May 19, 2008

State Officials To Attend National Meeting in Lexington

Newt Gingrich Among Speakers at The Council of State Governments Spring Conference

Lexington, KY—Hundreds of state and select national political leaders will gather in Lexington May 29-June 1 to join The Council of State Governments in celebrating 75 years of service to 50 state governments and six U.S. territories.

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, presidential historian Michael Beschloss and political analyst Larry Sabato will be among the featured speakers attending the celebration, which is expected to draw more than 700 attendees from all 50 states, six territories and Canadian provinces that make up part of CSG’s international component.

Agenda topics include “State Perspectives on the Presidential Election Reform,” “Creative State Options for Transportation Finance” and “Broadband—An Economic Change Driver for the Future.”

In addition, there will be workshops on financial services, health, higher education, public safety and justice, technology, intergovernmental affairs and state governance transformation.

The meeting is expected to pump more than $1 million into the Bluegrass economy during the four-day event. Conference sessions and workshops will take place at the Griffin Gate Marriott and the Embassy Suites.

Located off Ironworks Pike near the Kentucky Horse Park, CSG has been based in Lexington since 1969.

CSG is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that employs more than 120 people at its national headquarters office in Lexington, plus 100 in regional offices located in New York City, Atlanta, Chicago, Sacramento and its Washington, D.C., office. It is the only national organization that serves all three branches of government.

The Council contributes an estimated $450,000 annually to the Bluegrass economy in local and state taxes as well as employee purchasing power and use of Kentucky-based vendors.

The media is welcome to attend all the sessions, although registration is required. For more information and to register for the 75th Anniversary Celebration, please visit www.csg.org/meetings/spring.aspx.