Ever since the city-county merger in 2003, Democrats have held a majority on Louisville Metro Council, even gaining a supermajority in 2018. But a close mayor's race and national trends brought a first on Election Day: gains on the council by Republicans.
Ever since the city-county merger in 2003, Democrats have held a majority on Louisville Metro Council, even gaining a supermajority in 2018. But a close mayor's race and national trends brought a first on Election Day: gains on the council by Republicans.
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Ever since the city-county merger in 2003, Democrats have held a majority on Louisville Metro Council, even gaining a supermajority in 2018. But a close mayor's race and national trends brought a first on Election Day: gains on the council by Republicans.
"We went from 11 to 9 to 7," Anthony Piagentini, R-19, said referencing the number of Republicans on council. "So this is a historic win."
Those changes include new faces onto Metro Council and a slight shift in the balance of power.
"It means that the Democrats no longer have a supermajority any longer," Metro Council President David James (D-6) said Wednesday. "And it means that, to override a mayor's veto, we would have to get somebody from the other side of the fence to join the Democrats in order to do something like that."
Piagentini said it means more seats on committees for his party.
"It decreases the supermajority benefit that the Democrats had, which blocks their ability to do things like limit debate and go right to votes," he said, adding that areas outside of the Watterson are tired of being ignored, and the voters show it.
"We got whole swaths of this county outside of the Gene Snyder that haven't seen the love, haven't seen the services, haven't seen the leadership from certainly the mayor's office. And they're tired of it."
James said Wednesday he's excited to work with Democratic Mayor-elect Craig Greenberg, who he described as dynamic and ready to make changes.
"Like the abandoned vehicles — I know that he wants to address that quickly," James said. "So I know there are a lot of things on his plate as the new mayor."
Piagentini, James and Greenberg said the first priority is public safety, and talks are already underway as the new administration gets set to take office in January.
