OUR PLAN FOR LOUISVILLE

A Budget That Works for Everyone

Total Budget: $1,125,931,500 — Metro’s FY2026-27 adopted operating budget

THE VISION

Louisville deserves a budget that invests in people, prevention, and community power. We can afford it. We just need to spend smarter.

Three Main Pillars:

1. 👮 Neighborhood policing & prevention
2. 💰 Competitive employee pay (17.8% raises for non-union employees)
3. 🏛️ Community programs that work

Plus Your Voice in the Process:
🗳️ $15M Participatory Budgeting – YOU help decide neighborhood spending

1. SAFER COMMUNITIES

Mini Police Substations: At Least One in Every ZIP Code

What: Officers based in YOUR neighborhood, not downtown
Why: Crime prevention through community trust
Evidence: 50+ cities report 20-30% crime reduction
Timeline: Year 1: 12 stations → Year 4: All 63 operational

How it works:

• Officers walk your block daily
• 24/7 neighborhood presence
• Community meeting space
• Know residents by name
• Build trust, prevent crime

18 Community Wellness Centers

What: Healthcare in your neighborhood
Why: Address root causes of crime
Services: Primary care + mental health + addiction treatment
Cost: $45M (saves $80M in ER costs)
Timeline: 6 centers per year for 3 years

Impact:

• Walk to healthcare, don’t wait for crisis
• Mental health treatment, not jail
• Address addiction with care
• Keep families healthy

$32.5M Youth Programs

What: Education & Youth Development (Policy 06)
Why: Prevent crime at the source

Programs:

• After-school (3-7pm when crime peaks): $12M
• Paid summer jobs and internships for teens: $8M
• Early childhood education: $5M
• Year-round schooling pilot: $4M
• Library youth programs: $2M
• School support partnerships with JCPS: $1M
• Fair school funding advocacy in Frankfort: $0.5M

Evidence: Youth employment reduces crime 35%

$2.2M Fire Prevention

What: Teach safety before disasters
Why: Prevent fires, save lives

Services:

• Free home inspections
• Smoke detector programs
• Public safety education
• Community workshops

Evidence: 40% fewer fires (proven nationwide)

Paid for inside Louisville Fire, which stays flat at its adopted $85,520,300: half of Fire’s unscheduled overtime, $1.37M, starts the program in Year 1, and the rest of the $2.2M is added only as Fire’s own overtime-and-staffing review shows money that can move without taking an engine out of service.

$5M School Zone Safety Program

What: Protect children around schools
Why: Speed reduction saves lives

Programs:

• Automated speed enforcement cameras, once Frankfort allows them: Kentucky law does not yet permit them in school zones, and we will ask the General Assembly to change that
• Enhanced crosswalks with high-visibility markings
• Flashing speed limit signs near schools
• Physical traffic calming (speed bumps, curb extensions)
• Crossing guard program expansion
• Officer presence during drop-off/pickup times
• Safety education programs for students

Evidence: Cities with school zone cameras see 50% speed reduction, 30% fewer accidents

How we pay for it: $5M a year re-pointed inside Public Works’ street-safety budget. Crossing guards and officers at drop-off and pickup are already LMPD’s job; mini-substation officers add to them.

Community Detectives: 52 Positions — $8.8M

What: Prevention-focused detectives embedded in every council district
Why: Build relationships and gather intelligence to prevent crime before it happens

Details:

• 2 detectives per council district (26 districts × 2 = 52 positions)
• Focus on community relationship building and prevention
• Work closely with mini substation officers
• Annual cost: $8.8M (about $170,000 each before overtime), inside LMPD’s own budget — detectives LMPD already employs, reassigned to the districts, not new hires

18 Mental Health Crisis Teams — $8M

What: Social worker or therapist + officer pairs responding to mental health calls
Why: Mental health crises need mental health professionals, not just police

Details:

• 18 teams, one based at each wellness center, covering all of Louisville
• Social worker leads interaction, officer provides safety backup
• 8am to midnight at first, the peak crisis hours, growing to 24/7 for mental health and substance abuse crises
• Annual cost: $8M, paid inside LMPD’s own budget (the officers come from patrol)

2. BETTER PAY: $27.4M YEAR 1 INVESTMENT

Why It Matters

The Problem:

• Louisville loses experienced employees to surrounding counties
• High turnover costs millions in training
• Lower pay = lower quality service

Our Solution:

• Raises of 11%, 3% and 3% for employees with no union contract, 17.8% over three years; union members’ raises come through their contracts
• $16.9M in Year 1 ($93.8M over 4 years); the full package for every Metro employee is one of our long-term goals
• Competitive with private sector
• Retain experienced talent

Where It Goes

The $27.4M is held as one raise pool until a pay plan sets each department’s share: $19.2M of it is money Metro already spends (the platform’s administration and efficiency savings), and $8.2M comes from revenue enhancements.

The Impact

For Employees:

• Starting police officer: $48K → $53K
• Starting firefighter: $42K → $47K
• Public works operator: $38K → $42K
• Librarian: $40K → $44K
• Parks staff: $32K → $36K

For Louisville:

• 35-50% reduction in turnover
• Better service quality
• Experienced workforce
• Long-term savings

3. COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Youth Development: $32.5M

• Seven programs in one plan (Policy 06)
• Clear accountability
• Evidence-based approaches
• Measurable outcomes

Paid for with $23.5M of Metro General Fund money, $6M in federal grants, $2M reallocated from programs that aren’t working and $1M from employer partners.

Wellness Centers: $45M

• 18 neighborhood locations
• Comprehensive care
• Walk-in access
• Preventive focus

Parks & Recreation: $40,796,700 (flat; $14M of it is re-pointed to after-school programmes and public art in parks)

• Enhanced facilities
• More programming
• Better-paid staff
• Community hubs

Library System: $31,399,100 (it takes on youth jobs, after-school and school-based childcare)

• Modern technology
• More programs
• Community access

Community Development: $53.4M

• Street outreach
• Conflict mediation
• Trauma support
• Community-based programs

4. YOUR VOICE: $15M

Participatory Budgeting (26 Council Districts)

What it is:

• YOU help decide neighborhood spending
• About $577,000 per council district, for residents to spend however they see fit
• Community proposals
• Democratic voting
• Metro implements winning projects

How it works:

1. Community brainstorms ideas
2. Proposals developed with city staff
3. Community votes on priorities
4. Top projects get funded
5. Metro implements and reports

Why it matters:

• 3,000+ cities use this worldwide
• 90% resident satisfaction
• Better projects (community-designed)
• 40% increase in civic engagement
• 20% faster project completion

Examples from other cities:

• New playgrounds in high-need areas
• Street lighting improvements
• Community gardens
• Small business support
• Public art installations

HOW WE PAY FOR IT

No New Taxes. No Deficit Spending.

Same total, every dollar placed. The plan spends exactly Metro’s adopted FY2026-27 operating budget, $1,125,931,500. A published reallocation ledger shows every department’s adopted budget beside its budget under this plan, and the two columns add to the same total, to the dollar.

• Dave’s five priorities come first, funded in full: raises for Metro’s non-union employees, Public Safety & Community Policing, the $15M participatory budget, Education & Youth Development, and Neighborhood Development. Together they ask $214.71M a year of Metro money. $206.51M of it is money Metro already spends; the other $8.2M of the raises comes from revenue enhancements (license compliance, delinquency collection, parking and non-resident fees).
• Most of it is paid inside the departments that do the work, by changing what they already spend money on. Money moves between departments only from sources the platform names or Dave has chosen: the smaller jail, the administration and duplication savings, the efficiency savings, $1M from juvenile detention, and Thrive by Five’s Metro money.
• Also funded in full: Senior Services, Disability Rights & Accessibility, Arts, Culture & Tourism, and Technology & Innovation.
• Partly funded, and growing: Criminal Justice Reform, Environmental Justice & Climate Action, and Economic Development & Jobs start with what their departments can carry, and grow with outside money and with jail savings once those savings are proven.
• Phased: Public Health & Wellness and Food Systems & Urban Agriculture launch on their own non-Metro funding. Metro adds its share as the jail savings prove out.
• The named gap: about $20M of Health & Human Services programmes, mainly crisis stabilization centres, clinician-and-peer mobile crisis units and addiction treatment, has no Metro funding yet. The crisis teams that pair a social worker with an officer are funded, inside LMPD.
• Police stay flat. LMPD’s plan is $260.4M because the $8M police-oversight programme moves to the independent Office of Inspector General, so oversight sits outside the department it oversees. That is not a police cut. The flat figure is before the raises officers win in their own contract.
• The back-office claim is about $21M, not the $39M first stated: that is what can actually be placed, department by department.
• Outside the operating budget: Affordable Housing asks no Metro operating money (abatement reform, fees and federal funds), and Infrastructure’s $35M is a shift inside the separate capital budget.
• The biggest bet is the jail. The $36.5M only appears if bail reform and diversion shrink the jail population, so it is the first number the administration will report on.

Money that moves between departments (every dollar from a named source; which source pays for which priority is shown for clarity, because the money is pooled):

A further $205.4M is re-pointed inside the departments that deliver each policy and programme. Police are the largest example: LMPD moves 378 officers from patrol into 63 substations, with $64.26M of their existing pay (about $170,000 each before overtime), cuts half of unscheduled overtime and leaves $20.7M of patrol posts unfilled as officers leave, which frees $96.01M; $88.01M of it pays for substations and co-responders inside LMPD and $8M funds independent oversight.

DEPARTMENT BUDGETS

Public Safety’s departments carry less because the jail shrinks and police oversight moves to the Inspector General (in Democratic Governance); the 18 wellness centres, a public-safety priority, are paid through Public Health (in Community Investment). Democratic Governance grows because the $15M participatory budget runs through Metro Council’s 26 districts and police oversight moves to the Inspector General.

EVIDENCE IT WORKS

Mini Police Substations

Cities using this: Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, San Diego, 50+ others
Results: 20-30% crime reduction, 30% increase in community trust
Why it works: Daily contact builds relationships, officers become part of community

Community Wellness Centers

Cities using this: San Antonio, Denver, Portland, Eugene, 30+ others
Results: $5.60 saved per $1 spent, 35% reduction in police mental health calls
Why it works: Address health issues before they become crises

Youth Employment Programs

Cities using this: Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, New York, 100+ others
Results: 20-30% crime reduction, 45% better graduation rates
Why it works: Teens with jobs don’t have time for crime

Participatory Budgeting

Cities using this: New York, Paris, Chicago, Porto Alegre, 3,000+ worldwide
Results: 90% satisfaction, 40% more engagement, 20% faster completion
Why it works: Community knows what community needs

Competitive Employee Pay

Cities using this: Seattle, Austin, Durham, 50+ others
Results: 35-50% turnover reduction, 25% service quality improvement
Why it works: Better pay attracts better talent, reduces costly turnover

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

✅ Same total budget as current approved budget
✅ No new taxes on residents
✅ No deficit spending
✅ City reserves maintained
✅ All union contracts honored
✅ No employee layoffs
✅ Phased implementation over 4 years
✅ Every dollar accounted for

We’re not promising magic. We’re promising better priorities.

IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE

Year 1 (FY2027-28)

✓ Employee raises: Implemented immediately
✓ Mini substations: 12 operational
✓ Wellness centers: 6 open
✓ Youth summer jobs: teens get paid and get experience
✓ Participatory budgeting: First cycle complete

Year 2 (FY2028-29)

✓ Mini substations: 24 total (12 more)
✓ Wellness centers: 12 total (6 more)
✓ After-school programs: Expanded citywide
✓ Participatory budgeting: Second cycle

Year 3 (FY2029-30)

✓ Mini substations: 36 total (12 more)
✓ Wellness centers: 18 total (6 more) – COMPLETE
✓ Fire prevention: centers open in fire stations, growing as Fire’s savings are proven
✓ Participatory budgeting: Third cycle

Year 4 (FY2030-31)

✓ Mini substations: At least one in every ZIP code – COMPLETE
✓ All programs: Full implementation
✓ Measure outcomes, adjust, improve
✓ Participatory budgeting: Fourth cycle

ACCOUNTABILITY

Public Dashboard

• Every dollar tracked online
• Real-time budget reports
• Program outcomes measured
• Community feedback integrated

Quarterly Reports

• Performance vs. goals
• Budget vs. actual
• Service quality metrics
• Public presentations

Annual Independent Audit

• Financial audit
• Program effectiveness
• Public Metro Council presentation
• Recommendations implemented

Community Access

• Open budget workshops
• Department head office hours
• Online Q&A forums
• Monthly town halls

Transparency builds trust. We commit to radical transparency.

WHO THIS HELPS

For Families

• Police you know in your neighborhood
• Healthcare close to home
• Safe programs for your kids
• Better parks and libraries
• Your voice in budget decisions

For Employees

• 17.8% raises for non-union employees (competitive pay)
• Respect for public service
• Clear career paths
• Job satisfaction
• Pride in your work

For Neighborhoods

• You decide local priorities
• Responsive government
• Visible improvements
• Safer streets
• Stronger community

For Small Businesses

• Safer commercial districts
• Healthier workforce
• More disposable income in community
• Infrastructure investment
• Economic opportunity

For Louisville

• Lower crime rates
• Better health outcomes
• Stronger communities
• More engaged citizens
• Brighter future

YOUR ROLE

This budget can’t work without you.

Participate

• Attend participatory budgeting meetings
• Vote on neighborhood priorities
• Volunteer for programs
• Give feedback on services

Hold Us Accountable

• Check the public dashboard
• Read quarterly reports
• Attend town halls
• Speak up when something’s wrong

Spread the Word

• Talk to neighbors
• Share on social media
• Invite friends to meetings
• Build community

Government works best when citizens are engaged. Be engaged.

REAL TALK

Q: Can Louisville really afford this?

A: Yes. Same total budget, just spent smarter. We’re cutting waste, not services.

Q: Will this really reduce crime?

A: Evidence from 50+ cities says yes. Mini substations + youth programs + wellness centers = proven 20-30% reduction.

Q: Why should I trust this will happen?

A: Every program is evidence-based. Every outcome will be publicly measured.

Q: What if it doesn’t work?

A: We measure everything. If something isn’t working, we adjust. Public dashboard shows real-time results.

Q: Isn’t this just typical politician promises?

A: Read the budget. Every line item. Every dollar. Every program. It’s all there. No magic, just math.

THE DIFFERENCE

This isn’t just a budget. It’s a vision for Louisville.

A city where:

• Police officers know your name
• Healthcare is in your neighborhood
• Young people have opportunity
• Your voice actually matters
• Government serves people

Same money. Different priorities. Better Louisville.

GET INVOLVED

Website: rundaverun.org
Email: info@rundaverun.org
Budget Questions: budget@rundaverun.org

Volunteer: We need you
Donate: Every dollar helps
Vote: Let’s transform Louisville together

DAVE BIGGERS FOR MAYOR
A Budget for People, Not Politics

Complete budget documentation available at rundaverun.org/budget
Version 1.0 | November 2, 2025