Mayor presents budget address to Metro Council
Mayor Greg Fischer presented his 12th – and final – annual budget address to Metro Council Thursday, outlining new investments in priority areas, including public safety, public health, equity and quality of life.
“We’ve laid the groundwork,” he said, adding that the $1.3 billion budget for FY22-23 that he presented today “plants seeds for future progress.”
The overall budget reflects an increase over the $1.1 billion total of the previous year, including $715 million in general fund dollars, an increase of $57 million. And because of significant funding from federal, state, foundations and other sources, the Mayor proposes a capital budget of $343 million, more than doubling the $167 million in FY22.
Among the highlights:
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$10 million for affordable housing, which brings the total investment during the Mayor’s term to $106 million – more than any other administration in the city’s history, as well as $3 million in down payment assistance to help increase homeownership among low to moderate households and $3.4 million to repair and maintain homeownership in low-income areas.
- An additional $3 million matching grant for Evolve502, ensuring that every JCPS student in middle school and older can go to college tuition-free.
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Funding for three LMPD recruit classes as part of a three-year plan to get to 1,200 officers by the end of FY25, including laterals and rehires. The budget also allocates $6 million for the first phase of a new LMPD training facility – land acquisition and design.
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$412,000 to expand hours and programming at community centers, in addition to previously announced plans to spend $8.5 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) dollars, over three years, for the Office for Youth Development to create a data-driven youth development system for 10- to 24-year-olds – because, the Mayor said, “public safety also means giving our kids safe places to be.”
- Investments in the successful Clean Collaborative initiative, as well as five mowing cycles and $22 million to pave roads and repair sidewalks, in addition to $500,000 for scooter and bike lanes.
- And to help provide stability in coming years when American Rescue Plan (ARP) and CARES funds are exhausted, the Mayor proposes $10 million for the city’s Rainy Day Fund and $15 million to cover potential budget shortfalls in future fiscal years.
Today’s budget address follows this week’s announcement of $87.4 million in ARP funding for projects that range from new libraries and investments in early learning, to parks, pools, and public health.
See budget details at www.louisvilleky.gov/budget
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