ONE-ON-ONE
- June 2001
by Ed G. Lane ‘...The Job
I'm Focusing on is Governor’
Jefferson County's final judge executive asesses the past
and weighs future plans
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Rebecca
Jackson
While completing her second term as Jefferson
County Clerk, Rebecca Jackson was elected
Jefferson County’s Judge Executive in the
1998 General Election. In 1998 she was also named
Public Official of the Year by the National
Association of County Recorders, Election
Officials and Clerks.A
University of Louisville graduate with degrees in
science and education, she started Consultants
for Educational Programs, Inc., a consultancy
organization for universities and other
professional organizations involved in the design
and implementation of educational programs. She
also founded and became Executive Director for
JobCenter, Inc., an employment agency placing
handicapped workers in competitive jobs in local
community businesses.
Judge
Jackson was selected by the National Association
of Counties (NACo) as one of seven American
elected officials in a delegation to foster
relations with local governments in China.
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Ed Lane: In November of 1998, you were the first woman
elected judge executive of Jefferson County. Last
November, Louisvillians voted to merge the city and
county governments. What impact will this have on the
judge executive’s office?
Rebecca
Jackson: I’m the first woman who ever ran for
this position, as far as anyone can tell and so I
always look at the women in an audience and I say,
“ladies that’s on us, not on the
gentlemen.” In terms of what the merger does for
Jefferson County judge executive, this is the last
time there will be a judge executive with any
authority. The new merged government will have to
keep a judge executive because it is a constitutional
office, but the authority and the pay will be
stripped from the office, just like it has been in
Lexington/Fayette County.
EL: Both you
and Mayor David Armstrong supported the merged government
plan. How has this affected your day-to-day working
relationship over the last year?
RJ: There
were many times when we were disagreeing violently on
some other subject and we would be called upon to go
to a meeting to support the merger. It really did
take a large effort from both of us to make sure that
on merger we remained in step with each other, even
when there are other issues on which we did not
agree. We come from different backgrounds, from
different political parties. I’m a teacher,
he’s an attorney. I’m a woman, he’s a
man. I’m a Republican, he’s a Democrat.
There are all kinds of reasons why we may not agree
on any number of topics. Merged government gives us a
point where we can agree, and that’s been very
helpful in our overall working relationship.
EL: During
the merger effort, there were some anti-merger groups
that opposed it. What has happened after the election to
regain the support of these groups?
RJ:
We’ve reached out to these groups, and a number
of their members are on the transition team. The
mayor and I have made sure that people understand the
merger is for everybody; it’s against no one.
Whether you agree or disagree with the issue, the
merger has been voted upon and is now the will of the
people. We have to make this work the very best we
can for every person in Jefferson County, whether
they were for or against it doesn’t matter.
EL: What are
some areas of local government that are already working
more closely together since the election?
RJ: Since
the election, similar departments, like the human
resources and finance departments of the city and the
county, have been meeting regularly. The police
departments were already working closely together
before the merger.
EL: While
certain aspects of the consolidation seem to be working
well, are there are others that may be more complicated
to implement?
RJ: There
are some turf issues. That’s always a problem
area because people are always afraid of losing their
job, authority, or power. Merged government will
probably affect the “top of the food chain”
people the most. The merged government is still going
to have to have people to administer benefits, the
paychecks and the work that’s getting done in
those departments. We’re still going to have
basically the same number of people except for the
few at the top.
EL: How would
you rate Greater Louisville, Inc.’s (GLI) support of
the merger effort?
RJ: They
were absolutely invaluable on the campaign. Not only
did GLI help raise money, but they also assisted in
disseminating information. GLI was an important
partner in the whole process.
EL: Did
support from former local office holders like Mitch
McConnell (U.S. Senator – KY) and Jerry Abramson
(former Louisville Mayor) assist the merger effort?
RJ: We
couldn’t have done it without their support. The
value of bipartisan support was that no group of
people felt like their voice was unheard. When Jerry
Abramson, David Armstrong, Rebecca Jackson and Mitch
McConnell were all on the same platform, the voters
got somebody they voted for and trusted supporting
the merger. Because Louisville is a very diverse
community, we needed to have a very diverse group of
people supporting merger. It was a good thing.
EL: With the
judge/executive’s office being downgraded when the
merger takes affect, this brings up the issue of your
future political career.
RJ: This
job is basically gone. I’m not going to run for
Mayor. I have made that decision and announcement.
Actually I made the decision not to run for mayor
before I ever ran for judge/executive. I believe that
Louisville shouldn’t have anybody connected with
the old city or county governments lead the new
merged government. Now that’s how I feel, and
that’s what I acted upon. I do understand that
the current Mayor and the former Mayor are probably
going to run and that’s their decision.
EL: So, what
office are you going to run for?
RJ: Well,
I don’t have to run for anything (laughter).
EL:
You’re supposed to be one of the superstars of the
Republican party . Are you going into retirement?
RJ: Well,
let me tell you the scenarios. My first grandchild is
due in July of this year. My husband can retire in
February ’03, and he may not, but he will be
able to. I have been asked to run for Governor and I
am looking at that very, very seriously. I have been
offered a job in the private sector. So I will have
four options: retiring and rocking my grandbaby; to
go do something exciting with my husband while
we’re still young enough; to run for governor;
and there is always the private sector option that is
out there. The private sector job offer would pay
more than I could make as governor. But right now,
just to be fair and honest with you, the job I’m
focusing on is governor.
EL: If you
were governor, what would be your top three priorities
for Kentucky?
RJ:
Obviously, efficiency in government. That’s
always a top priority. Education, and that’s
because Kentucky has to have work force development.
We have to make sure we are educating children for
the jobs of the future. Kentucky’s job market is
changing in critical ways. And, economic development.
So economic development, education, efficiency in
government are extremely important issues.
EL: Around
the state there is some perception of the state versus
the greater Louisville area, and being that you’re
from Louisville, what would you do to try to overcome
that type of perception?
RJ: I
might remind people that my first home is Short Creek
in Grayson County. And they claim me. I have lots of
cousins down there and both sets of grandparents. I
do have some roots that go into the heartland of
Kentucky and go to the heart of understanding,
what’s happening in Kentucky.
Certainly,
before I could ever run for governor, I would need to
go out and mostly listen to people in Kentucky and
ask, “What are your concerns; what do you need
in this community?” We should develop the state
as a whole. Jefferson County alone is not the state
of Kentucky. And the rest of the state of Kentucky is
not as good without Jefferson County as it is with
it. We can learn to work as partners.
EL: In your
current position as judge/executive, what has been the
most difficult aspect of your job?
RJ: The
birds. When I first came into this office, beautiful
magnolia trees were around this building and
thousands of starlings were roosting in them. And
starlings have a very, very short digestive process.
There are
a lot of health issues and also the friends of the
birds. And a peregrine falcon was observed eating the
starlings, so we could not use poison. The birds were
an example of difficult issues you don’t really
expect.
EL: In regard
to statewide issues, Kentucky has lost a lot of
population in the eastern part of the state. The number
of children going to schools in the east has declined,
because people are outmigrating to get jobs. Do you have
any ideas on how to solve this problem?
RJ: We
have to find economic development niches. We have to
find ways to keep our children in our state. Kentucky
has a brain drain issue. We put together the Young
Professionals Association of Louisville (YPAL) in
‘99. This group now has 1400 members. One of the
best things YPAL has done is to start an ambassadors
program. When a company recruits a young person to
fill a job in our community, they call one of the
YPAL ambassadors to take them out and show them
what’s here in Louisville. That works very well
in Jefferson County, and I also believe that it would
work well in some other communities. But first, you
have to have the economic opportunities in the
community.
EL: Was the
merger of local economic development entities into
Greater Louisville, Inc. a success?
RJ: I
think so, it’s given Louisville a single focus
on economic development.
EL: How significant was the location of United Parcel
Service’s national sort center in Louisville?
RJ:
It’s one of the most significant things
that’s happened in probably the last half a
century. Having a major distributor in Louisville
that has brought in all kinds of ancillary
businesses. Obviously, UPS has helped the economy of
Jefferson County, but it has also helped the 23
surrounding counties that send people to work and
back home everyday.
EL: What do
you think about UPS’s Earn and Learn program?
RJ: That
is just a magnificent program. It really has worked
for a lot of people who might not have been able to
afford tuition and the opportunity to earn a higher
education.
Louisville
has had people all over the nation come and look at
the UPS program. It’s been a model on thinking
outside the box. Certainly if you look at that as a
business technique, it was very successful.
EL: The
Republican party in Kentucky is gradually helping
establish a two party system around the state. How will a
strengthened Republican Party benefit Kentucky?
RJ: A two
party system is beneficial because it gives the
voters two perspectives. You get discussion on the
table. I don’t believe Republicans or Democrats
are always right. We may even find new solutions when
debate and ideas are coming from very different
perspectives.
EL: With
regard to your potential candidacy for governor, have you
talked to Kentucky’s Republican leaders ?
RJ:
I’ve spoken with every Republican leader in our
delegation, all of our congressmen and woman, and
senators. I’ve spoken to Mike Duncan, the
national committeeman, and a number of other leaders
around the state including Senator David Williams. I
hope I will get to all Republicans eventually.
EL: What are
they telling you?
RJ: All
the Republicans believe that the 2003 election is the
best opportunity our party has had in a very long
time to win the governor’s race and that we need
to have a very viable candidate. They’ve been
encouraging me to continue to look at this race very
carefully. There are two other Republicans who are
looking at this race as well. The Republican party
needs to be ready to make the decision when the time
is right.
EL: What
advice would you give a young woman or man who is
considering running for public office?
RJ: I
would say you have to really know yourself. You have
to know what you believe in – so much, that
you’re not going to let anything or anybody stop
you from trying to accomplish it. You must have the
support of your family.
EL: What
other issue is important to you?
RJ: I
would like to see more women in Kentucky run for
public office – in both parties, because women
have a perspective to bring. We do have something to
give to public service that is needed, necessary and
vital. It’s important to have Democrats and
Republicans, it’s also important to have women
along with men in public office.
Ed G. Lane is
chief executive of Lane Consultants Inc. and publisher of
The Lane Report.
edlane@lanereport.com
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