Metro Councilman Kevin Kramer

601 W. Jefferson Street
Louisville, KY 40202
502.574.1111
Kevin.Kramer@louisvilleky.gov
 

  
Scott Harrington

Legislative Assistant
Phone: 502-574-3456 Scott.Harrington@louisvilleky.gov

In this issue:

• Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget Summary
• Councilmen Benson, Engel & Kramer Team up to offer Free Pickleball Clinic
• Mayor announces ‘Safe Summer Bash’ funding for community programs to keep city’s youths active & engaged

Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget Summary

On Thursday the Metro Council passed the Capital and Operating Budgets. The combined budgets represent approximately $1.27 billion in funding, which is a significant increase from previous budgets due to infusions of federal dollars coming to our community through multiple economic and infrastructure programs. Following two months of hearings, the committee began its work amending the Mayor’s original proposal to address concerns brought forth through Council hearings as well as those priorities voiced to members of the Council through a multitude of ways by the citizens of our city.

Amendments made by the Metro Council increase funding for paving by $10 million bringing our total commitment to fixing streets to over $31 million annually. This investment makes clear our commitment to fixing our infrastructure as over the past seven budgets we have moved our commitment to paving from less than $3 million eight years ago, to now $30 million. In addition to increasing paving funding, we have also increased investments in fixing sidewalks, parks and other buildings by significantly increasing our investments in each of these areas.

Although much focus was placed on infrastructure, the Metro Council also made efforts to seek improvements in the way we try to help those who are houseless or in need of the most basic of assistance. This budget increased funding for the “Another Way” program which travels our community picking up persons who are soliciting assistance on roadsides and gives them opportunities to earn a day’s wage while also being linked in with important government services. The Metro Council also added funding for five additional persons in the Resilience and Community Services Department (RCS) to improve Metro’s ability to quickly address new houseless person encampments that are established in the Metro.

While much of this article has been focused on new projects and services, I want to take a moment to make one thing clear – these additions were made working within the revenues proposed within Mayor Fischer’s budget proposal. Meaning we found ways to improve this budget through finding efficiencies and cuts rather than through increased taxes or taking on additional debt.  

Beyond increasing our investment in infrastructure, our other main goal entering the FY23 budget process was to challenge the operating assumptions made by Mayor Fischer. This will ensure that we do not find Metro Government in need of higher taxes or deep cuts due to unrealistic economic projections or increased operational expenditures taken on through many of the new American Recovery Program (ARP) programs created over the course of this year.

The final FY23 budget is a significantly better budget than what we started with in late April. While there are always things that I would like to see changed, after 45 hours of hearings and significant bipartisan cooperation, we have a budget that better reflects the ideas and values of the people of Louisville Metro. This budget will bring improved roads, additional investments in public safety as well as funding that will hopefully start to reverse annual loss of police officers that has left our force much smaller than we were five years ago.

Highlights of the Metro Council’s FY23 Budget Amendment

• Increased funding in paving by $10 million annually to a total of $30 million.
• Increased funding for sidewalk repair by $1.25 million to a new total of $3.25 million
• Reduced the number of positions created within the Mayor’s Budget Proposal
• Increased investments in Libraries through an additional $200,000 for new books and e-books as well as additional hours for some branches.
• Increased investment in Parks through more than $5 million, including continued work in Charlie Vettiner Park, Des Pres Park, Cox Park, Long Run Park, Bill Lile Running Creek Park, Iroquois Amphitheatre, Jefferson Memorial Forest, and many other parks throughout Louisville Metro.
• Reserving additional funding to ensure that slower than projected growth will not result in future needs for tax increases or budget cuts.
• Funding for a sidewalk feasibility study and public questionnaire for S. Beckley Station Road.

“The amendment proposed today represents not just new projects and priorities, but also the effective work of the Metro Council’s Budget committee. The past two months of hearings have yielded savings and sought efficiencies allowing us the opportunity to add millions towards increased paving, sidewalk repair and park improvements without increasing debt or adjusting revenue projections. I thank each member of the committee as well as the many citizens who participated in these efforts.” – Councilman Kevin Kramer, Louisville Metro Council Budget Vice-Chair

Highlights of the Passed FY23 Capital and Operating Budget Includes:

• Funding for new training center for LMPD as well as funding to open a new LMPD Headquarters in Downtown Louisville
• No additional taxes or fees are planned as part of this year’s budget.
• Additional funding for programs associated with mental health, crime prevention as well as jobs programs are funded to help address challenges following government shutdowns due to COVID regulations etc.
• Funding set aside for matching up to $100 million in Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill projects that may be awarded to Louisville Metro through grants.
• Support for expansions at both Waterfront Park (Phase IV) and the Louisville Zoo (Kentucky Trails Expansion)

A copy of the final budget will be published online in the coming week. To review the current budget proposal with amendments please use the following link: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/management-budget

Councilmen Benson, Engel & Kramer Team up to offer Free Pickleball Clinic

Councilmen Stuart Benson (District 20), Robin Engel (District 22) and Kevin Kramer (District 11)  are hosting a Free Pickleball Clinic and Meet & Greet with the pickleball community at Charlie Vettiner Park on Saturday, July 2, 2022.  The clinics are being offered  to address the overwhelming interest witnessed as approximately 250 persons attended the grand opening of the 12 new pickleball courts at Charlie Vettiner Park (10207 Mary Dell Lane).. Two separate one hour clinics will be held at Charlie Vettiner Park. The clinics which will start at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. are free, but advanced registration is strongly suggested to ensure your participation in one of the two sessions.. Walk-ins to the clinic will be permitted if extra slots are available.   To register in advance and secure your spot, please contact Angela Webster at 574-3465 or by emailing angela.webster@louisvilleky.gov.   What: Free Pickleball Clinics  When: Saturday, July 2, 2022 at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Where: Charlie Vettiner Park (10207 Mary Dell Lane) Registration: Contact Angela Webster at 574-1120 or angela.webster@louisvilleky.gov

Mayor announces ‘Safe Summer Bash’ funding for community programs to keep city’s youths active & engaged

City providing 50 vendors a total of $750,000 for youth-focused programs throughout the city, including those at local Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA and Metro Parks & Recreation facilities

Mayor Greg Fischer today joined representatives of the city’s Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods (OSHN) and its Youth Engagement Services (YES!) team, as well as Louisville Parks & Recreation to announce the 50 recipients of city-funded grants for the “Mayor’s Safe Summer Bash” initiative, aimed at keeping Louisville’s youth active, engaged and safe this summer.

YES! – formerly known as the Office for Youth Development and now a division of OSHN focused on engaging youths in violence prevention and learning healthy lifestyles – is funding the grant program, one of many violence prevention and intervention efforts embedded in Mayor Fischer’s “whole of government, whole of city approach” to public safety.

“We know that keeping our kids safe and on a productive path this summer starts with providing them safe, productive ways to spend their free time,” the Mayor said. “And our city is blessed with so many community partners that are doing just that. We are pleased to be able to support those partners with this ‘Safe Summer Bash’ funding.”

Examples of recipient organizations include AMPED, the Americana Community Center, Whitney Strong, Change Today, Change Tomorrow, the LouCity and Racing Foundation, along with newer groups like Kentuckiana Backyard Farms and Kaylyn's House of Joy. (See the full list here.)

The programs began June 7 and will run to July 29, serving youths in neighborhoods around the city’s Beechmont, California, Newburg, Parkhill, Portland, Shawnee, South Louisville, Southwick and Sun Valley community centers. OSHN estimates approximately 2,000 youth will participate.

Recipients were selected after a competitive request process, with extra points given to programs that will operate in the city’s community centers, and those in the neighborhoods with a high rate of gun violence. Grants range from to $2,700 to $20,000 and will support programs ranging from voice lessons to soccer clinics to educational tutoring to help stem summer learning losses.

OSHN Assistant Director Carla Kirby said, “For children living in neighborhoods with high crime rates, summer often can increase stress and isolation. Those children aren’t taking a family car vacation or summer camp. Gun violence in Louisville is a public health epidemic impacting them directly, and as a community, we must offer them opportunities to have fun, be active and learn – in safe spaces, for free.”

Anyone interested in participating in any of the Safe Summer Bash programs should first reach out to the community center nearest you to see which are offered there – two thirds of the programs are located in the centers. For information on other programs, call the YES! Office at 502.574.5696.