Lexington government and businesses like to market the city as a city on the up, touting tourism attractions and suburban lifestyles perfect for college graduates and young families alike. This year’s city budget aims to correct some of the existing problems within Lexington.

“It’s bold and it’s sensible. No matter the neighborhood, no matter your age, no matter your walk of life, this budget has something for you.” Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton said in her speech to the public on Tuesday, April 13, where she delivered her budget plan proposal for the 2022 fiscal year. 

The $398 million spending plan is a 5 percent increase from the current year’s budget of $379 million. The new budget does not raise taxes. Federal stimulus money along with conservative spending during the pandemic allowed Lexington to use the 2022 fiscal budget to invest in new areas, Gorton said. Lexington will receive $10 million from the American Rescue Plan. Among the allocations are funding for road improvements, better bike and pedestrian access and money for government vehicles, Gorton also announced financial support through the mayor’s Commission on Racial Justice and Equality.

The task force was created in June of 2020 after weeks of protests following the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. In its first progress report in October, the nearly 70-person committee listed 54 recommendations including a citizen’s advocate for filing complaints against the police.

This commission suggested fully funding the Office of Homeless Prevention and Intervention with $750,000, and an additional $700,075 to the Hope Center for those experiencing houselessness, substance abuse and/or mental illness. 

City employees will receive a 3 percent raise, their first 2018 and a change from last year when many positions were cut to save money. Total, the raise amounts to $3.1 million of the budget.

One of the biggest single item allotments is $4.8 million towards capital projects like park improvements. Playgrounds, pool slides and basketball courts are all promised upgrades. Infrastructure-wise, $14 million will go towards paving projects, including $1 million for paving a portion of Man O War Boulevard.

After congratulating herself and other leaders for what Lexington has done for affordable housing since 2014, Gorton admitted that Lexington leaders need to do more. She announced an additional $1 million for a total of $3 million in the city’s annual affordable housing fund. According to real estate service MSL, the median price of a residential listing is $293,465. Cities across the U.S. have seen a wave of evictions during the pandemic and the federal moratorium on evictions expired on March 31.

Related to housing, the code enforcement fund will receive $200,000 for the fiscal year. However, Gorton doesn’t want their main job to be enforcing rules and regulations onto neighborhoods. 

“The commission also suggested our Division of Code Enforcement could be an agency designed to help neighborhoods thrive rather than just an enforcement agency,” Gorton said. 

Gorton also announced funding to hire six additional officers for the Lexington Police Department. These hires will include a sergeant, as well as five neighborhood resource officers, whose job will be to improve police relations with the Lexington community. LPD is currently under fire for their handling of a mental crisis call, when an officer hit a mentally ill teen with his police cruiser.

LPD will also soon be implementing body cameras that automatically activate as soon as a weapon or taser is drawn. 

“The goal is to improve quality of life and reduce crime through conventional and unconventional methods.” Gorton said. She has also “beefed up” funding in Human Resources to “…improve minority recruiting in police and throughout the government.”

City police will also get $2.3 million to upgrade their vehicles and another $1.8 million will go to fire trucks and ambulances. 

A further $2 million will go towards new vehicles for the city like new dump trucks.

The city budget affects UK students and year-round Lexington residents alike. A total of $1 million in the proposed budget goes to various employment programs, including $500,000 to attracing high-paying jobs to Lexington. UK students can benefit from improvements to public spaces like parks, sidewalks and roads, as the 67 percent of students who commute to campus can attest. 

Gorton’s budget proposal is yet to be finalized and will now move to the council to make alterations before it can be implemented. A 2022 fiscal budget must be passed by June 30, 2021 before the new fiscal year begins on July 1.

“Together we are investing in, we are taking care of our hometown. That’s where our heart is,” Gorton said.