What are the 'war on Louisville' bills?
There are a handful of measures that deal with Louisville — and in some cases Lexington — exclusively. They seek to make significant changes to how the city operates with varying degrees of support among Fischer and council members.
Here is a summary:
Governor fills city vacancies:
The are two measures in the House and Senate that would give Kentucky's governor the power to appoint the mayor and Metro Council members if they die, resign or are removed from office. Local Democrats, including Mayor Greg Fischer, have forcefully spoken out against this as state overreach.
Under the state law that merged city and county governments, the 26-member council has 30 days to elect a new mayor or fill its own vacancies by a majority vote. If it fails to do so, then that power falls to the governor.
Republican state Rep. Ken Fleming, a former council member who sponsored the House version, points out there are other provisions within the bill that Democrats have supported in the past. The legislation, for instance, would limit the mayor to two terms (which wouldn't begin until Jan. 1, 2019 and exempts Fischer).
Read more: http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/metro-government/2017/02/22/bill-would-overturn-plastic-bag-ban-expected-get-house-vote/98216616/