Over the last few weeks, I’ve heard from many people on the budget issues resulting mainly from the dramatically increased pension invoices we have received, and will be receiving, from the Kentucky Retirement Systems in Frankfort.

The Metro Council Budget Committee, which I chair, has hosted two public meetings, where around 120 people spoke. I’ve also attended and heard from the public at three public meetings in District 9 and other areas. My goal has been to have a fact-based, community-wide discussion about the increased costs, which Metro Council cannot affect under state law, and alternative ways to pay the bill, including an increase in the insurance premium tax, service level cuts or a combination of the two. Most of the conversation has been fact-based, although I continue to receive many copies of a chain email saying we can just solve our problem if we eliminate a $29 Million department we created last year. Unfortunately, there is no new $29 Million department to eliminate.

Some colleagues are saying we can solve this issue by rolling back programs, like the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods. But that office is a key part of our violence reduction strategy, which has helped reduce homicides in the community. In the same week that I heard colleagues say we need to stop investing in that program, I read an investigative report from Jacksonville, Florida about efforts by elected officials, police and prosecutors to start a similar program there, because its murder rate is spiking now like ours did a few years ago. The article noted the success of the program in multiple cities, including Philadelphia, Baltimore and New York. (The article is here.) Eliminating violence reduction programs that other communities are moving toward just isn’t good policy.

Other members are focusing on eliminating our support for affordable housing or investments in Louisville’s chronically underserved West Louisville neighborhoods. Those aren’t good ideas either.

Our pension invoice is rapidly rising, and the amount needed to cover it is enormous. The bill will be $60 Million more in FY 23, and every year thereafter, than when the increase started in 2018. Treating this as a one-year issue is appealing for some members, but the folks I have heard from don’t want us kicking the can down the road. They want solutions and they don’t want a pension crisis and new cuts every year. As this WFPL report said, we’re being told one thing: Figure it Out! - https://wfpl.org/residents-weigh-in-on-citys-budget-woes-mayors-proposed-tax-hike/.

We are working hard to do that. If we’re responsible, and don’t treat this as an opportunity to make political points or delay tough decisions, there will be a combination of service level cuts and increased taxes, but at a lower level than had originally been proposed. In fact, there are proposals for insurance premium tax rates that are equal to or lower than most other large counties in Kentucky, including Oldham County, which currently has rates double those for Louisville Metro taxpayers. Of course, that also means deeper and more painful cuts.

Links to videos of the Budget Committee’s meetings, and questions and answers submitted to the committee, are here.

More about the entire issue is at this Metro website.  

Each year, in conjunction with its annual Congress, the Congress of New Urbanism (CNU) invites municipalities and neighborhood organizations within the Congress’s host region to apply for pro-bono technical assistance from leading urban design firms. The Congress is in Louisville this year (June 12-15) and Beargrass Creek is getting some help.

The Kentucky Waterways Alliance is leading this project with three distinct goals:

1. Connect to the Creek – if we want Beargrass Creek to be healthy again, people need to see it and love it. Creating better physical and emotional connections to Beargrass Creek is the first step.
2. Improve the Creek’s Health – explore unique ways to bring back the ecological systems of Beargrass Creek to create a healthier, safer and more vibrant water system.
3. Develop Destinations – Beargrass Creek was a major influence in how Louisville developed. The goal is to reveal the story along South Fork and find places for people to engage with and celebrate Beargrass Creek.

How can you help? Attend an upcoming event and share your input.

• Open Studio on Friday, March 8 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. at New Directions Housing, 1000 E. Liberty Street. Plan to attend, ask questions and give feedback on your creek.
• Party on Saturday, March 9 at 4:00 p.m. at Mile Wide Brewery, 636 Barret Avenue. Attend for a presentation and celebration of this effort and learn about the week’s work, big ideas and next steps.

Questions, please contact Ward Wilson at ward@kwalliance.org or visit https://www.cnu.org/cnu27.

The Rodes City Run affects many streets this Saturday, including some in D9. Here’s a rundown:

The following streets will be closed, or have their traffic disrupted, during the following times:

6:30 am to 11:00 am

• Broadway from Brook to Second Street
  
  7:00 am to 11:00 am
• Broadway from Fifth Street to Second Street (Fifth will remain open (N/B)
• Third Street will remain open to cross traffic until 0630

7:30 am to 11:00 am

• Broadway from Brook Street to Baxter Avenue
• Baxter Avenue from Jefferson Street to Breckinridge Street
• Cherokee Road from Baxter Avenue to Grinstead Drive
• Grinstead from Cherokee Road to Lexington Road
• Lexington Road from Grinstead to Liberty Street/E. Chestnut
• Liberty Street from Lexington Road to E. Chestnut

NO PARKING AREAS
The following streets will have no parking during the following times:

4 am to 11:30 am

• Broadway from 5th Street to Baxter Avenue
• Cherokee Road from Baxter Avenue to Grinstead Drive
• Grinstead Drive from Cherokee Road to Lexington Road
• E. Chestnut from Liberty to Broadway

The following streets will be closed, or have their traffic diverted, between 12:00PM to 8:00PM on Saturday March 9, 2019 for the St. Patrick’s Parade. Adjacent streets will also be affected by this event.

• Broadway from Barrett Ave to Baxter Ave: 12:00pm to 6:00pm
• Rubel Ave from Benton Ave to Rogers St: 12:00pm to 6:00pm
• St. Anthony Place from Mercy Way to Broadway: 12:00pm to 6:00pm
• Payne Street from Bishop to West Alley west of Baxter Ave: 12:00pm to 6:00pm
• Hull Street from Bishop Street to West Alley west of Baxter Ave: 12:00pm to 6:00pm
• Rogers Street from Bishop Street to West Alley west of Baxter Ave: 12:00pm to 6:00pm
• Baxter Ave from Barret Ave to Highland Ave: 12:00pm to 8:00pm
• Bardstown Road from Highland to Midland Ave: 12:00pm to 8:00pm
• East Breckenridge Street from West Alley of Baxter Ave to Baxter Ave: 12:00pm to 8:00pm
• Christy Ave from West Alley of Baxter Ave to Baxter Ave: 12:00pm to 8:00pm
• Morton Ave from West Alley of Baxter Ave to Baxter Ave: 12:00pm to 8:00pm
• Highland Ave from West Alley of Baxter Ave to East Alley of Baxter Ave: 12:00pm to 8:00pm
• Grinstead Drive from Baxter Ave to Cherokee Road: 12:00pm to 8:00pm
• Cherokee Road will have one lane of traffic northbound diverted to Payne Street: 12:00pm to 8:00pm

I receive frequent complaints about irresponsible pet owners, especially ones who allow their animals to run off leash or who don’t clean up as they walk their dogs. Here’s a reminder about Louisville laws. Please keep our neighborhoods safe and clean, and follow them.

91.002 RESTRAINT REQUIRED

• All animals, excluding community cats, shall be kept under restraint at all times, as defined in this chapter, except as otherwise provided herein, and any deviation or violation thereof is strictly prohibited.
  
  91.010 SANITARY DISPOSAL OF ANIMAL FECES REQUIRED.

• It shall be unlawful for any owner or person in charge of a domestic animal or other four-footed mammal, poultry or other fowl to permit such animal to be on school grounds, metro parks or other public property, or on any private property other than that of the owner or person in charge or control of such animal without the permission of the owner of said property, or on any streets, sidewalks, highways, or rights-of-way of the Metro Government other than duly designated bridle paths, unless the owner or person in charge of such animals:
• Has, in his or her possession, a suitable device for the picking up, collection and proper sanitary disposal of the animal feces or manure.
• Immediately removes all feces deposited by such animal(s) and disposes of same in a sanitary manner.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), administered by the Office of Resilience and Community Services, continues through March 29. If you or someone you know needs help with your home energy bill, LIHEAP may be able to help. For more information about the program, including qualifications click here.

The Louisville Folk School, 225 N. Clifton Avenue, has almost finished repairs to the building from a fire in early January. They are now enrolling for Spring Sessions on March 18.

From beginners learning to hold and tune an instrument, to advanced students focusing on a specific skill or genre, Louisville Folk School has a group class for every musician. Want to play in a band-like setting? Be sure to check out the ensemble classes.

Check out the 20+ classes they are offering in the Spring Session, which begins March 18. You can still find lots of classes on all the coolest folk instruments at Louisville Folk School!

For more information and to register, please click here.

Last year, an Ohio River watchdog, the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), had plans to get rid of its pollution control standards for its eight member states, which include Kentucky. After an outcry from many people, the plans have changed. The standards may become voluntary for states. ORSANCO is now asking for feedback on the proposed revisions.

Public comments, technical and scientific studies, and data supporting those comments, can be made now through Monday, April 15, 2019, to assist in a public review and update of the current Pollution Control Standards for Discharges to the Ohio River - 2015 Revision. The purpose of the public review is to receive comments from interested parties on the proposed 2019 Revision. ORSANCO is particularly interested in receiving technical and scientific information or data that supports comments on proposals for revising the Standards.

There are three public hearings, but none are closer than Evansville, Indiana. Public comments can also be submitted by mail or email. In order to facilitate comments, ORSANCO will host two webinars to present an overview of the review it conducted and the proposed 2019 Revision. These webinars have been scheduled for March 12, 2019 at 10:00 am (Eastern Time) and March 14, 2019 at 6:00 pm (Eastern Time). For complete webinar directions, please visit: http://www.orsanco.org/webinar-directions/.

If you are unable to attend either webinar, the PowerPoint presentation is available on the webpage, and questions can be directed to ORSANCO at 513-231-7719.

All parties interested in submitting comments may do so by mail or email. Mailed comments should be addressed to ORSANCO, 5735 Kellogg Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45230, Attn: PCS Comments. Emailed comments should be sent to PCS@orsanco.org. Emailed comments must be sent by the original submitter. Third party emails will not be accepted in order to protect data systems integrity. Comments must be included in the body of the email. Email attachments will not be accepted in order to protect data systems integrity. Please contact ORSANCO directly at 513-231-7719 for instructions on submitting technical and scientific information or data since email attachments cannot be accepted. Your name and mailing address must accompany all correspondence.

The proposed 2019 Revision, background review materials, and initial public comment documents that were developed in the course of this review can be accessed from ORSANCO's web page at http://www.orsanco.org/programs/pollution-control-standards/.

Pedal Power, which works out of Beargrass Christian Church, 4100 Shelbyville Road, is collecting bikes and bike part donations. Pedal Power repairs donated bikes and gives them to organizations to distribute to individuals who have a need for them (such as United Crescent Hill Ministries). Every year, Pedal Power participates in the Mayor’s Give A Day Program and give bikes to Kentucky Refugee Ministries in April.

Donations may be dropped off at the garage behind the church at 4100 Shelbyville Road. Anyone needing information can call the church at 896-1161.

Photo: Voice-Tribune

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.

If you’ve been complaining about litter, here’s a chance to do something about it.

Please plan to join me on Saturday, April 13, for the D9 Spring Community Cleanup. In partnership with Brightside, we will be cleaning along Frankfort Avenue just one week before the Easter Parade. Volunteers should plan to meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Frankfort and Keats public parking lot for breakfast sandwiches, provided by the Clifton McDonald’s, and hot coffee, provided by Heine Brothers’ Coffee. The cleanup will officially start at 9:00 a.m. and fan out in the neighborhood. The District 9 office will provide bags, gloves, tools and t-shirts on a first-come, first-served basis. Questions, please contact the office at 574-1109.

Please save the date and join us!