El Paso Mayor John Cook says he may veto a proposed deal for a new Triple-A downtown ballpark, and there’s a chance the City Council may lack the votes to override it.
Cook, an opponent of building a new ballpark for the relocating Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), has the power to veto any act by the council, and he may pull out the stamp if the council approves a deal on Tuesday.
The issue, then, becomes whether the council could override the veto. It takes six votes to override a veto, and the ballpark legislation originally passed by a 6-2 margin. It’s also possible that six votes could also be recorded for Tuesday night’s vote, but one council member, Emma Acosta, says she’s not getting adequate answers about the ballpark financing and comparable leases in the Pacific Coast League.
We’re not sure whether Cook has actually tallied votes or is just assuming a vote or two will change; none of the other council members are talking, and the political establishment in El Paso has lined up in favor of the ballpark project.
Image courtesy City of El Paso.
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