LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In its Thursday night meeting, Louisville Metro Council passed the spending plan, making the $986 million budget for next year official. It includes many things, like nearly $20 million for the plan Mayor Greg Fischer touts as "Reimagining Public Safety." However, in the 24 to 2 vote, Councilwoman Paula McCraney, D-District 7, said the spending plan is not bold enough.

There are many things hundred of millions of dollars will pay for, and some of the highlights include: 

• About $9 million to pay for raises for police, EMTs, firefighters and corrections staff 
• $2.9 million for the pilot 911 Prioritization and Deflection Project 
• $600,000 for a special police-community relation project, "Reconciliation" with the John Jay National Network for Safe Communities 
• $279,400 for the "Another Way" program with Goodwill Industries 
• $100,000 for the Volunteers of America Unity House 
• $200,000 for the "Parks for All" Equitable Investment Plan 
• $150,700 for expanded graffiti removal efforts
• $2 million to renovate the Portland Library, $500,000 to reopen Carnegie Library and $1,040,000 for Phase I Fern Creek-area library
• $22 million for road and sidewalk repairs

"This isn't the exact budget any of us would pass," Budget Committee Chair Councilman Bill Hollander, D-District 9, told the full council before the vote. "It never is, but budgeting requires compromise, and I appreciate everyone who's done that this year. It's a budget that I believe moves our community forward." 

"This year, we should have gone bold and big," McCraney then challenged. "I did as much as I could to ask us to think creatively, to think bold, to think better, and to build back better much better than what this budget does."