  
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  Name: Joe S.
  
  11/7/2012 1:54:09 AM
  
  This proposal had lots of problems. Still, the idea of merger isn't going to go away. You may feel smug in the majority that turned it down tonight -- but I assure you that once USEC leaves, the County government has to lay off staff and quit fixing roads and backroom dealing with local decisions becomes more and more exposed, it will return in a few short years. Eventually, the children of you "city haters" come to the realization that this isn't some sort of power play but is instead an improvement and it creates a more representative local government (without bias), it is going to happen. It took Macon and Augusta several tries, but they finally figured it out.
  
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  Name: s w.
  
  11/7/2012 1:21:27 AM
  
  I would rather have the smell of burnt leaves, dog crap,and rust blowing in my house than to live in the city!!!!!
  
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  Name: Judy T.
  
  11/6/2012 10:28:19 PM
  
  Yes Patrick P and that's the way we like it. Not only can I keep my old car in the front yard but I can keep my horse trailer, tractor and the kids "fox hole" in my front yard. I can let the leaves stay and deteroriate to fertilize my yard and the nieghbors dogs help fertilize it too. You might want to check again on the wiring and plumbing regulations.
  
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  Name: Independent T.
  
  11/6/2012 10:20:25 PM
  
  No offense, Patrick, but at the moment we in the county are celebrating the rejection of the silly, silly merger idea. Please understand that at the moment we are not interested in least what the city is planning to waste money on. To us, it only entertainment. You know....kind of like watching clowns in the circus.
  
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  Name: Independent T.
  
  11/6/2012 10:14:50 PM
  
  Yes, and we won't have to bow down to intrusive government loving nannies and tattle-tales like you, Patrick. Praise the Lord!!!!
  
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  Name: Patrick P.
  
  11/6/2012 10:01:17 PM
  
  People in the county will still be allowed to burn leaves even though the smoke may blow into their neighbor's open windows, and mulching would be easier and safer. People in the county can still drive their 3+ ton vehicles into town to work or shop for groceries at a reasonable price. People in the county can still let their animals roam loose in their neighbors yards. People in the county can still park junk cars in their front yards. They can choose to let their garbage accumulate. They can still suffer substandard wiring and plumbing by letting a friend of a friend who knows 'lectrical & how to glue pipe do their work.
  
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  Name: Dan t.
  
  11/6/2012 9:59:19 PM
  
  Glad this cr@p is done and settled ! Stop posting...
  
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  Name: Patrick P.
  
  11/6/2012 9:56:24 PM
  
  The island could have been left to weather away. A decision was made to remove it so it did not look derelict in the city parks which are visited by residents and visitors. Citizens of the city, who wished to keep the island for historical purposes, came together, and have suggested ways the island and house can be preserved for much less money than removing the features. A private fund has been set up for those wishing to help preserve the history of the island to donate their own money to.
  
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  Name: Patrick P.
  
  11/6/2012 9:51:48 PM
  
  The marina is not being financed by the city. Now if you are against taking the money for it, that is another discussion, but you should not confuse the issue. The fire "hydrants" were painted by citizens, not the city, as part of an art contest.
  
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  Name: Keith S.
  
  11/6/2012 9:40:34 PM
  
  My fire plug in the county looks just fine. If you paint yours in the city, you will need a permit.
  
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  Name: Wild W.
  
  11/6/2012 9:38:42 PM
  
  Good. Now I won't have to worry about my tax dollars being wasted on Duck Island.
  
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  Name: chip b.
  
  11/6/2012 9:26:11 PM
  
  Ah, go play on your boat dock / marina !!
  
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  Name: Peter P.
  
  11/6/2012 9:06:28 PM
  
  Too bad. Now the county will not have pretty fire plugs.
  
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