Mayor will veto budget

STAFF REPORT

CAMPBELL

A disagreement over the budget among city council, the finance director and the mayor came to a boil at Wednesday’s council meeting when Mayor George Krinos confirmed he will veto the budget.

Council passed the budget Wednesday. The city had been under orders to eliminate a $463,000 deficit before a state commission that oversees its spending would accept it. The city did so, but Krinos said the budget he agreed to in a four-hour meeting Jan. 27 was not the same one presented to the commission last month.

The commission is overseeing the city’s finances because the city is in fiscal emergency.

Councilwoman Juanita Rich asked Krinos if he intended to hold up the city’s payroll with his veto.

Krinos replied that he let city employees know it was a possibility, and he had their support. But the veto, which is set to happen Monday, won’t hold up the payroll, he said.

Krinos said a version of the budget he worked on had a $140,000 surplus and allowed for keeping a recently recalled firefighter and equipment for streets.

Finance Director Sherman Miles said Krinos achieved his surplus by “gutting the park fund.”

Krinos said he wasn’t in meetings where changes were made. “It has to be something we agree on.”

“We’re [council] the ones in charge of appropriations and he needs to realize that,” said Rich.