The Charlotte City Council on Monday did not attempt to override Mayor Rob Harrington’s veto of a council action that would have delayed a vote on a 10-year airport lease until late November.
Harrington’s veto last week was the first time in at least 13 years a Charlotte mayor had used that power. That was when Anthony Foxx was mayor.
At Monday’s meeting, council members did not have the seven votes needed to override the veto, and did not attempt to challenge the mayor. Harrington said he would schedule the airport lease vote for November 9th, a compromise which is two weeks later than originally planned.
Some council members want more time to study whether the lease could improve the working conditions of airport contract workers, which is a priority of the Service Employees International Union. Because of the SEIU push, the Republican-controlled General Assembly this summer placed strict limitations on municipalities dictating wages and working conditions of private employers.
The tentative 10-year lease with American Airlines and other carriers includes an agreement to embark on $2.1 billion in capital improvements at CLT. Some of the improvements include a larger atrium and an expanded Concourse C. The airport also plans to build a tunnel from the main terminal to new C gates.
