Highlights from Mayor Gorton’s Budget Address
Mayor Linda Gorton delivers her Budget Address for the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget. Source: LexTV.
Last Tuesday, Mayor Gorton delivered the annual Budget Address and released her Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26)! We’ve pulled some highlights from the Address to help you get a sense of what’s in the Proposed Budget.
Over the next few months, we will be doing more in-depth research into the Proposed Budget as we build resources like our Budget Database and easy-to-read Budget Guide! In the meantime, you can review the Mayor’s Proposed Budget in full here, and review the shorter Division Summary here.
General Information
The $539.2 million General Fund is the largest in Lexington’s history! The FY25 Budget’s General Fund was just over $500 million, and it was also the largest in Lexington’s history at the time it was adopted.
With all the uncertainty around federal funding, the Mayor’s Administration decided to build the budget as if expected federal funding would come through as usual. The Trump Administration has cancelled millions of dollars in grants to cities, as well as slashing the budgets of numerous US Government Departments. The Administration has been sued by many organizations attempting to restore this funding. Given the unpredictable situation, the Administration chose to build the budget as they normally would and will make adjustments if any expected federal funding doesn’t come through.
Federal funding supports a wide array of City programs and purchases. Federal funding pays the salaries of certain staff positions, allows the City to purchase firetrucks and other major capital assets, and pays for many road and transportation projects. We don’t know exactly what federal funding the City is planning on receiving in FY26 yet, but we plan to look into that as part of our budget research.
Public Safety Projects
Mayor Gorton highlighted several budgetary items for the Police Department, Corrections, and the Fire Department in her Address. Those include:
$3.2 million to purchase new police patrol vehicles.
$3 million to design a new Fire Training Academy. This new Academy will be built on the site of the current facility on Old Frankfort Pike.
$4.8 million to replace, one heavy rescue vehicle, two fire trucks, and one emergency medical vehicle in the Fire Department.
$216k for a Medical Cell Monitoring System in the Fayette County Detention Center.
This Medical Cell Monitoring System would be placed in the 26 medical unit cells at the Detention Center and would be able to detect the heart rate, respiratory rate, and movement of an inmate. If a medical issue is detected, an alert would be sent to the medical supervisor.
In 2023 the Herald-Leader reported on several Kentucky jail’s adoption of this technology. We don’t know for sure yet that the Kentuckty-based company Reassurance Solutions, who has installed this software in most Kentucky jails, will be the provider for the technology in Lexington. But you can learn more about their Cell Monitoring System here.
Environmental Quality and Public Works
Projects that cover paving, energy solutions, Lexington’s tree canopy, and water quality and sewer systems include:
$3.4 million for winter weather management. This funding will support the purchase of additional snow plows, road salt, Beet Heat, and will allow the City to contract with private companies to help treat snow and ice on Lexington’s roads and sidewalks.
$28 million for various sewer system improvements.
$150k to improve Lexington’s tree canopy.
$250k to fund the second phase of a study examining if a solar panel farm can be built on the former Haley Pike landfill.
$500k to improve the City’s Recycling Center.
$14 million for paving.
Complete Streets
Mayor Gorton stated in her Address that $19.2 million is going toward Complete Streets projects that will improve transportation safety for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. Those include:
$1.2 million to widen portions of Mason Headley near Versailles Road, and add bicycle lanes and sidewalks.
A new Fayette County Public Schools STEAM Academy is being constructed at the intersection of Mason Headley and Versailles Road.
$1 million to improve sidewalk connectivity.
$1 million to construct wheelchair accessible ramps in City buildings and on City properties.
$400k for the Sidewalk Assistance Program, which provides funding for low-income homeowners to maintain sidewalks on their property.
$150k for the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program.
Other Projects
Here are some other pieces of funding that we think are worth highlighting:
$80k (salary + benefits) for a new Encampment Coordinator Position to manage street outreach and homeless encampment clearing.
$400k for the Lexington Childrens’ Museum. We don’t know exactly what this will support, but Mayor Gorton said this allocation is the first step in a four-year, $2 million commitment to the Museum.
The City’s bond package — you can think of this as the debt the City plans to take on to support projects in the Budget — is $18 million. Mayor Gorton says this is the smallest bond package the City has issued since 2020. Last year’s bond package was around $30 million.
Next Steps for the Budget
Now that Mayor Gorton has released her Proposed Budget, Council will begin revising the Budget and will give it final approval in early July.
Council will hold a Budget Committee of the Whole (COW) Meeting on Tuesday, April 29th at 1pm to kick off their work on the Budget. After the Budget COW, Budget Link meetings will begin on April 30th and run through May 12th.
As a refresher: Council meets in five groups called “Links,” with each Link working on a few specific areas of the Proposed Budget. Links make recommendations for changes to be made within their specific areas of the Budget and bring those recommendations to the full Council for discussion and a vote.
Link meetings are open to the public, but they are not recorded or streamed and there is no opportunity for public comment at these meetings.
We’ll include more information on the Links in next week’s newsletter, but you can view a list of the Link groups, their membership, and meeting schedule below.
Council will make their final changes to the Budget in a COW meeting on May 29th at 10am. The Budget will be officially approved on June 12th.
How can you share your thoughts on the upcoming Budget with Council?
Fill out their short public input survey for the Budget here!
Email your Councilmembers! Remember, you are represented by your District Councilmember as well as At-Large Councilmembers James Brown and Chuck Ellinger, and Vice Mayor Dan Wu. You can find out who your District Councilmember is here.
You can give public comment during a Public Hearing on the Mayor’s Proposed Budget on May 8th at 6pm in Council Chambers!
You can also give public comment at any Council Work Session or formal Council Meeting between now and June 12th on the Budget.
You can learn more about how the City Budget is made on our Budget Explainer page!
