Why I’m Not for City-County Merger
I Went to Lexington to See Merger Firsthand and Here’s What I Learned.
My opponent has repeatedly suggested in the past several months that I support merging the City of Paducah and McCracken County governments.
I want the community to know that is simply NOT TRUE. I do not support City-County merger.
Merger has been discussed in our community for decades, and as Mayor, I have been asked about it many times. Rather than relying on assumptions or secondhand information, in 2025 I decided to take a closer look at one of the communities most often referred to when people talk about successful merged government: Lexington-Fayette County.
I want to be clear -I went to Lexington because I wanted to better understand the longterm realities of a merged government structure that had already been proposed and overwhelmingly rejected here at home. I did not go to Lexington to explore bringing merger to McCracken County.
As Mayor and a candidate to become your next County Judge Executive, I believe part of my responsibility is to understand the issues that matter to our community. I wanted to do my due diligence, learn the facts firsthand and be able to provide informed answers to the people who elected me.”
It was important for me to see how merger worked in the “real world”.
Lexington-Fayette County’s governments merged more than 50 years ago. That gave me an opportunity to see what consolidated government looks like after decades of operation, not just what is promised when merger is first proposed.
During my visit, I met with elected officials, members of the administration and people familiar with the history and operation of merged government. I asked questions about services, taxes, growth and the differences between urban and rural areas.
What I saw and heard reinforced my belief that merger IS NOT THE RIGHT ANSWER for McCracken County.
I want to make an important distinction here - Choosing to learn about an issue does not mean supporting it.
I believe elected leaders should do their homework. When an issue as significant as changing the entire structure of local government continues to be discussed, I want my position to be based on facts and firsthand knowledge—not political talking points.
First and Foremost, we Must Remember McCracken County Is Not Lexington.
One of the biggest reasons I oppose merger is simple: McCracken County is vastly different.
Lexington-Fayette County operates as a large urban government with an emphasis on metropolitan growth, commercial development and economic activity.
McCracken County has a different character.
Our rural communities, farmland and open spaces are an important part of who we are. I myself grew up outside the city limits, riding horses in open fields and exploring local creeks. I understand why people choose to live outside Paducah, and I believe that the rural way of life must be protected as our county grows.
I believe growth does not require us to become one government.
We Have to Recognize City and County Residents Have DIFFERENT NEEDS.
There is also a practical reason merger doesn’t make sense.
Paducah residents receive and pay for a higher level of municipal services, including police protection, trash collection, street maintenance, code enforcement, planning and zoning, and neighborhood services.
Many residents outside Paducah choose county living because they want fewer regulations, lower taxes and a different level of government services.
Neither is right or wrong. They are different choices—and local government should respect those differences.
Merger would raise difficult questions:
Who pays for what? Would county residents eventually pay more for services they don’t currently receive or want? Would city residents continue paying more? Could city-style regulations eventually extend farther into the county? And how would we ensure that rural residents and rural priorities maintain a strong voice?
Those questions affect taxes, property rights, services and quality of life.
It Is Important to Understand Merger Doesn’t Automatically Mean Lower Taxes
Another argument often made for merger is that combining governments will save money. However, I am convinced those savings do not exist for McCracken County.
Changing the structure of government doesn’t eliminate the need for law enforcement, roads, emergency services, planning, public works or other essential services. Expanding services across a larger geographic area might well actually create additional costs.
As I often say, the devil is in the details. Before fundamentally changing local government, taxpayers would deserve clear answers about exactly what they would pay and exactly what services they would receive.
I will SAY IT AGAIN - McCracken County voters have already spoken clearly on this issue. In 2011, the proposed merger was overwhelmingly rejected, approximately 70% to 30% and I respect that decision.
I Believe the Answer Is Collaboration and NOT Merger
The better path forward is not one government but instead we need two governments that work well together.
Paducah and McCracken County can cooperate where it benefits taxpayers while maintaining the independence of both governments.
As our community grows, we should look for more opportunities to work together on infrastructure, economic development, emergency services, recreation and other issues that cross city and county lines.
We can coordinate planning. We can share resources when it makes financial sense. We can bring elected officials, community leaders and experts together to solve problems. And none of this requires merger.
So, when my opponent suggests that I am in favor of merger or that my 2025 visit to Lexington is evidence that I support merged government, the facts are exactly the opposite.
ON THE RECORD - I went because merger had already been debated in McCracken County and continued to be raised as an issue by some of our citizens. I wanted firsthand knowledge of how it actually works over the long term. What I learned strengthened my conclusion that it is not the right answer for McCracken County.
My position is straightforward:
Protect the independence of City and County government.
Respect the differences between urban and rural McCracken County.
Work together wherever collaboration can produce better results for the people we serve.
And…do your homework before you make decisions.
Just to be clear again to the citizens of McCracken County
My answer is No to MERGER - YES to COLLABORATION.