LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Mayor Greg Fischer has proposed mid-year spending adjustment worth $5.2 million to address community needs.
The mayor worked with Metro Council on the proposal which focuses on public safety, homeless assistance, city cleanup and youth outreach efforts.
Officials said that funding is encompassed in two ordinances sponsored by Metro Council President David James and members Keisha Dorsey, Bill Hollander, Barbara Sexton Smith and Markus Winkler. It contains a $3.5 operating amendment and a capital amendment of $1.7 million.
The $3.5 million is a portion of the $26 million carried from the 2020 to the 2021 fiscal year for pandemic response and community needs.
Here's a breakdown of what the funding would provide:
- $1,000,000 for the city’s Clean Collaborative effort, including funds to increase Public Works’ staffing for community clean-ups, street sweeping and graffiti removal, and funding to expand the Downtown Louisville Partnership’s cleanup work.
- $600,000 for the Office of Resilience & Community Services to establish a mobile response team to address issues related to homelessness, and another $250,000 to address areas of need in homeless assistance efforts, as identified by a Louisville Metro Government gap analysis.
- $750,000 to assist with Kentucky Science Center operations due to decreased attendance caused by the pandemic.
- $583,700 for Codes & Regulations to increase vacant lot mowing and graffiti removal.
- $350,000 for the Office for Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods to hire youth outreach specialists and to fund the Group Violence Initiative (GVI), in partnership with the US Attorney’s Office – in an effort to address the racial disparities and inequitable impact of violence in our community.
Members will hear the proposal during a special budget committee meeting set for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday with a possible full vote by Metro Council on Thursday in an effort to make that funding available immediately.
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