Louisville Loses First Appeal In Take-Home Car Case, Not Willing To Negotiate Fees

Louisville Metro Government has again been dealt a legal setback in its effort to collect higher fees for city take home vehicles.The city raised the fees late last year to deal with a budget shortfall. The Fraternal Order of Police says the fees violate union contractsAn appeals judge yesterday refused to lift an injunction granted to the union in December. In the coming weeks, the matter will go to the state Court of Appeals and the Kentucky Labor Cabinet.Mayor’s spokesperson Chris Poynter says the city needs to be able to collect the higher fees.“If we can’t collect it, we’re going to have to find a way to find that money somewhere in the budget. Because you know the shortfall is coming no matter what so we’ve got to find the money somewhere," he says.Poynter says the city would not be willing to negotiate fees with the police if it loses the pending cases. An attorney for the FOP says the union is also willing to negotiate.You can read our previous coverage of this issue here.