Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton is proposing a $505 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The mayor calls it a strong solid budget with a ‘can do’ theme.
The mayor’s budget, calling for no new taxes, represents $42 million in new revenue. Gorton said she’s confident it would hold up to any recessionary pressure, adding Lexington has a diverse economy. The spending plan includes money for a real-time public safety intelligence center that combines information from flock license plate readers and video from traffic cameras.
“While also allowing businesses and residents to tie into the system if they want to,” said Gorton.
In the capital project area, Gorton said her budget calls for a new joint police-fire training center, $6 million toward a new or renovated city hall, and a new senior and therapeutic center. Exactly what a future city hall will look like is still a question mark.
“Whether it’s this building remodeled and added onto or whether it is another building downtown that we would have fitted up or what it is. We don’t know yet. We’re keeping an open mind on that,” said Gorton.
Gorton said more money is suggested for One Lexington, which the mayor says has played a major role in seeing a 75% decrease in youth gun homicides over the past two years. In the parks arena, $2 million would go to overhaul Phoenix Park. City workers, outside of public safety, would see a 5% pay hike. Council will now review the plan and adopt a budget in June.
It calls for a 5% pay hike for non-sworn employees. Council now will review the proposal with a final vote coming in June.
Here's Mayor Gorton's budget speech to Lexington Council members:
** WEKU is working hard to be a leading source for public service, fact-based journalism. Monthly sustaining donors are the top source of funding for this growing nonprofit news organization. Please join others in your community who support WEKU by making your donation.
