Apr. 2, 2025 10:15p
(WGTD)---The Racine City Council has overridden a veto by Mayor Cory Mason.
Mason had tried to kill a set of council procedural changes that supporters said would restore the balance of power between the city's executive and legislative branches.
Wednesday night's vote by the council was the bare minimum needed for an override.
Voting in favor were Melissa Kaprelian—the main author of the ordinance changes—and Sandy Weidner, David Mack, Henry Perez, Terry McCarthy, Renee Kelly, Olivia Davis, Jeff Coe, Cinthia Esqueda and Tyler Townsend. Townsend is the newest member of the council, having been selected by the alders earlier in the evening to fill a vacancy created by the death of Mollie Jones.
Voting to sustain the veto were Maurice Horton, Sam Peete, Mary Land and Marlo Harmon. Cory Sebastian abstained.
The biggest change that will now go into effect will allow the city council president, rather than the mayor, to appoint council members to various committees. The council already elects its president. Under the changes, the committees will be able to elect their own chairs.
In his veto message last month, Mason said he had serious concerns over the impact the changes might have. As the only elected official chosen by the entire city, Mason said he's in the best position to make sure that committee assignments are balanced.
Critics have said the current system allows the mayor to fill key council positions with his supporters while relegating detractors to committees that some would say are less influential.
Kaprelian—the main author of the changes—lost her re-election bid this week by 70 votes.
In a statement, Kaprelian said she was pleased with the override vote. “One of my last meetings, but a historic moment,” she said. “We’ve put the ‘representative’ back in representative democracy.”
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