Lexington Council Prepares to Review City Budget

by Brenna Angel, Kentucky Public RadioLexington Mayor Jim Gray’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year includes across-the-board cuts and 28 layoffs. But one Urban County Council member says not all cuts are created equal. 10th District Councilman Doug Martin says each department should bear its fair share of the burden.“How is it being allocated? If we have, for example, a part of the budget that has 58 percent of the budget, are we asking them to make 58 percent of the cuts? Whether we should or should not, but that’s a question I think that’s appropriate to ask. Are the cuts being allocated sort of disproportionately by department?" he says.The Public Safety department makes up the largest part of Lexington’s budget. The council faces a full calendar of budget meetings over the next several weeks. Five sub-groups of the council will review specific areas of the spending proposal and report back to the full body on May 24.Louisville is facing a roughly $22 million shortfall, and Mayor Greg Fischer will unveil his budget proposal next month.