Lieutenant Governor Talks with Martin School Students

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 10, 2013) — The man whom many referred to affectionately as Louisville's "Mayor for Life" spoke to a group of master's and doctoral students yesterday at the University of Kentucky's Martin School of Public Policy and Administration.

Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson, who served as the only three-term mayor of the old city of Louisville (1986-1999) and then served two terms as the first mayor of the consolidated city-county of Louisville Metro (2003-2011), told the students that the biggest key for the Commonwealth to be competitive in attracting new business and encouraging existing companies to expand their operations is to do a better job of developing its people.

"Time after time, corporate leaders tell me that they need an educated, skilled, productive and healthy work force," Abramson said. "A strong educational system is also high on the list of assets that companies are looking for along with a good quaility of life."

Abramson said that it has been his mission over the past two years to take the lieutenant governor's job from one which has had little official responsibility to a position which is engaged in the state's affairs and returning something meaningful to the state's taxpayers, who fund his salary.

"I asked Gov. (Steve) Beshear, and he has been fully supportive, if I could play a greater role in our work to improve education in the state, as well as to assist in our economic development efforts," Abramson said. "In addition, the governor asked me to chair the Blue Ribbon Commission on Tax Reform, and to play a major role in helping Kentucky implement the state's new health insurance exchange as part of the federal Affordable Care Act (referred to by many as Obamacare)."

Abramson said that if Kentucky is ever going to have the revenues necessary to  be able to invest in its people in a significant way, tax reform is desperately needed.

On the subject of the Affordable Care Act, Abramson said that approximately 1,000 Kentuckians have been enrolling each day since the program began on Oct. 1.  The lieutenant governor added that 640,000 residents, out of a statewide population of more than 4.3 million, currently have no health insurance.

Following his remarks to the 40 Martin School students, Abramson took questions from the audience for 20 minutes.

Steven Riley, a first-year doctoral student from Richmond, Ky., said he very much enjoyed Abramson's visit.

"I was particularly interested in hearing how the lieutenant governor has made it a point to take the office from basically a 'do nothing' position to one that is fully engaged in several important state initiatives," Riley said.

Elle Hull, of Cincinnati, is also a first-year doctoral student in the Martin School.

"This was a very exciting opportunity," Hull said. "It is obvious that Lt. Gov. Abramson has a good command of what is going on in Kentucky and surrounding states. I was keenly focused on his comments regarding the implemention of health care reform."

Abramson spoke to the students on the 18th floor of the Patterson Office Tower at the invitation of Martin School Interim Director and Professor Merl Hackbart.

MEDIA CONTACT: Carl Nathe, 859-257-3200; carl.nathe@uky.edu.