LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer mapped out a plan Thursday for a big chunk of change the city found itself with.
If approved, the money would add dump trucks and replace outdated sanitation equipment for Public Works. It would also help to make wage adjustments to important jobs within Metro Government.
"That $20 million reflects greater than expected savings from city operations, along with unanticipated revenue growth," Fischer said. "All together, this proposal is designed to help us retain and attract quality employees — especially in our overstretched public safety agencies — and allow us to keep providing the city services our residents expect and deserve."
The proposal also aims to add two K9s to look for drugs at troubled Metro Corrections.
"I don't know how the drugs are entering the jail, but a trained dog is highly effective in sniffing out the problem," Metro Councilwoman Amy Holton Stewart said.
This comes on the heels of a tentative agreement with the union to give an 8% raise to all sworn jail officers and boost the starting pay to more than $44,000.
At least for now, Fischer's budget adjustment seems to have some bi-partisan support.
"I support the use of these one-time dollars to recruit and fill the gaping holes we have in staffing our public safety personnel,"  Metro Council Minority Caucus Chair Anthony Piagentini said. "Although I believe Executive Leadership should have been more proactive on this issue, there is never a bad time to pivot toward doing this the right way. This is just another step in ensuring the most important first job of local government, public safety, is properly funded and staffed for the benefit of our tax paying citizens."
The measures could be voted on by the full council as soon as Dec. 16.
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