Greenberg’s City Budget Gets Almost Unanimous Approval, Providing Money For Mayor’s Projects

Louisville Metro Council voted on Thursday, June 20, to approve the city’s fiscal year 2025 budget with almost unanimous approval, greenlighting programs in Mayor Craig Greenberg’s (D) budget that previously did not have the funding to move forward, with other major cornerstones of previous budgets still seeing major funding.

On Thursday, the council voted 22 in favor, one against (Councilwoman Shameka Parrish-Wright) and one abstaining (Councilman Jecorey Arthur citing a conflict of interest) for the operating budget for the City of Louisville. The 22 council members also voted “yes” for the capital budget.

Councilwoman Shameka Parrish-Wright voted against the budget, citing ethical and transparency concerns regarding Louisville Economic Development Alliance (LEDA) from a former city employee that filed an ethics complaint with the mayor's office.

“I cannot wholeheartedly vote for something that does not meet the needs, that funds the shells of organizations that are trying to use public dollars for private funding,” she said during the meeting.

Some featured proposals for the mayor’s second budget included initiatives that put funding into universal pre-K education programs funded by a mixture of city budget and private investments, known as Thrive by 5 Louisville .

"I want to thank Metro Council for approving next year’s budget with overwhelming, bipartisan support," Greenberg said in a statement. "This budget makes key investments to reduce crime, build more affordable housing, help end family and youth homelessness, and spur new economic development and job creation."

Were there any changes to the budget since the original proposal?

Earlier this week, council members met to discuss amendments to the city’s budget, with leaders of various programs potentially seeing cuts coming to make their case for their programs in Louisville.

Though it would see a massive slash in budget, the HeARTS program did not secure any more funding from the amended budget than the original, leaving it at a 20% operating budget from last year (from $1 million in 2024 to $200,000 in 2025 fiscal year).

Jefferson Council Soil and Water Conservation District and the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension said their proposed cuts would leave them with $30,000 respectively, which could ultimately end their programs.

The council agreed to add $83,200 to the conservation district, with $152,500 going to the cooperative extension, which restores half of its money that would have been lost in the original budget.

There were other budget amendments added to the fiscal budget for 2025, including $500,000 to Kentucky College Art and Design, which would be half of the original $1 million, which is set to receive $5 million in state funding.

In its additional provision, the council called for the Mayor’s Office to review how it allocates funds in future budgets going forward.

“No funds will be awarded in the FY26 and any future budgets until such improved processes are adopted and a process and procedures for distribution of these funds are accepted," according to the budget.