Louisville – By a unanimous vote, the Louisville Metro Council has approved the Fiscal Year 2016- 2017 Capital and Operating Budgets of $822 million for Metro Government.
The Metro Council approved an additional $10 million in funding for the following areas:
· $ 5 million will be added to $ 18.1 million proposed in the Mayor’s Budget for increased paving/ road improvements for a total of $23 million
· $1,090,000 for sidewalks
· $455,000 for Metro Corrections
· $550,000 for Park improvements
More than 60% of the budget is designated in the area of public safety including, more police officers, firefighters, cameras and laying the groundwork for Spotshotter technology.
The budget includes $2.5million for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund as proposed by Mayor Greg Fischer.
The following Metro Council members have released the following statements on passage of the budgets:
“We have kept true to our word, as a Council, to continue our priority to reinvest into our neglected infrastructure. In the last two years, we have approved over $43 million dollars in infrastructure repairs. Working with the Mayor, we are increasing firefighters and LMPD officers. The Council is building upon that effort by committing an additional $200,000 for more Police cameras and for further study of the technology ShotSpotter. This recommended budget also provides: $500,000 for planting trees to restore our green infrastructure, help control storm water drainage concerns and reduce our city’s Urban Heat; $350,000 for bicycle infrastructure, and $500,000 for Kentuckiana SummerWorks. I must thank the Budget Committee and the members of the Council and our staff for their devotion of countless hours to the many budget hearings, early mornings and late nights to help move our city forward.
David Yates, President District 25
“We’ve passed a good, balanced budget. I am most pleased about our investment in people, including, finally, a substantial allocation to the Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The ordinance creating the fund called for $10 Million every year. At $2.5 Million, this year’s appropriation is 25 times the total of locally generated funds allocated to LAHTF for housing in the last eight years combined. It’s a start on a huge need for safe, decent, affordable places to live. As the economy improves, Louisville can’t leave working families behind…”
Bill Hollander, President Pro Tem, Chair Democratic Caucus District 9
“Many long overdue infrastructure repairs in West Louisville are continuing to be addressed with this budget furthering our commitment to provide more funding for paving streets and improving sidewalks in our neighborhoods. People are beginning to notice these efforts. I am also pleased that the Shawnee and Portland areas will be enhanced by this budget as it moves us forward with Waterfront Park Phase IV, improvements to the Riverwalk Stabilization and a new Shawnee Park Boat ramp. All of these projects will give West Louisville access to the Ohio River for fun and recreation as well as economic development opportunities. The designation of Russell as a Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area will add a much needed infusion of funding for housing rehabilitation and economic development initiatives. Substantial investment of funding for trees will address the urban heat island experienced in so many of our neighborhoods.”
Cheri Bryant Hamilton, Vice Chair Democratic Caucus District 5
“The budget process was smooth and productive, together we were able to focus on public safety and deferred maintenance. We are very pleased to take a first step toward an ambitious 10 year goal of repairing neglected roads, parks and publicly owned buildings.”
Kevin Kramer, Minority Caucus Chair, District 11
This proved to be a good budget process and outcome with a major focus on taking care of capital priorities in paving and deferred maintenance with an emphasis on public safety in the operating budget.”
Marilyn Parker, Minority Caucus Vice-Chair, District 18
“The Metro Council continues to build on our realistic, aggressive approach to deferred maintenance. As our local economy grows we will continue to work with the Mayor and his team to create a holistic, balanced budget with a focus on public safety and quality of life issues. In addition – we are looking to the future and asking many departments to report back so we can deal with recruitment and retention issues, jail overcrowding, paving, etc.. We want to address our needs today and plan for a vibrant future.”
Marianne Butler, Chair Budget Committee, District 15
“Each of us represents a diverse cross section of this community and I am proud of the work done by the budget committee, this body and our staff to produce a balanced budget that takes the needs of our community seriously. Tonight with your approval this budget will represent the largest investment ever made by this community for government assets.”
Angela Leet, Vice-Chair Budget Committee, District 7
“I am so pleased at the emphasis that this budget has placed on Public Safety. Public safety is the top priority for me in my service to the people of District 1, and for the residents of the entire city of Louisville. I am hopeful that additional funding for increased officers, additional cameras, and innovative technology like the Shotspotter program, will help to decrease crime, solve crime, and increase resident safety. I am also extremely pleased about the emphasis on our city’s parks in the budget. I am particularly pleased about the $100,000.00 allocation to Russell Lee Park for a walking trail. Increasing the safety and the quality of life for Louisvillians are key strengths of this budget.”
Jessica Green, District 1
“Every year in the budget, I am always concerned about what we are doing for the other important resource we have in our city: our young people. I am happy to see we are continuing our efforts to help young people with employment and improving our community centers and parks as places where they can be safe and learn.
Barbara Shanklin, District 2
“I am very pleased to say this year’s budget process saw all of us working together to find solutions for many of our districts and the entire community. We are addressing many long overdue problems of maintenance and road issues. This is a good budget. I believe it show the people of Louisville that we want them to be safe and we are addressing their concerns.”
Mary C. Woolridge, District 3
“I support this budget because it shows our commitment to dealing with those things all of us care about, whether it is roads or our parks. We know what a success Slugger Field has been to starting a wave of revitalization in our downtown. We know what kind of impact the investments made to create Waterfront Park has done to change the face of our city. At the same time, we continue to make public safety a top priority. These efforts by the Council and the Mayor continue to show others that Louisville is a city on the move.
David Tandy, District 4
“As we continue to make sure our community safe, this budget continues our efforts to help police with the tools they need, including manpower and technology. I am also pleased to see the Council dedicated to making a big effort in correcting our maintenance issues and infrastructure concerns.”
David James, District 6
“We, Council Members represent radically divergent constituencies so it’s a hopeful sign when the give-and-take of the budget process can deliver a result that garners broad support. There’s so much need that all of us had to give up something but we have worked together do what we can with what we have available.”
Tom Owen, District 8
“This was my first budget to participate in as a Councilman. I appreciate all the hard work put in by everyone involved from Administration officials to the Council and its staff in deciding the proper amount of funding for the City’s priorities for the upcoming year. This budget has something for everyone with an emphasis to improve and repair our dated and dilapidated infrastructure, provide additional public safety with the use of modern technology and to improve our built-in environment and quality of place for all Louisvillians.”
Pat Mulvihill, District 10
“I have been a staunch advocate of providing a significant increase in funding to improve our roads and sidewalks. I am pleased that I could work together with my colleagues to ensure the greatest investment in our roadways since the beginning of merger. Also, I am happy with our commitment to replace the woefully inadequate Animal Services Manslick facility and improve the maintenance of our Metro Parks. This is a sensible budget with solutions to our community’s problems and investments in our city to move it forward.”
Cindi Fowler, District 14
“I am very pleased with the budget process and the results this year. The promise of putting our city on a 10 year plan to bring our roads to an acceptable condition was kept. The Metro Council has made its legislative voice heard and I am very proud of this body.”
Kelly Downard District 16
“I am pleased with the emphasis on our infrastructure and public safety. I’ve always said that infrastructure and public safety are our top priorities and I believe this is a solid budget.”
Dan Johnson, District 21
