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Gorton Wants "Open Tone," More Dialogue With State Legislators

By Brenna Angel

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The next vice mayor of Lexington says she wants to set an open tone for the Urban County Council and plans to have regular meetings with the new administration. Linda Gorton joined fellow at-large council members Steve Kay and Chuck Ellinger Thursday at the Lexington Forum.

"Steve and I have talked about more collaborative budget work from the very beginning so that when we get to April, when we have the mayor's budget address, we don't have a big fight and then two months of wrangling by the council. That's, to me, silly."

Gorton says tension between the executive and legislative branches on some issues is normal, but it doesn't have to lead to fighting.

Also discussed at the forum was the possibility of passing a local sales tax. Such a plan could be used to fund specific local projects. Gorton hopes to establish a better system for discussing the city's needs with officials in Frankfort.

"I think that we need to look for opportunities and make opportunities - and I want to talk to Jim Gray about this - to do some building relationships with our state legislators long before they're getting ready to go into their next session."

Chuck Ellinger says the proposal is generally difficult to get passed because of opposition from rural communities.