Metro budget transparency bill advances

February 25, 1:22 PMLouisville City Hall ExaminerThomas McAdam

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Senator Dan "Malano" Seum (R)

It was Louisville’s own Louis D. Brandeis who once opined: “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” When he was on the U.S. Supreme Court the term “governmental transparency” was not yet in vogue, but the notion that the functions of government should be open and accountable to the public was very much an article of faith to the progressives of his era.

Yesterday, the Kentucky State Senate, by a vote of 22-13, passed a measure which would require Louisville’s Metro Mayor to provide the Metro Council and the general public greater access to municipal budget information.

Sponsored by Sen. Dan Seum (R. Jefferson), Senate Majority Caucus Chairman, Senate Bill 80 has pitted pro-transparency Republicans against Democrats who favor the status quo.

“This bill requires the mayor to do nothing more than what our own governor here at the state level does. It puts a lot more daylight and sunshine in the budgeting process,” said Seum during the floor debate.

But Sen. Tim Shaughnessy (D. Jefferson) argued that the proposal was an unnecessary intrusion into the powers of local government. “They do not need the help of the all-powerful Kentucky General Assembly,” said Shaughnessy.

Another Democrat, Metro Mayor Abramson, through a spokesman, expressed opposition to the measure. “It’s a flawed attempt by a devout opponent of merged government to rewrite the will of the citizens of Louisville and Jefferson County,” said press aide Chad Carlton. Neither Carlton nor Abramson explained how they were more in tune with the will of Louisville’s citizens on the issue of government openness than the people’s representatives in the state legislature.

Having been approved by the Senate, SB 80 now goes to the House for approval. Among other features, the new law will:

• Require the Mayor to make a 4 year general fund projection, based on an inclusion of baseline analysis, projection of economic conditions, and potential consequences and revenue implications.
• Require the Mayor to submit to the Metro Council an annual budget to include two alternative budget plans with the first being a surplus expenditure plan (taking effect when general fund tax receipts exceed the projected amount by 2.5% or more), and the second a budget reduction plan (taking effect when actual or projected revenue shortfalls are 5% or greater than the forecast).
• Require the creation of an agency to track and report under specific timetables on actual and projected revenues with the budget plan adopted by the Metro Council.
• Require the Mayor to submit an annual revenue estimate to the Metro Council and submit a capital projects plan.
• Expand the number and type of contracts, agreements, and obligations formerly under the control of the mayor that would be subject to the Metro Council approval.

This effort by Republicans in the state legislature to provide more openness to the Metro budgetary process seems to parallel the attempts of Republicans on the Metro Council to establish an “e-Transparency Ordinance.”

In January, Louisville Metro Council members Ken Fleming (R. 7th Dist.) and Hal Heiner (R. 19th Dist.) introduced an ordinance meant to foster greater fiscal transparency and accountability for Metro Government, proposing to establish a searchable database empowering citizens to access Metro Government’s financial records and dealings.

Now pending in committee the Government Accountability and Oversight Committee, the proposed ordinance calls upon Mayor Abramson to increase transparency in Metro Government through a Searchable Accountability Website. The site would allow the public to easily see how their tax dollars are spent. The committee will discuss the measure at 4:00 p.m. today.

“I am happy to see leaders from the Republican caucus stand up for the rights of the Metro Louisville taxpayer,” said Jefferson County Republican Chairman Brad Cummings last month. “This speaks to one of our core principles, fiscal responsibility, a principle that a vast majority of Americans support. After all, it’s just plain common sense. Would you be okay with your bank not sending statements to your house each month or not giving you online access to view your account? Then why should it be any different when talking about taxpayer dollars, especially with the technology now available to us? I hope the Mayor and his fellow Democrats will see the wisdom of supporting this ordinance. The citizens of Louisville need them to join in this fight to make our local government more accountable to the taxpayers,” said Cummings.