By Stu Johnson, Kentucky Public Radio
LEXINGTON, Ky. – It's not the budget Lexington Mayor Jim Gray wanted. Members of the Urban County Council moved forward with a $274 million spending plan Tuesday, rejecting many of the mayor's proposed cuts.
Gray says the council is not willing to make difficult financial decisions. He has the option of vetoing parts of the budget, something he's not commenting on right now.
"The council has good intentions and we'll honor those good intentions and we'll examine and we'll evaluate the options that the executive branch, the mayor has."
The council's budget restores funding for outside agencies and keeps eleven jobs in security and three in government communications. The mayor had suggested eliminating those positions.
The council's budget includes two disc golf courses proposed by council member George Meyers.
"There's an opportunity for both of these parks to increase traffic out there."
Meyers says a new disc golf tournament could come to Lexington as a result of new facilities at Jacobson and Cold Stream parks.
Council will have a first reading of the budget next Tuesday.