There are times when we wonder if Governor Matt Bevin is actively trying to reduce his favorability in the polls. One such time came late last week when he spoke with the Kentucky Enquirer regarding the Brent Spence Bridge.
Everyone in the tri-state area knows the Brent Spence Bridge needs renovation at best, replacement at worst. The aging structure carries double the amount of traffic it was built for and is consistently rated low on all relevant studies.
When Northern Kentuckians cannot seem to agree about anything else, they typically come together on two points: The bridge is in desperate need of work and they do not want to pay tolls to cross into Cincinnati.
That is why it came as a surprise that Bevin, who owes Northern Kentucky for his 2015 victory and has filled his administration with many from the region, came out in support of tolls. When speaking to a reporter, he said, ”
There’s a good likelihood that tolling will be part of that solution. (It) has to be.”
Bevin did not stop there though. He also went on to give his support to the proposed “Eastern Bypass” that would go through all three Northern Kentucky counties and on into Ohio. This support makes a bit more sense, as it has been pushed almost exclusively by Matth Toebben and Bob Hawksley. Toebben, a German immigrant, has for years spearheaded Tea Party efforts in Northern Kentucky. He is one of the largest contributors to Bevin’s campaigns and, rumor has it, owner of several properties along the proposed route of the “Eastern Bypass.”
So while it may seem odd that Bevin would upset the majority of voters in Northern Kentucky with his support of tolling, it does seem that he may be trying to help the folks that put money in his campaign coffers. He may be a relative newcomer to politics, but he’s learned the art of the greasy palm quite well.
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