LOUISVILLE KY FACING BUDGET CRUNCH (AGAIN)

According to Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer we are now facing a $12.5 million shortfall in this year’s budget, with a projected shortfall of $2.5 million per month in next year’s. That would put us on pace for a $30 million budget shortfall next year for those doing the math. This is not anything new and has become an annual event has it not?

In recent years, under former Mayor Jerry Abramson, we saw budget shortfalls as much as $25 million and that shortfall was usually covered with “one time monies” as this year’s budget will be. It is amazing how we continue to find these “one time moniess” each year isn’t it?

The fundamental problem is that nothing lasting is being done to correct this fiscal imbalance. We continue to use these so-called “one time monies” without fixing the problems inherent in our local government. In the Courier today Fischer is quoted as saying:

“To balance this budget, we must find millions of dollars to cut — not over years, but within months,” Fischer said, according to a copy of his speech given to The Courier-Journal before the event. “We have to look at everything.”

We have heard this story many times from the Democratic leadership in Louisville yet what has been done?

This from Fischer as well:

Fischer mentioned during the speech several “tough questions” his administration has to ask in the face of the budget crisis:

•  How can the city reduce overtime, currently running at $22.7 million a year? Fischer has ordered a review of overtime policies and spending.

•  Can the city continue to fund pension programs and health care plans the same way and at the same level it has? Can the city afford the “generous” sick leave plan that it currently has? Fischer said the programs are “way out of line compared to private programs.”

•  Can the city continue to support non-government agencies

The answer to all of the above are obvious to most of us but we expect no one in Government will do their job to fix the problems. I think we could add one more to the list myself.

We could eliminate much from the Metro Council itself could we not?

Does each Council member really need access to a couple hundred thousand dollars apiece for their discretionary use? Let’s not forget the stories outing the luxuries of some Council members and their lavish spending.

Nor should we forget the scandals costing us thousands of dollars in Metro Departments such as the Kimberly Bunton scandal or Judy Green. Read more here on these stories {Springston}

Add in the overemployment of Metro itself and the double dipping etc….well you get the point.

When we get sunshine and accountability all Departments then we can begin to fix the problems.

Greg Fischer goes on to state that “I commit to you that Louisville will not end up like Birmingham, Las Vegas, or Detroit — cities that have declared bankruptcy or are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy because tough decisions weren’t made years ago.”

And who was making those decisions years ago? Former Louisville Mayor and current Lt Governor Jerry Abramson. Now Abramson is “working” with Gov Steve Beshear on our State budget? How did we the people let that happen.

As we know, Birmingham, Alabama (Jefferson County) filed the largest Municipal bankruptcy in history based largely on their outstanding MSD debt and junk financing. ALL of which were outed by yours truly over the last several years while mainstream was busy ignoring the problem and giving Abramson a free pass.

I contend we can do so much better with our Council dollars that we can start righting this ship by gaining accountability. Want more?

Eliminate the ease with which the Council doles out money for their own gain, primarily Democrats, and you can begin the process of fixing the problems. Get rid of the double dippers, audit each agency for effectiveness, eliminate half the staff of the Mayor, consolidate Departments, change retirement rules and voila we will save a heck of a lot more than the current shortfalls this Mayor and his predecessor keep selling us.

The Commonwealth is in a free fall financially thanks largely to the golden parachutes the Democrats have given us through the years, with minority Republican approval of course. Billions of dollars owed to a retirement system that will become insolvent, political cronyism alive and well with unnecessary Government job appointments, and you get the picture.

Throw on top of that the feds are broke and can’t help aid anyone right now either, where do we turn to?

They say all politics are local. It is past time we take a serious look within our local political structure and make the tough hard choices Mayor Fischer says he is facing. Force this Council and this Mayor into total accountability.The days of lip service are gone.

With no one to depend on at the State or Federal level it is high time we made the significant changes necessary here in Louisville to learn how to depend on ourselves……