Voter Education Glossary
Understanding Louisville Metro Government & Policy
This comprehensive glossary explains 375 terms related to Louisville Metro government, policy, and civic engagement. Each term includes Louisville-specific context and explains why it matters to you as a voter.
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Mini Police Substation
Small neighborhood police office (approximately 5,000 square feet) where 6 officers work rotating shifts for 24/7 coverage, assigned to walk […]
Read Full Definition → Mini Substation
A small neighborhood police facility – typically storefront or community center space – where officers work regular shifts, interact with […]
Read Full Definition → Missing Middle Housing
Housing types between single-family homes and large apartments: duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes, small apartment buildings. ‘Missing’ because zoning prohibits them […]
Read Full Definition → Mixed-Income Housing
Developments intentionally including units for various income levels—market-rate, moderate-income, and low-income—in same building or community. Promotes economic integration, reduces concentrated […]
Read Full Definition → N
Nature Center
Educational facilities providing environmental education, nature programs, hiking trails, and outdoor experiences, typically located within parks or natural areas. Nature […]
Read Full Definition → Needle Exchange Program
Public health services that provide clean syringes to people who inject drugs in exchange for used ones, preventing transmission of […]
Read Full Definition → No-Knock Warrant
A search warrant allowing police to enter a home without knocking or announcing themselves first. Courts grant no-knock warrants when […]
Read Full Definition → Nonpartisan Election
An election where candidates don’t run with party labels (Democrat, Republican, etc.) and party organizations don’t officially endorse. Louisville Metro […]
Read Full Definition → Nutrition Access
Ability to obtain healthy, affordable food necessary for proper nutrition and health. Nutrition access requires not just food availability but […]
Read Full Definition → O
Occupational Tax
Tax on wages earned by people working in Louisville (currently 1.45% for city services, 0.75% for county services = 2.2% […]
Read Full Definition → Olmsted Parks
A historic system of 18 parks and 6 parkways designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted’s firm (designer of New […]
Read Full Definition → Open Data
Government data made freely available to the public in machine-readable formats that anyone can access, use, and share without restrictions. […]
Read Full Definition → Open Source Software
Computer software with source code freely available for anyone to inspect, modify, and enhance. Open source software contrasts with proprietary […]
Read Full Definition → Operating Budget
Money spent on day-to-day operations like salaries, supplies, and services. As opposed to capital spending, these are ongoing costs that […]
Read Full Definition → Operating Expenses
Day-to-day costs like supplies, utilities, vehicle fuel, and equipment maintenance. Everything that isn’t salary or capital. Electricity bills, office supplies, […]
Read Full Definition → Operation Ceasefire
A focused deterrence strategy combining targeted law enforcement with community outreach and social services to reduce gang and group violence. […]
Read Full Definition → Opportunity Zone
Federal tax incentive program allowing investors to defer capital gains taxes by investing in designated low-income areas. Controversial: benefits wealthy […]
Read Full Definition → Ordinance
A local law passed by Metro Council and signed by the mayor (or passed over mayoral veto). Ordinances cover everything […]
Read Full Definition → Outdoor Recreation
Physical activities in natural settings including hiking, biking, fishing, canoeing, camping, birdwatching, and nature exploration. Outdoor recreation provides exercise, mental […]
Read Full Definition → Overdose Prevention
Strategies to prevent deaths from drug overdoses, particularly opioid overdoses. Prevention includes naloxone (Narcan) distribution to reverse overdoses, education recognizing […]
Read Full Definition → Override
When Metro Council votes to pass a law despite the mayor’s veto. Requires more votes than the original passage (usually […]
Read Full Definition → P
Park Equity
Ensuring all residents have equal access to quality parks and recreation facilities regardless of neighborhood income, race, or geography. Park […]
Read Full Definition → Parking Minimums
Zoning requirements mandating minimum parking spaces for developments (e.g., 2 spaces per apartment). Increases costs, wastes land, encourages driving, and […]
Read Full Definition → Participatory Budgeting
Democratic process where residents directly vote on how to spend a portion of the public budget. YOU attend community meetings, […]
Read Full Definition → Pattern or Practice Investigation
A federal civil rights investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice examining whether a police department engages in systemic unconstitutional […]
Read Full Definition → Pay Equity
Principle that people should receive equal pay for work of equal value, regardless of gender. Louisville women currently earn 82 […]
Read Full Definition → Pedestrian Infrastructure
Facilities enabling safe walking: sidewalks, crosswalks, pedestrian signals, curb ramps, street lighting, and benches. Basic requirement for walkable neighborhoods but […]
Read Full Definition → Pension Contributions
Money the city pays into retirement funds for employees. Required by law and contract. Like matching your 401(k), but for […]
Read Full Definition → Performance-Based Compensation
Additional pay or bonuses based on meeting specific goals or demonstrating excellence. Part of comprehensive employee compensation beyond base salary […]
Read Full Definition → Permanent Supportive Housing
Affordable housing combined with supportive services (mental health, addiction treatment, case management) for people experiencing chronic homelessness or disabilities. Housing […]
Read Full Definition → Personnel Costs
Salaries, benefits, and payroll taxes for city employees. Usually 60-70% of most department budgets. This includes health insurance, retirement contributions, […]
Read Full Definition → Phased Implementation
Rolling out programs gradually over multiple years rather than all at once. Example: Building 12 mini substations in Year 1, […]
Read Full Definition → Pilot Program
Small-scale test of a program before full implementation. Some programs may pilot in one district before expanding citywide.
Read Full Definition → Planning Commission
A board that reviews proposed developments, zoning changes, and land use plans to ensure they align with Louisville’s Comprehensive Plan. […]
Read Full Definition → Playground
Outdoor recreation areas for children featuring equipment like swings, slides, climbing structures, and play areas. Quality playgrounds provide age-appropriate equipment, […]
Read Full Definition → Plea Bargain
An agreement where a defendant pleads guilty to reduced charges or receives a lighter sentence recommendation in exchange for avoiding […]
Read Full Definition → Police Accountability
Mechanisms ensuring law enforcement officers and departments are held responsible for their actions, including civilian oversight, transparent data, and consequences […]
Read Full Definition → Police Accountability Board
A civilian oversight body with authority to review police misconduct complaints, investigate officers, and recommend discipline. Louisville currently lacks a […]
Read Full Definition → Police Union
The labor organization representing police officers in contract negotiations, grievances, and disciplinary appeals. Louisville’s Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) is […]
Read Full Definition → Political Action Committee (PAC)
An organization that collects political contributions from members and donates them to campaigns or causes. PACs must register with the […]
Read Full Definition → Poll Worker
A trained local citizen who staffs polling locations on Election Day and during early voting, checking voter registrations, providing ballots, […]
Read Full Definition → Polling Location
The physical place where voters in a precinct cast their ballots—typically schools, community centers, churches, or fire stations. In Jefferson […]
Read Full Definition → Position Reassignment
Moving employees to different jobs within government without layoffs. Example: Some administrative staff reassigned to wellness centers or community programs. […]
Read Full Definition → Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE)
A metric measuring how efficiently a data center uses electricity, calculated by dividing total facility energy use by energy used […]
Read Full Definition → Pre-K Expansion
Increasing access to quality preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-old children, particularly in low-income neighborhoods. Research shows pre-K yields $7 […]
Read Full Definition → Pre-Trial Detention
Holding someone in jail before their trial. Most people in Louisville Metro Corrections are pre-trial, not convicted criminals.
Read Full Definition → Precinct
A geographic area within Louisville where voters cast ballots at the same polling location. Jefferson County has approximately 380 precincts, […]
Read Full Definition → Pretrial Detention
Jailing criminal defendants before trial—before conviction, while presumed innocent. Pretrial detention is supposed to prevent flight risk or danger to […]
Read Full Definition → Pretrial Services
An agency that evaluates arrested people for release before trial, monitors compliance with release conditions, and connects defendants to services […]
Read Full Definition → Prevailing Wage
Hourly wage, benefits, and overtime paid to majority of workers in a particular occupation and area. Federal and some state […]
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