Friday, December 31, 1999
Majority GOP: No revenge
Senators pledge high road
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LAKESIDE PARK — State Senate Republicans from Northern Kentucky say they won't play politics or try to punish Democrats when the General Assembly session opens Tuesday.
For the first time, the Senate controls the legislature's upper chamber by a slim 20-18. Two downstate Democrats switched parties earlier this year to give the GOP its majority.
Sen. Dick Roeding, R-Lakeside Park, said he is happy for the people of Kentucky that there is a balance of power in Frankfort.
“We have the opportunity to have one of the best sessions we've ever had because of this balance,” said Mr. Roeding, expected to be elected Senate President Pro Tem on Tuesday.
“We'll be working hard to make sure things get done without playing a lot of politics,” he said. “If we can do that, and I mean both sides of the aisle, then every one of us in Kentucky will come out ahead.”
Democrats in Frankfort used their numbers and committee chairmanships that come with being the majority to defeat Republican-backed bills, often without even a vote or debate in committee.
Sen. Katie Stine, R-Fort Thomas, said Republicans will resist using their power to kill or hold up bills sponsored by Democrats.
“We know it's important to acknowledge and understand
the importance of us cooperating as much as possible,” Mrs. Stine said. “We're going to conduct ourselves in a statesman-like fashion. We don't want to do the sorts of things that were done to us.”
The Republicans have been gaining ground for years on the Democratic majority, and as the parties have grown closer in numbers the partisanship seemed to increase.
Many of the fiercest battles have been between Democrats and right-wing Republicans aligned with the Christian Coalition and other faith-based groups that often push a socially conservative agenda.
Democrats find some comfort in the fact that the new Senate President, Republican David Williams of Burkesville in south central Kentucky, is viewed as more of a traditional member of the GOP and not intent on pushing social causes.
“I have a lot of confidence in David Williams,” said House Majority Caucus Chairman Jim Callahan, D-Wilder. “I perceive him as more of a moderate than anything else ... and the type of person who will compromise and come to a consensus on issues.”
Both parties will need to work together to avoid gridlock and a lot of partisan bickering, Mr. Callahan said.
“I don't see that happening from our end,” he said. “And I'm sure David Williams and the Republicans don't want to walk out of the session and be pointed out as the group that held up progress in the General Assembly.”
Still, tensions will be high as the General Assembly begins with an unprecedented balance of power.
Gov. Paul Patton didn't seem to help matters much in a recent interview in which he castigated Northern Kentucky Republicans for not working better with Democrats on local issues and projects.
“Now that we're in charge of the Senate there are people trying to bring up all these old arguments,” Mr. Roeding said. “ ... It doesn't do any good when people starting bringing up things from the past.
“(The Democrats) have always said they want to work with us, but they never have until we forced them to by taking over the Senate,” he said.
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