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City attorney to rule after council rejects mayor's compromise on FY2026 budget; 45-day deadline in dispute
Summary
The Lawrence City Council rejected a motion to use the mayor's proposed compromise on the FY2026 budget on June 23, leaving the city attorney to decide whether the budget was legally deemed adopted after a 45-day window or whether an amended filing restarts the clock.
The Lawrence City Council rejected a motion to proceed using the mayor's proposed compromise on the fiscal year 2026 budget on Monday, and City Attorney Tim Hooten said he will research whether state law means the budget was deemed adopted after the 45-day window or whether filing an amended budget resets the review clock.
Hooten, who briefed the council during the special June 23 meeting, said the council originally received the budget that was filed May 2. Under state law, he explained, the council must act within 45 days of filing; if no action is taken then the filed budget could be deemed adopted. The council continued hearings on the budget and the mayor presented an amended budget during the hearings. "The question then became ... did that change the time period?" Hooten said. "The answer to that question is unresolved."
Hooten told the council he…
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