LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- If Mayor Greg Fischer signs a budget passed by Metro Council on Tuesday night, across-the-board cuts to are coming to city services.
That vote happened quickly, and there was no debate and no surprises as Metro Council passed the budget, which was perhaps its toughest ever, by a sweeping margin of 24-1.
"There are deep cuts in this budget," Councilman Bill Hollander said.
Hollander, whose committee crafted the version that passed, was given a budget plan that eliminated hundreds of positions, an LMPD recruit class, a fire station and two libraries — just for starters.
"I think we have improved the budget from what the mayor proposed," Hollander said.
Hollander's committee removed some of the sting by restoring some funding to libraries, swimming pools and LMPD, but what passed Tuesday was still bleak. Madonna Flood was the only council member who voted "no."
"My father once told me when I was a very young girl that sometimes you have to stand, and sometimes you have to stand alone," she said through tears to a room of cheering workers who could lose their jobs because of the budget.
A program from CenterStone that helps those with mental health and drug problems, known as The Living Room, is wholly on the chopping block. An innovative crime prevention department, the Office of Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, would be bled. But perhaps the biggest cut in the budget is the one to Youth Detention Services, which would be turned over to the state in the plan. The union that represents many of those workers said the uncertainty is stifling.
Ron Richmond, with AFSCME Local 962, said his union might soon file an injunction or take legal action as a result.
"Actually, we are exploring that action right now," he said.
Fischer isn't a fan of that cut either. He released a lengthy statement after the vote, sharing his "concerns" with what Metro Council passed:
"Metro Council has approved a budget that reflects the difficult realities caused by our increasing state pension obligation. This increasing obligation is not the fault of Metro Council nor my office; however, when faced with the choice to raise revenue to prevent reductions in services to our citizens, Metro Council voted against new revenue.
"This budget is not what a thriving city like ours deserves, and it is not the budget that any of us want.
"Because we already have a lean government, there were no easy decisions. I proposed a balanced budget that prioritized public safety and basic city services, while working to minimize the pain on our most vulnerable citizens.
"Though the Council approved 99.5% of the budget I proposed, and I do appreciate that, I would not be doing my job if I did not share with you my concerns about their changes, including that their choices may deepen inequities in our community.
- "While I understand and share the desire to keep our library hours the same — and I love our libraries — Council does that by closing Youth Detention Services, before we can work out a solution with the State to keep our most vulnerable youth near their families and their schools.
- "The desire to keep the Middletown library is understandable, but Council has done that with deep cuts to our violence prevention efforts.
- "And Council has increased their neighborhood spending accounts by cutting the offices that work to create economic development throughout our city, and the office that makes Metro Government more efficient.
"While I disagree with these choices, my team will move forward, balance the budget and find ways to implement them with the least amount of pain to our residents. My thanks go to Budget Chair Bill Hollander for his leadership throughout this process.
"With our pension costs continuing to increase over the coming years, more cuts will keep coming. I don’t like it, but that’s reality. I understand that many people do not want to raise taxes, but no one likes service cuts either. We must face the reality that we must have new revenue if we want to continue to pursue greatness for our city.
"I pledge to continue to work with the State and our Metro Council to find new revenue, and to keep fighting to make sure Louisville has the services it needs to be the thriving, compassionate city that we all deserve."
Fischer will have until July 1 to sign off on what Metro Council passed Tuesday night. If he vetoes all or part of the budget, council will have a chance to override him.
After voting on the operating budget, the council also passed the capital budget, 25-0.
Unfortunately for Louisville Metro Government, the tough budget likely won't be the last, because the city's pension obligation is expected to grow again next year and in following years. In a caucus meeting Tuesday, Hollander warned that services that narrowly survived cuts this year will likely be back on the chopping block next year, unless something changes.
With that said, he hopes council will start discussing next year's budget as soon as August.
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- Mayor Fischer pitches ‘distasteful’ Louisville budget to offset pension woes
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