Sunday, October 17, 1999
Foes chip away at Patton
Issues may resurface in assembly
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NEWPORT — Even though Gov. Paul Patton appears headed for re-election, his opponents say they have homed in on issues that make the Democrat politically vulnerable.
There isn't much chance that Mr. Patton's platform and record on issues such as workers' compensation, health insurance, spending, casino gam bling and taxes will help either Republican Peppy Martin or Reform Party candidate Gatewood Galbraith win the Nov. 2 governor's race.
Mr. Patton has raised nearly 10 times as much money as either of his opponents, and his campaign is more organized and aggressive. Many leading Republicans aren't backing Ms. Martin.
Meanwhile, Mr. Galbraith's Reform Party candidacy hasn't caught on as the party's candidates have in other places, including in Minnesota — where pro wrestler Jesse Ventura was elected governor last year — and in this year's presidential race, where ty coon Donald Trump and GOP commentator Pat Buchanan are considering running as Reformers.
But Mr. Patton's opponents have hammered the governor on several issues. The issues are certain to surface in next year's General Assembly session and could come back to haunt the governor as he tries to move his agenda through the 2000 legislature.
“Paul Patton has lots of issues the voters are concerned about,” said 4th District Republican Party Chairman Jay Hall. “He's not as conservative as he says he is, and if all the issues don't catch on now, they will when the legislature meets.”
During a one-day campaign swing through Northern Kentucky last week, Mr. Patton said members of his administration, including Lt. Gov. Steve Henry, are “submitting ourselves to the voters for a mid-term approval.”
“We submit we haven't done everything that needs to be done,” Mr. Patton said at a campaign rally in Newport. “But we have been good stewards on your resources ... and we want another four years to work for the people of Kentucky and the future of Kentucky.”
Here are some issues that Mr. Galbraith and Ms. Martin are using to attack Mr. Patton:
• Workers' compensation. Three years ago, Mr. Patton pushed a workers' compensa tion package through the General Assembly that stemmed rising insurance premiums for business owners and reduced the amount of money paid to injured workers.
The package was roundly applauded by the business community — typically a constituency of the GOP — and even backed by many Republicans.
But Mr. Patton's reform plan has made it more difficult for some workers to prove work-related injuries and receive benefits, making him unpopular with coal miners in his native eastern Kentucky who are trying to secure benefits.
“Paul Patton turned his back on his neighbors, on people in the coal industry that made him a millionaire,” Ms. Martin said of Mr. Patton, who made millions in the coal industry before entering politics.
“I don't care how I get votes, but a lot of the votes I'll get are anti-Patton votes in eastern Kentucky,” she said.
Mr. Galbraith said Mr. Patton “abandoned the heart and soul of the Democratic Party when he abolished workers' compensation.”
The system must again be revamped so injured workers have an easier time receiving medical care and lost wages, Mr. Galbraith said.
• Spending. Both Mr. Galbraith and Ms. Martin have criticized the governor for spending much of the state's $400 million surplus on projects throughout the state.
They claim Mr. Patton spent the money to help his re-election campaign this year. In Northern Kentucky, the projects funded included the $38 million Northern Kentucky University Science Center and money for a firefighter training facility in Cold Spring and a riverfront park in Bellevue.
“We invested some of our one-time surplus money in infrastructure,” Mr. Patton said. “That infrastructure is what we build our society on.
“Some people call it pork. I call it investing,” he said.
But Mr. Galbraith said the state will have a tight budget next year because the “surplus money was squandered by Paul Patton.”
Ms. Martin said at least some of the money should have been returned to taxpayers in the form of a $200 rebate.
• Health care. Over the last few years, the Kentucky General Assembly has tried to reform the state's health insurance system. But the insurance industry largely opposed the reforms, and most insurers fled the market — leaving only one company still selling individual policies in the state.
Mr. Galbraith said he will use “the power of the governor's office to help return competition” to the insurance market and lower rates for Kentucky residents.
He has offered few specifics, however, on how that would be accomplished.
Ms. Martin has proposed using proceeds from the state lottery to subsidize a high-risk pool for people unable to purchase insurance because of health or financial reasons.
But lottery money is already earmarked for college scholarships and other education programs.
Still, health insurance is an issue that will be one of the dominant themes of the legislative session regardless of what happens in the governor's race.
• Casino gambling. Mr. Patton aggressively discussed the prospect of allowing casino gambling in Kentucky early in this campaign. But the issue received such a negative reaction he has barely talked about it and did not mention it at all during last week's campaign visit.
Both Mr. Galbraith and Ms. Martin said the oppose casino gambling in Kentucky.
“I say we do not need casino gambling in Kentucky,” Ms. Martin said. “The element of crime and drugs that it would bring to Kentucky, and the temptation that it would bring to our young people does not sit well in any Democratic county or Republican county I've been to.”
• Taxes. Mr. Patton said under his administration Kentucky taxes have been cut by $350 million.
But he has been attacked by his opponents for proposing a 10-cent increase in the gas tax for highway construction, another issue he was previously touting but has barely mentioned as Election Day has drawn near.
“We should be cutting taxes, not raising them,” Mr. Galbraith said.
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