Lawrence council fails to approve compromised budget; city attorney to rule

The Lawrence City Council failed to secure the five votes needed to approve a proposed compromised budget, leaving the city attorney to make a ruling within 48 hours.

The vote during the council meeting produced three votes in favor and five opposed or not present, a tally the presiding officer said was short of the five votes required to adopt the compromise. Because the council did not approve the measure, the city attorney was given the opportunity to rule on the outcome within 48 hours.

Council members present and recorded during the roll call included Councilor Del Rosario, Councilor LaPlante and Councilor Levy; Councilor Infante recorded a no vote and Councilor Santiago and Councilor Luzon recorded no votes. Councilor Reyes was noted as absent. Madeline Claire was asked to call the roll during the session.

The record shows the council did not take further formal action to adopt the budget at the meeting; the presiding officer characterized the immediate result as leaving “the opportunity to rule in favor or against either of the two options” to the city attorney. The attorney’s decision window—referred to during the meeting as 48 hours—was stated by council members but the council did not vote to change that timetable.

Discussion during the vote focused on whether a “yes” or “no” vote would trigger an attorney ruling rather than producing immediate final adoption. The council did not adopt alternative directions or assign staff follow-up during the meeting.

The matter is pending the city attorney’s formal ruling; the council’s next steps will depend on that ruling and any subsequent agenda items the council places before a future meeting.