Council Begins Public Budget Hearings

Dozens of Louisville citizens addressed the Metro Council Budget Committee today as public hearings began on the mayor's proposed spending plan.Most of the speakers represented or supported external agencies that are set to take budget cuts next fiscal year. Councilwoman Mary Woolridge told the speakers not all of their requests for more money will go through, and she recommended they seek some of the community development funds given to each council member."If this funding that they're requesting is not restored, I certainly would suggest to them to ask the council members—individual council members and council members collectively—to help in some kind of way to fund some of their requests," she said. "All these requests and funding that they're requesting is not going to be put back in the budget. So that's just a suggestion I have for the external agency folks."The public hearings will continue Wednesday night from 6 until 8.