Mayor Joe Hogsett offers pork to council districts
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Ever thought about what you'd do with $1 million? Tell your city-county councilor.
The big picture: Mayor Joe Hogsett introduced his 2025 budget proposal to the City-County Council Monday night.
- The $1.6 billion spending plan would create a new animal care services agency, a master leasing pilot program and salary increases for many public employees including police officers, firefighters and public defenders.
Zoom in: Hogsett also wants to set aside $25 million for community-based projects.
- Each councilor would get $1 million to spend on a single project in their district, working with the Parks and Recreation Department or the Department of Public Works (DPW).
How it would work: Councilors would be encouraged to talk with constituents about their neighborhood priorities.
- Examples include improvements to facilities like splash pads, playgrounds or athletic courts, and land acquisition for conservation or development of new parkland.
- DPW would work with each district to identify the most dangerous intersections and make recommendations for safety improvements.
- New sidewalks and other pedestrian safety infrastructure projects would also be options.
What they're saying: "This gives you the power to make the changes you want to see in the neighborhoods you represent," Hogsett told councilors Monday night.
Caveat: The $1 million has to be spent on a single project, rather than "sprinkled" throughout the district.
Between the lines: The proposal gives more power to councilors to act within the unique needs of their district, while also taking some of the heat off Hogsett for choosing one priority — forest preservation or tactical urbanism, for example — over another.
What's next: Council committees will consider Hogsett's budget in the coming weeks.