Council set to overturn Mayor Cantrell's budget veto
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City Council members on Thursday are expected to override Mayor LaToya Cantrell's veto of the city budget.
Why it matters: City leaders are ending the year as they started — at odds over finances.
The big picture: The council approved the budget unanimously Dec. 1, so the veto is likely to get the five votes needed.
- Plus, nothing has substantially changed with the finances between then and now, says budget chair Joe Giarrusso, who will serve as chief administrative officer for Mayor-elect Helena Moreno.
- If the council fails to get enough votes to override, Giarrusso says, it will only be in place for a few days before Moreno and the new council members are inaugurated Jan. 12 — and then they can change it.
Catch up quick: Cantrell, in a surprise move, vetoed the approved budget late Friday, saying it relies on furloughs and revenue that weren't in her proposed version.
- Cantrell's budget outlined a 30% across-the-board cut for all departments along with new taxes and fees for residents.
- Moreno came up with an alternative budget with other council members and the state legislative auditor, saying it prioritized public safety and essential services.
Case in point: Cantrell's budget cuts funding for everyone, including police and sanitation.
- Moreno's budget furloughs non-essential employees and cuts some higher-paid city officials, while fully funding NOPD, NOFD and EMS.
- Moreno and Giarrusso say they are still pursuing new sources of revenue, but those will be explored later.
Zoom in: Mike Waguespack, the legislative auditor, tells Axios he doesn't see another way forward during this financial crisis without furloughs.
- Added Giarrusso, "Look, candidly, there are people who are frustrated about the furloughs, but we didn't create the economic situation that had this happening."
- Waguespack and Giarrusso also pushed back on Cantrell's criticism of the revenue estimates, saying they were fairly conservative.
- "I don't have any concerns," Waguespack says.
Meanwhile, Waguespack says he plans to meet with the city's former chief administrative officer, Gilbert Montaño, early next year to get his insight into what led to the budget crisis. Montaño stepped down from the position in August and now works for Audubon Nature Institute.
- Waguespack tells Axios the conversation is part of his analysis of what happened and how the city can prevent it from happening again.
- His findings will be in a public report, which doesn't currently have a publication timeline.
- Councilmember Oliver Thomas tells Axios he sent a letter to Montaño "weeks ago" asking him to appear before the council but hasn't heard back.
The intrigue: Waguespack and council members previously said they were trying to determine if the budget crisis was caused by incompetence or malfeasance.
- Incompetence isn't illegal, while malfeasance is.