Go Ricky, go! | Rose
A Metro Council panel unanimously voted to send Ricky L. Jones’ nomination to a police oversight panel to the full council, after he gave an impassioned retort to claims he is biased against police. Jones told the committee he did not “wish to live in a society without police or in a society where people can’t question police.” We agree, and we agree with Jones’ call to give the panel subpoena powers.
No policing your way out | Thorn
Mayor Greg Fischer’s recommended budget for the next year includes $17.4 million more for police, including 55 more positions. But the spending plan includes only $200,000 to hire more staff for the drug addiction office, and $1 million to expand the safe neighborhood office. Seems unbalanced. Mr. Mayor, you can’t police your way out of a drug epidemic. We look forward to hearing about your other efforts to halt drug use, which is fueling the raging homicide rate.
A good use of trees | Rose
Speaking of heroin, The Courier-Journal didn’t invent the format, but its panoptic piece Sunday, “72 hours in Louisville’s relentless struggle to stop drug deaths” is a great example of it, and underscores the importance of a strong metro newspaper. It is a must-read to understand the complexity of fighting heroin use in the city.
Fiber does a body politic good | Rose
After teasing us for months, Google Fiber finally says it will wire Louisville. A gigabit-sized sigh of relief was almost audible across the city, and we are happy, too. Choice is good. But don’t think you will get off cheap. Google has charged $70 a month in other cities for internet alone, about what most of us pay now.
Transparency, please | Thorn
The city reached a deal to sell airspace over part of Seneca Park, which limits tree and building heights — forever. The CJ reported that the $235,000 deal was done without Metro Council approval. A mayoral spokesman said no approval was needed. One councilman said he has asked the County Attorney about this. The sale was another salvo in the battle between Bowman Field and residents over the heights of trees and plane safety. We think the public should have had a say in this divisive issue.