Louisville Checkbook FAQ

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Definitions
Frequently Asked Questions

About  
Louisville Checkbook provides citizens with information about the city’s operating expenditures and capital expenditures – your tax dollars at work! Citizens can review monies spent over the past five fiscal years. To respectfully and legally protect the privacy of our citizens, employees and business partners, some expenditure information is not made available online. 
 

Quick Tips

• If you are using Louisville Checkbook to find the name of a company or person that Louisville Metro Government has issued a check to, the fastest way to find it is to click on the Vendor drop down list under Data Filter and then select the appropriate vendor.
• Once you select a vendor or agency, you can drill down to see the payment details by right clicking on the line item under the Payment Summary section and clicking on Drill through to payment details.
• At anytime during your vendor search, you can change the fiscal year to see amounts for that vendor for that fiscal year.
• You can rearrange the displayed data alphabetically or by highest or lowest dollar amount by clicking on the data column titles. (For example: Vendor or Expenditure Category)

  
Definitions
Agency - ‘Agency’ is, but not limited to, a Metro Government department, office, board, authority, commission, affiliated organization, division, institution, or
corporation established or instructed by Metro Government. ‘Agency’ also includes all offices in the Executive Branch of Metro Government and the Metro Council.

Air Pollution Penalty Fees - are fees collected by the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District from businesses and organizations related to violations of state and local air pollution laws.

CDBG -Community Development Block Grants are funds issued by the federal government through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that fund local community development activities such as affordable housing, anti-poverty programs, and infrastructure development.  
 
Capital Expenditures - Capital Expenditures are used for major investments such as our new building for Animal Services and synchronizing traffic lights along major roads such as Dixie Highway, Preston Highway and Shelbyville Road. They pay for playgrounds and spray parks, bike lanes and sidewalks. Capital expenditures also cover major maintenance of roofs, furnaces and other basic physical needs. In your home, the capital budget would be money you set aside to replace your roof and buy a new car.

Check Amount – The total amount of all invoices paid to a particular vendor on a given check. Louisville Metro Government issues many checks each day but issues only one check per vendor per day, therefore a single check to a vendor can contain several invoices spanning many departments and many different cost centers.

Expenditure – A monetary payment made for either goods or services. Does not include refunds or monies spent on employee salaries.

Federally Funded - Federal money that is obtained directly from the federal government.
 
Fiscal Year - Louisville Metro Government's fiscal year is July 1 - June 30

General Fund - The General Fund is the primary operating fund for Louisville Metro government. Revenue is collected into the General Fund through many sources, including property taxes, business income tax, and licenses and permits.

Grant 01-Grant 32 - These grants are groupings of expenditures made by either a Metro Council member or the Mayor to various non-profit, neighborhood association or other community organizations from their Discretionary Fund or Contingency Fund, the numbers correspond to the next available number not necessarily an individual council district.

Grant Pymts One Stop -  Federal Grant Program to provide job training skills at One-Stop Career Center.

HOME Affordable Housing - HOME is a federal program that provides formula grants to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households.

Invoice – A commercial document issued by a seller to the buyer, indicating the products, quantities, and agreed prices for products or services the seller has provided the buyer.

Invoice Amount – The total amount paid for a specific invoice number issued by a vendor.

Invoice Distribution – The lowest level of detail on an invoice. Invoice distribution contains the line item detail where the expense is charged. A single invoice can have multiple invoice distribution lines. The total of all invoice distributions will equal the invoice amount. On the Louisville Checkbook application, the invoice distribution amount ties back to the expenditure category that you have inquired on. (For example: An invoice to a vendor such as Office Max could include a portion of the invoice charged to “Office Supplies” and a portion of the invoice charged to “Furniture and Office Equipment” depending on what was being purchased.)

Operating Expenditures - Operating Expenditures fund all city programs and services. They pay salaries and benefits for all city workers, and cover regular supplies like gas for the hundreds of city vehicles. Think of the operating budget as the part of your household budget that pays for groceries and utility bills.

Pass Thru Federal - Federal money that is passed from the state government to the local government.

Vendor - Any company or person that Louisville Metro Government has written a check to for services rendered or for a reimbursement.

 
Louisville Checkbook Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How often is the data updated in the Louisville Checkbook?
Weekly

When is Louisville Metro Government's Fiscal Year?
July 1 - June 30

What kinds of data does the Louisville Checkbook expenditure search tool include?
Louisville Checkbook contains all Metro Government expenditures except for the following, which are not included due to privacy issues:

• Employee Garnishment
• Employee Tax Levies
• Metro Legal Judgments and Claims
• Expert Witnesses Fee
• Investigative Expenses

Where can I get detailed information on the city's budget and finances?
To view the current city budget and related information, visit the Office of Management & Budget website.  

How can you become a vendor w/ Louisville Metro Government? 
Metro Louisville spends millions of dollars each year for goods and services.  These range from police vehicles to historic preservation measures, from engineering and architectural services to zoo supplies, from asphalt to landscaping. Metro Louisville maintains an open door policy for all potential bidders, and encourages the participation of minority and women-owned businesses. Learn more about doing business with the city and see a list of current Metro Louisville bids.

What if I have a question about the Louisville Checkbook tool and I can't find the answer on this site?
Contact Louisville Metro's Office of Management and Budget by email.

Management & Budget
(502) 574-3211
611 W. Jefferson Street
Louisville, KY 40202