May 29 Local News Lawmakers Differ on Mayor Ignoring Cuts to Council Discretionary Funds Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer will give up his discretionary account to help fill the budget deficit next year, but the Metro Council is split on whether to follow suit. Each council member is given a total of $205,000 to spend annually, with $75,000 in their Neighborhood Development Fund in addition to a $100,000 Capital Infrastructure […] By WFPL News May 29 Local News Lawmakers Differ on Mayor Ignoring Cuts to Council Discretionary Funds WFPL News
Dec 27 Local News Scott Conducts Audit of District 1 Finances Louisville Metro Councilwoman Attica Woodson Scott, D-1, is withholding discretionary funds to community groups while awaiting results of a financial audit. The 39-year-old community organizer was appointed to replace former Councilwoman Judy Green, who was expelled from office due to ethical violations in connection to discretionary spending involving outside groups. In October, Scott asked the […] By WFPL News Dec 27 Local News Scott Conducts Audit of District 1 Finances WFPL News
Oct 24 Local News Consultant to Review Council Discretionary Spending The Louisville Metro Council has hired a consultant to advise lawmakers on how to better use their discretionary funds. The accounting firm Mountjoy Chilton Medley will be paid close to $10,000 to review policies and recommend how council members can be more transparent and responsible with their office accounts, which have come under heavy scrutiny […] By WFPL News Oct 24 Local News Consultant to Review Council Discretionary Spending WFPL News
Jun 21 Local News Lawmakers Question Mayoral Fund Leaders of the Louisville Metro Council are voicing concern about purchases made from a discretionary fund by Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Jerry Abramson during his tenure as mayor. Council members have suggested a number of possible actions regarding the mayoral fund, from tighter restrictions on the current administration, calling Abramson to testify before the Government […] By WFPL News Jun 21 Local News Lawmakers Question Mayoral Fund WFPL News
Jun 16 Local News Unchecked Mayoral Fund Raises Questions During his last term as mayor of Louisville, Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Jerry Abramson spent over $180,000 from an unchecked discretionary fund with little to no documentation. The expenditures have raised more serious questions about the lack of transparency and poor oversight in city spending. While many procurements appear innocuous and well-intentioned, such as a […] By WFPL News Jun 16 Local News Unchecked Mayoral Fund Raises Questions WFPL News
Jun 8 Local News Council Members Debate Discretionary Funds Four members of the Louisville Metro Council debated the need for discretionary spending Wednesday, disagreeing along party lines on the funds use and whether they should be cut or significantly curtailed. The Louisville Forum hosted the discussion, which featured Council President Jim King, D-10, and fellow members David James, D-6, Ken Fleming, R-7, and Jerry […] By WFPL News Jun 8 Local News Council Members Debate Discretionary Funds WFPL News
May 31 Local News League of Women Voters to Study Council Discretionary Funds In the wake of growing scrutiny around city spending, the Louisville League of Women Voters plans to launch a year-long examination of how Metro Council members use their hefty discretionary funds. Each fiscal year city lawmakers receive $75,000 in Neighborhood Development Funds for community groups and $100,000 in Capital Infrastructure Funds for building projects, which […] By WFPL News May 31 Local News League of Women Voters to Study Council Discretionary Funds WFPL News
May 25 Local News Union Leaders Will Meet With Fischer on Budget Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer will meet with union leaders later today to discuss the grim outlook on future city budgets before introducing his first spending plan Thursday. The city is facing a $22.5 million shortfall for the 2011-2012 fiscal year and the mayor’s spending plan is expected to include a number of cost-cutting measures—including firing […] By WFPL News May 25 Local News Union Leaders Will Meet With Fischer on Budget WFPL News
May 24 Local News Council Members Hold $2.8 Million in Unused Construction Funds Members of the Louisville Metro Council have over $2.8 million in unused Capital Infrastructure Funds from previous fiscal years that have yet to be designated for specific projects. Each year council members receive $100,000 to be used for district building projects such as sidewalk replacement, street paving and tree stump removal. Any remaining funds are […] By WFPL News May 24 Local News Council Members Hold $2.8 Million in Unused Construction Funds WFPL News
May 20 Local News Council Democrats Defend Gift Card Purchases Gift card purchases made by the Louisville Metro Council have ignited a new round of audits and raised more questions about discretionary spending, but members of the Democratic caucus say the practice is justifiable. Records show council Democrats are doing most of the spending with Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton, D-5, leading the pack with $1,550 […] By WFPL News May 20 Local News Council Democrats Defend Gift Card Purchases WFPL News
May 19 Local News Fleming Anticipates Changes Following Spending Controversies A Louisville Metro Council member hopes the public isn’t losing trust in city lawmakers after a series of spending controversies, and expects reforms will be made to the council’s discretionary spending accounts as a result. Reports in the Louisville Courier-Journal and LEO Weekly uncovered that council members have spent thousands of taxpayer dollars on food […] By WFPL News May 19 Local News Fleming Anticipates Changes Following Spending Controversies WFPL News
Apr 25 Local News Miller Faces Backlash After Recommending Discretionary Fund Cuts Freshman Louisville Metro Councilman Jerry Miller, R-19, is continuing a call to cut neighborhood funds to help fill a $22 million shortfall in the city’s budget, despite vocal opposition from council Democrats. For the past few months, council discretionary spending has come under scrutiny after it was revealed that Councilwoman Judy Green, D-1, was implicated […] By WFPL News Apr 25 Local News Miller Faces Backlash After Recommending Discretionary Fund Cuts WFPL News
Apr 13 Politics C-J Ed Board: Council Should Drop Discretionary Funds Calling the potential for abuse obvious, the Louisville Courier-Journal‘s editorial board is calling on the Metro Council to drop or drastically cut its discretionary funds. In a stinging editorial, the newspaper said that while the process isn’t necessarily a re-election “slush fund”, the two hefty accounts used by council members to finance projects and organizations […] By WFPL News Apr 13 Politics C-J Ed Board: Council Should Drop Discretionary Funds WFPL News
Apr 4 Politics Legislation Takes Aim at Council Spending in Election Years Councilman Jon Ackerson says outgoing council members have, in the past, exhausted their $75,000 neighborhood development funds before leaving office, giving the incoming councilmember no money to spend on neighborhood projects until July, when the next fiscal year begins. By Gabe Bullard Apr 4 Politics Legislation Takes Aim at Council Spending in Election Years Gabe Bullard
Mar 29 Politics Council Members Differ on Discretionary Fund Limits, Regulation At least one council member has asked the mayor to cut the $175,000 total that members can allocate each year. However, other council members have pushed to give the Office of Management and Budget oversight of each grant rather than cut the funds. Councilwoman Tina Ward-Pugh supports the latter option. She says her colleagues who hope to cut the funds represent wealthier districts that can function without city grants to pave sidewalks or fund community groups. By Gabe Bullard Mar 29 Politics Council Members Differ on Discretionary Fund Limits, Regulation Gabe Bullard