Mayor Jim Newberry today unveiled a “very tight” budget for Lexington Fayette Urban County Government 
that includes no new taxes and only a few new initiatives. Among other things, the budget calls for cutting 180 city jobs through attrition and retirements by the end of the year.
Read Michelle Ku’s report here, where you also can download a copy of the mayor’s budget address and the budget document itself.
What do you think of the proposed budget? What do you like or not like about it? What other suggestions would you offer Mayor Newberry and the Urban County Council? Comment below.
April 8, 2008 at 9:16 pm
They should have given more to the Downtown Development Authority and the Downtown Lexington Corporation as it appears that downtown is going to need all the help it can get if developers like Dudley Webb and Phil Holoubek and Snyder are unable to take risks and push progress for our downtown. I am all for progress and change in downtown - and jobs!
April 8, 2008 at 9:21 pm
I find it sad in several ways. First, not only is he going to go back on his promise to hire 150 additional police officers JUST to bring Lexington in line with similar-sized cities and to address the increase in crime, but he’s going to CUT 25 that are supposed to be hired that aren’t even part of the 150 he promised…so he’s cutting the police department from it’s current authorized levels. If you are for or against this…surely my next point will upset you. He is proposing raising E-911 fees and EMS fees (which are already through the roof) to FUND THE GENERAL FUND. Go to any other county and ask them what E-911 fees are for, and it’s STRICTLY to fund E-911 services, not anything else in government. EMS fees should only be for LFD, since they are providing this vital service, the funding should come back to the FD to be used to keep the service at its current levels and to keep equipment up-to-date. Basically you could use EMS fees to fund Fire/EMS, E-911 fees to fund E-911 services, but neither should be going to pay for other city programs.
April 8, 2008 at 10:10 pm
Finally, someone willing to run the city a little more efficiently. The last thing we need is more police officers and fire fighters. The city will be in a bigger whole if they go down this path as collective bargaining has officially made it impossible to do anything for this city. Most of their money is tied in payroll and very little for operations. Not a way to run a city. And the spineless council decided to table visionary initiatives like the scholarship program. Yeah right more police and fire fighters. You talk about pork barrel waste it is probably in those places that spend the most money anyways. People are the most expensive thing and I am finally proud of a mayor who is standing up and doing the right thing and the political thing to do as council. What next losers like Jerry above….a police to walk everyone to safety. Get real people, these are tough economic times. Definitely a great job under difficult circumstances and I hope the council will be held responsible by the liberal herald leader.
April 8, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Hiren, I was with you all the way until you started the personal attacks.
I find the police presence here to be MORE than generous. We must have more than enough firefighters as they’re almost always running lights and sirens and impeding the flow of traffic. Maybe Mayor Newberry can cut down on fuel expenses by only having the lights and sirens on for real emergencies (there just can’t be that many)
April 9, 2008 at 1:02 pm
So if the plan was for 150 new police officers by 2010, and that has been cut back by 50 with an additional 25 positions that won’t be refilled then that still leaves an additional 75 officers. Have those 75 been hired already or was the plan to hire an additional 50 each year until 2010?