City Settles Contract Talks With Insight, Payout to Help Balance City Budget

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has announced his plans to fill the budget shortfall the city is facing for the current fiscal year.About $3.5 million will come from a settlement with Insight Communications. The city spent the last year negotiating a new contract with the cable provider. Insight has agreed to give the city the payout and preserve all existing services. The agreement will then be transferred to Time Warner Cable, which is purchasing Insight. Time Warner will negotiate a new contract with the city. The city hopes to preserve a program that provides free cable to government buildings and schools. Fischer also plans to work with Time Warner to keep Insight's call center in Louisville.An additional $6 million toward balancing the budget will come from savings within several city departments. There will be no layoffs, but nine vacant positions will be eliminated. The mayor will give up his $41,000 discretionary account and his office will contribute $72,000 back to the budget. Fischer is also asking the Metro Council to cut its budget over the next two years. The mild winter also attributed to savings. The city spent less on snow removal and low fuel prices kept several department budgets down.