Lexington’s Urban County Council is gearing up for a vote on the city’s $358 million dollar budget tonight.
Public safety once again emerged as a priority in this year’s spending plan, which adds funding for 30 news police officers along with $11.7 million for new equipment for first responders. Most city employees would also see a 2 percent raise, if approved.
City officials have cautioned that growth is expected to level off in the coming years, which could make for tighter budgets going forward. Even so, the spending plan represents a $3.5 percent increase over the current fiscal year budget.
The council opted for some tweaks to Mayor Jim Gray’s original proposal – including $500,000 for a dozen new medical emergency personnel – but no vetoes are anticipated.