Talisay council overrides JVR’s budget veto

The Talisay City Council decided to override the veto of Mayor Johnny V. Delos Reyes on the slashed 2015 budget in a special session yesterday morning.

Councilor Danilo Caballero said among the reasons they cut the budget this year is  they are not convinced how the P516 million 2014 annual budget was spent.

“The city council is united in the decision because we are not convinced how the money was spent last year,” Caballero said.

Delos Reyes proposed a P1.081 billion budget, including an appropriation for the new Tabunok public market’s construction worth P350 million, but was slashed to P539.941 million.

Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante had said budget for the new public market was cut because the council did not approve its construction.

Other items cut by the council were confidential or intelligence expenses and other maintenance and operating expenses which was reduced from P10 million to P100,000, gasoline and fuel allocation from P6 million to P2 million., repairs and vehicle maintenance from P5 million to P2 million; extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses, from P426,000 to P76,000; advertising expenses, from P600,000 to P10,000; and training.

When Cebu Daily News called delos Reyes for his comment, he only said he is yet to check the documents.

But at the 888 News Forum yesterday at the Marco Polo Hotel, delos Reyes said he is bent on filing charges of abuse of authority and economic sabotage against his council.

Provincial Board Member Grecilda Sanchez,  chairperson of the committee on budget and appropriations, will be meeting with members of the Talisay City Council today to discuss the budget issue and she is hoping to resolve the dispute.