Apr 15, 2025 Government Oversight/Audit and Appointments Committee

[00:00:27]

THANK YOU. OKAY, EVERYONE. WE APPRECIATE IT. AND THAT. IS IT RIGHT. NOW FOR THIS. CITY. IT DOESN'T HURT TO SEE YOU. COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AROUND HERE. APPRECIATE IT.

AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT. YOU. KYLE. HOW ARE YOU? ALRIGHT. HERE. I AM. AGAIN. I KNOW THAT.

THERE. ARE. YOU KNOW, THERE. ARE ABOUT. 30. THAT. ARE THAT. STILL FIGHTING. TESTING, TESTING, TESTING, TESTING SOUNDS TERRIBLE. BUT THE CITY. OF. NEW.

METRO TV. ONE MINUTE PLEASE. YES, SIR. PASSWORD? OKAY, BEFORE YOU KNOW, WE WERE PROMPTED TO SWITCH ON YOUR COMPUTER OR YOUR. I MEAN, THIS MY TERMINAL. YOUR TERMINAL. OKAY. SO.

[Call to Order]

[Roll Call]

[00:05:07]

[1. ID 25-0111     KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN HEADQUARTERS DEPARTURE FROM LOUISVILLE – Jeff O’Brien, Economic Development]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR JEFF O'BRIEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME THIS AFTERNOON AND TALK ABOUT THE KFC DEPARTURE HERE. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY A COUPLE THINGS. WE KNOW THE NEWS OF KFC LEAVING LOUISVILLE IN KENTUCKY IS DISAPPOINTING FOR MANY REASONS. ANYTIME WE LOSE A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL BRAND FROM LOUISVILLE AND FROM KENTUCKY, IT'S JUST IT'S DISAPPOINTING. JUST SO YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THIS, THESE CONVERSATIONS, THE CITY AND THE STATE WERE WERE NOTIFIED OF THIS BEFORE THEY MADE A DECISION TO LEAVE. WE HAD HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM AND WERE PREPARED TO FIND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO RETAIN KENTUCKY KFC HERE IN LOUISVILLE. THE REALITY IS, IS THAT BUSINESS CYCLES AND REALITIES AND ECONOMIC CYCLES EVOLVE, AND THERE ARE DECISIONS THAT BUSINESSES MAKE THAT GOVERNMENTS CAN'T NECESSARILY INFLUENCE. IN THE CASE OF KFC, THIS THIS PARTICULAR SEGMENT OF THE RESTAURANT MARKET HAS SEEN A RISE IN COMPETITION. BUT THIS IS SPECIFICALLY I'M SPEAKING TO QUICK SERVE CHICKEN FACILITIES. SO FACILITIES LIKE CHICK FIL A AND POPEYES HAVE SEEN THEIR REVENUES GROW AND CUT INTO KFC'S. THEIR MARKET SHARE. FURTHER, JUST LIKE MANY BUSINESSES, COSTS HAVE INCREASED AND POST PANDEMIC, WHAT WE'VE SEEN NATIONALLY IS MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS CONTINUING TO CONSOLIDATE THEIR OFFICES. SO AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, YUM HAS BEEN ON A IN A MARCH OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO, MOVING THEIR FACILITIES TO PLANO, TEXAS. SO THIS IS KFC AND LOUISVILLE ARE NOT. WE'RE WE'RE NOT UNIQUE IN THIS REGARD. WE'RE WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN EARLY 25 IS THAT THERE'S AN EMPHASIS ON CENTRAL HEADQUARTER LOCATIONS MOVING TO CENTRAL LOCATIONS SO THEY CAN BRING THEIR STAFF BACK TOGETHER TO FOSTER THE COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION THAT BUSINESSES ARE USED TO SEEING, SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO BE PROSPEROUS. SO THOSE ARE THE THOSE ARE THE KEY POINTS. AND WHAT WHAT WE'VE WHAT WE'RE FACING WITH KFC. SO JUST BEFORE WE BEFORE I GO INTO TOO MUCH MORE DETAIL THERE, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE GOOD NEWS. RIGHT. BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T WANT TO MINIMIZE THE PAIN THAT THE 93 JOBS AND THE PEOPLE THAT WORK, THOSE JOBS ARE GOING THROUGH. SO THAT'S THAT'S A REALITY THAT WE'RE FACING HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY. SO THE GOOD NEWS HERE IS THAT LAST YEAR, WE ATTRACTED MORE JOBS THAN WE HAD AT ANY TIME SINCE 2017. SO WE ATTRACTED ALMOST 4600 JOBS INTO JEFFERSON COUNTY, 57% OF THEIR JOBS. AND THIS IS SOMETHING I'M REALLY PROUD OF FOR OUR TEAM IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, 57% OF THOSE JOBS WERE WITH BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOCAL AND GROWING OR BUSINESSES THAT WE'VE RETAINED LOCALLY. WE CURRENTLY HAVE A PROJECT PIPELINE THAT HAS 89 PROJECTS IN NEARLY A $13 BILLION OF INVESTMENTS, AND WE WON'T GET ALL THOSE JOBS, BUT WE'RE IN THE GAME. AND SO WE'RE STILL BEING SEEN AS A PLACE THAT'S FRIENDLY TO BUSINESS AND A GOOD PLACE TO DO BUSINESS. SO HERE'S WHAT HERE'S WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE AGAIN, WHETHER IT'S WHETHER IT'S KFC OR ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT IS LEAVING LOUISVILLE AS PART OF OUR FY 25 BUDGET AND COMING OUT OF OUR GROWING LOUISVILLE TOGETHER PLAN, WE FORMED THE LOUISVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE AND RECENTLY HIRED TREVOR PAUL AS CEO. HE STARTED IN MARCH. HE WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO JOIN ME TODAY BUT HAS A FAMILY EMERGENCY. HE HAD TO ATTEND TO. SO I THINK HE'S REACHING OUT TO SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GET A MORE TO DISCUSS A MORE FORMAL, MORE FORMALLY THAN I'M GOING TO DO TODAY, WHAT LEAD IS DOING. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE TRYING TO GET MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH OUR BUSINESS GROWTH, ATTRACTION AND RETENTION. SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO

[00:10:01]

LOUISVILLE IS STILL A GREAT PLACE TO START AND GROW A BUSINESS. I MEAN, WE HAVE WHETHER IT'S WHETHER IT'S A NATIONAL BRAND OR A SMALL BRAND, A COUPLE OF GOOD EXAMPLES OF THIS WOULD BE CONGO BRANDS. WE JUST HAD A $1.3 BILLION SALE OF ONE OF THEIR PRODUCT LINES FOR CONGO BRANDS, AND THEY'RE BUILDING A NEW HEADQUARTERS HERE IN LOUISVILLE WITH 500 HIGH PAYING JOBS. DAN SEASONING, ANOTHER NATIONAL BRAND GROWING BRAND. THEY'RE THEY'RE MAKING A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN NEW HEADQUARTER OPERATIONS HERE IN LOUISVILLE. SO AGAIN, THESE ARE THESE ARE BRANDS THAT WE'RE GROWING LOCALLY AND GROWING HEADQUARTER GROWING HEADQUARTER JOBS HERE LOCALLY. SO AGAIN TOGETHER WITH THE LOUISVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE AND THE STATE OF KENTUCKY, WE ARE WE HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES. WE HAVE A GOOD PROJECT PIPELINE.

WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THOSE PARTNERS TO GROW OUR ECONOMY. NOW, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN QUESTIONS OUT THERE. IT'S LIKE, WELL, WHAT DID TEXAS DO TO ATTRACT YUM AWAY FROM FROM LOUISVILLE? WELL, AGAIN, WE DON'T WE DON'T REALLY KNOW. NOR IS TEXAS GOING TO SHARE WHAT WITH KENTUCKY, WHAT THEY DID TO ATTRACT THE JOBS. ONE REALITY ABOUT ONE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN BETWEEN TEXAS AND KENTUCKY IS THE TEXAS HAS A 0% STATE INCOME TAX, SO KENTUCKY'S IS 3.5%. AND THERE ARE MOVES BY THE LEGISLATURE TO MOVE THAT DOWN.

SO THAT IS A BIG CHALLENGE FOR US AS WE GO TO COMPETE FOR BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOOKING AT US OR EVEN TENNESSEE OR OHIO, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE AT THOSE TAX RATES AND WHAT THAT MEANS.

AND OUR STATE LEGISLATURE IS DOING THAT, AND THEY'RE DOING A NICE JOB OF THINKING ABOUT THAT.

WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT OUR INCENTIVES ARE ATTRACTING AND HOW ARE WE WHAT ARE WE WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? OFTENTIMES, WHILE THE INCENTIVES ARE ARE IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY TO KEEP BUSINESS GROWTH AND MOMENTUM HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY, A LOT OF TIMES THOSE ARE POT SWEETENERS. SO, SO, SO COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR FACTORS IN ADDITION TO INCENTIVES TO GET TO GET TO THE COMMUNITY. SO QUALITY OF LIFE WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR GROWING LOUISVILLE TOGETHER PLAN, WE'RE VERY FOCUSED ON QUALITY OF LIFE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY IN A GAME ANYMORE TO ATTRACT SMOKESTACKS AND QUOTE UNQUOTE, SMOKESTACKS. WE'RE IN A JOB. WE'RE IN A GAME TO GAIN AND ATTRACT TALENT. AND THAT'S REALLY THE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING, REALLY, A LOT OF CITIES ARE FACING ACROSS THE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS GROWING TALENT. SO WE'VE GOT TO MAKE OUR CITY THE MOST ATTRACTIVE TO GET THAT YOUNG WORKING AGE POPULATION. I'D SAY YOUNG, BUT 25 TO 50 YEAR OLD FOUR YEAR OLDS, THAT'S OUR PRIME WORKING AGE POPULATION. WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PEER CITIES, WE SEE GROWTH IN THAT, THAT COHORT OF POPULATION. WHEN WE LOOK AT LOUISVILLE, WE SEE A 2% DECLINE AND THAT'S THAT'S PROBLEMATIC. SO WE REALLY ARE IN A WE REALLY ARE IN A RACE TO GAIN POPULATION AND GAIN TALENT. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOUSING STRATEGY OR WE TALK ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS GROWT, OR WE TALK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAPITAL INVESTMENT, THOSE THOSE WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL THOSE WE RANK, WE ARE A TOP 50 METRO. WE ARE NOT IN THE TOP 50 IN ANY OF THOSE CATEGORIES IN TERMS OF POPULATION GROWTH, IN TERMS OF GROWTH, OF AVAILABILITY OF CAPITAL FOR STARTUP BUSINESSES.

SO WE NEED TO GET MORE AGGRESSIVE AND GET MORE STRATEGIC ABOUT HOW WE GET HOW WE HOW WE ATTRACT BUSINESS. I MEAN, THE REALITY IS WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE BUSINESS PORTFOLIO ACROSS THE CITY, ACROSS THE COUNTY. AND SO WE WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT, WE HAVE THAT'S GOOD.

THAT'S GOOD NEWS. WE DON'T WE'RE NOT TOO HEAVILY CONCENTRATED IN ANY ONE AREA. SO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO AND COMPETE FOR JOBS AND GO AND COMPETE FOR GO AND COMPETE FOR PEOPLE. BUT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS AND BE BE INTENTIONAL AS WE MAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS. SO I'M NOT HERE. YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS A THIS IS A LEARNING MOMENT FOR US, BUT IT'S NOT TO BE UNEXPECTED THAT WE WILL LOSE BUSINESSES OVER THE COURSE OF TIME. WE WORK VERY HARD. OUR TEAM SPENDS 80% OF THEIR TIME WORKING TO ON BUSINESS, ON BUSINESS RETENTION.

SO WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE STATE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR INCENTIVE POOLS ARE HELPING US ATTRACT HEADQUARTERS AND NOT JUST MANUFACTURING JOBS. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF MANUFACTURING JOBS, AND THOSE ARE VERY IMPORTANT. WE PUNCH WELL ABOVE OUR WEIGHT THERE, BUT WE DO NEED TO WE DO NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE ATTRACTING A KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY AND THE EVER PRESENT 21ST CENTURY JOBS. SO I WANTED TO BE BRIEF IN MY REMARKS THIS AFTERNOON, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT MEMBERS HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND AS I SAID EARLIER, IT'S CONCERNING. I KNOW THAT WE'VE SEEN TOBACCO INDUSTRIES LEAVE THE CITY AND STATE WITH TOBACCO USE DECLINING, BUT PEOPLE ARE STILL EATING CHICKEN, AS YOU JUST MENTIONED, POPEYES AND CHICK FIL A, THEY HAVE PICKED UP THEIR MARKET SHARES HERE IN LOUISVILLE. AND SO IT'S A LITTLE SAD TO SEE A COMPANY THAT

[00:15:04]

I'M JOINED VIRTUALLY BY COUNCILWOMAN MCCRANIE. I'M JOINED BY COUNCILMAN LINIGER.

COUNCILMAN KRAMER. COUNCILMAN JJ, COUNCILMAN WEBER, AND COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS. SO IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST JUMP IN AND ASK. OKAY. MADAM. MADAM. MADAM CHAIR, I'M ONLINE. OH. I'M SORRY. COUNCILMAN REED IS ALSO JOINING US VIRTUALLY. SORRY ABOUT THAT.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO USE THE Q NOT GOING TO USE THE Q. OKAY, FINE. MADAM CHAIR. GREAT. THANK YOU. SO YOU'VE ANSWERED MOST OF MY QUESTIONS ALREADY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. YOUR PRESENTATION WAS PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE. I GUESS, THOUGH IT LEAVES ME WITH NOW THAT YOU MENTIONED THE RETENTION ONE, I GET THAT 93 JOBS ISN'T ENOUGH TO TRIGGER IT, BUT 593 IS. I WOULD HAVE TO THINK THAT GIVEN THAT THEY'RE MOVING KFC TO PLANO AND GIVEN THAT THAT'S THIS IS NOT THE FIRST OF THE YOUNG BRANDS TO MOVE THERE, IT DOESN'T SEEM OUTSIDE THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY THAT AT SOME POINT THERE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT MOVING YOUNG BRANDS HEADQUARTERS. AND IF WE WAIT UNTIL THEY DECIDE THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, THEN THEY WILL HAVE ALREADY MOVED SO MUCH THAT THE MOMENTUM WILL BE SUCH THAT IT WILL BE HARD TO OVERCOME. SO I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WAS THERE AN OVERSIGHT THERE? WAS THERE A CALCULATION THAT SAID WITH 93 JOBS, IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT. BUT YOU DIDN'T COUNT THE 500? OR WAS IT LIKE, WE DON'T THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME? I'M CURIOUS WHAT THE THOUGHT PROCESS WAS AROUND THAT. SO I WILL SAY THAT WE DID THE WE DID HAVE THAT DIRECT CONVERSATION WITH THEM TO RETAIN ALL THE JOBS WITH, WITH YOUNG OR YOUNG BRAND ASSOCIATION HERE IN, IN LOUISVILLE, THAT THAT WAS THE DISCUSSION THAT WE STARTED HAVING WITH THEM A YEAR AGO TO TRY TO FIND A WAY TO USE THE TOOL SO THAT WE COULD KEEP ALL

[00:20:07]

RIGHT. BUT SOMEWHERE IN THERE HAS TO BE THE QUESTION WHEN, WHEN WE SEE THAT MANAGEMENT SHIFT IN A COMPANY, WE HAVE TO BE AWARE THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY, RIGHT? IF WE WAITED UNTIL A YEAR AGO TO START TALKING TO YUM OR TO KFC IN THIS CASE, YOU KNOW, IS THERE AGAIN A THOUGHT TO WHEN YOU SEE THE MANAGEMENT CHANGE INSTEAD OF WAITING UNTIL THEY START THE CONVERSATION TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND SAY LOOK, OR EVEN BEFORE THAT, RIGHT TO SAY TO THE JONES FAMILY, LOOK, WE KNOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SELLING HUMANA, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO US. IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU. IT WAS IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HIM. BUT APPARENTLY IT WASN'T A PART OF THE DEAL. I WILL SAY THAT WE HAVE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS ALL THE TIME WITH OUR OUR BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE. AND SO WE ARE OFTENTIMES IN THE AWARE OF, YOU KNOW, THE WHERE THE COMPANIES ARE GOING BEFORE THEY HIT THE FOR THAT NEWS HITS THE MEDIA, WHETHER IT'S THE LOCAL MEDIA OR THE BUSINESS PUBLICATIONS. SO WE HAVE WE HAVE GOOD UNDERSTANDINGS OF WHERE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE GOING. AND THAT'S USUALLY AS WE START TO HEAR THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE LEADERSHIP OR MANAGEMENT CHANGES. THAT'S USUALLY OUR FIRST THING THAT WE'RE TELLING PEOPLE LIKE, YES, WE, WE, WE DON'T DON'T LEAVE LOUISVILLE. IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE THINK THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BUSINESS TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, IN THE CASE OF HUMANA, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF JOBS THAT ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE EMPLOYED BY BY HUMANA. SO I THINK THAT WE ARE ROUTINELY IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS WHERE WE STAY VERY CLOSE TO THE VERY LARGE EMPLOYERS AND THE SMALL EMPLOYERS AS WELL, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE MAJORITY OF OUR BUSINESSES HERE ARE ARE EMPLOYEE LESS THAN 50 PEOPLE. SO I THINK THAT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A IT'S LIKE I SAID, IT'S DISAPPOINTING WHEN YOU WHEN YOU LOSE WHEN YOU LOSE A KFC. BUT YOU KNOW, WE ARE VERY FOCUSED ON TALKING TO OUR BUSINESSES ON A ROUTINE BASIS. WHEN I SAY THE 80% OF OUR STAFF'S TIME IS FOCUSED ON RETENTION, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING. WE'RE OUT THERE WITH OUR PARTNERS AT AT THE STATE, AT GREATER LOUISVILLE, INC. TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH BUSINESSES AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, WHERE THEY'RE GOING, WHAT THEIR CHALLENGES ARE HERE IN LOUISVILLE. SO THIS IS NOT WELL, WE GET IN THE ROOM AND START HAVING REAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, HEY, THIS IS A POSSIBILITY. WHAT CAN YOU ALL DO FOR US? THOSE THAT WE ARE USUALLY WELL AWARE LONG BEFORE THEY SHOW UP AT THE AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS. GREAT, THANKS. MY THIRD QUESTION HOPEFULLY IS A MORE POSITIVE ONE, RIGHT? I HEARD YOU SAY THAT PART OF THE REASON THAT COMPANIES ARE RELOCATING IS IT'S A MORE CENTRALIZED LOCATION, AND IT'S MORE CENTRALIZED FOR THEIR BUSINESS. OBVIOUSLY, LOUISVILLE IS A PRETTY CENTRALIZED PART OF THE WORLD, THOUGH. I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE PART OF THE UNITED STATES AT LEAST, RIGHT? I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PRETTY IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENTS AT MUHAMMAD ALI'S AT THE AIRPORT, AND I'M WONDERING IF WE'RE SEEING THE BENEFIT OF THE OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE OUT THERE BECAUSE WE ARE MORE ACCESSIBLE TODAY THAN WE WERE FIVE YEARS AGO. YEAH, I THINK THAT THE AIRPORT IS A BIG PART OF OUR SUCCESS AND WILL BE A BIG PART OF OUR SUCCESS GOING FORWARD. THEY HAD A THREE ALMOST 4% GROWTH YEAR OVER YEAR LAST YEAR. SO WE EXPECT THAT TO CONTINUE WITH WITH DAN MANN AND HIS TEAM AT THE AIRPORT MAKING WONDERFUL IMPROVEMENTS. THAT FACILITY IS WE'VE GOT WE'VE GOT MORE DIRECT FLIGHTS. WE'VE SEEN FLIGHTS COME BACK FROM COVID. I MEAN, WE HAD A COUPLE OF DIRECT LONG HAULS THAT WE THAT WERE TEMPORARILY SHUTTERED BECAUSE OF THE BECAUSE OF COVID AND TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS. BUT THOSE ARE COMING BACK. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING WE TALKED ROUTINELY WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT THEIR AIRLIFT STRATEGY IS SO THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING THE SERVICE TO THE PLACES THAT WE THINK ARE MOST IMPORTANT. AND THE THINGS THAT WE HEAR FROM

[00:25:02]

THANK YOU. YEAH. AND I WANTED TO SAY CITIES ARE LIKE BUSINESSES. THEY'RE VERY COMPETITIVE. DO YOU ALL COURT THESE BUSINESSES? IN OTHER WORDS, DO YOU HAVE ANY PROACTIVE STEPS THAT YOU USE? VISIT WITH THEM. YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS ARE. DO YOU DO YOU IDENTIFY ANY THREATS AHEAD OF TIMES OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? I'M JUST CURIOUS. AND YOU, IF YOU CAN'T SHARE WHAT YOU DO, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IN ORDER TO RETAIN BUSINESSES, ARE YOU BEING PROACTIVE WITH THESE BUSINESSES? WHAT ARE YOU DOING IF YOU CAN SHARE THOSE? YEAH WE DO. WE DO VISITS DIRECTLY WITH BUSINESSES. WE SEND OUR OUR TEAM OUT TO DO VISITS WITH WITH BUSINESSES WITH WE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS A RELATIONSHIP DRIVEN BUSINESS. SO OUR OUR NUMBER ONE JOB WHETHER IT'S A BUSINESS THAT'S THINKING OF COMING HERE, A BUSINESS THAT'S GROWING HERE OR A BUSINESS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP HERE IS LIKE FIND RELATIONSHIPS, LEVERAGE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. ONE OF THE BEST PARTS ABOUT LOUISVILLE, IT IS THE SMALLEST BIG CITY IN THE UNITED STATES, OUR BIGGEST SMALL TOWN, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU WANT TO VIEW THAT. SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE FIND SOMEBODY ON OUR TEAM OR SOMEBODY IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OR SOMEBODY ON METRO COUNCIL THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE RELATIONSHIPS WITH AND TRY TO FOSTER THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND GROW THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND TRY TO CREATE NOT JUST MONETARY INVESTMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY, BUT, YOU KNOW, INVESTING POLITICAL CAPITAL AND GOODWILL IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE THAT WE ARE TRULY, TRULY FOCUSED ON IN TERMS OF GETTING BUSINESSES TO COME TO LOUISVILLE OR EXISTING BUSINESSES TO MAKE INVESTMENTS IN LOUISVILLE. WE DO. I MEAN, WE ARE WE ARE FOCUSED ON RECRUITMENT. I MEAN, WE HAVE ONE OF THE GREATEST RECRUITING VEHICLES THAT ANY CITY COULD ASK FOR. I MEAN, THE KENTUCKY DERBY IS AN AMAZING RECRUITMENT TOOL. THE ONE THING WE ALWAYS SAY IS IF WE COULD JUST GET BUSINESS TO LOCATE OR NOT LOCATE, BUT COME TO LOUISVILLE AND VISIT LOUISVILLE AND SEE US AT OUR FINEST, THEN THEN WE CAN GET PEOPLE TO COME HERE. AND SO WE'VE THAT STRATEGY WORKS FOR US, WHETHER WE'RE WE'RE DIRECTLY BRINGING BUSINESSES TO EVENTS LIKE THAT OR WHETHER WE'RE BRINGING SITE SELECTORS TO EVENTS OR BRINGING THEM TO FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH THIS COMMUNITY, NOT JUST LOOK AT THE DATA, BECAUSE ANYBODY CAN LOOK AT A SHEET OF OUR POPULATION STATISTICS, OUR ECONOMIC INVESTMENT STATISTICS. BUT IT'S REALLY WHEN YOU SEE WHAT'S ON THE GROUND AND THE VIBE THAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS TOWN THAT THAT WE CAN SELL PEOPLE ON THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE. THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO DO BUSINESS. AND I DON'T THINK THAT I DON'T THINK THAT LOOKING AT A PIECE OF PAPER, IT TELLS THAT STORY. AND YOU ALL KNOW THAT BECAUSE YOU LIVE HERE AND YOU LOVE YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND PROMOTE YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, SO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYBODY'S GOT IT'S LIKE, THIS IS A GREAT CITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S NOT ANOTHER WAY TO SAY IT. I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE WHAT WE TRY TO SELL. WE TRY TO SELL THAT EXUBERANCE AND THAT LOVE FOR THIS COMMUNITY. IT'S A PRETTY EASY PLACE TO LIVE COMPARED TO ME LIVING IN CHICAGO FOR A FEW YEARS, IT'S A VERY COMFORTABLE PLACE TO LIVE. COUNCILMAN WEBER, THANK YOU. AND I JUST APPRECIATE YOU CONTINUING TO BE A CHEERLEADER FOR THIS CITY. I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHERE AUSTIN WAS IN THE 2000 AND I HAD OCCASION TO GO THERE A LOT WHEN PEOPLE SAID, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE YOU FROM? EVERYONE IN AUSTIN WAS LIKE, WELL, I'M NOT FROM HERE, BUT I GOT HERE AS FAST AS I COULD. AND I THINK IN LOUISVILLE WE HAVE THIS ATTITUDE OF, OH, I'VE BEEN HERE. I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE FOR 20 YEARS. I'M NOT FROM HERE. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, PART OF CHANGING THAT NARRATIVE IS CHANGING THE NARRATIVE, HOW WE TALK ABOUT OUR CITY AS A VIBRANT PLACE THAT WELCOMES PEOPLE, THAT'S DENSELY NETWORKED, WHERE WE HAVE HAD THIS HISTORY OF GROWING AND SCALING MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? WHEN I THINK TO COUNCILMAN KRAMER'S POINT, LIKE WHEN THE EXECUTIVES HAVE NO CONNECTION TO HERE, WHEN IT GOES OUT INTO THE IPO LAND AND IT'S A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY, IT'S OKAY. BLESS AND RELEASE LIKE WE GREW THAT COMPANY. THEY DID A BUNCH HERE. WE'LL TRY TO KEEP THEM HERE IF WE CAN. BUT WHEN THE REAL DECIDING FACTOR IS THE CEO'S KIDS ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL IN ATLANTA, YOU KNOW WE CAN'T FIGHT THAT. LIKE THE CEO NEVER MOVED HERE. LIKE THAT'S NOT OUR WE CAN'T DO THAT. WHAT WE CAN DO. AND I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN SO ATTENTIVE TO IS TRY TO GROW THE NEXT KFC AND THE NEXT YUM, AND THE NEXT HUMANA HERE, OR A MILLION EL TORO'S, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE EMPLOYING FOLKS. SO I JUST I WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR HELPING TO US TO HAVE A NARRATIVE ABOUT OURSELVES, THAT WE ARE A PLACE THAT IS VIBRANT AND GROWING. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT

[00:30:03]

AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT THE LOUISVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE AND TREVOR ARE GOING TO DO. HE IS SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT THAT ISSUE THAT HOW DO WE GROW BUSINESSES HERE IN LOUISVILLE, NOT JUST ATTRACT BUSINESSES AND RETAIN BUSINESSES, BUT HOW DO WE GROW BUSINESSES? HOW DO WE TAKE THAT THAT GROUP THAT'S A FIVE EMPLOYEE GROUP AND BLOW IT OUT INTO THE NEXT CONGO BRANDS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S THE THAT'S KIND OF OR THE NEXT HUMANA OR THE NEXT KFC. SO I THINK THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. SO I THINK TREVOR IS GOING TO YOU KNOW, HE AND HIS, HIS, HIS TEAM ARE GOING TO START GOING AROUND. AND THEY ARE HE'S BEEN ON THE GROUND FOR A MONTH HERE. SO AND AGAIN HE'D BE HERE SPEAKING FOR HIMSELF IF HE HADN'T HAD A FAMILY EMERGENCY. BUT HE'S THEY'VE GOT A HE REALLY IS PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS AND SEES THIS AS AN AREA OF MAJOR, MAJOR OPPORTUNITY FOR US IN THE COMING, IN THE COMING YEARS. SO. COUNCILMAN REED, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU, JEFF. I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION AND I'M SORRY THAT I COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY IN PERSON. SO WE MENTIONED A LOT OUR QUOTE UNQUOTE PEER CITIES, WHICH WHICH WOULD INCLUDE NASHVILLE, INDIANAPOLIS, CINCINNATI, THESE ARE ALL CITIES THAT ARE WITHIN 2 TO 3 HOURS OF A DRIVE FROM LOUISVILLE. AND I WOULD, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY GROWING AT A FASTER RATE THAN WE ARE WITH REGARD TO RETENTION OF COLLEGE GRADUATES. YOU KNOW, WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER CORPORATE JOBS, ETC, IN YOUR OPINION, AND I'M GOING TO MAKE THIS SORT OF A SIMPLE THING. WHAT IS IT THAT THEY HAVE THAT WE DON'T HAVE AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO WORK ON. YEAH. WELL, I THINK WHEN WE WHEN WE THINK ABOUT NASHVILLE AND INDIANAPOLIS SPECIFICALLY, I THINK THAT THEIR HIGHER EDUCATION, THEIR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS HAVE ARE REALLY ARE REALLY WORKING FOR THEM. SO VANDERBILT AND THE INSTITUTIONS, THE VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS IN INDIANAPOLIS ARE BIG DRIVERS OF KEY TALENT. AND I THINK BOTH TENNESSEE AND INDIANA ARE DOING A BETTER JOB AT RETAINING THEIR COLLEGE GRADUATES THAN KENTUCKY IS DOING. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, FRANKLY, WE ARE EXTREMELY FOCUSED ON, AS WHEN WE FORMED THE LOUISVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE, WE WERE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT HAVING NOT JUST THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE ON THE BOARD, BUT ALSO THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, BECAUSE WE NEED THOSE GRADUATES FROM UOFL AND KENTUCKY AND WESTERN AND EASTERN AND ALL THE OTHER INCIDENTS, CENTER COLLEGE AND ALL THE OTHER INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE STATE. WE NEED THOSE THOSE STUDENTS TO COME, THOSE GRADUATES TO COME TO LOUISVILLE.

WE NEED THEM TO STAY IN THE COMMONWEALTH. WE DON'T NEED THEM TO GO TO NASHVILLE OR TO GO TO CHICAGO. I THINK THE OTHER PART OF THAT, TOO, IS WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC AND REALLY LOOK AT OUR CAREER PATH JOBS. WE ARE CREATING A LOT OF GOOD. WE'RE HIRING A LOT OF GOOD, YOU KNOW, WELL-PAYING JOBS THAT WILL EARN PEOPLE VERY COMFORTABLE LIFESTYLES. BUT WE'VE GOT TO REALLY GET THOSE CAREER PATH JOBS HERE SO WE CAN ATTRACT THE KEEP THE KID FROM FROM UK OR FROM U OF L TO STAY HERE IN LOUISVILLE, COME TO LOUISVILLE. BUT THEN THEY GET THAT FIRST JOB. WHERE'S MY SECOND JOB? WHERE'S MY THIRD JOB GOING TO BE? AND HOW AM I GOING TO CONTINUE TO ADVANCE IN MY CAREER IN MY HOMETOWN OR IN MY HOME STATE? AND THAT'S THAT'S BEEN THE THAT'S KIND OF BEEN THE, THE, THE INNOVATION COMPONENT OF THE UNIVERSITIES IN INDIANAPOLIS AND THE INNOVATION COMPONENTS IN OF THE UNIVERSITIES IN TENNESSEE. I ALSO, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY OUR OUR INSPIRATION FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT IS WHAT COLUMBUS, OHIO IS DOING THERE. HAVE A TREMENDOUS PARTNER WITH OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY AND THEIR CITY TO REALLY CONTINUE TO NOT JUST GROW JOBS AND GROW INVESTMENT IN THAT CITY, BUT ALSO GROW CAREER PATH JOBS. AND, YOU KNOW, IN SPINNING BUSINESSES OUT OF OUT OF THE UNIVERSITIES AND INNOVATION HUBS, I'M GETTING WAY OVER MY SKIS, BY THE WAY. SO. COUNCILMAN REED, DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, JUST ONE FOLLOW UP. YOU MENTIONED EARLIER YOU TALKING ABOUT COLLEGE KIDS WANTING TO STAY IN THE CITY. I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE REASONS

[00:35:05]

EITHER FRANCHISES OR LEAGUES TO LOCATE A TEAM HERE? AND I'M NOT JUST SAYING THE NBA. I'M TALKING ABOUT MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER. WE HAVE A STADIUM THAT IS MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER READY WITH SOME INVESTMENT. SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEAR FROM COLLEGE AGE KIDS IS THAT THERE'S REALLY NOTHING HERE FOR US. THERE'S MORE FOR PEOPLE YOUR AGE, DAD, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING. SO THAT'S THAT'S MY QUESTION. I MEAN, DO WE LOOK AT AMENITIES, THINGS THAT THAT WILL MAKE IT SO THAT, THAT, THAT COLLEGE AGE KIDS WILL WANT TO STAY HERE? WELL, IF I MAY INTERRUPT BEFORE BEFORE JEFF GETS HIS CHANCE JUST TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT AND PROPS, WE DO HAVE WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM HERE THAT IS AT THE TOP IN THE TOP LEAGUE IN WOMEN'S SOCCER. AND NOT ONLY ARE THEY IN THE TOP LEAGUE, BUT THEY ARE VERY COMPETITIVE THERESO WEOAVE ONE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM HERE. I'M SORRY, BUT I APPRECIATE THE MEN'S TEAM. BUT THE MEN'S TEAM IS STILL IN THAT THEY'RE IN THAT USF US WHATEVER LEAGUE BELOW. THEY'RE NOT IN THE TOP TIER. OUR WOMEN'S PROGRAM IS IN THE TOP TIER. YOU DON'T GET A BETTER OPPORTUNITY FOR PRO SPORTS THAN WHERE OUR WOMEN ARE.

SO WHICH IS IMPRESSIVE. I THINK IT BEGS THE QUESTION THE WNBA IS EXPANDING, AND I WAS I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND AS QUICKLY AS I CAN, ARE WE EVEN IN THE MIX FOR A POTENTIAL EXPANSION TEAM? AND THEN IF YOU'LL ANSWER COUNCILMAN REED'S QUESTION, I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE ISSUE. YEAH. AND IN TERMS OF IN TERMS OF PROFESSIONAL SPORTS. SO JUST ON THE ON THE RACING LOUISVILLE RACING, WE ARE WE HAVE TO WORK TO RETAIN THAT TEAM BECAUSE THAT THAT LEAGUE IS BECOMING SO VALUABLE. THAT TEAM IS BECOMING SO VALUABLE. WE HAVE TO WORK WITH WITH SOCCER GROUP TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT TEAM ACTUALLY STAYS IN LOUISVILLE, BECAUSE THERE ARE INVESTORS THAT WANT TO BUY THAT TEAM AND MOVE IT SOMEPLACE ELSE. AND SO AND I THINK THAT IN TERMS OF LIKE RECRUITING PRO SPORTS, YES, WE ARE, WE ARE WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO GET OUR NAME ON THE MAP. AND IN SPORTS LEAGUES, I MEAN, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT YOU NEED FOR A PRO SPORTS TEAM IS A PRO SPORTS STADIUM. AND WE HAVE TWO WORLD CLASS PRO SPORTS FACILITIES, THE ARENA AND THE SOCCER STADIUM. THE NEXT THING YOU HAVE TO HAVE IS AN OWNERSHIP GROUP. WE HAVE GOT A GREAT OWNERSHIP GROUP FOR THE SOCCER TEAM AND WE WORK WITH THEM DAILY. IN FACT, ON MY WAY IN THE BUILDING, I WAS TEXTING WITH ONE OF THE OWNERS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE STADIUM AND THAT DISTRICT. SO THAT THAT'S PART OF OUR RETENTION ASPECT IS MAKING SURE THAT THAT, THAT THAT'S IT'S NOT JUST A GREAT PLACE TO PLAY AND A GREAT TEAM TO GET A NATIONAL TV AND FOR INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS TO BOOST THEIR BRANDS.

BUT TO HAVE A GREAT, COOL VIBE AND PLACE TO LIVE. SO IN TERMS OF WNBA, WE WE'RE ALWAYS ON THE WNBA AND NBA EXPANSION LIST BECAUSE OF THE ARENA THAT HAVING A 20,000 PLUS SEAT PRO SPORTS ARENA IS SOMETHING THAT ALWAYS GETS US ON A LIST. IT'S REALLY JUST HAVING THAT OWNERSHIP GROUP AND WHO IS WHO'S THE WHO IS THE POTENTIAL OWNER THAT CAN THAT CAN PURCHASE AND MAINTAIN A FRANCHISE LIKE AN NBA OR WNBA FRANCHISE HERE. SO TO COUNCILMAN REID'S POINT, I'M THE ONE THAT BROUGHT UP WOMEN'S SPORTS. I THINK HE WAS TALKING WITH SOME OTHERS. BUT YEAH. SO SAME SAME SAME SAME QUESTION WITH, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE NBA ANNOUNCES THEY'RE THEY'RE READY TO EXPAND.

WE ARE WE ARE FINDING EVERY INROAD THAT WE CAN GET TO GET ON THAT EXPANSION LIST. AND AGAIN, WE MAKE THE LIST JUST BECAUSE EVERY TIME YOU SEE IT ON ESPN OR SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, WHATEVER YOUR FLAVOR IS FOR SPORTS NEWS, YOU'LL SEE THE YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ALWAYS MAKE THOSE LISTS BECAUSE OF BECAUSE OF THAT ARENA. IT'S REALLY JUST THE OBVIOUS QUESTION, ALWAYS THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION IS WHO IS THE OWNERSHIP GROUP GOING TO BE IN LOUISVILLE? YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WE HAVE MILLIONAIRES. BUT TO BE TO OWN A SPORTS LEAGUE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LOT OF BILLIONAIRES.

HOW INVOLVED IS THE ECONOMIC. AND SCOTT, I APOLOGIZE. I'M TAKING ALL YOUR I'M FOLLOWING UP YOUR QUESTIONS. THAT'S WHAT I YIELD MY TIME. THANK YOU. HOW EFFECTIVELY OR NOT EFFECTIVELY.

HOW COMPLETELY IS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. HOW COMPLETELY IS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE ENGAGED IN THAT EFFORT IN TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER, NOT FUND, BUT TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER THAT OWNERSHIP TEAM? BECAUSE I OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. YEAH, I THINK WE ARE

[00:40:04]

[00:45:06]

MY QUESTION FOR THE KFC HEADQUARTERS, TWO QUESTIONS REAL QUICK. ONE IS, AS A WHOLE, I GUESS MAYBE DEVELOPMENT AS A WHOLE, IS IT WHAT WE DON'T HAVE OR WHAT OTHER CITIES DO HAVE? I THINK IT'S A I THINK THE QUESTION SPECIFICALLY AROUND KFC WAS, IS AROUND THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT AND WHAT WORKS FOR THAT BUSINESS IN 2025. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A SALE IN 2016 WITH YUM. AND THERE'S THAT THAT'S THEY'VE KIND OF CONTINUALLY CONSOLIDATED THEIR OPERATIONS IN PLANO, TEXAS, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE NOT JUST FOCUSED ON THE 93 JOBS AT KFC.

WE'RE FOCUSED ON THOSE THE REST OF THE JOBS HERE WITH THE YUM HEADQUARTERS. SO WE THIS THIS IS YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE SEEN. SO I DON'T THINK THIS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH LACK OF TALENT IN LOUISVILLE OR LACK OF AIRLIFT OR LACK OF INVESTMENT OR ANYTHING THE CITY OR STATE ARE DOING. I THINK IT WAS ALL ABOUT A BUSINESS DECISION TO SAY, HEY, WE NEED TO HAVE WE WANT TO HAVE THIS BUSINESS UNIT ALONGSIDE THESE OTHER BUSINESS UNITS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLANO. AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO. OF COURSE, I'M NOT IN THE DECISION MAKING ROOM AT YUM, YOU KNOW, HEARING THOSE DECISIONS. BUT FROM THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I HAVE BEEN IN, I BELIEVE THAT TO BE WHERE THEY WHAT, WHAT HOW THE DECISION WAS MADE AND WHAT IT CAME DOWN TO. AND ANOTHER QUICK QUESTION. THE BEING A NEW COUNCILMAN, WHEN DOES THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH TYPICALLY KNOW THAT THERE'S TROUBLE IN PARADISE WITH STUFF LIKE THIS? YEAH. SO WHEN WE GET A NOTIFICATION THAT IF WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER AND COME TO METRO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL, WE WILL REACH OUT TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHOSE DISTRICT THE BUSINESS RESIDES IN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND LET THEM KNOW THIS IS WHAT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING. SOMETIMES THEY WILL CONTACT COUNCIL LEADERSHIP AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS DIRECTLY IF THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ASK. SO I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN BE DOING BETTER ON MY TEAM OF IS HAVING THOSE EARLY CONVERSATIONS WITH METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT 25 PEOPLE ON OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM. WE HAVE 26 COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT CAN HELP US SELL THE CITY AS WELL.

SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN COME AND ADD, YOU KNOW, ONE OR 2 OR 10 OR ALL 26 COUNCIL MEMBERS, I MEAN THAT I'VE REALLY ENCOURAGED MY TEAM TO YOU NEED TO WE NEED TO LEVERAGE THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH METRO COUNCIL, AND WE NEED TO WORK ON THOSE RELATIONSHIPS SO THAT SO THAT THAT WE HAVE AN OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATION WITH ONE ANOTHER AND THAT NUMBER AND THAT WE CAN CALL UPON YOU WHEN WE NEED YOUR HELP TO KEEP A BUSINESS OR HELP A BUSINESS MAKE A DECISION TO GROW HERE IN LOUISVILLE. COUNCILMAN LINEKER. YEAH. DIRECTOR O'BRIEN, YOU SPOKE EARLIER IN YOUR PRESENTATION ABOUT YOU SPOKE POSITIVELY ABOUT THE CHANGES IN TAX POLICY IN FRANKFORT AS FAR AS INCOME TAX. COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE MORE GRANULARLY ABOUT THAT? YEAH. SO THE STATE RIGHT NOW HAS THE STATE INCOME TAX IS AT 4% MOVING TO 3.5%. AND IT CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE DOWN IF THE STATE HITS. IT. INDIVIDUAL INCOME PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THE STATE AT LARGE. SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO THAT THERE IS A STEP DOWN OF THE STATE INCOME TAX RATE OVER TIME, WHICH WILL HELP US BE MORE COMPETITIVE WITH OUR NEIGHBOR TO THE SOUTH, WOULD ALSO HELP US WITH OUR TEXAS THOUGH, WHICH IS WHERE YAMA IS MOVING. AND SO WAS THE ADMINISTRATION INVOLVED IN DISCUSSING THAT TAX POLICY. THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. SO IT'S GONE. IT'S BEEN

[00:50:06]

[Adjournment Note: Agendas are followed at the discretion of the Chair. While an item may be listed, it does not mean all items will be heard and/or acted upon by the Committee.]