Louisville budget drama: 4 city pools won't open, and golf courses could be hit

All four of Louisville Metro Government's outdoor pools won't open this summer, and golf courses could be hit not long afterward, officials announced Friday in the latest update on cuts to services needed to fill the city's large budget hole. 

Mayor Greg Fischer is still crafting his budget proposal, which will be presented to council members on April 25, but a series of early decisions have spilled out into the public, including a canceled police recruit class, a possible wage freeze for city employees and changes to employees' health insurance.

On top of those, Fischer said Friday that the four outdoor pools operated by Parks & Recreation will stay closed this summer, and the Mary T. Meagher Aquatics Center will increase fees. The lifeguard hiring process would ordinarily have begun around now. 

"I do not want to close the pools," Fischer said. "... Those are the kinds of actions we're being forced to take because the money's not going to be there."

The future of golf courses, meanwhile, is "under consideration," he said. After the "profitable" summertime, the city is looking at how the spaces could be re-purposed or turned into more viable assets, Fischer said.

Louisville faces a $35 million budget hole in the upcoming fiscal year that is expected to increase by $10 million in each of the next three years, largely because of rising pension costs set by the state.

Fischer had pleaded with Metro Council members to approve a tax hike to cover the shortfall, but it was rejected, leaving him to resort to trimming costs.

To that end, the city is examining leases and contracts that may need to be changed or canceled before July 1, including Louisville police's gunshot detection system, ShotSpotter, Fischer said. And officials are considering eliminating cost-of-living increases for city employees.

The Belle of Louisville riverboat, meanwhile, which had been on the chopping block in Fischer's original list of cuts the city would face without new revenue, found a savior in Louisville Tourism. The agency will provide $500,000 to keep it operating. 

Similar civic-minded residents, organizations and companies will have to step up to help maintain the city's momentum, Fischer said, pointing to the "social muscle" the city has built during his tenure.

"This budget shortfall is going to require us to flex those social muscles in a big way," Fischer said, calling on groups to help fill gaps that city government will no longer be able to address. 

"We're looking to our community to support, to sponsor external agencies, nonprofits that are at the risk of going away or diminishing because of this budget shortfall," Fischer said. "... There's going to be a lot to do, and a lot of opportunities for everybody."

The budget changes announced Friday will amount to less than $5 million, Fischer said. Residents and city employees can submit other ideas for reasonable cuts via louisvilleky.gov at the link that says "We need your input," he added Friday.

Fischer had proposed covering the city's $35 million shortfall, projected to grow to $65 million within four years, by tripling the insurance premium tax on policies except for health and auto insurance. 

But last month, the Metro Council rejected even a more modest proposal to double the tax — leaving city leaders to balance the budget by cutting services or finding other efficiencies. 

Council members voted 15-11 against the tax hike.

More:New Metro Council committee will examine Fischer's budget for savings

Eight Democrats joined the seven-member Republican caucus in voting no: Jessica Green, D-1st District; Keisha Dorsey, D-3rd; Donna Purvis, D-5th; Paula McCraney, D-7th; Mark Fox, D-13th; Cindi Fowler, D-14th; David Yates, D-25th; and Brent Ackerson, D-26th. 

Fischer said none of those council members have given his team any "ideas that are specific, that we can put into place," which he called concerning. 

But, he said, his office will do the best job possible with the resources available in crafting a budget. His goal is to continue providing basic city services, prioritize public safety and protect Louisville's most vulnerable residents. 

"This is not a budget that I'm putting forward by my own volition. I'm putting forth this budget because of the actions that the council took. And we will do that," Fischer said. "... But these cuts are on the people that voted no."

Council members who voted against the tax hike have indicated they believe the fuller discussion of their ideas will come after the mayor presents his budget to council. Two months of discussion will follow, ahead of a final vote before the start of the fiscal year on July 1.

Councilman Anthony Piagentini, R-19th District, vice-chairs an ad hoc committee created this year to comb through city spending for possible efficiencies. He said Friday after Fischer's press conference that he and other committee members will continue to discuss ideas for savings in public forums.

"Right now, many of us, including myself, are focusing on increasing revenue or efficiency, so we don't have to cut as deeply," he said. 

And, in response to Fischer's remarks about not receiving specific proposals from council members, Piagentini said, "The mayor has no interest in working with Metro Council members who don't in lock-step agree with him in how to approach this in sorting out solutions," adding that he'd had no contact with the mayor about the budget deficit since January.

Louisville police's canceled recruit class drew fire last week from some council members who have said they want to protect public safety funding, in part because they felt the decision should have waited until after a budget was finalized. 

"Public safety is an area that all who voted 'no' said is a priority when it comes to cutting the budget. We do not want public safety to be affected," Councilwoman Jessica Green, D-1st District, said at the time.

You may like:What cuts may come after tax hike vote? Police, pools and the Belle — to name a few

On Thursday, local media reported that the city's human resources director asked the city's unions to consider a freeze on wages.

Some union leaders have been vocal critics of that request, including the president of Louisville police's FOP, who on Thursday called the request "cowardly public policy."

"All of Louisville benefits from our services, and I think that it's cowardly public policy to force the employees of Louisville Metro to shoulder this budget burden, when the government can't seem to get their act together to help spread that out across the city," President Nicolai Jilek said.

Adding to unions' frustrations, the city also has advised its employees to expect changes in their health plans, including a likely 3 percent increase on premiums and possible increases in deductibles and out-of-pocket costs, according to a March 25 email sent to city employees by Metro HR that was obtained by the Courier Journal. 

More:3 things to know about possible budget cuts after Metro Council tax vote

Other changes include: increased premiums for dental insurance, possible cost increases for some medications because of changes in pharmaceutical coverage and a health incentive program that can lead to discounts on health care premiums.

Which pools are affected?

Louisville Parks' outdoor pools, which will not open this summer, include: 

• Algonquin Park, 1614 Cypress Street 
• Fairdale (Nelson Hornbeck Park), 709 Fairdale Road
• Norton (Camp Taylor Memorial Park), 4201 Lee Avenue
• Sun Valley Park, 6506 Bethany Lane

How much money could be saved?

According to a spreadsheet of cuts put forward in February by Fischer's office, these are the savings Louisville could see by cutting services:

• Closing four of five pools: $223,000
• Canceling the city's contract for gunshot detection system ShotSpotter: $400,000
• Canceling the upcoming police recruit class, and the next two in fiscal year 2019-20: $7.5 million (Only one class has been canceled so far)
• Getting funding help from Louisville Tourism for Belle of Louisville: $500,000
• Closing four of 10 golf courses: $550,000

The cost-savings figures for changing employee health plans and freezing worker wages weren't included in the mayor's office's spreadsheet.

How can I submit my ideas?

Visit louisvilleky.gov and click on the link that says "We need your input," or visit louisvilleky.wufoo.com/forms/k1ti14ag00myf7l.

Darcy Costello: 502-582-4834; dcostello@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @dctello. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/darcyc.