<<
Last week Kenton County Judge-executive Dick Murgatroyd, a Republican facing what looks to be the mother of all re-election battles, announced he was going to return some tax dollars to Kenton County residents.

        Mr. Murgatroyd said he wants to give back a payroll tax the county fiscal court had passed to pay for a new county jail.

        The people can keep their dough. At least for a while. He may want the money back someday. Like when the county finally decides where to build a new jail, which should be about the time the Bengals win the Super Bowl and the Millennium Tower is built.

        Don't forget, Mr. Murgatroyd only agreed to kill the tax and return the money after the Kentucky Supreme Court refused to hear a lawsuit that contests the legality of the tax.

        Now that the suit must be heard by the Kentucky Court of Appeals, it could be a while, as in years, before a decision on the tax is made.

        So, rather than keep collecting and holding the money, Mr. Murgatroyd is handing out cash. The jail will be built, well, later, when the county can afford it.

        Besides, if you listen to the Democrats preparing to take Mr. Murgatroyd on in the 2002 election, it was political pressure and not good government that influenced Mr. Murgatroyd's decision.

        They are the ones who leaned on the Republicans so hard the fiscal court cried “uncle” and gave in by dumping the jail plan and turning over the cash.

        Democrats close to judge-executive candidate Patrick Hughes were taking all kinds of credit last week for smoking out the judge on the tax issue.

        Just days before Mr. Murgatroyd announced the tax refund, Democrat Mark Guilfoyle, who is advising Mr. Hughes, peppered the county with Open Records requests. He wanted info on how the tax was collected, how it has been accounted for and how it will be returned.

        Then another lawyer named Jim Dressman — who like Mr. Guilfoyle works in the same law firm with Mr. Hughes — wrote a letter to local newspapers demanding more answers about the tax.

        Those actions, along with some media commentary and squawking from within the GOP, forced Mr. Murgatroyd's hand, Democrats contend.

        Not so, say the Republicans. Mr. Murgatroyd is reacting to the Supreme Court decision and following his attorney's advice — refund the money but keep the lawsuit going. That way there will be an opportunity to begin collecting the tax again should the county win the lawsuit.

        (By the way, can anybody else remember Republicans fighting so hard for a tax increase while the Democrats are fighting against it?)

        Dems are convinced that the issue has the legs of a “big, hairy tarantula,” as one of them put it, meaning it will be around for a while.

        “They do everything backwards,” Mr. Guilfoyle said.

        “They try to build a jail without a site or how to pay for it. That's not leadership. They've flat-out admitted they can't deal with the jail issue.”

        Kenton GOP Chairman Greg Shumate said the Dems want it both ways.

        “They criticized the tax when it was passed and they are doing the same now that it's going to be returned,” Mr. Shumate said. “Nothing more there than politics.”

        That may be true. But the GOP needs to watch out for that big spider.

        E-mail at pcrowley@enquirer.com. Past columns at Enquirer.com/columns/crowley.

Feds push for gentler use of police dogs
Runway debate has familiar sound for airport neighbors
Diversions account for most complaints
Renovated Basilica reopens
UC profs may walk Jan. 3
UC fixes, disputes fire code violations
Wehrung trial was attorney's first criminal case
BRONSON: Downtown: It's a riot
COOKLIS: A different world since 9/11
PULFER: Class reunion better virtual than real
Ringer trial postponed
Waagner treated self well during months on run
Good News: UC group brings warmth to OTR
Hundreds light the night in OTR's Washington Park
Jews in new home celebrate
Local Digest
Obituary: Dorothy Pompilio, restaurant owner
Obituary: Michael Burke, CEO, was leader
Tristate's Olympic torchbearers
Bird count helps parks monitor populations
Charity official plans new center for family care
Christmas tree ribbons raise money for flags
Cincy water coming to Mason
Miami tuition hike unlikely
Oxford police target meter-feeders
Rare coin auction nets school $1M
Casinos back before assembly
CROWLEY: Jail tax will haunt GOP
Garage meant to spur growth
UK basketball attendance falls again