Tribune jeers Wizard of Westside, editorializes in favor of LOIT.

We’re cheering the Tribune’s publisher for calling out New Albany’s perpetually caterwauling councilman, Dan Coffey, and we invite you to join in.

JEERS

... to New Albany City Councilman Dan Coffey for grumbling to Louisville media last week about the fire department’s purchasing of a rescue boat last summer. This is Coffey again showing his inability to lead.

Instead, he should review his council record. As a key member for years resisting any kind of development or revenue sources for the city, his time could be been better spent than complaining about a boat for public and law enforcement’s safety. (The old one wasn’t built for a river and it was a fire hazard. Plus, part of the cost will be recouped by selling the donated boat it’s replacing.)

But Coffey feels this is newsworthy because no one came and told him how exactly they would be paying for it. This situation isn’t about rules or laws. It’s simply that Coffey didn’t get consulted in a manner with which he would like — which has meant in the past standing before him at a Council meeting where he can grand stand by asking fallacious questions.

Yes, times are very tight and all expenses should be carefully vetted. However, Coffey’s latest diatribe continues to paint a portrait of our New Albanian version of Don Quixote.

— Publisher Steve Kozarovich

Good stuff, although it should be noted that the analogy with Don Quixote is imperfect, and not just because the Man from La Mancha’s fable is far more subtle and nuanced than anything connected to our city’s self-aggrandizing 1st district ward heeler and his underachieving career in politics.

Recall that Cervantes’ fictional creation derived his fantasies of importance by reading the many books on chivalry in his library … but has the Wizard of Westside ever read a book?

That’s what I’m saying.

Not content with one solid blow against the peevish dimpire, the newspaper’s editorial board also speaks considerable sense when it comes to the Local Option Income Tax LOIT), which is being considered by the county council this evening.

• EDITORIAL: LOIT tax merits serious review

County legislators simply have to do something like this (and so too will New Albany) when it comes to creating new revenue streams to cover shortfalls — a dominating theme in the next several years. It would be ideal if we could find revenue from tourists or visitors. However, until those plans are in place taxpayers will bite the bullet because our leaders haven’t exhibited enough foresight in recent years.

Two topics, one important point: Pleading penury is so easy a caveman (or Coffey) can do it, but finding an elected official willing to support ways of enhancing revenue so as to make the pie bigger is harder than finding a good beer past the turnstiles at Louisville Slugger Field.

Fine work, Tribsters. Keep it coming.