LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Increases in operating budgets for many departments stand out in Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer's proposed budget, most notably a near $25 million increase in the allocation for police. 

In the current budget, the The Louisville Metro Police Department is receiving around $185 million. That would jump to about $210.5 million in the next budget, if approved by Metro Council.

A large majority of that increase accounts for wage increases, Fischer said. However, the proposed budget also includes funding for three new LMPD recruit classes and a $6 million new training facility. Funding is also allocated to police reform recommendations from Hillard Heintze's top-to-bottom review of the department.

Metro Corrections is also getting a boost in its budget from $55 million in the current plan to $57 million in the proposal. But the president of the Fraternal Order of Police for the Department of Corrections said he's not sure how far that additional $2 million will go.

"As we take that money and start divvying it out with inflation, whenever you look at the world we're living in today, it will be interesting to see how much more real-world resources that's going to equate to," Daniel Johnson said.

The FOP is elated about the $3.7 million it will receive in capital investments in the proposal. Fischer's plan suggests the money go toward new cameras and monitoring systems as well as additional body scanners at entrances of the jail after several deaths and tragedy at Metro Corrections in recent months.

"Even being short-staffed, there's some better technology out there that we're going to use to help us make our work staff more efficient," Johnson said.

In his address Thursday, Fischer called it "a healthy budget, the biggest budget that we've ever had, with strong capital projects coming to improve the city."

$22 million would be allocated to paving roads and fixing sidewalks. A matching grant of $3 million would allow all Jefferson County Public Schools students to receive a free, two-year college degree. The Louisville Zoo would get $5 million for a trails exhibit project. And more than $400,000 would expand hours at community centers around town.

Waterfront Park would receive $4 million from the city of Louisville with a match requirement from private fundraising for the park's $50 million project to expand into the west end. The city's funding would add to the $10 million allocated to Waterfront Park from the state's budget.

Fundraising will aim to take care of another $20 million for the project, but the state and city money will allow crews to begin work on Phase One of the project while more financing is secured.

"We will begin first with PlayWorks at Waterfront Park, which is the collaboration with Kentucky Science Center on the outdoor experiential learning area," said Deborah Bilitski, executive director of Waterfront Park. "We do plan to break ground later this year once MSD clears off the site and finishes its work on the underground waterway protection tunnel."

West Louisville Waterfront Park Renderings

The expansion will include plazas, gardens, a large observation pier and an interactive learning center called “Playworks.”

Waterfront Park plans to start a public fundraising campaign at some point, officials said.

Fischer announced details of his 12th and final budget proposal Thursday as he finishes his last four-year term in office since he was first elected in 2011. It's the city's largest budget ever and $200 million more than last year.

He said the increase is due to more money coming in from the federal and state governments, and he's hoping it will plant seeds for the city's future as he embarks on his last eight months in office. 

In addition to the aforementioned projects, the proposed budget has a heavy emphasis on public safety, funding for affordable housing and an outline of how to spend federal relief money from the American Rescue Plan. 

Metro Councilmembers will now look through the detailed proposal. Councilman Anthony Piagentini, R-19, cautioned fiscal responsibility and said he wants the council to make sure there's oversight in making sure the money is spent properly.

"Even in good times, we need to reinforce the budget rigor that we did when times were tough," Piagentini said.

Councilman Bill Hollander, 9, said there will be 30 or so hearings before the budget is finalized. The first hearing will be held at 3 p.m. May 9.

There will be two public hearing sessions, one at 6 p.m. May 18 and one at 6 p.m. June 2 at 6:00 p.m. If you would like to sign up, click here.

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