Sen. John Schickel of Boone County has sent a letter to Gov. Andy Beshear objecting to the closing of the road between the state Capitol building and the Capitol Annex.
He calls the closing “a mistake.”
He says closing the road will severely restrict the experiences of visitors to the state capital.
“Kentucky has the most beautiful state capital in the nation,” Schickel writes. “One of the reasons (people) enjoy it is because of the easy access to it. Seniors especially enjoy visiting the capital in springtime when they can drive around the Capitol and see the gorgeous tulips, the floral clock and the rose garden without ever getting out of their cars.
“In the wintertime, they enjoy the same experience with the beautiful Christmas decorations that adorn the Capitol, Annex and Governor’s Mansion.”
Schickel also appreciates that citizens can express their First Amendment rights on various issues from their vehicles, buses, and trucks.
“Ending this Kentucky political tradition would be a mistake,” he writes.
As a former law enforcement officer himself, Schickel says he respects the recommendations of the security task force and others, but feels security must be “balanced with the need for an open government in a representative republic.”
He says security concerns can be addressed in other ways.
See the NKyTribune’s story about the closing of the road.