The finance committee received several legal opinions and memoranda related to voting thresholds for financial transfers, stabilization funds and meeting procedures.

Council President Tessa Murphy Ramboletti had filed orders asking for clarification on the number of votes required for certain financial actions. The packet included legal opinions from the law department and outside counsel addressing whether state law preempts the city charter on some transfer-vote questions and whether retroactive pay is limited to the current fiscal year or may extend to the prior fiscal year under certain statutory readings.

Committee members agreed to receive the materials and to wait for a meeting on Jan. 21 among the mayor’s office, the law department and other leadership — and said they would report back to the full council after that meeting. Several councilors emphasized that receiving these opinions does not imply agreement with the law department’s interpretation.

The committee voted to receive the items and asked the ad hoc group working on the issue to return with recommendations after the Jan. 21 meeting.