(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Colorado Springs City Council voted 6-3 in favor of overriding Mayor Yemi Mobolade’s veto of Ordinance No. 25-59, which gives the city council the authority to look for and review programs to fund before sending them to the mayor for consideration.

The council members who voted against overriding the veto were Nancy Henjum, Dave Donelson, and Kimberly Gold.

Henjun stated that she had voted against the ordinance in the first place. She said she was voting against overriding the veto, as “passing this just seems like additional work for what we already do and how we already operate… I would expect and plan to work collaboratively with the administration on how we spend all of our dollars that come into the city on behalf of the citizens of Colorado Springs.”

Councilman Brian Risley indicated he voted in favor of the original ordinance and would be voting in favor of overriding the veto. “Although I understand the argument that this is just adding another layer that is unnecessary… I do think there’s some benefit in adding another tool to the tool belt here for not just this council, but for the future.”

To watch the full City Council meeting, click here. The discussion begins at 39:50 minutes, under the heading, Item 9. A.

In response to the vote to override the veto, Mayor Mobolade issued the following statement:

I stand firmly behind my decision to veto Ordinance 25-59. This was my first use of veto authority in two years as Mayor, and I exercised it to uphold the spirit of the City Charter, protect a collaborative and transparent budget process, and ensure marijuana tax dollars support public safety, mental health, and strong neighborhoods. The ordinance creates an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy that lacks transparency for how funds will be spent and comes at a time when the City faces a $11.5 million budget shortfall. Whether this veto stood or was overridden is no longer the point. The budget process will move forward as required by the Charter, and my proposed budget will reflect our city’s shared priorities: safety, quality of life, and responsible governance. That’s my promise to our residents.

Mayor Yemi Mobolade