Go Green Campaign News

Mayoral candidates discuss creating job, helping businesses

By Dan Klepal - July 7, 2010

The second mayoral debate of the season Wednesday focused on how the next mayor will create jobs, help entrepreneurs start new businesses and attract new companies to Louisville.

The debate was sponsored by the Venture Club of Louisville and attracted hundreds of club members. It was originally going to feature only Democrat Greg Fischer and Republican Hal Heiner, but Independent candidate Jackie Green was added at the last minute. Club officials said Green's initial omission was an oversight.

The candidates stuck close to familiar themes: Green said he wouldn't support building new bridges until the city has a "world-class public transit system;" Fischer touted his record of job creation in private industry as the reason he is the most qualified candidate; and Heiner said his combination of business and government experience means he will be immediately effective.

The candidates were asked what "bold steps" need to be taken to make Louisville competitive with other cities.

Fischer said the city needs a change of culture and attitude, adding that an entrepreneurial mentorship program could be supported by city government, which could also celebrate and publicize entrepreneurial success stories.

"That's some of the blocking and tackling the city can do," Fischer said.

Green said the city's competitive edge will be "made or broken on the back of energy consumption." He said the majority of gasoline and coal used as energy comes from outside Louisville, so the only answer is to cut consumption by being more energy efficient. He also said the city needs to build in the urban core and protect its farms and fields.

Heiner said the city needs to form an "urban coalition" with other Kentucky cities that can then lobby Frankfort to return a bigger share of tax dollars to city centers.

"We need to move that needle," Heiner said of Louisville getting a bigger share of state spending, adding that Northern Kentucky is "hungry" for such a coalition.

Heiner jumped on a question about taxes to remind club members that he was one of the first politicians to oppose a proposed increase in the city's occupational tax for library system expansion. Heiner has supported improving the libraries since opposing the tax, and said Wednesday he didn't think Louisvillians could afford another drain on their take-home pay.

"First, don't raise taxes," Heiner said. "Second ... we need to be at the table (in Frankfort) with an urban coalition actively leading the discussion on how to alter the tax structure."

Heiner also supports a "loan closing fund" for businesses that are just short of the money necessary to start their business or relocate to Louisville. That fund would be supported with tax dollars.

A question about business incentives led Green to say he supports them in some cases, but risk comes with starting new businesses and he doesn't want to see the city guaranteeing that risk or becoming engaged in "corporate welfare."

Green pointed to the June 25 announcement that the state has asked for a $100 million loan from the U.S. Department of Housing and Development to jump start the Museum Plaza project, proposed by developers that include bourbon heiress Laura Lee Brown.
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"I need to see clearly that $100 million is better spent on Museum Plaza than on sheltering our population," Green said.

Fischer said small start-ups are often effective when competing against huge corporations because they are more nimble and can adjust more easily to changes in the business landscape. Fischer said it is equally important for city government to have those qualities.

Fischer said venture capital investors in Louisville have grown over the past 15 years, but that the city has lost ground when compared to similar communities. He said there is one large venture firm in town, and the city needs two or three. He said the city should recruit from other cities such as Cincinnati, Nashville or Indianapolis.

"The city needs to put its money where its mouth is, with an incubator (program) and investing in start-ups," Fischer said.

Fischer added that his administration will embody entrepreneurial spirit and he wants to be known as the "entrepreneurial mayor."

"What we've been talking about here is transparency, being customer-focused, nimbleness and being close to the customer," Fischer said. "In government, we are the customers. Those are the values you'll get from my administration."

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