Yesterday afternoon, Mayor Linda Gorton presented a $531.8 million budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year to the Lexington City Council. If approved, it would break last year’s record for the largest budget in Lexington history.
According to Mayor Gorton, this budget includes $110 million in planned capital spending, focuses on the city’s needs, and anticipates a 6% revenue growth. More specifically, it Let’s dive into what is being proposed.
Senior and therapeutic center
After three years in the making, a new 25,000-sqft senior and therapeutic center is anticipated to kick off construction, contingent on council approval. The senior center would service adults 55+, while the therapeutic center would be available for kids five and over with disabilities. Here’s a few fast facts about the center:
- $24 million set aside in the budget
- Located at Shilito Park near the fire station
- Expected to take 15-18 months to build
- Will include a recreation room, fitness equipment, art room, movement room, and classrooms
- 300 parking spaces
Public safety
According to Mayor Gorton, 56% of the budget proposal is reserved for public safety. These efforts include:
- 15 new government positions
- $3.5 million for new police patrol vehicles
- $5.1 million to replace EMS and fire department vehicles
- Increasing funding to $50,000 for our violence prevention program ONE Lexington
- Increasing funding to $100,000 for mental health court
- Adding 25 more FLOCK license plate readers, bringing the city’s total to 125
- $150,000 investment into DNA testing technology to expedite finding perpetrators of crimes
Economic development
Lexington has reportedly seen over an 8% growth in employment since 2020, and a new tri-county project aims to add even more jobs to the central Kentucky region.
Alongside Madison and Scott counties, the city is proposing a $2.1 million investment into a 200-acre economic development park in Scott County that would see all three counties split the revenue.
Affordable housing
One of the issues outlined in the proposal was the need for more affordable housing in Lexington. The proposed budget suggests setting aside $4.79 million for the city’s affordable housing fund, including doubling the funding for the Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention to $1.4 million.
This will also be the first budget that will see 1% of the previous year’s revenue going towards affordable housing.
The budget includes improvements that would create safer access to our streets for all commuters. | Photo by @femibranded
Safer streets
The proposal calls for more funding for road improvements, making them safer for pedestrians, as well as hiring a manager to help operate the Complete Streets program.
The funding includes:
- $14 million for road paving
- $1.45 million to make improvements to New Circle Road
- $1 million for new ADA ramps
- $900,000 for traffic signal and bike + pedestrian improvements
- $340,000 to fill in sidewalk gaps and add more bike paths throughout downtown
- $150,000 for traffic calming initiatives
Environment
To further the city’s dedication to protecting + improving our environment, the budget includes $6 million to help with odor control at water treatment plants, as well as an additional $700,000 to go towards more recycling.