County Council fails to overturn exec’s veto of flag policy

The Pierce County Council failed to override Executive Bruce Dammeier’s veto of a policy regulating the flying of special flags over the County-City Building.

Since a veto override requires a supermajority of the five of the seven council votes, the 4-3 vote in favor of overriding Dammeier’s veto did not pass.

The failed veto override at the County Council’s May 3 meeting would have overturned Dammeier’s veto of a flag policy the council passed last month in an effort to support flying the Pride flag over the County-City Building, which Dammeier failed to support last year.

The council’s policy would have required a simple majority vote by the council to fly a special flag, while the Executive’s Office policy requires unanimous support from the council – and no objections from presiding county judges – to fly any flag other than the U.S. flag, the POW/MIA flag and the Pierce County flag.

The veto override attempt turned into a debate about which branch of government has the authority to make such a decision.

“I just think it’s really harmful to our local democracy to go down this road to set this standard of unanimity to make a decision which isn’t found anywhere that I can find in our code or our charter,” Councilmember Ryan Mello said.

Councilmember Marty Campbell said failing to overturn Dammeier’s veto would set a bad precedent.

“This vote today determines who we think is the policy maker in this organization and who is in charge of implementing policy,” he said.

Councilmember Amy Cruver indicated her support for Dammeier’s authority, pointing to the fact Gov. Jay Inslee earlier this year vetoed electrical grid reliability legislation, House Bill 1623, that passed the House and Senate unanimously in the state Legislature.

“It’s not uncommon that it happens, and I understand the feelings,” she said. “However, I would stand with a prior vote.”

Mello, Campbell, Jani Hitchen and Derek Young voted to override the veto. Cruver, Dave Morell and Hans Zeiger voted against the override.

In other business, the council voted to delay for one week a supplemental budget ordinance.

Council Chair Young earlier in the meeting noted, “Today the council is going to be postponing one of the last actions that we have, and that’s on the supplemental budget to ensure that funding of the tentative agreement reached with the Deputy Sheriff’s Guild last night is – and to ensure the maintenance of the fiscal integrity of the county.”

The council confirmed the appointment of three new members to the Transportation Advisory Commission: Jessica Gamble, Dale Maris and Lora Butterfield.

The council passed a slew of proclamations, including May 5 as “Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Awareness Day” in Pierce County, May 1 to May 7 as “National Travel and Tourism Week,” May 1 to May 7 as “Professional Municipal Clerks Week,” and May 1 to May 7 as “National Corrections Deputies and Employees Week.”