Louisville Democrat David James and Republican Ken Fleming don’t always agree as leaders of their respective caucuses, but the two Metro Council members hope city lawmakers tackle a number of issues this year.Among them is the new spending plan for the city. Mayor Greg Fischer says the local economy is bouncing back from the recession, but Metro Government still faces a $13 million budget shortfall.Both parties hope the budget process is transparent, and James and Fleming agree that public dollars for city services are running thin and need to be spent wisely.The mayor is pushing for a local option sales tax to fund special projects as a remedy, but council members may have their own agenda in mind. Several lawmakers have complained about the dip in funding for infrastructure, and say the road budget is woefully underfunded.James and Fleming talked about tax options, the city budget and a controversial state law that now allows residents to openly carry firearms in city buildings.
