Gonzales’ City Council passed a scaled back Capital Outlay budget Monday evening. The budget includes all projects carried over from the 2024-2025 fiscal year that are ongoing, and projects anticipated to be funded by outside sources like the $1 million grant to pay for several sewer treatment lift stations. The vote came after an amendment to add line items to the Gonzales Police Department capital outlay for the acquisition of bullet proof vest and other equipment.
Monday’s was a Special Meeting called for the express purpose of considering the Capital Outlay budget, one of several adjunct to the General Fund Budget that funds day-to-day operations in the city. The Capital Outlay public hearing and vote had been called pursuant to the recommendation of Faulk & Winkler during the May 27 regular council meeting. That was the same meeting at which Mayor Tim Riley’s proposed General Fund budget was rejected by a 3-2 vote.
With the Capital Outlay budget approved, a motion to call another Special Meeting for Friday morning (June 20) was made for the purpose of introducing parts of Mayor Riley’s General Fund (operating) Budget. In a 4-1 vote (Councilman Eddie Williams the lone holdout), the legislative authority is seeking to introduce portions of the operating budget that fund the police and fire departments. Perceived to be an ally of the mayor until last night, Councilwoman Cynthia Gray James joined the anti-Riley majority last night.
Withholding comment after Monday’s meeting, James’ defection clearly caught Mayor Riley off guard. Riley did question the legality of the council’s attempt to introduce a budget, saying he would take up the issue with City Attorney Allen Davis prior to Friday morning’s Special Meeting.
Davis may want to begin his research with Louisiana Revised Statute 39:1305(B). Part of the Louisiana Local Government Budget Act, the law states:
“The chief executive or administrative officer of the political subdivision or, in the absence of such positions, the equivalent thereof shall prepare the proposed budget.”
Legislative authority over the budget process is find in 39:1305(F)(2) which reads:
“The governing authority of any such municipality may amend the proposed budget and attendant budget adoption instrument only to the extent that the amendments do not substantially change the proposed budget or the attendant budget adoption instrument.”
The “governing authority” means the legislative branch.
If, as Riley alluded, it is the mayor’s exclusive right to introduce a budget, the four-vote (veto proof) majority created by Councilwoman James’ defection, may amend any budget that does not “substantially change” the mayor’s proposed budget. Mayor Riley issued a public statement over the weekend that included the declaration; We will adopt the General Fund Budget in its entirety or not at all.
The mayor confirmed that a budget meeting with two council members is scheduled prior to Friday’s Special Meeting.
“As it has been since the beginning, we are hopeful and cautiously optimistic that a compromise may result that we can all live with. The city has operated without a budget for 16 days, and a vote on the General Fund budget is already scheduled for July 14. Good faith negotiations should result in an agreement.” – Mayor Tim Riley
Stay tuned.
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