Warren council tries to override veto on residency

Warren council tries to override veto on residency

WARREN — A city councilman says he will ask fellow lawmakers to override Mayor Michael J. O’Brien’s veto of legislation that would allow city workers to live outside the city.

Councilman Robert Dean, D-at-large, said today that he will make a motion from the floor during council’s Wednesday meeting to override the mayor’s veto and retain the city’s residency policy.

It takes seven votes to override the veto.

Dean said he won’t solicit backing of his measure but will “see where it goes.”

He said the continuing legal battle over the residency issue is going to cost the city money that it doesn’t have.

The state Legislature had approved effective May 1, 2006, a measure that allows city employees to live outside the city limits.

But O’Brien pointed to the state’s Home Rule Amendment that says, “municipalities shall have authority to exercise all powers of local self-government and to adopt and enforce within their limits such local police, sanitary and other regulations that are not in conflict with the general law.”

For the complete story, see Saturday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.