An amended version of Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory's executive budget was approved last night. Lafayette City and Parish councils passed a 2020-2021 fiscal budget with 37 amendments. The approval comes after weeks of public comment and adds money for Parks and Rec, museums, and $1 million for additional police funding for training. That comes at the request of Guillory in the wake of the officer-involved shooting of Trayford Pellerin.

Our news partners at KATC broke down some of the changes:

  • $300,000 in CREATE funds was moved to the Lafayette Science Museum for two museum curators and contractual services
  • The Acadiana Center for the Arts is getting an additional $100,000 from the city's general fund, for a total budget of $257,680
  • The Parks and Recreation budget will get an additional $1.75 million from the city's general fund, as well as various other amendments to help pay for contractual services ($750,000 in personnel, $1 million in capital)

You can watch last night's full meeting below:

The good news is that sales tax collections have not dropped off in the way some had forecasted during the coronavirus shutdown. Some of those estimates said Lafayette would be hit with a 30% drop in collections and that has just not panned out. Several area municipalities have reported year-over-year increases in sales tax collections.

The Lafayette fiscal year begins on November 1st.

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