May and June are officially budget season at Metro Council. As a member of the Budget Committee this is a very busy time of the year for my colleagues and me. The result of these budget negotiations will be instrumental in how Metro Government will operate from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025…from department staffing levels to investments in large capital projects. I certainly believe that how we decide to spend our limited resources is a direct reflection of our priorities as a government and as a community.
Mayor Greenburg presented his budget to the full Metro Council on April 25th and the Budget Committee began hosting the leadership of each Metro Department to discuss their draft Capital and Operating budgets last week. Those question-and-answer sessions will continue through mid-June. During this time, we encourage constituents, advocates, and interested organizations to reach out to our office to express their budget-related priorities and concerns so we can incorporate those comments into the negotiation and decision-making process. This process will culminate with the vote on the annual budget at the June 20th Metro Council meeting.
I probably don’t have to say that there is substantially more community need than there are public resources, so this process is all about compromise and not everyone will be happy at the end of the day. At its core, this process determines which projects and departments are fully funded, which ones are under-funded, and which ones are cut. Budget season is a rewarding process, but it can also be very painful.
Please use the link provided below to access a copy of the Mayor’s budget, a schedule of all the budget hearings, and a link to a Wufoo form that will allow you to express your opinion. You are also welcome to email or call the District 9 office directly. We look forward to hearing from you! https://louisvilleky.gov/government/metro-council