Utica Common Council Fails To Override Mayoral Veto

The Utica Common Council held a special meeting today to vote on overriding Mayor Robert Palmieri's veto of a budget amendment.

The amendment would have increased the city's use of its fund balance by $300,000

Six votes were needed to override the veto, but the council only got five.

Council members Joe Marino, Samantha Colosimo-Testa, Frank DiBrango, Mark Williamson and Bob Desanctis voted to override the veto, while Councilman Bill Phillips voted no.

Palmieri is pleased that the veto will stand.

The mayor says the administration has used $750,000 of its fund balance to pay off a one-time, non-reoccurring expenditure and the allocation of any additional fund balance will damage the City's financial position.

The council passed 21 amendments to Palmieri's proposed budget, which carried a 7.8 percent property tax increase.

Utica residents will now see a 5.4 percent tax hike when the new budget goes into effect on April 1st.