Lexington Council mulling overriding Mayor’s vetoes on new fiscal year budget
Originally published by WEKU.
The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council is considering overriding Mayor Linda Gorton’s line-item vetoes for the upcoming fiscal year budget.
Mayor Gorton Tuesday announced vetoes of ten new positions the Council had added to her original budget recommendation. The mayor said she couldn’t support such a move, based on increased revenue projections. In response, Council said the new positions will deliver critical services to residents including traffic management, improving road conditions, and improving access to city resources and services.
The Council statement also says the mayor’s administration in recent years has made very conservative revenue estimates, resulting in budget surpluses due to job and wage growth. Council said it voted with confidence to increase revenue estimates by .15% and that it’s the 15-member body’s responsibility to review the mayor’s budget and make adjustments to reflect constituent priorities. It would take nine yes votes to override the mayor’s vetoes.
Council members plan to discuss a proposal to override the mayor’s vetoes to restore positions at its June 27th meeting.
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Originally published by WEKU.
Republished with permission.
