LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A 2½-hour meeting of the Louisville Metro Council Budget Committee produced uncertain questions and uncertain answers in uncertain times.
Monday afternoon, Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad joined the virtual meeting to walk council through the police department's budget plan for the fiscal year that begins in July.
"There are so many uncertainties that we're facing because of the pandemic," he said bluntly.
As COVID-19 bulldozes the economy, the city’s bringing less tax money and soon might not have as much money to spend.
That uncertainty is making next year's budget tricky to craft, and leaving the door open to massive cuts to city departments such as LMPD unless the city scores more federal funding from Congress.
Despite the uncertainty, Budget Chair Bill Hollander, D-9, said he is happy to hear LMPD is still budgeting four upcoming recruit classes: one next month and three in the following budget year.
However, the chief said those classes won’t fix everything and will only keep the department at its current manpower.
Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Steve Conrad
"Our staffing remains a challenge for us each and every day," said Conrad.
He said if he’s forced to make cuts, things such as the SWAT team, mounted patrol and aerial unit could all be on the chopping block.
Hollander told WDRB News that any of those cuts would be "disturbing."
Even more disturbing, Hollander said, is that LMPD continues to lose good officers to better-paying departments near and far.
In the meeting, Council members including Barbara Sexton Smith, D-4, agreed that LMPD officers deserve raises as soon as possible.
"It is absolutely unbelievable that your Metro Council members, including myself, are compensated — as a new council member — higher than a new police officer," she said.
Hollander pointed out that funding those raises would cost money the city can’t easily find.
“Frankly, the money just has to come from someplace else, so what would you cut? Would you cut the library? Would you cut the fire department?” he asked.
Hollander said more money from Congress could solve these painful predicaments, but so far, no Washington hasn't arrived at an agreement.
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