Louisville council approves largest budget in history
(The Center Square) – The Louisville Metro Council on Thursday voted to approve a $1 billion city budget – the largest ever – that council members and Mayor Greg Fischer said emphasizes both public safety and economic recovery.
“As our city regains the economic momentum we had before the pandemic, the budget approved tonight provides a roadmap into the promising and exciting next stage of our city’s history – one based in greater equity and justice,” Fischer said in a statement after the council’s vote.
The spending plan includes significant increases in violence prevention programs, a critical issue as the city reached 100 homicides for the calendar year earlier this week. That’s the fastest Louisville’s reached that grim milestone.
The $19 million earmarked for that includes $5 million for diversion programs.
While there’s greater oversight of law enforcement thanks to a new civilian review panel and an inspector general, the Louisville Metro Police Department received nearly $200 million.
Council members did move a $2.9 million 911 prioritization pilot program from the police to the city’s emergency services department. The project will give 911 dispatchers the discretion to send an experienced counselor to first handle mental welfare calls instead of a police officer.
“It’s been said that the budget is the statement about our priorities and I think this budget shows that we are ‘all in’ on addressing the violent crime problem in our city,” said Council Democratic Caucus Chair Markus Winkler in a statement. “From more money for better policing, upstream prevention efforts via (Office of Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods) and root cause investments in housing, employment and mental health services, we are taking an all of the above approach to solving the problem.”
From an economic development perspective, the budget includes $2.7 million in small business aid. There’s also $1.3 million in funding a “Future of Work” initiative that’s a collaboration with Microsoft to build the city’s digital workforce and make it more inclusive.
The budget also includes $5 million for the West End Opportunity Partnership, an initiative passed by the Kentucky General Assembly earlier this year. The initiative will use tax-increment financing over 20 years to spur economic development opportunities in the city’s predominantly Black neighborhoods and protect against gentrification.
The partnership will get another $5 million on June 22, 2022, if $10 million in private investment is secured.
“Not a perfect budget but it covers many great priorities and it was a great process that took into consideration the thoughts of the entire Council and therefore community,” tweeted Republican Councilman and Minority Caucus Chair Anthony Piagentini.
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