LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Mayor Craig Greenberg, D-Louisville, laid out his administration’s agenda for the upcoming legislative session, outlining the major priorities and funding needs the city will present to state lawmakers.
Greenberg named public safety as his top priority, saying he would continue to work with members of the General Assembly to combat violent crime in Louisville. Those requests include providing Louisville with local autonomy to reduce its amount of gun violence compared to other Kentucky cities.
Greenberg will also seek to allow the Louisville Metro Police Department to destroy guns seized by police that were used to injure or kill people in Louisville. Currently, those weapons are required to be auctioned by the Kentucky State Police and too often end up back on the street.
“Since day one, my team and I have been committed to making Louisville a safer city,” the mayor said. “We’ve hired a top-notch chief of police and announced new investments in affordable housing and infrastructure. To continue our progress, we need the Kentucky General Assembly to help us keep guns out of the hands of those who seek to harm others.”
The mayor is also encouraging the legislature to invest in more affordable housing across the entire city. This includes a historic request of $50 million for the Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which helps create new housing for working families, people with disabilities and veterans. Earlier this year, the Metro Council unanimously approved the mayor’s annual budget, which included $15 million for the LAHTF.
Greenberg’s agenda also includes a request for $10 million to help launch the administration’s new Universal Pre-K initiative, which will provide free, high-quality education for every three- and four-year-old in Louisville. “Parents of young children need more preschool options so they can re-enter the workforce,” the mayor explained.
In total, Greenberg is requesting $250 million to complete several capital projects in neighborhoods all across Louisville. Those include:
$42 million for Parks & Recreation
$7 million to enclose the new Algonquin Park Aquatics Center
$30 million to spur downtown redevelopment for residential, retail, entertainment and other uses
$30 million in Ohio Riverfront development
$12 million for residential and entertainment around Lynn Family Stadium
The requests also include $11 million in funding for the Public Library Facilities Construction Fund program to complete the Fern Creek, Portland and Parkland libraries.
The legislative session for Kentucky’s General Assembly begins Jan. 2, 2024.
-
