LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As Louisville's Metro Council examines Mayor Greg Fischer's proposed $986 million city spending plan, citizens had the chance to air their concerns and opinions on Thursday night. In a public input session, people sounded off with some spending suggestions for the council members on the virtual call. There was much feedback on Fischer's $20 million proposals for public safety measures beyond policing. Community activists are offering their feelings on how funding could curb the city's streak of gun violence.

Louisville's well-known anti-violence activist, Christopher 2x, is a believer in funding for Fischer's alternative public safety. That means putting money toward a plan to dispatch mental health professionals on emergency calls, a "Pivot to Peace" anti-violence initiative at hospitals and the Group Violence Intervention (GVI) initiative to interrupt the cycle of violence that's plagued the city. 

"How are we going to really, this time, try to create efforts to support violent crime victims and survivors?" is 2x's focus. 

He is hoping dollars can go to violence survivors to help them escape unsafe situations, too. 

"You know what I'm advocating for is families and children getting displaced by gunfire issues," 2x stated. "When there's a fire or natural disaster, we can lean on the Red Cross for some level of assistance and help. These families face stray bullets coming into their households, children being put in harm's way ... there's nothing in place to try to deal with that trauma," he claimed. 

In the meeting Thursday, others pleaded for their causes. Jennifer Hancock, with Volunteers of America, spoke on behalf of Unity House. 

"We are virtually the only place in Louisville that keeps families together while providing comprehensive services that lead to placements in longterm stable housing," Hancock told council members, "And yet, we face cuts of nearly $90,000 in the budget recommended by the mayor."

She urged members to keep that money in place for Unity House. 

Others, like Rev. Dr. Angela Johnson, urged members not to spend some $600,000 on the Synergy program. It's meant to serve as a way to repair the community's relationship with the police. However, Johnson feels there's another way to better do that, with a "Truth and Transformation" program instead. 

"The mayor's proposal to spend over half a million dollars on the Synergy project does not hold promise for bringing about the kind of changes in police-community relations that are so badly needed in our city," Johnson said. 

It's the council's job to pass a budget this summer. That's expected to happen in June. 

While 2x is big on the public safety piece, he also is supportive of the mayor's plan not to defund police. Under Fischer's proposed budget, the funding for Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) remains the same. 

"At the end of the day, you've got to have skilled investigators to try to get [victims] accountability," he remarked.

Citizens can register to comment with their thoughts in the next meeting on May 27.