UPDATE: Mayor Kabat’s veto of $49 million Center expansion has been sustained by city council

The La Crosse city council has sustained Mayor Tim Kabat’s veto of the $49 million La Crosse Center expansion on a 7-6 vote.

There needed to be nine yes votes for the veto to be overridden.

Debate between council members and the mayor lasted for about an hour and a half before the vote was taken.

But, before the vote, Jessica Olson vowed to resign as the council representative on the La Crosse Center Board if the override failed. 

Voting to override were Barb Janssen, David Marshall, Jacqueline Marcou, Gary Padesky, Olson, Martin Gaul and Roger Christians.

Sustaining the veto were Andrea Richmond, Scott Neumeister, Justice Weaver, Phil Ostrem, Paul Medinger, and Doug Happel.

Both Weaver and Happel had originally voted yes to the plan. Marshall and Christians had abstained. 

Kabat said giving up part of Riverside Park for a building extension, which would bring in little extra income, would be a ‘devastating trade-off.’ 

Kabat also objected to changes which increased the project budget beyond a previous limit of $42 million. 
 
The veto now forces the La Crosse Center Board to reconsider rejected design options, which would not occupy city park land, and to find ways of lowering the project cost. 

The board meets Friday morning to discuss what will happen next to the expansion plan.