LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Louisville Metro Council will vote on whether to approve next year’s $1.2 billion budget on Thursday, June 26. The council’s budget committee overwhelmingly approved the final proposal Monday night.  


What You Need To Know

  • Louisville Metro Council will vote on next year’s budget Thursday

  • Mayor Craig Greenberg, D-Louisville, supports the $1.2 billion proposal

  • Earlier this week the council agreed to advance the final version of the budget plan

  • It will be voted on this Thursday at 6 p.m.

“So I’m excited for Thursday. I’m excited for Metro Council’s vote,” said Mayor Craig Greenberg, D-Louisville, during a news conference Tuesday. “It invests in new and updated equipment like license plate readers and cameras to help deter criminals and solve crimes when they do happen.”Chappell,

According to District 15 councilwoman Jennifer Chappell, council members received the final city budget proposal only five hours before a committee approved it Monday evening. Leaving little time, she said, to go through massive documents.

Jennifer Chappell represents District 15 on the Louisville Metro Council (Spectrum News 1/Mason Brighton)
Jennifer Chappell represents District 15 on the Louisville Metro Council (Spectrum News 1/Mason Brighton)

“It’s really disappointing that we weren’t given that document a lot sooner, I always say this budget process is very gate kept and so this feels like more of that gatekeeping in that we’re not allowed to really take the time to understand it,” Chappell told Spectrum News.

Chappell said, there were several late-added changes that caught her eye which she has concern with. That includes the Louisville Metro Police Department budget, which is increasing over last year’s allocation, and is over $250 million. It now also includes $6 million for a proposed first responder training facility in southwest Louisville.

“It should be noted that their facility, there’s no plan for it, there’s no land for it, there’s nothing other than now $6 million that will be sitting in a pot for this to go to a facility which we’ve been told is going to cost about $100 million,” Chappell stated.

The proposal included $12.5 million for the affordable housing trust fund—down from Greenberg’s initial $15 million proposal, money to build two additional homeless shelters and expansion of existing ones, security improvements to the newly opened Algonquin Park pool and improvements to the city’s snow removal plan

Chappell said money earmarked for Louisville Alcoholic Beverage Control is also being raised, but won’t go toward hiring new positions in the 16 person department.

“This seems like a budget that’s contradictory to what the people want and that’s very unfortunate,” Chappell said.