Councilman Bill Hollander
601 West Jefferson Street
(502) 574-1109
Email Bill

Kyle Ethridge
Legislative Assistant
(502) 574-3908
Email Kyle

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In this issue...

• Louisville’s Budget
• Lower Frankfort Avenue Remains Closed
• Sustainability Story: Clean Air
• Google Fiber Leaving Louisville
• LWV Dinner & Democracy Meeting – February 18 & 19
• Road Safety Survey for Clifton & Crescent Hill
• Notice of Planning & Design Public Meetings
• Help Olmsted Parks Restore Seneca Park
• PSC Hearing on LG&E Rate Increase
• Café LOUIE 2019 – February 23 at Crescent Hill
• Junk Pick-up in District 9 in March
• Tax Preparation Appointments Available
• District 9 Calendar Events

Louisville’s Budget

For many months, I and others have been warning about the dramatic effect on Louisville’s budget which will result from increased pension bills from the Kentucky Retirement System (KRS) in Frankfort. We wrote about the “devastating” and “dramatic” effect in at least five editions of the eNews, beginning in September 2017. We have also discussed the issue at multiple public meetings. The increase in pension costs is very real. It amounts to $10 Million in additional expense each year, starting last year. We paid CERS $76.7 Million in FY18, before the state changed pension assumptions, and will pay an estimated $136 Million in FY 23. Yesterday, I stood with Mayor Fischer, Council President David James and other members of the Metro Council to announce support for an ordinance to increase the insurance premium tax on some lines of insurance. The proposed ordinance does not raise the rate for vehicle or health insurance. The fee for other lines of insurance would increase to 12.5% in the next fiscal year, 13.5% beginning in July 2021, and 15% beginning in July 2022. We will continue to look for and implement efficiencies and ways to spend your money more wisely, but the pension cost is too much to deal with solely by expense reductions. Louisville Metro has never increased a tax rate. It's been more than 25 years since either the old City or County governments increased a rate. Running an efficient government is a good thing but decreasing services to the extent needed to deal with this new pension bill from Frankfort is not good policy. The proposed ordinance sets out the facts and the reasoning for the proposed increase:   (1) KRS has left us with the unenviable position of having a 50 million dollar additional pension obligation in our annual budget to be paid over the next several years; (2) Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government cannot absorb this extraordinary expense without looking at new revenue or cutting existing services; (3) Metro wants to continue to provide services to its residents without sacrificing the quality and quantity of such services, from police and fire protection to emergency services, to road paving and infrastructure repair and improvements, community centers, libraries, affordable housing and parks, and the services provided in conjunction with our other government and nongovernment partners; (4) In order to keep the positive momentum in Louisville and ensure we meet the needs of our residents, Metro is forced to take the unprecedented position to raise revenue;  (5) Metro cannot continue essential governmental operations with this pension obligation being handed down to us by KRS; and (6) We believe that an increase in the insurance premium tax is the most viable option for Metro to continue with the same level of services. Join us for our D9 Community Conversation on Wednesday, February 27, at 6:30 p.m. at Whitehall House & Gardens, 3110 Lexington Road, for more discussion of this, and let me know your thoughts by telephone at 574-1109 or by email here.

Lower Frankfort Avenue Remains Closed

MSD barricaded lower Frankfort Avenue at the low spot between River Road and Story Avenue last Thursday due to flooding. With the Ohio River continuing to rise, Starkey Pump Station down a pump, and with a needed MSD gate change delayed because of the weather and Ohio River conditions, Frankfort Avenue will remain closed at this location this week and probably into next week.

Access to Pizza Lupo, the Vehicle Impoundment Lot and parking lots for Story Avenue businesses is still available via Story Avenue. When the roadway reopens, or when there is other breaking news about flooding, we will post the information on the District 9 Blog. You can sign up for the blog here.

Flooding has also closed portions of Adams Street and Mellwood Avenue.

Please remember to never drive around a barricade.

Concert Music Festivals Moving to Highland Festival Grounds

Last year, Bourbon and Beyond was canceled mid-way through the weekend due to heavy rains and flooding in Champions Park. Louder Than Life was canceled entirely. Since that time, the festival producers have been weighing options on whether to move the festivals to another site in Louisville. On Tuesday, it was announced that those concert music festivals have been moved to the Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Fair & Expo Center. A new concert, Hometown Rising, will also be at the new site.

Once the rain and flooding has dried up in Champions Park, the festival producers and Metro Parks will continue working to restore the park to its original condition.

Sustainability Story: Clean Air

Louisville’s Air Pollution Control District (APCD) is hosting the 2019 APCD Workshop Series. Are you curious about the air you breathe, what’s in it, and how it’s protected? Plan to attend a free monthly workshop to get an in-depth look at how APCD keeps the air clean.

All meetings will be held at the Louisville Free Public Library, 301 York Street, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

• February 18
• March 18
• April 15
• May 20
• June 17
• July 15
• August 19
• September 16
• October 21
• November 18

For more information, please visit www.louisvilleky.gov/APCD or call 574-6000.

We’d like to feature your sustainability story - a resident or business doing good things for the environment.  Riding the bus, bicycling, walking, gardening and more - our eNews will feature practices which can benefit all of us.  Send your story to Bill Hollander or Kyle Ethridge.

Google Fiber Leaving Louisville

You’ve probably heard by now that Google Fiber is saying goodbye to Louisville. The method Google Fiber attempted to use in Louisville, shallower trenches than in other cities, did not work out. Google Fiber says it would need to rebuild its entire network in Louisville, which it cannot do at this time. While this is extremely disappointing, the effort to attract Google Fiber to Louisville, which involved no financial incentives to the company, helped spur competitors to move faster on high speed internet. Click here to read the entire blog post from Google Fiber.

LWV Dinner & Democracy Meeting – February 18 & 19

The League of Women Voters (LWV) is hosting Dinner & Democracy, a monthly community forum, on Monday, February 18, and on Tuesday, February 19 (repeat program from the 18th). The topic for discussion is How Clean is our Drinking Water? Environmental attorney Tom Fitzgerald will explore pollution in the Ohio River and the Role of ORSANCO (the Ohio River Sanitation Commission). The meetings will be at the Lang House, 115 S. Ewing Avenue. Monday, February 18 – dinner at 5:30 and program at 6:00 p.m. (reservations are not required and donations are accepted) Tuesday, February 19 – program is at 10:00 a.m. Questions, please call 895-5218 or email lwvlouisville@gmail.com.

Road Safety Survey for Clifton & Crescent Hill

The Clifton and Crescent Hill Community Councils are seeking information about potential problems and specific trouble spots from neighbors in the Clifton and Crescent Hill neighborhoods. They want to make the community safer for you and your families.

A joint committee from both neighborhoods will analyze the results of the survey and then work with neighbors, my office, and Metro and State agencies on possible changes and actions.

Your input is very valuable, so please take a few minutes to participate in this brief, anonymous survey.

This is the third and last time our eNews will feature this survey, so act now!  Please click here to take the survey.  

Notice of Planning & Design Public Meetings

For basic details for all of below case/s please visit http://www.louisvilleky.gov/PlanningDesign/. Click on “Search Case Information” link on the left navigation bar. Then select the “home” tab and select the type of case and enter the above case number.

You can also click on the image below to go to the application page, although the page may be slow to load.

For specific case information please call or email the listed case manager. If you have any questions please contact Planning & Design directly at 574-6230.

Help Olmsted Parks Restore Seneca Park

Olmsted Parks Conservancy hosts park restoration volunteer opportunities in Seneca Park on Tuesdays from 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. Tasks may include invasive plant removal, mulching, painting or general park beautification. Gloves, tools and guidance provided. Dress for the weather and working outdoors. Limited space is available. Please register online at www.olmstedparks.org

PSC Hearing on LG&E Rate Increase

The Kentucky Public Service Commission has scheduled a public hearing in Louisville, as it considers a rate increase request from LG&E. (Case number 2018-00295)

The information session and hearing is scheduled for Thursday, February 21st, 5:30 p.m., at Jefferson Community & Technical College (JCTC), Health Sciences Auditorium, 110 W Chestnut St. In Louisville. A 5:30 p.m. information session will be followed by public comments at 6:30 p.m.

LG&E has asked for a rate increase, to be applied in the fixed meter charge rather than in usage charges. That means you cannot decrease the charge by conservation.  Many people believe high fixed charges also negatively impact lower-income people.

Read more about the LG&E proposal in this WDRB article - and mark your calendar for the February 21 meeting.

Café LOUIE 2019 – February 23 at Crescent Hill

Meet your legislators at the Louisville Free Public Libraries in 2019. The purpose of Café LOUIE is to provide constituents and their elected representatives a chance to engage and “get-to-know” each other in an informal setting. From 9:00 am to 10:00 am each Saturday morning through March 30, attendees will be able to meet and interact with their elected officials. Elected officials will be given a brief time for prepared remarks and to answer a few pre-selected questions submitted by attendees. The focus of these meetings is engagement through personal conversations. I will attend the Café LOUIE on Saturday, February 23 at Crescent Hill Library, 2762 Frankfort Avenue. For a complete listing of Café LOUIE events, please click here.

Junk Pick-up in District 9 in March

It’s time to clean house and get ready for another junk collection if you live in the 9th District Louisville Metro Urban Services District (USD). You may begin setting out your junk on Friday, March 1, in the afternoon. All junk must be set out by Monday, March 4 at 6:00 a.m. Some items (hazardous materials, construction debris, etc.) are not collected. For collection guidelines, please click here. To sign up for junk set out reminders by email and text, click here! To see if you are in the collection area, visit www.louisvilleky.gov/district9, scroll to the bottom, click on “Find City Services by Address” and enter your address.

Tax Preparation Appointments Available

My office is partnering with the Louisville Asset Building Coalition (LABC) to provide FREE tax preparation services again in 2019. The service is FREE if you earned $64,000 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) or less in 2018 or if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Call the appointment line today to see if you qualify and make your appointment! Appointments are available every Friday through the end of tax season between 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at United Crescent Hill Ministries, 150 S. State Street, in Clifton. Please call the appointment line at 502-305-0005 to make an appointment or visit https://louisvillekyvita.cascheduler.com and please share this with anyone you think may be eligible. You may also call the D9 office at 574-3908. Click here to view brochure. Tax assistance is also available through AARP at Clifton Christian Church, 131 Vernon Avenue, on Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. This site will run through April 10. This location helps low and moderate income taxpayers with an Adjusted Gross Income of $60,000 or less, with special attention to those 60 years of age or older. Please note that sites will shut off their sign-in list when the expected maximum number of clients have been registered for that day. Early arrival is suggested. Also note that new returns cannot be started during the last hour scheduled for the site. Call 502-394-3443 to confirm site hours and find out if the registration list is filled for the day in question. Do you instead file your own taxes? Through the LABC website there are two options to self-file online. The “Turbo Tax Freedom Edition” is available if you have $33,000 or less in income. The software has a well-designed interview process that guides you through the process of making decisions about your filing status, inputting your income and making decisions about deductions and tax credits for which you may qualify. The other option is “My Free Taxes”, which is available if you make $64,000 or less. This program is developed by H&R Block and uses an interview process. Please visit, https://labcservices.org/index.php/free-tax-help/free-online-tax-filing, for more information.

District 9 Calendar Events

Below are some Ninth District calendar events!  To view a full listing of events please visit the District 9 Blog at http://district9news.wordpress.com/. If you would like to submit events to be considered for the blog calendar please email Kyle Ethridge or call 574-1109.

Thursday, February 14: Crescent Hill Library, 2762 Frankfort Avenue, to host a movie screening of Pillow Talk (1959) at 6:00 p.m. A playboy songwriter and a career woman feud over a party line until they meet and fall in love. Questions, please contact the library at 574-1793.

Thursday, February 14: Whitehall House & Gardens, 3110 Lexington Road, will host a Valentine's Day Dinner at 7:00 p.m. Served by candlelight, the dinner will feature a delicious 4-course meal. Tickets are $80 per person for a 4-course dinner or $100 per person for a 4-course dinner with wine. Reservations are required. Proceeds to benefit Whitehall. For more information, please visit www.historicwhitehall.org/valentines-dinner. Questions, please call 897-2944 or email whitehall@historichomes.org.

Friday, February 15: Did you earn $64,000 or less in Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) in 2018? If the answer is yes, you might qualify for FREE tax preparation! The 9th District has partnered again with the Louisville Asset Building Coalition to provide FREE VITA tax preparation to anyone making $64,000 or less. To make an appointment or for more information, please call 305-0005 or the D9 office at 574-3908. Appointments are available between 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at United Crescent Hill Ministries, located at 150 S State Street.

Friday, February 15: Carmichael's Bookstore, 2720 Frankfort Avenue, to host Flora K. Schildknecht and Annette Allen at 7:00 p.m. This event is for fans of poetry, literary fiction and screenplays. Questions, please call the store at 896-6950.

Monday, February 18: The League of Women Voters to host monthly Dinner & Democracy forum. The topic for discussion is How Clean is our Drinking Water? With environmental attorney, Tom Fitzgerald. Explore pollution in the Ohio River and the Role of ORSANCO (The Ohio River Sanitation Commission). Meeting will be at the Lang House, 115 S. Ewing Avenue. Dinner at 5:30 and program at 6:00 p.m. (reservations are not required and donations are accepted). Questions, please call 895-5218 or email lwvlouisville@gmail.com.

Tuesday, February 19: Olmsted Parks to host restoration volunteer opportunities in Seneca Park from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. Help restore neighborhood parks! Tasks may include invasive plant removal, mulching, painting or general park beautification. Gloves, tools and guidance provided. Dress for the weather and working outdoors. Limited space available. Register online at www.olmstedparks.org.

Tuesday, February 19: The League of Women Voters to host monthly Dinner & Democracy forum. The topic for discussion is How Clean is our Drinking Water? With environmental attorney, Tom Fitzgerald. Explore pollution in the Ohio River and the Role of ORSANCO (The Ohio River Sanitation Commission). Meeting will be at the Lang House, 115 S. Ewing Avenue. This is a repeated program from Monday's forum. Program is at 10:00 a.m. Questions, please call 895-5218 or email lwvlouisville@gmail.com.

Wednesday, February 20: Neighborhood Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Committee meeting at 7:00 p.m. at United Crescent Hill Ministries, 150 S. State Street.

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