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Monday, February 14, 2005

Ind. Gov't. - Controversy in Kentucky over Lieutenant Governor's mansion

The headline in today's Louisville Courier Journal, "Lt. governor may not live in mansion," of course caught my eye, given the current conversy in Indiana. But different issues are involved - here's the story:

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Gov. Ernie Fletcher's administration wants to resolve a two-year controversy by using the Lieutenant Governor's Mansion as a museum or meeting house and paying Lt. Gov. Steve Pence a $30,000-a-year housing allowance to live elsewhere.

The allowance would be considerably more than the $12,000 proposed by the Democrat-controlled House a year ago, a proposal that died when the House and Senate couldn't agree on the state budget. * * *

Pence said he supports the plan.

"There's no doubt it would be very prestigious to have a mansion to entertain your friends and family and constituents and be able to have events there. It would be very nice," Pence said. "But as far as justifying the money, I have to agree with the secretary of finance that the wiser thing to do is to just take the stipend." * * *

Opened in 1798, the Lieutenant Governor's Mansion served as the state's Governor's Mansion until 1914, when the current Governor's Mansion was built near the current Capitol. Since 1956 the house, known officially as the "Old Governor's Mansion," has served as the residence of lieutenant governors.

But in trying to balance a lean state budget two years ago, the General Assembly mandated that housing not be provided for then-Lt. Gov. Steve Henry.

The Lieutenant Governor's Mansion, meanwhile, has undergone a complete restoration at a cost of almost $2.3 million. Rudolph said that project is largely finished.

Pence said he assumed he would move into the historic residence because it has been a benefit of the lieutenant governor's job for decades.

But the budget Fletcher proposed last week recommends that it be used as a meeting house or museum only and that Pence be paid a housing allowance of $2,500 per month beginning April 1.

Pence, who lives in Louisville and commutes to Frankfort, said the amount seems fair because the lieutenant governor has been provided housing for more than 50 years and legislators get housing expenses while the legislature is in session.

I don't know if our Indiana Lieutenant Governor receives a housing allowance and whether, if so, that money could be saved if she and her family were to move into the Governor's residence, which taxpayers are already paying to maintain.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on February 14, 2005 08:10 AM
Posted to Indiana Government