City To Charge Police For Cars

With gas prices rising, Louisville Metro Government will start charging police officers a monthly fee for use of a take-home vehicle.Since February, officers who use their cars for second jobs have had to pay $60. Now, officers without second jobs must pay $30 a month for their cars, which can be used for personal business. Other city employees with take-home vehicles are also charged $30.The move comes in response to higher gas prices, which its estimated will cost the city more than $9 million in the next fiscal year. To cut fuel costs,  Nashville and Lexington have announced plans to downsize their fleet. Mayor’s spokesperson Chad Carlton says that’s not likely to happen in Louisville.“We’re not moving in that direction," he says. "We feel like this is a more responsible approach that maintains the benefit to the citizens and maintains the benefit our employees get.”Carlton says the city will make about $570,000 by charging employees for their cars.