On Thursday, Albuquerque City Councilors held their first meeting to discuss and hear from constituents about the mayor’s $1.4 billion proposed budget for the next fiscal year.
Budget Input
Concerns about funding for the public library and the Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum drew the top comments from the handful of residents who attended the May 2 Committee of the Whole meeting. The COW is made up of all nine councilors who are acting as a committee to discuss city budget issues and the capital improvement program.
This meeting is one of two meetings where the Council will hear public input on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025.
The mayor’s proposed FY 25 budget did not include an anticipated $400,000 in revenue for the library’s IT infrastructure, an omission that generated the most public comment.
Read more about this issue here.
Angela Mihm, president of Friends of the Public Library, stressed the importance of the funding, saying that the “library system is one of the most loved, most democratic and educational services that the city provides.”
“The library’s computer system is a surprisingly sophisticated system that has to connect all 19 branches that are in the city and county,” Mihm said. “It’s the way that we check out our books, it’s the way that we track and get educational and work information. It provides Internet access to our citizens who don’t have access otherwise.”
City administrators said at the meeting it was not intended to shortchange the library system and there is a plan in place to fill the gap.
Other comments addressed Explora, which also did not get $250,000 in expected funding.
“Explora welcomed over 400,000 people into the museum last year and over 5,000 of those were toddlers coming for the exclusive toddler time,” said Kathleen Larese, president-elect of Explora’s board of directors. “The importance of Explora to our community is really around improving outcomes.”
This first meeting targeted what the city considers to be social goals, including funding for community safety, police, civilian police oversight, arts and culture, library services, family and community services, fire and rescue, senior services and more.
Watch the meeting here.
The next committee meeting will take place on May 9 and will focus on physical goals, including appropriations to animal welfare, transit, environmental health, finance and administration, human services, legal, planning and other departments.
Regular Meeting
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
WHEN: 5 p.m. Date
WHERE: Vincent E. Griego Chambers in the Albuquerque Government Center, 1 Civic Plaza NW VIRTUAL: GOV-TV or on the city’s YouTube channel
In addition, councilors will hold their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday to consider approving the sale of tax improvement revenue bonds to purchase a new law enforcement helicopter and other projects. The $22 million in bonds will finance the new helicopter, as well as improvements to the city youth shelters, Southwest Public Safety Center, Cibola Loop Multigenerational Center, Gibson Health Hub, Westside Emergency Housing Shelter and the Albuquerque Railyards.
Other business councilors will consider Monday include:
- A grant application for violence intervention funds with the New Mexico Department of Health Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
- Accepting grant funds from the New Mexico State Library.
- The filing of an application for a Federal Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program Grant for the renovation of Mesa Verde Park
- Adopting an updated Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Comprehensive Plan.
- An appeal of an Environment Planning Commission approval of a site plan for cannabis retail use near the intersection of Coors Boulevard and 7 Bar Loop on the city’s West Side.