LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — On Tuesday, Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton unveiled her city budget for the 2025-2026 year. If passed by Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council members, residents should see improvements in a wide range of areas beginning as early as July 1.
From safety on our streets and sidewalks, to enhancements within the park system, and the continuation of a study to build a solar energy farm on the old Haley Pike Landfill, the mayor’s budget allocates $539,000,000 in funding for these projects.
But the budget item that is certain to attract attention is the record number of money Gorton plans to set aside to combat winter weather.
“We had 23.5 inches of snow and a little less than an inch of ice,” Mayor Gorton said on Wednesday morning. “We had prepared for a usual winter, and we had an unusually harsh winter, so we've upped the game for our snow response to about 3.4 million dollars."
The mayor was speaking after a press conference to announce another important program for the city, which will take place on April 24 at Central Bank Center.
“When people don’t go back to jail, it’s a huge success. I believe the expungement clinic and job fair is one activity that leads to that. People can break through a barrier that’s prevented them from getting a job, or a home, Gorton said. “I think it is a contributing factor to the recidivism rate going down."
The second chance program is in place to help those with a criminal background to navigate the expungement process, if eligible, while also getting to meet with prospective employers.
Gorton noted that her budget sets aside a record amount of money for snow removal. It’ll include more vehicles and continuing to hire non-city employees to help with the smaller, lower ranked side streets. Some of those lower ranked streets remained covered in snow and ice for weeks after the initial storm in early January.
“When we added those independent contractors, it made a big difference. So, we built in those resources again,” she said. “Not only did we have the snow and ice, but it stayed way below freezing for a long time. It was difficult, and people were frustrated, and kids were out of school for a while."
