Final Budget Hearings Begin

This is the last week of budget talks in the Louisville Metro Council.The council’s budget committee has been holding hearings for much of June. Committee co-chair Kelly Downard says the council's discussions with agency leaders and community members have given them some ideas on what changes to make."You're going to see maybe some guidance on if the revenue comes in considerably over what thing should be spend and what things should be saved," says budget committee co-chair Kelly Downard. "An interesting theory—actually save money—if we'd done that we'd have some left for this year."Another change, Downard says, is to increase funding to external human services agencies such as Neighborhood Place."Cutting human services is the reverse of what 'ought to be," he says. "Our priorities would include trying to provide some services and cutting back maybe on things—on buying things and building things."He says he doubts any such changes will be controversial."The mayor will sign the budget we send back," says Downard. "It's not like we're going to cut out his deputy mayors. We are going to make changes that make sense, and the public will think they make sense too."The full council will vote on the budget at its next meeting Thursday.