City Council Again Fails to Override Riordan’s Veto
Finally accepting defeat, the City Council on Wednesday failed once more to override Mayor Richard Riordan’s veto on a key component on the 2000-01 budget.
As a result, the new budget will include funding for two separate departments handling the city’s fiscal matters, the office of finance and the treasurer’s office.
During recent budget proceedings, council members had agreed to combine the two offices to save more than $500,000.
Riordan, however, argued that the job is too large for one person and would violate the City Charter, which spelled out the need for a separate Office of Finance that reports directly to the mayor.
The council tried to override the veto on Tuesday, but could not muster the votes. After eight council members voted on Wednesday to let the veto stand, lawmakers decided to finally drop the matter.
“The mayor is very pleased with this,” said Peter Hidalgo, Riordan’s spokesman. Riordan believes that separating the two departments will ensure that the city’s tax dollars are used in the “most prudent and fiscally responsible way,” he added.
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