LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Thursday marks the first opportunity for Louisville residents to weigh in on the proposed $986 million Louisville Metro budget for Fiscal Year 2022. Thursday night is the first of just two public comment opportunities before Louisville Metro Council members are expected to vote on the proposal in June.

The proposal would quadruple spending for public safety. That does not just include funding for the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD). More than $500,000 would go to the Group Violence Intervention Initiative. More than $750,000 would go to the Office of the Inspector General. That office will work with the newly-formed Civilian Review and Accountability Board to examine LMPD. Mayor Greg Fischer calls it re-imagining public safety.

"This budget expands the concept of public safety beyond policing. It includes social workers. It includes community mobilization. It includes preventing young people from getting involved with crime in the first place," said Fischer.

Spectrum News 1 reached out to the River City Fraternal Order of Police for comment on the budget proposal but has not heard back yet.

Other expenditures include:

• Funding for small businesses
• Assistance for minority-owned businesses
• Expanding Waterfront Park to West Louisville
• Funding for affordable housing
• Paying for street paving

The virtual meeting is at 6 p.m. Thursday. People who want to speak at it had to sign up in advance. That sign-up was available Wednesday but is now closed. People will have another chance to speak at a public hearing on May 27.

The full Metro Council is expected to vote on the budget on June 24.