WAVE 3 News Editorial - July 5, 2018: Louisville Budget
LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Credit to Louisville Metro Council and the Mayor for passing a $741 million budget with no new or increased taxes, cuts to services, or layoffs.
The budget included additional funding for Dare to Care and New Roots to address healthy food deserts in certain neighborhoods, and additional funding for the Waterfront Development Corporation, the new YMCA at 18th Street and Broadway, and several parks.
The Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods will see a budget doubled to help launch a cure violence now strategy, and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund will get $10 million from the city.
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It was good to see $10 million included in the budget as well for Heritage West, a project run by the Urban League to build a 24-acre track and field at the empty lot granted by the city at 30th Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard.
The $10 million will come from a 20-year Metro bond and will take care of a third of the expected $30 million price tag.
The budget includes an important provision to plan for a new police headquarters in the next budget, a glaring unmet need.
Looming ahead are pension and healthcare cost increases that will impact budget allocations so the need to significantly grow revenue prior to the next budget is paramount.
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