Final Budget Negotiations Underway This Week

by Stephanie CrosbyLouisville Metro Government will likely have a budget for the upcoming fiscal year by the end of this week. Metro Council Budget Committee co-chair Kelly Downard says caucus representatives will negotiate today on what to include in the budget that will be considered by the panel this week.He says they’ll likely meet to discuss and vote on those changes on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon.“The budget committee will hear the final, hammered-out versions and then hammer it out again if there needs to be some additional thought patterns - and sometimes that happens," says Downard. "I do not believe it will be a contentious process at all, I think this council has gone beyond those days.”After the budget committee passes a budget, the full council will take it up at its regular meeting on Thursday evening.