June 27, 2025 • 22 mins
6.27: New laws and legislation and the impact on you.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
I love it, then I'll bring it back newty whas.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Good old schoolhouse rocket each Sunday morning that would come on.
I'm like, wait a minute, this sounds like school learning.
Remember no, wait, Tomas, it's a cartoon.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
We're going they tricked you into learning. We're a grill
master's supply. Come by for free lunch here in about
forty five minutes or so with the Hogfathers. Come on
by and look at some of these grills. But right now,
we promised you. Jason Nemus and Susan Tyler witness witting witness,
witness well witness.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
She has been a witness, but she cannot be compelled
to testify because she's married.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
To session was in twenty twenty five was very successful.
I want to jump into this because we're on a
certain amount of time and I want to start answering
some of these questions. We'll start with the housing meeting
you had last night, and some of the things in
this session had help with people getting houses. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Absolutely. I was a co chair of the Housing Task
Force last year. We re established it for the twenty
twenty five, so I'm really excited about that. But we
did get a lot done last session. I'm excited about
getting even more done. A lot of this is just
addressed the challenges of housing availability, affordability, and development across Kentucky.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
So my bill was House but one sixty. It dealt with.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Qualified manufactured homes. So those are the homes that are
built in facilities, right, Okay, A lot of times the
statute had basically discriminated against, you know, manufactured homes, even
if they looked identical to site built homes and safety
wise were identical. We remove that so those those houses
(01:37):
can be built much faster and less expensive than sight
built homes.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
And it's a huge proble.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
And the average square footage of those houses are between
fifteen hundred and twenty five hundred square feet, the exact
type of house that we do not have enough of.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Inc Amen, you know, there's no doubt, yep.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
So we we also had another bill sent at but
one twenty nine. It addressed a vacant and abandoned properties
kind of expedited the ability to to uh to refurbish those.
We cut down regulatory burdens for residential development. We strengthen
protections for landlords and property owners.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Amen squatters is an issue, not not necessarily in Kentucky
a lot, but other places are on my wrong in.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
Emily Callaway passes, Yeah, it was important bill passage on squatters.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Absolutely. Emily Callaway did a great job with that squatter's bill.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
So we we we.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
No, sir, you do not live here.
Speaker 6 (02:34):
I'll never understand.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
No, this is my house.
Speaker 6 (02:37):
I would never understand squatters right, unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
I should go on the Humana building and shit there
for six to eight weeks where it takeshi the Human building.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
I declare this to be my well.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
You come to work sometimes dress homeless, but the.
Speaker 6 (02:57):
Hopeless people in downtown give me money?
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Is all right? Go ahead.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
We were thrilled with what we did last session. It
was a beginning.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
We've got a ton more to do, and we're getting
started next week with the Housing Task Force.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Jason Nemus he's here as well. Good to see you, Jason.
I may say the South ends very own.
Speaker 6 (03:14):
Jes right, but it's right and you positive that's that's right. Uh,
what about you?
Speaker 2 (03:21):
What's a bill that that became law today that you're
proud of and it's going to benefit Kentucky.
Speaker 5 (03:27):
Well, let me say real quickly that we've got Louisville
is punching above. It's wait, We've got the two most
important issues. One is housing and Susan Witten's leading the
way there. The other one is medicaid and Ken Fleming
is leading in the way there. And obviously Julie Rocky
Adams is our leader in the legislature, in the legislature
from Louisville. But one thing that we passed this last
year that I want to highlight is the dee I
Bill that we've passed about higher education. And so what
(03:48):
do we want to do. We want to help people
who need help. First kid that goes to goes to college,
and your family, you come from a bad backround, whatever
it is. We want to help everybody. But it doesn't
matter what your races. And so we want to make
sure that we're eating the needs of tomorrow. And uh,
we've getting rid of in our in our public higher education.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
How did look the the people that run these schools,
they have to say one thing in public behind closed doors,
no names, behind closed doors. Were they saying this is
a look they need qualified people in these positions. What
were they saying behind closed doors?
Speaker 5 (04:20):
Yeah, I wouldn't say they were one hundred percent supportive
of it, but we got into neutrality at the big universities,
and so the University of Louisville had some requests for
revisions that we made that improve the bill. And so
you can't require student to have a de class in
order to graduate. You can offer them, but it can't
be required for a degree. So we did those types
of things that brought a little bit of sandy. And
(04:40):
then the one thing I want to talk about that
I think has been most exciting for at least for
me and the people maybe listening on the radio right now,
is getting rid of RFG reformatic Gas.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Oh why, Joe promised me, promised me.
Speaker 6 (04:57):
Listen, what a scam.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
It's a scam.
Speaker 6 (05:00):
Listen. If you love that, you're gonna love right.
Speaker 5 (05:04):
It increases your gas price of sixteen to thirty two.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Cents per gallon per gallon.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
The governor was against it, win he ran for office.
He's finally on board, and he submitted, along with the mayor,
a letter to the to the President asking them to
get rid of it. We've been pushing it like crazy.
Jared Bauman is leading the effort on that represented from
South Louisville and so we're close to getting it done
and we're hopeful that it will finally be done. What
was the only place in this area that has.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
It, Look, and if there was a good reason for
it twenty years ago, that's right. Look, cars are made different.
That's they don't emit that.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
Even the environmentalist says say that it's not it's not helpful.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah, it doesn't. It doesn't factor into it. So the DEI,
so that stops.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
Hiring processes now, hiring processes, admissions for students, scholarships, all
those things are gonna go on merit and need and
not not other background.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Merritt and need.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Okay, merit in need. But then if somebody because you know,
if somebody is not doing their job right now, what
happens to be one of those DEI hires, it's harder
to fire them.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Well. So another bill that we passed this year that
we're excited about is for the first time, higher education
professors have to be evaluated every four years and they
can be released if they're not doing the job. So
we still have tenure, we still respect that, but they
are going to be evaluated and if they're not up
to snuff and doing what they need to do. They're
going to be fired.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Wow, it's crazy that that's new.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
I know it, really Yes, I've never understood that you
could be a professor and just because you have tenure
you can go and be miserable your job.
Speaker 6 (06:29):
Man, we can't f me, can't fir me.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
My wife and I have not gotten money back on
our taxes in ten years. It's been crazy. It's just
like how much, right, except for this year we got
money back from the state. Like that was great. Tell
us about where we're going with the sales tax and
now you all going down to three point five.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Expand on that.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
The first bill that we passed this session was was
the bill to lower your state income tax down to
three point five percent starting in January, on the on
the road to zero. That that is our plan, that's
our expectations. A wow, exactly exactly. And if you're looking
at the states around us, and it is about economic development,
(07:14):
it's about bringing individuals and businesses into Kentucky.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Pocket exactly exactly. Come on, I need it to.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Compete with the likes of Tennessee.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
And it's worth and it's worth.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
It is documented that we have plenty of data to
show that it is. It raises, it raises all hard
working Kentuckians. If you if you have an income, then
you're gonna get relief. Uh.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
You also, uh there's some uh sex, human trafficking. Uh,
you've tackled that issue. Look, I think that is the
underbelly that people don't want to talk about because it's
uncomfortable and they don't realize how bad it is. Jason
Nema Is, tell me what you all did in this
legis this session to help.
Speaker 5 (08:00):
So we've done a lot of things on human trafficking
and also domestic violence as well. But our leader, Susan
Susanne Miles as the leader on this, and we put
a lot more dollars into the Attorney General's office. Russell
Coleman is, he's you know, he's really sighted in on
this problem of human trafficking. So we've got a lot
more officers going after you. If you're trafficking in Kentucky,
we're coming to get you.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
I want to I want to stay on human trafficking
for a second, because you are the legislators. You go
to these meetings. I've been to a couple with my wife,
Susan Tyler Whitten, and it was an eye opener. For example,
I was talking to one organization and I said, you
know that it's amazing that they're trafficking these young nine
year olds.
Speaker 6 (08:39):
Blah blah blah blah blah.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
When she uttered back to me, no, it starts when
they're infants, and the blood rushed out of me. I
damn near passed out. Go to these meetings and seeing
what you all see, does it make you want to
fight even harder? Because I was so angry at that answer. Yeah,
(09:01):
I wanted to run through a wall. How tough is
it at sitting through these meetings getting educated on how
severe it is?
Speaker 6 (09:07):
And does it make you want to work harder?
Speaker 5 (09:09):
Of course it does, you know. That's and I brought
up Russell Coleman. This is the reason he's in office. Yeah,
and this is the guy who made you know, four
or five times more money than he's getting paid his
attorney general. He's there for this fight.
Speaker 6 (09:18):
He reminds me of like the untouchables. Yeah, Elliott, he's
got like this, Elliott, and that's vibe. Let's do some good. No,
it does, but go ahead, I'm.
Speaker 5 (09:27):
Sorry, Well, I mean that that's it. I mean, it's
it does. It makes you, you know, get up in
the morning and go to Frankfurt and try to try
to improve things, you know. And it's not just human trafficking,
which is obviously the saddest of all because it could
happen to any of us, you know, at any moment.
But you know, violent crime in Kentucky and Louisville has
been on a spike for ten years. But this year
(09:47):
we're forty percent reduction. That doesn't just happen, you know.
We have a new police chief, he's one of us,
he's a louis guy, and he and the officers are
really focusing on crime. Who the fuck it that that
would reduce crime and now we're down forty percent this year.
Those are the things that that we get up in
the morning about.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
In travel and the tailing the House Bill five that
we passed two years ago. That that makes a difference,
you know, And so a year and a half later
where we're seeing the results of of the Safer Kentucky Act.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
I think one of these bills that will probably get
lost in it, but I think could be the most
impactful is the requirement for high school students to get
a to have a what a credit in financial literacy.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Yes, I had I thought you were going to say
another bill.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
I just know I like that, But that that is
the most I could be think could be the most
impactful because I saw it my own son. He did
a paper on student loans and it literally scared him.
He was like, this is stupid. Why would anybody do this?
That's why probably he went to the Navy.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
We're always going to focus on education in every single
session that we do, and that that was that was
something we've We've had a couple other education bills. We're
teaching cursive back again in the schools.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
That's our parents secretly.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
Yet the back and you just talked about the back
end making sure that we have financial literacy, and that's
very important. Another thing that we know is really important
is making sure that students are on grade level by
third grade for reading. And so what we've done is
we said, if a kid is in kindergartener first grade
and they're not at reading level, we're going to hold
them back, right and so we are serious about about
performing for our kids.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
They used to not be able to do that. They
had to wait until third grade to hold them back. Well,
that's too late for a lot of these kids. So
we passed this year addressing it at the kindergarten first grade.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
You know that leads to just problems because if you're
not on the same page with everyone else, I'm confused.
I don't know this that they everyone else in the
class knows. And what do you do? You start to
act out at you in nature?
Speaker 6 (11:42):
Why are you to me?
Speaker 3 (11:46):
And we're still trying to give teachers the tools to
best to best teach in their classroom.
Speaker 6 (11:52):
Let me ask you this.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
So, by the way, Susan Tyler went, House Representative Susan
Tyler Whitt and House Representative Jason Nimas joined the show.
We've got bills that became laws going to effect today.
This is not about a bill or a law. But
you all, you know you're working Frankfurt. You're working on
laws at a state level, but yet you still have
to work on a local level level. With Marrik Greenberg, now,
(12:17):
the country's never been more galvanized.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
This party against that party.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
And the mayor and I we don't see eye on everything,
but we do see refreshingly on some things.
Speaker 6 (12:28):
And for me, my biggest thing is LMPD.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
If you treat LMPD good if you don't do insane
things like let people burn down the city of Louisville
shattered windows, we're gonna be okay. But as long as
you're treating our officers and defending our officers, you're good
with me. How have you all found working with Merrick Greenberg?
Because I've I've approached him at about some South end issues.
(12:51):
He was open and vocal and helped. Uh And again, LMPD,
I think he's doing a good job.
Speaker 6 (12:56):
What is your all's experience?
Speaker 5 (12:58):
I got off track a second ago and I wanted
to meet and the sextortion bill that Julie Rocky Adams
had passed, which is important. So our relationship with the
mayor is good. Look, I'm not in the business of
going around praising Democrats. I'm just not. I didn't vote
for him. If he lived in my district, he wouldn't
have voted for me.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
But so what now?
Speaker 6 (13:11):
What we got a job to do.
Speaker 5 (13:12):
Okay, So last night our council passed the budget and
it was the best budget in our city's history. Republicans
and Democrats came together. Four Democrats voted against it, but
the overwhelm majority of Democrats voted for it. All the
Republicans of the Independent voted for it, and it is
a public safety forward bill. It is a lot of
people talking about defund the police. Well, we fully funded
LMBB and so our recruit rates are going up. We
(13:33):
have more recruits and candidates coming for police than we've
had in a long time, and a lot of that
goes to discouncil, this mayor and our new police And.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
By the way, that's needed in a desperate way, because
we are on a three hundred officers deaf and these
poor LMPD men and women, they're forced to play defense and.
Speaker 5 (13:47):
If you look at the age and the proximity to retirement,
it scares the heck out of the absolutely. So we're
the city and the state are putting the money, our
money where our mouth is. We're getting the job done. Look,
we need to protect our people. The two most important
issues in Louisville right now are one public safety in
the perception of public safety, and number two development that's
residential development, commercial development. And we're trying to get those
(14:08):
things accomplished. We've we've made a lot of inroads on
public safety and now we have to get we have
to get more on the development but we've just passed
the city budget last year. Last night that was you know,
I want to I want to thank the council persons
and the mayor for working together. This is what happens
when Republicans the Democrats get together and it's for the
first time. You know, we're from the South End. Yeah,
they've got development funds, a lot of development funds for
(14:29):
economic development in the South End and in the east
and where we are, they've got significant funds for traffic.
That's what is most important out here. So this was
a budget that was a county wide budget, and it
took into account the needs of.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Particular areas jacent namas is Susan Tyler whitning with us.
I want to talk about Stivers in a second. But
we all have our opinion. We love we do too.
We love he's the friendliest Senate leader in Kentucky history
when it comes to providing Louisville with funds and the
right things to do it. But if you dive into
(14:59):
j CPS in any level, you will find out. To me,
I was like, hey, do you see who the new
superintendent was? I said, really doesn't matter because the board
controls what happens in these classrooms and what happens in
the hallways and everything else. So what what where are
we going with the school board in JCPS?
Speaker 5 (15:21):
Okay, So you know President Steivers does a lot for Louisville,
no doubt about that. But you know, Speaker Osborne, to
speak of the House is in Odam County. He's a
he's a big proponent oft We're lucky there. So look,
j CPS, I'm trying to be positive. So I'm gonna
I'm gonna say I'm gonna stay they positive. It's not
easy to be positive all the time about j CPS.
Although my kids are in there, my wife teaches there.
I'm gonna say, this is the time of promise. Let
(15:42):
me put it that way. We have a new superintendent
who's coming in and so far he's saying the right things,
which are what the most important things we talked about,
the most important things for the city. One of the
most important things in our schools. Number one safety when
I send my kid to those schools, when you send
your kid to those schools, when when our teachers going
to schools, they need to be safe. That's number one.
And the number two academic performance we've not had those
(16:03):
conversations when the superintendent or school board members come to Frankfort,
they don't even talk about safety and academic performance. This
guy is so let's give him a chance. And so
I'm gonna say it's a time of promise for us
because I'm trying to stay positive on this beautiful Friday.
Speaker 6 (16:15):
Well that's you.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
I'm a man that judges another man by actions, not words.
But we'll see, and I'm hopeful, I mean we do.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
Auditor Ball is.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Doing a audit, a full full fledged audit, and so
that's gonna be probably next year. I believe that's the
results are going to be. And so we're excited to look.
It's going to be, you know, third party, and we
want to see what she comes up with and what
the recommended changes are.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Yeah, two point two billion dollars I think was the
total year before. Uh, and I'm hearing rumors that they're
a one hundred million dollar budget deficit. So you spend
all that and you're one hundred million in the hole.
So again I haven't confirmed that, but that's what I'm
hearing from several sources. I mean, at some point we've
got to go. I mean it's it's like I'm taking
(17:06):
crazy pills. But we can't attract businesses to this town
if we don't fix the schools. That's not going to happen.
People don't want to move here.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Economic development.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
When people are thinking about moving, either their family or
their businesses, they look at housing and they look at
school systems.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
Yeah, and Tony. I represent Odam County and Shelby County
as well as Jefferson, And a good number of the
people I represent Odam and Shelby are liuavillions.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Yeah, got the heck out of Jamen. Yes, well, three
of the top high schools, they have three. They're in
the top ten in the state in own county. So
all three of your high schools are ranked in the
top ten. There are only I think three in Jeffs
all of Jefferson County, Atherton, Mail, and Manual. So that's
where we sit right now. But you guys did a
great job in twenty twenty five. We're really happy. What's
going on. I can't wait to hear what the next
(17:50):
session might happen. And real quick thirty seconds, Robert Stivers
is pretty important to Jefferson County.
Speaker 5 (17:56):
Yeah, so they're thirty eight senators. We call him the
Jeffers Centator from Jefferson thirty nine because I do love
on it and he cares a lot about Louis. So
does David Osborne, our speaker. Yeah, we're very fortunate to
have the two leaders who care a great deal about
about Louis. Economic development. Susan was very very instrumental in
the Danny Wimmer productions. That's bourbon and beyond it, louder
than life. We've got them here for ten more years.
That's because of Susan Whitney.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
I love it, yeah, I love it.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
And so you know we're rocking and rolling. President Stuivers
is great for our community and we love it when.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
He's here real quick.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
Yeah, yeah, no.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
This this next session because is a budget year, so
it's gonna sixty day sessions.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
So we've got a lot that we're gonna do.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
It's still going to be housing, economic development, just trying
to make make life easier for you to live here,
work here, and raise a family here like it.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
State Representative Jason Nemas, thank you for your time.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
State Representative Susan Tyler Whitten trying to figure out why
my coffee mug is empty.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Hey, I gotta do this just for three hours a day.
I love you. I love you, Susan, and you're a
saint the ankle, I don't even.
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Speaker 6 (19:18):
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Speaker 2 (20:07):
I can never tell Yes, I can Genesis, not Phil
Collins because this is abacab By the way, this Radio
eight forty w hs to Eddy Dwight, Witting Gus all
of rolling through your Friday. Every time I get home,
I hear my wife Susan Tyler Wit and say, boo,
he really took it into shorts on reeling in the years.
I think we need to have her play this.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Uh okay, and we'll do that next.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Right, Yeah, and then she's gotta pick. She's gonna pick
the year. We won't help out as always, but she'll
be the final.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
She'll be the final, saying I think that's fair enough
to if she's gonna talk smack. Uh, give us credit, Gus.
We're we're four and oh on the week after taking
almost a loss for two straight weeks.
Speaker 6 (20:50):
Now, yeah, gonna try.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Oh no, he's still gonna try to get us. He's
gonna try to get you.
Speaker 6 (20:55):
Bring it all right, So after reeling in the Years,
But in the meantime, come on out.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Yeah, about fifteen twenty minutes away before we start server,
and we're going to go through the eleven o'clock hour
as well.
Speaker 6 (21:05):
But come ou out this free lunch Friday.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
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Speaker 6 (22:11):
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Speaker 1 (22:14):
Cap to this news Radio eight forty w h as
I love it, then I'll bring it back newty whas.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Good old schoolhouse rocket each Sunday morning that would come on.
I'm like, wait a minute, this sounds like school learning.
Remember no, wait, Tomas, it's a cartoon.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
We're going they tricked you into learning. We're a grill
master's supply. Come by for free lunch here in about
forty five minutes or so with the Hogfathers. Come on
by and look at some of these grills. But right now,
we promised you. Jason Nemus and Susan Tyler witness witting witness,
witness well witness.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
She has been a witness, but she cannot be compelled
to testify because she's married.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
To session was in twenty twenty five was very successful.
I want to jump into this because we're on a
certain amount of time and I want to start answering
some of these questions. We'll start with the housing meeting
you had last night, and some of the things in
this session had help with people getting houses. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Absolutely. I was a co chair of the Housing Task
Force last year. We re established it for the twenty
twenty five, so I'm really excited about that. But we
did get a lot done last session. I'm excited about
getting even more done. A lot of this is just
addressed the challenges of housing availability, affordability, and development across Kentucky.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
So my bill was House but one sixty. It dealt with.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Qualified manufactured homes. So those are the homes that are
built in facilities, right, Okay, A lot of times the
statute had basically discriminated against, you know, manufactured homes, even
if they looked identical to site built homes and safety
wise were identical. We remove that so those those houses
(01:37):
can be built much faster and less expensive than sight
built homes.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
And it's a huge proble.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
And the average square footage of those houses are between
fifteen hundred and twenty five hundred square feet, the exact
type of house that we do not have enough of.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Inc Amen, you know, there's no doubt, yep.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
So we we also had another bill sent at but
one twenty nine. It addressed a vacant and abandoned properties
kind of expedited the ability to to uh to refurbish those.
We cut down regulatory burdens for residential development. We strengthen
protections for landlords and property owners.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Amen squatters is an issue, not not necessarily in Kentucky
a lot, but other places are on my wrong in.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
Emily Callaway passes, Yeah, it was important bill passage on squatters.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Absolutely. Emily Callaway did a great job with that squatter's bill.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
So we we we.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
No, sir, you do not live here.
Speaker 6 (02:34):
I'll never understand.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
No, this is my house.
Speaker 6 (02:37):
I would never understand squatters right, unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
I should go on the Humana building and shit there
for six to eight weeks where it takeshi the Human building.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
I declare this to be my well.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
You come to work sometimes dress homeless, but the.
Speaker 6 (02:57):
Hopeless people in downtown give me money?
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Is all right? Go ahead.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
We were thrilled with what we did last session. It
was a beginning.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
We've got a ton more to do, and we're getting
started next week with the Housing Task Force.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Jason Nemus he's here as well. Good to see you, Jason.
I may say the South ends very own.
Speaker 6 (03:14):
Jes right, but it's right and you positive that's that's right. Uh,
what about you?
Speaker 2 (03:21):
What's a bill that that became law today that you're
proud of and it's going to benefit Kentucky.
Speaker 5 (03:27):
Well, let me say real quickly that we've got Louisville
is punching above. It's wait, We've got the two most
important issues. One is housing and Susan Witten's leading the
way there. The other one is medicaid and Ken Fleming
is leading in the way there. And obviously Julie Rocky
Adams is our leader in the legislature, in the legislature
from Louisville. But one thing that we passed this last
year that I want to highlight is the dee I
Bill that we've passed about higher education. And so what
(03:48):
do we want to do. We want to help people
who need help. First kid that goes to goes to college,
and your family, you come from a bad backround, whatever
it is. We want to help everybody. But it doesn't
matter what your races. And so we want to make
sure that we're eating the needs of tomorrow. And uh,
we've getting rid of in our in our public higher education.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
How did look the the people that run these schools,
they have to say one thing in public behind closed doors,
no names, behind closed doors. Were they saying this is
a look they need qualified people in these positions. What
were they saying behind closed doors?
Speaker 5 (04:20):
Yeah, I wouldn't say they were one hundred percent supportive
of it, but we got into neutrality at the big universities,
and so the University of Louisville had some requests for
revisions that we made that improve the bill. And so
you can't require student to have a de class in
order to graduate. You can offer them, but it can't
be required for a degree. So we did those types
of things that brought a little bit of sandy. And
(04:40):
then the one thing I want to talk about that
I think has been most exciting for at least for
me and the people maybe listening on the radio right now,
is getting rid of RFG reformatic Gas.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Oh why, Joe promised me, promised me.
Speaker 6 (04:57):
Listen, what a scam.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
It's a scam.
Speaker 6 (05:00):
Listen. If you love that, you're gonna love right.
Speaker 5 (05:04):
It increases your gas price of sixteen to thirty two.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Cents per gallon per gallon.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
The governor was against it, win he ran for office.
He's finally on board, and he submitted, along with the mayor,
a letter to the to the President asking them to
get rid of it. We've been pushing it like crazy.
Jared Bauman is leading the effort on that represented from
South Louisville and so we're close to getting it done
and we're hopeful that it will finally be done. What
was the only place in this area that has.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
It, Look, and if there was a good reason for
it twenty years ago, that's right. Look, cars are made different.
That's they don't emit that.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
Even the environmentalist says say that it's not it's not helpful.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah, it doesn't. It doesn't factor into it. So the DEI,
so that stops.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
Hiring processes now, hiring processes, admissions for students, scholarships, all
those things are gonna go on merit and need and
not not other background.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Merritt and need.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Okay, merit in need. But then if somebody because you know,
if somebody is not doing their job right now, what
happens to be one of those DEI hires, it's harder
to fire them.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Well. So another bill that we passed this year that
we're excited about is for the first time, higher education
professors have to be evaluated every four years and they
can be released if they're not doing the job. So
we still have tenure, we still respect that, but they
are going to be evaluated and if they're not up
to snuff and doing what they need to do. They're
going to be fired.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Wow, it's crazy that that's new.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
I know it, really Yes, I've never understood that you
could be a professor and just because you have tenure
you can go and be miserable your job.
Speaker 6 (06:29):
Man, we can't f me, can't fir me.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
My wife and I have not gotten money back on
our taxes in ten years. It's been crazy. It's just
like how much, right, except for this year we got
money back from the state. Like that was great. Tell
us about where we're going with the sales tax and
now you all going down to three point five.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Expand on that.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
The first bill that we passed this session was was
the bill to lower your state income tax down to
three point five percent starting in January, on the on
the road to zero. That that is our plan, that's
our expectations. A wow, exactly exactly. And if you're looking
at the states around us, and it is about economic development,
(07:14):
it's about bringing individuals and businesses into Kentucky.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Pocket exactly exactly. Come on, I need it to.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Compete with the likes of Tennessee.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
And it's worth and it's worth.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
It is documented that we have plenty of data to
show that it is. It raises, it raises all hard
working Kentuckians. If you if you have an income, then
you're gonna get relief. Uh.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
You also, uh there's some uh sex, human trafficking. Uh,
you've tackled that issue. Look, I think that is the
underbelly that people don't want to talk about because it's
uncomfortable and they don't realize how bad it is. Jason
Nema Is, tell me what you all did in this
legis this session to help.
Speaker 5 (08:00):
So we've done a lot of things on human trafficking
and also domestic violence as well. But our leader, Susan
Susanne Miles as the leader on this, and we put
a lot more dollars into the Attorney General's office. Russell
Coleman is, he's you know, he's really sighted in on
this problem of human trafficking. So we've got a lot
more officers going after you. If you're trafficking in Kentucky,
we're coming to get you.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
I want to I want to stay on human trafficking
for a second, because you are the legislators. You go
to these meetings. I've been to a couple with my wife,
Susan Tyler Whitten, and it was an eye opener. For example,
I was talking to one organization and I said, you
know that it's amazing that they're trafficking these young nine
year olds.
Speaker 6 (08:39):
Blah blah blah blah blah.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
When she uttered back to me, no, it starts when
they're infants, and the blood rushed out of me. I
damn near passed out. Go to these meetings and seeing
what you all see, does it make you want to
fight even harder? Because I was so angry at that answer. Yeah,
(09:01):
I wanted to run through a wall. How tough is
it at sitting through these meetings getting educated on how
severe it is?
Speaker 6 (09:07):
And does it make you want to work harder?
Speaker 5 (09:09):
Of course it does, you know. That's and I brought
up Russell Coleman. This is the reason he's in office. Yeah,
and this is the guy who made you know, four
or five times more money than he's getting paid his
attorney general. He's there for this fight.
Speaker 6 (09:18):
He reminds me of like the untouchables. Yeah, Elliott, he's
got like this, Elliott, and that's vibe. Let's do some good. No,
it does, but go ahead, I'm.
Speaker 5 (09:27):
Sorry, Well, I mean that that's it. I mean, it's
it does. It makes you, you know, get up in
the morning and go to Frankfurt and try to try
to improve things, you know. And it's not just human trafficking,
which is obviously the saddest of all because it could
happen to any of us, you know, at any moment.
But you know, violent crime in Kentucky and Louisville has
been on a spike for ten years. But this year
(09:47):
we're forty percent reduction. That doesn't just happen, you know.
We have a new police chief, he's one of us,
he's a louis guy, and he and the officers are
really focusing on crime. Who the fuck it that that
would reduce crime and now we're down forty percent this year.
Those are the things that that we get up in
the morning about.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
In travel and the tailing the House Bill five that
we passed two years ago. That that makes a difference,
you know, And so a year and a half later
where we're seeing the results of of the Safer Kentucky Act.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
I think one of these bills that will probably get
lost in it, but I think could be the most
impactful is the requirement for high school students to get
a to have a what a credit in financial literacy.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Yes, I had I thought you were going to say
another bill.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
I just know I like that, But that that is
the most I could be think could be the most
impactful because I saw it my own son. He did
a paper on student loans and it literally scared him.
He was like, this is stupid. Why would anybody do this?
That's why probably he went to the Navy.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
We're always going to focus on education in every single
session that we do, and that that was that was
something we've We've had a couple other education bills. We're
teaching cursive back again in the schools.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
That's our parents secretly.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
Yet the back and you just talked about the back
end making sure that we have financial literacy, and that's
very important. Another thing that we know is really important
is making sure that students are on grade level by
third grade for reading. And so what we've done is
we said, if a kid is in kindergartener first grade
and they're not at reading level, we're going to hold
them back, right and so we are serious about about
performing for our kids.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
They used to not be able to do that. They
had to wait until third grade to hold them back. Well,
that's too late for a lot of these kids. So
we passed this year addressing it at the kindergarten first grade.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
You know that leads to just problems because if you're
not on the same page with everyone else, I'm confused.
I don't know this that they everyone else in the
class knows. And what do you do? You start to
act out at you in nature?
Speaker 6 (11:42):
Why are you to me?
Speaker 3 (11:46):
And we're still trying to give teachers the tools to
best to best teach in their classroom.
Speaker 6 (11:52):
Let me ask you this.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
So, by the way, Susan Tyler went, House Representative Susan
Tyler Whitt and House Representative Jason Nimas joined the show.
We've got bills that became laws going to effect today.
This is not about a bill or a law. But
you all, you know you're working Frankfurt. You're working on
laws at a state level, but yet you still have
to work on a local level level. With Marrik Greenberg, now,
(12:17):
the country's never been more galvanized.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
This party against that party.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
And the mayor and I we don't see eye on everything,
but we do see refreshingly on some things.
Speaker 6 (12:28):
And for me, my biggest thing is LMPD.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
If you treat LMPD good if you don't do insane
things like let people burn down the city of Louisville
shattered windows, we're gonna be okay. But as long as
you're treating our officers and defending our officers, you're good
with me. How have you all found working with Merrick Greenberg?
Because I've I've approached him at about some South end issues.
(12:51):
He was open and vocal and helped. Uh And again, LMPD,
I think he's doing a good job.
Speaker 6 (12:56):
What is your all's experience?
Speaker 5 (12:58):
I got off track a second ago and I wanted
to meet and the sextortion bill that Julie Rocky Adams
had passed, which is important. So our relationship with the
mayor is good. Look, I'm not in the business of
going around praising Democrats. I'm just not. I didn't vote
for him. If he lived in my district, he wouldn't
have voted for me.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
But so what now?
Speaker 6 (13:11):
What we got a job to do.
Speaker 5 (13:12):
Okay, So last night our council passed the budget and
it was the best budget in our city's history. Republicans
and Democrats came together. Four Democrats voted against it, but
the overwhelm majority of Democrats voted for it. All the
Republicans of the Independent voted for it, and it is
a public safety forward bill. It is a lot of
people talking about defund the police. Well, we fully funded
LMBB and so our recruit rates are going up. We
(13:33):
have more recruits and candidates coming for police than we've
had in a long time, and a lot of that
goes to discouncil, this mayor and our new police And.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
By the way, that's needed in a desperate way, because
we are on a three hundred officers deaf and these
poor LMPD men and women, they're forced to play defense and.
Speaker 5 (13:47):
If you look at the age and the proximity to retirement,
it scares the heck out of the absolutely. So we're
the city and the state are putting the money, our
money where our mouth is. We're getting the job done. Look,
we need to protect our people. The two most important
issues in Louisville right now are one public safety in
the perception of public safety, and number two development that's
residential development, commercial development. And we're trying to get those
(14:08):
things accomplished. We've we've made a lot of inroads on
public safety and now we have to get we have
to get more on the development but we've just passed
the city budget last year. Last night that was you know,
I want to I want to thank the council persons
and the mayor for working together. This is what happens
when Republicans the Democrats get together and it's for the
first time. You know, we're from the South End. Yeah,
they've got development funds, a lot of development funds for
(14:29):
economic development in the South End and in the east
and where we are, they've got significant funds for traffic.
That's what is most important out here. So this was
a budget that was a county wide budget, and it
took into account the needs of.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Particular areas jacent namas is Susan Tyler whitning with us.
I want to talk about Stivers in a second. But
we all have our opinion. We love we do too.
We love he's the friendliest Senate leader in Kentucky history
when it comes to providing Louisville with funds and the
right things to do it. But if you dive into
(14:59):
j CPS in any level, you will find out. To me,
I was like, hey, do you see who the new
superintendent was? I said, really doesn't matter because the board
controls what happens in these classrooms and what happens in
the hallways and everything else. So what what where are
we going with the school board in JCPS?
Speaker 5 (15:21):
Okay, So you know President Steivers does a lot for Louisville,
no doubt about that. But you know, Speaker Osborne, to
speak of the House is in Odam County. He's a
he's a big proponent oft We're lucky there. So look,
j CPS, I'm trying to be positive. So I'm gonna
I'm gonna say I'm gonna stay they positive. It's not
easy to be positive all the time about j CPS.
Although my kids are in there, my wife teaches there.
I'm gonna say, this is the time of promise. Let
(15:42):
me put it that way. We have a new superintendent
who's coming in and so far he's saying the right things,
which are what the most important things we talked about,
the most important things for the city. One of the
most important things in our schools. Number one safety when
I send my kid to those schools, when you send
your kid to those schools, when when our teachers going
to schools, they need to be safe. That's number one.
And the number two academic performance we've not had those
(16:03):
conversations when the superintendent or school board members come to Frankfort,
they don't even talk about safety and academic performance. This
guy is so let's give him a chance. And so
I'm gonna say it's a time of promise for us
because I'm trying to stay positive on this beautiful Friday.
Speaker 6 (16:15):
Well that's you.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
I'm a man that judges another man by actions, not words.
But we'll see, and I'm hopeful, I mean we do.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
Auditor Ball is.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Doing a audit, a full full fledged audit, and so
that's gonna be probably next year. I believe that's the
results are going to be. And so we're excited to look.
It's going to be, you know, third party, and we
want to see what she comes up with and what
the recommended changes are.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Yeah, two point two billion dollars I think was the
total year before. Uh, and I'm hearing rumors that they're
a one hundred million dollar budget deficit. So you spend
all that and you're one hundred million in the hole.
So again I haven't confirmed that, but that's what I'm
hearing from several sources. I mean, at some point we've
got to go. I mean it's it's like I'm taking
(17:06):
crazy pills. But we can't attract businesses to this town
if we don't fix the schools. That's not going to happen.
People don't want to move here.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Economic development.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
When people are thinking about moving, either their family or
their businesses, they look at housing and they look at
school systems.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
Yeah, and Tony. I represent Odam County and Shelby County
as well as Jefferson, And a good number of the
people I represent Odam and Shelby are liuavillions.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Yeah, got the heck out of Jamen. Yes, well, three
of the top high schools, they have three. They're in
the top ten in the state in own county. So
all three of your high schools are ranked in the
top ten. There are only I think three in Jeffs
all of Jefferson County, Atherton, Mail, and Manual. So that's
where we sit right now. But you guys did a
great job in twenty twenty five. We're really happy. What's
going on. I can't wait to hear what the next
(17:50):
session might happen. And real quick thirty seconds, Robert Stivers
is pretty important to Jefferson County.
Speaker 5 (17:56):
Yeah, so they're thirty eight senators. We call him the
Jeffers Centator from Jefferson thirty nine because I do love
on it and he cares a lot about Louis. So
does David Osborne, our speaker. Yeah, we're very fortunate to
have the two leaders who care a great deal about
about Louis. Economic development. Susan was very very instrumental in
the Danny Wimmer productions. That's bourbon and beyond it, louder
than life. We've got them here for ten more years.
That's because of Susan Whitney.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
I love it, yeah, I love it.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
And so you know we're rocking and rolling. President Stuivers
is great for our community and we love it when.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
He's here real quick.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
Yeah, yeah, no.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
This this next session because is a budget year, so
it's gonna sixty day sessions.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
So we've got a lot that we're gonna do.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
It's still going to be housing, economic development, just trying
to make make life easier for you to live here,
work here, and raise a family here like it.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
State Representative Jason Nemas, thank you for your time.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
State Representative Susan Tyler Whitten trying to figure out why
my coffee mug is empty.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Hey, I gotta do this just for three hours a day.
I love you. I love you, Susan, and you're a
saint the ankle, I don't even.
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Speaker 2 (19:13):
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Speaker 6 (19:18):
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Speaker 2 (19:19):
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Speaker 2 (20:07):
I can never tell Yes, I can Genesis, not Phil
Collins because this is abacab By the way, this Radio
eight forty w hs to Eddy Dwight, Witting Gus all
of rolling through your Friday. Every time I get home,
I hear my wife Susan Tyler Wit and say, boo,
he really took it into shorts on reeling in the years.
I think we need to have her play this.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Uh okay, and we'll do that next.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Right, Yeah, and then she's gotta pick. She's gonna pick
the year. We won't help out as always, but she'll
be the final.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
She'll be the final, saying I think that's fair enough
to if she's gonna talk smack. Uh, give us credit, Gus.
We're we're four and oh on the week after taking
almost a loss for two straight weeks.
Speaker 6 (20:50):
Now, yeah, gonna try.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Oh no, he's still gonna try to get us. He's
gonna try to get you.
Speaker 6 (20:55):
Bring it all right, So after reeling in the Years,
But in the meantime, come on out.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Yeah, about fifteen twenty minutes away before we start server,
and we're going to go through the eleven o'clock hour
as well.
Speaker 6 (21:05):
But come ou out this free lunch Friday.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
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Speaker 6 (22:11):
There's no way we can lose back.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Cap to this news Radio eight forty w h as
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Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.