Phil Mendelson Talks Budget Battles Behind the Scenes

Hearing the Council

In a July 1 interview, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson talks about this year's quirky budget process: the mayor's blown budget deadline, the stumbling block created by the Chief Financial Officer but ultimately resolved by the Council, and how even the Attorney General got involved this time around. Plus, the elaborate interplay between these four public officials historically and more recently in the context of this year's budget. The Chairman does not mince words in this frank discussion. (Although he does "dispute my premise" several times, par for the course given what some on social media have described as the "Between Two Ferns vibe" of my interviews with the Chairman.)