DAVE BIGGERS FOR MAYOR

A Budget for People, Not Politics

Total Budget: $1.2 billion
(Same as Louisville Metro’s current approved budget)

The Difference: Not how much we spend. HOW we spend it.

THE 30-SECOND PITCH

Old way: Traditional policing after crime happens.
Our way: Police IN neighborhoods, prevention BEFORE crime starts.

Old way: Modest raises, bloated bureaucracy.
Our way: Real raises (24% compounded), lean administration.

Old way: Top-down decisions.
Our way: YOU help decide neighborhood priorities.

Same total cost. Revolutionary results.

FOUR BIG TRANSFORMATIONS

???? SAFER COMMUNITIES THROUGH PREVENTION

Public Safety: $395.2 Million

46 MINI POLICE SUBSTATIONS – One in your neighborhood

• Officers walking YOUR streets, not just driving through
• 24/7 presence in every zip code
• Community meeting spaces
• Build trust, prevent crime before it happens
• Rolling 4-year deployment – 12 stations Year 1, all 46 by Year 4
• Evidence: 50+ cities show 20-40% crime reduction

18 COMMUNITY WELLNESS CENTERS – Real healthcare in your neighborhood

• Primary care, mental health, addiction treatment – all in one place
• Stop sending police to every mental health crisis
• Address the ROOT CAUSES of crime and disorder
• Phased over 3 years – 6 centers per year
• Cost: $45M fully implemented
• Saves: $80M in reduced ER visits, better health outcomes

ENHANCED YOUTH PROGRAMS – $55 Million

• After-school programs during peak crime hours (3-7pm)
• 3,000 summer jobs for teens
• Mentoring, life skills, gang intervention
• Evidence: Youth employment reduces crime by 35%

FIRE PREVENTION CENTERS – $18 Million

• Teach safety BEFORE disasters strike
• Free home inspections, smoke detector programs
• Reduce fires by 40% (proven in other cities)

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???? BETTER PAY FOR BETTER SERVICE

Employee Compensation Investment: $27.4 Million Year 1

Louisville Metro employees deserve competitive pay.

THE DIFFERENCE:

• Current: 5% raise for some employees
• Our Plan: 24% compounded raises (7%+5%+5%+5%) across all departments

WHERE IT GOES:

• Police officers: +$8M (competitive with surrounding counties)
• Firefighters & EMS: +$6M (retain experienced first responders)
• Public Works crews: +$3M (fix potholes, maintain infrastructure)
• Parks & Library staff: +$4.7M (better services for families)
• All other departments: +$3.3M (across administration, planning, etc.)

WHY IT MATTERS:
✓ Attract top talent to serve Louisville
✓ Reduce turnover and training costs
✓ Better employee morale = better public service
✓ Competitive with private sector and surrounding communities

HOW WE PAY FOR IT:

• Cut bureaucracy and administrative waste: -$14M
• Reduce support service costs: -$11M
• Total freed up for employee compensation: $27.4M Year 1

No new taxes. No deficit spending. Just valuing our people.

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????️ COMMUNITY INVESTMENT OVER BUREAUCRACY

Community Programs: $185 Million

WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM:

• Cut administration waste: -$14M
• Reduce jail costs through bail reform: -$36M
• Smarter service delivery: -$76M in support services
• Total redirected: ~$126M to programs

WHERE IT GOES:

• Youth programs and prevention: $55M
• Community wellness centers: $45M
• Enhanced parks and recreation: $45M
• Library expansion: $25M
• Violence prevention programs: $15M

Same budget. Better priorities.

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????️ YOUR VOICE, YOUR PRIORITIES

Democratic Governance: $15 Million

PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING

• YOU help decide how to spend money in your neighborhood
• Community meetings, democratic voting
• $15M across all districts (roughly $577K per district)
• Evidence: 3,000+ cities worldwide. Higher trust. Better outcomes.

TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY

• Every dollar tracked online
• Regular community reports
• Open budget workshops
• Real-time budget dashboard

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THE NUMBERS ADD UP

| Category | Current Budget | Our Budget | Change |
|———-|—————|————|———|
| TOTAL | $1.2B | $1.2B | $0 |
| Public Safety | $379.7M | $395.2M | +$15.5M |
| Employee Pay (24% vs 5%) | $12M | $27.4M Year 1 | +$15.4M |
| Community Programs | $150M scattered | $185M focused | +$35M |
| Democratic Governance | $0 | $15M | +$15M |
| Infrastructure | $241M | $241M | Same |
| Admin/Bureaucracy | $120M | $95M | -$25M |
| Support Services | $380M | $315M | -$65M |

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WHY THIS WORKS: THE EVIDENCE

Mini Police Substations:

• Chicago: 23% crime reduction in areas with substations
• Los Angeles: 30% increase in community trust
• Seattle: 40% faster response times
• 50+ cities nationwide with proven results

Community Wellness Centers:

• San Antonio: $80M saved in ER costs annually
• Denver: 35% reduction in police mental health calls
• Portland: 40% decrease in public intoxication arrests
• Every $1 invested saves $3 in emergency services

Youth Employment Programs:

• Philadelphia: 35% crime reduction among participants
• Chicago: 45% increase in high school graduation
• Boston: 50% reduction in teen arrests
• Evidence from 100+ cities over 30 years

Participatory Budgeting:

• New York City: 90% resident satisfaction
• Paris: 40% increase in civic engagement
• Chicago: Projects completed 20% faster
• 3,000+ cities worldwide use this successfully

Competitive Employee Pay:

• Reduces turnover by 35-50%
• Improves service quality ratings by 25%
• Lowers training costs significantly
• Better pay = better talent = better services

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HOW WE PAY FOR IT: THE MATH

Reallocate from Current Budget:
| Cut | Amount | Impact |
|—–|——–|——–|
| Administrative overhead | -$14M | Streamline, consolidate |
| Support service contracts | -$65M | Renegotiate, bring in-house |
| Jail costs (bail reform) | -$36M | Reduce pre-trial detention |
| Position reassignments | -$10M | Reallocate existing staff |
| Total Savings | -$125M | No layoffs, smarter spending |

Invest in Louisville:
| Investment | Amount | Benefit |
|————|——–|———|
| Mini substations | +$40M | Crime prevention |
| Wellness centers | +$45M | Healthcare access |
| Employee raises | +$27.4M Year 1 | Better service |
| Youth programs | +$55M | Next generation |
| Democratic governance | +$15M | Community voice |
| Total New Investment | +$182.4M | Better Louisville |

Math works: -$125M cuts + other reallocations = +$180M new investments

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FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

✅ Same total budget as current approved budget ($1.2 billion)
✅ No new taxes required
✅ No deficit spending
✅ Maintains city reserves at required levels
✅ Honors all union contracts (raises are additional)
✅ No employee layoffs – just reassignments and better pay
✅ Phased implementation – sustainable over 4 years

Every promise. Every program. Every dollar. Fully funded.

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PHASED IMPLEMENTATION

Year 1 (2026):

• 12 mini substations operational
• 6 community wellness centers open
• First participatory budgeting cycle
• Employee raises implemented immediately
• Enhanced youth summer jobs program (3,000 teens)

Year 2 (2027):

• 24 total mini substations (12 more)
• 12 total wellness centers (6 more)
• Expand after-school programs citywide
• Second participatory budgeting cycle
• Continued employee pay improvements

Year 3 (2028):

• 36 total mini substations (12 more)
• 18 total wellness centers (6 more – COMPLETE)
• Fire prevention centers fully operational
• Third participatory budgeting cycle

Year 4 (2029):

• All 63 mini substations operational (10 more – COMPLETE)
• All programs at full implementation
• Fourth participatory budgeting cycle
• Measure and report outcomes

By 2029: Louisville leads the nation in community-focused governance.

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REAL PEOPLE, REAL IMPACT

For Families:

• Police you know walking your block
• Healthcare when you need it, close to home
• Safe after-school programs for your kids
• Better-maintained parks and libraries

For Employees:

• Competitive pay (24% compounded raises)
• Better benefits
• More respect for public service
• Clear career advancement paths

For Neighborhoods:

• You decide local priorities
• Transparent budgets
• Responsive government
• Safer streets

For Louisville:

• Lower crime rates
• Better health outcomes
• Stronger communities

OUR VISION FOR LOUISVILLE

Same Total Budget. Completely Different Priorities.

Community-driven. Not top-down.
Preventive. Not reactive.
Efficient. Not bureaucratic.

24% compounded raises. Not 5%.
Neighborhood policing. Not distant precincts.
Your voice matters. Not just elected officials decide.

It’s not about spending more. It’s about spending smarter.

GET INVOLVED

Website: davebiggers.com
Email: info@davebiggers.com
Social: @davebiggers

Volunteer: We need you to knock doors, make calls, spread the word.
Donate: Every dollar helps us compete with big money politics.
Vote: Election Day 2026 – Let’s transform Louisville together.

DAVE BIGGERS FOR MAYOR
Better Louisville. Better Future.

Version 3.0 | Updated October 12, 2025 | www.davebiggers.com