Louisville City Wire

Louisville – The Louisville Metro Council Budget Committee unanimously approved amendments to Metro’s FY 2024 Capital and Operating Budgets.

Mayor Craig Greenberg presented his budget on April 27 with increased investments in public safety, funding for homelessness and affordable housing, continued efforts to improve and repair infrastructure, investments in parks, as well as other initiatives.

Beginning in May, the Budget Committee hosted more than 36 hours of budget and public hearings. Today’s budget amendment addresses needs, without adding additional debt above the Mayor’s proposed budget.

Homeless Resources: Added $3 million for the Goodwill Opportunity Campus in West Louisville’s Parkland neighborhood, which will provide a combination of programs and services to an underserved community. It also adds $200,000 in additional funds for an expansion of Goodwill’s Another Way program, which provides unhoused individuals with opportunities to gain job skills and compensation for their work. Adds $200,000 for the Volunteers of America Unity House, which provides individualized care and goal setting with families facing homelessness. Finally, adds $200,000 for homeless outreach outside the Watterson Expressway.

Infrastructure: The budget amendment adds $4 million to the already allocated $26 million devoted to repaving, and $1 million allocated to improving alleys. The Committee increased the funding bridges and road repair by $1.5 million to help address crumbling infrastructure needs. Sidewalks will continue to be funded at $3 million for repairs in all Metro Council Districts. The budget also includes a $1.8 million appropriation for sidewalk extensions, connections, and completion on Alberta Jones, Ward Avenue, Shelbyville Road, and Beckley Station, and $1.1 million for pavement markings.

Parks & Recreation: Metro Parks received additional appropriations in various districts county-wide, with an additional $4.9 million allocated to deferred maintenance recommended in the Parks for All Plan. The budget adds $1.1 million for continued improvements at Elliot Park, $1.5 million for Jefferson Memorial Forest improvements and expansion, $1.5 million for the Kentucky Street Master Plan implementation, and $1 million for California Park & Community Center improvements.

Pools: The budget amendment increases funding by $3.1 million for the Algonquin and Camp Taylor pools. This funding along with previously budgeted will assist with significant enhancements to both pools.

“I appreciated this opportunity to Chair the Budget Committee. The Committee has worked hard to create a fair and balanced budget that addresses the pressing needs of the entire community. While the budget isn’t perfect, it is a good collaborative effort between the Administration, the Budget Committee, and the entire Council,” said Budget Committee Chair Rick Blackwell (D-12).

“This year’s budget focuses on fixing what is broken while continuing to address ongoing struggles with housing and homelessness.  The Council added funds to begin important work on deferred maintenance identified in the Parks for All study, increased our investment in paving to $30 Million and focused on addressing homelessness. All of this was accomplished without increasing the Mayors proposed borrowing. This budget was built on a strong foundation of communication that began with the Mayor ‘s efforts early on to work with and listen to our ideas.  That style of openness continued from the beginning of hearings up until the final hours of negotiations.  I am very pleased with the collaboration that led to this budget agreement, and I enthusiastically endorse its passage,” said Budget Committee Vice-Chair Kevin Kramer (R-11).

Some additional projects to highlight:

• Corrections assessment and strategy study, $150,000
• Dare to Care, $200,000
• Environmental Resiliency for the Urban Forestry Master Plan, $200,000
• Louisville Youth Football League, $50,000
• Northeast Library safety and accessibility improvements, $75,000
• Traffic Control signage, $500,000
• Reopening of the recycling center on Aiken Road to serve eastern portions of the community, $100,000

The budget document also outlines priority projects for additional revenue once accounts are reconciled and closed.

The FY 2024 Capital and Operating Budgets will be considered by the full Metro Council on Thursday, June 22, 2023, at 6:00 p.m.

To view the budget amendment documents, please visit https://louisvilleky.primegov.com/public/portal.

Original source can be found here.