An idea to merge the Louisville Fire Department and Metro EMS is among many being heard by a group of Metro Council members tasked with finding long-term savings for the city.
The proposal is a long way from becoming a reality, but its presence on Wednesday's agenda for the Ad Hoc Committee on Efficiencies shows just how willing they are to explore every option. The committee was formed as the Metro Council weighed a controversial proposal to raise taxes on insurance premiums, which ultimately failed.
In an effort to shore up Kentucky's underfunded pension system, state officials are requiring bigger payments from cities and counties, and that's leaving Louisville with a pension bill that will go up by $65 million within a five-year span.