La Crosse Center veto override vote this week; Medinger still a likely “no”

Potentially the most significant decision of the La Crosse city council this year could come Thursday.

That’s when the council will vote on whether to override Mayor Tim Kabat’s veto of the $49 million expansion for the La Crosse Center.

Paul Medinger isn’t about to tell us ahead of time how he’s voting. But, the La Crosse city council member clearly need some convincing to back an effort this week to override Kabat’s veto.

“Still gonna be a tough call for me to vote for this,” Medinger told WIZM. “I think there’s a large segment of the tax-paying population that doesn’t want to see this go into the park or see the rising costs, and I think those are the real two big issues.”

Medinger was one of four council members to vote against the Center expansion last month and the most vocal in demanding more information about the plan before moving forward.

He did, however, leave the door open — a crack.

“At this point, I still have to be convinced and I haven’t been yet,” he said. “But I never fully, 100 percent commit on any vote until we get to that point but nothing’s changed with me.”

Kabat vetoed the plan after it was approved by the council on 7-4 vote. A successful override of the veto will require nine votes on Thursday night.

Below is how the 13 council members voted for the Center expansion before Kabat’s veto. Medinger, Andrea Richmond, Phil Ostrem and Scott Neumeister voted against the plan. David Marshall and Roger Christians were both absent for the vote. To contact the city council click here. Or email all 13 members by clicking here and using the email at the right of the page.