FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Fayette County Judge-Executive John Roberts has asked Kentucky lawmakers to put a measure on the statewide ballot to abolish his job. A House panel has taken the first step toward doing that.
The House Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee approved a bill Monday that would put the Lexington issue on the statewide ballot.
Roberts says he has no staff and no government phone in which to carry out his limited duties. His office has a yearly budget of about $21,000 and his salary is less than $9,000.
In most counties, the judge-executive serves as CEO for county government. But the merger of Lexington and Fayette County decades ago left the Fayette County judge-executive with little power.
The bill won bipartisan backing.