From the Anderson Herald-Bulletin:
Stinging from a budget veto by Elwood Mayor Ron Arnold, the city council will meet in special session tonight at 7 p.m. to “look at the budget and revote,” according to Todd Jones, council member.
The council passed the budget on Oct. 15, but two days later Arnold sent a letter to all of the council members saying he would veto the budget and asked the council to consider the budget he submitted, which made equal pay for women a priority.
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Last Monday, the council reviewed the mayor’s version of the budget — which had only been delivered to them that day, according to the council statement — and were puzzled as to the equal pay for women priority.
“If this was such a key feature (on the mayor’s) priority list, why was it not brought to the attention of the budget committee when it began working on the 2013 budget?” the council asked.
The council had presented its budget on Oct. 8, a week before the vote. That presentation was one the mayor was invited to but did not attend, according to the signed council members.
“We feel that getting members of the council a budget you expect them to pass the same night they are to vote on it is not fiscally responsible with our citizen’s tax dollars,” reads the council statement.
Last Monday, the council approved a 3 percent raise for all city employees and claimed the mayor was over the published budget with his version because he increased his department lines by $40,000.
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When Jones was asked whether the council had enough votes to turn back the mayor’s challenge, he said, “I don’t know whether we’ll override.”
http://heraldbulletin.com/breakingnews/x688445712/Elwood-city-council-will-meet-to-grapple-with-mayors-veto-of-budget
