The Fall River City Council is expected to take another hard look at the same proposed fiscal 2017 spending plan it rejected in a 6-3 vote last week.
Mayor Jasiel Correia II announced that the rejection vote was invalid, which the State Department of Revenue confirmed, but only because the vote was taken in error to state law requirements. Under the law, city councilors should have voted by line item in the appropriation order to reject the proposed budget. For years, councilors were under the impression that they were not allowed to do this – that in fact – they have to accept or reject the entire budget.
However, DOR confirmed that the council does possess the ability to reduce the separate line items on an appropriation order.
With a pending lawsuit to stop the privatization contract with EZ Disposal, opponent councilors could attempt to reduce the Community Maintenance Department line items.
Correia has warned that if the council were to reject the budget, there is a possibility of a government shut down on July 1 until the council can meet to approve a 1/12th budget, although the council does have the ability to call an emergency meeting.
After nearly six hours of debate on the budget last Tuesday, Council President Shawn Cadime, Vice President Linda Pereira, and Councilors Raymond Mitchell, Richard Cabeceiras, Steven Camara and Cliff Ponte voted against Correia’s budget.
City Councilors Joseph Camara, Pam Laliberte-Lebeau and Stephen Long voted to accept the freshman mayor’s budget.
The City Council Committee on Finance will meet in City Council Chambers at Government Center at 6 p.m. with a regular meeting set for 7 p.m.
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