Merger 2.0 Task Force Requests More Data

The Louisville Merger 2.0 Task Force subcommittee on data and communications met on Wednesday and has asked for more information about Metro Government’s Urban Services District.The task force was formed in January to review the 2003 merger between county and city governments. But because most cities still have separate taxes and separate services, this also means that the data is hard to collect.“I think the collection of that kind of data and a central clearing house of that is probably something that’s needed--not just for the Urban Service District but all of Jefferson County,” said Jack Will of the Jefferson County League of Cities.Some subcommittee members were concerned with the relationship between Louisville Metro and small cities in the county that have their own governments and tax systems. The subcommittee requested information about the amount of local agreements that Metro Government has had with other cities.The subcommittee may want to consider the dependency of outside money within individual cities, said William O’Brien with the County Attorney’s office.“There’s an invasion of that sovereignty, the ability to make your decisions. Because your decisions on whether you can provide something may be contingent on whether or not the other entity can provide money,” said O’Brien.But Parkway Village Mayor Mary Rose Evans said it’s not uncommon to have a local agreement with other cities in the county.The next subcommittee meeting is scheduled on Aug. 10. Results from the Merger 2.0 Task Force telephone survey are expected to be announced.