City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting on FY2026 Social Goal Budgets - May 1, 2025
Committee of the Whole: FY2026 Social Goal Department Budget Review
The Albuquerque City Council held a Committee of the Whole meeting on Thursday, May 1, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 11:57 PM, to review the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 operating budget for social goal departments. The total proposed budget across all funds is $1.5 billion, with a general fund of $810 million. The meeting included public testimony, detailed departmental presentations, and extensive council questioning. A motion to suspend rules to extend the meeting to 12:00 AM passed 8-1 (Councilor Rogers opposed).
Public Comments
- Janet Sayers (District 9 resident): Urged restoration of at least $49,000 in library funding and a recurring $500,000 for technology, noting the library advisory board's renewed activity.
- Julia Clark (Library Advisory Board): Reported 385 hours of unscheduled library closures from July 2024 to April 2025 due to staffing shortages and called for a $2.5 million increase and recurring $500,000 for IT.
- Cheryl Muggleston (retired library employee): Supported a $2.5 million increase to restore staffing and technology, highlighting libraries' role in job searches and digital literacy.
- Neil Copperman (AMP Concerts): Expressed support for the library system and noted that AMP provides two free monthly events at libraries, attracting over 21,000 attendees since inception.
- Kit Kopec (Friends of the Library): Opposed the proposed $50,000 budget cut and urged a $2.5 million increase, stating that Albuquerque's library system ranks 78th out of 97 in New Mexico for per capita funding.
- Benjamin Fox: Voiced strong support for Albuquerque Community Services (ACS), emphasizing its innovative crisis intervention and urging against funding reductions despite federal uncertainty.
- Nicole Fitz (newly appointed library advisory board member): Noted that the library system spent $28.54 per capita in FY2022, less than several other New Mexico cities, and called for increased investment.
Discussion Items
- Budget Overview: City Budget Officer Lawrence Davis and economists presented a structurally balanced budget with 2% COLA ($8.1 million) and final year of PARA increase. Concerns were raised about the $12,000 fund balance versus GFOA recommendations. Councilor Lewis questioned the risk of low reserves; administration noted statutory 1/12th reserve is maintained.
- Senior Affairs: Director Anna Sanchez highlighted $100,000 for security upgrades and $500,000 for food costs. Councilor Rogers called for expanded rental assistance for seniors 55+ to prevent homelessness. Discussion on transportation program challenges and costs (~$100,000/year for software).
- Arts & Culture (including Libraries and Biopark): Director Shell Sanchez addressed the $50,000 net decrease for libraries, attributing it mostly to reduced risk assessments and transfers. Councilor Lewis criticized the cut, calling for better funding. A proposed $1 admission increase for New Mexico residents to the Biopark was discussed, projected to generate $275,000-280,000. Temporary library employees and IT funding were debated; Director Sanchez stated no further hour cuts are expected.
- Youth & Family Services: Director Catarina Sandoval reported that Early Head Start slots were permanently reduced from 128 to 64 due to pandemic staffing losses. A new director was hired to rebuild. Councilor Lewis called for a bold vision for youth programming. Discussion on community center hours and a $15,000-17,000 contract for youth engagement assessment.
- Civilian Police Oversight Agency (CPOA): Executive Director Diane McDermott noted increased complaint intakes (over 300 this year) and 90 assigned investigations. The agency has 8 investigators with 2 vacancies. Councilor Rogers requested a staffing study to address backlogs.
- City Clerk: Clerk Ethan Watson discussed election fund uses, including credit card fees and IPRA backlog assistance ($400,000 non-recurring). A 12% decrease in the departmental budget was clarified as due to reduced risk premiums.
- Economic Development: Director Max Gruner outlined $1.25 million for Job Training Albuquerque and $958,000 for initiatives like Three Sisters Kitchen. Councilor Rogers pressed on a $20,000 contract with Black Chamber that was not executed fully. LEDA projects were reviewed; funds from Universal Hydrogen ($2 million) have been reallocated. Discussion on insurance requirements for small businesses.
- Albuquerque Fire Rescue: Chief Emily Houtz presented a $132.4 million budget with 4 new positions for Station 23. The 10.54% increase is largely for contractually negotiated wage increases. Questions addressed paramedic vacancies, apparatus replacement plans, and the impact of pending litigation on R-122.
- Parks & Recreation: Director David Simon reported a $50.2 million budget, down $823,000 from FY2025 mostly due to vacancy savings. Discussion on brown grass due to dry winter and irrigation startup issues; 75 lifeguards still needed. Councilor Sanchez criticized being excluded from a golf course lighting project press conference.
- Police (APD): Chief Harold Medina presented a $275 million budget, noting a $5.4 million reduction in personnel funding due to not filling 154 positions (funded for 1,000 officers, currently ~900). Councilor Lewis argued it was a cut; administration said it reflects realistic hiring. Extensive discussion on command staff size (41 commanders and above costing $6.5 million), PSAs (89 vs. 45 funded), and the DWI scandal. Councilor Sanchez expressed concerns about disrespect and the National Guard deployment.
- Health, Housing & Homelessness (HHH): Director Gilbert Ramirez outlined $45.3 million, including $2.6 million non-recurring for initiatives and an $8 million transfer for housing vouchers. The housing voucher program funds 596 families; expansion would require more funding. Gateway operations face shortfall due to state line-item veto. Councilor Rogers criticized insufficient spending of HOME-ARPA funds ($7.4 million) and lack of coordination with ACS on housing vouchers.
- Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS): Director Jodi Ischeibel presented a $17.9 million budget, with 4 new positions. The department takes ~3,000 calls/month and has 141 total positions, 81 field operators. The OEP (opioid education) program expires in September; renewal is pending. Winter transport conducted ~4,500 transports. Councilor Lewis questioned the number of non-call-taking staff; Councilor Rogers defended ACS's breadth of services.
Key Outcomes
- R-25-132 (FY2026 Operating Budget Appropriation): Postponed to May 8, 2025, by a motion from Councilor Grout, which carried unanimously (9-0).
- The meeting adjourned at 11:57 PM without further business. Written public comments will be accepted through May 15; a third hearing on May 15 will consider amendments, followed by adoption at the May 19 City Council meeting.
Meeting Transcript
All counselors are present this evening. We will start with a moment of silence, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. To the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty of justice for all. Today is the first of three public hearings the council is required to hold on the city's operating budget. Today's meeting will focus on the social goals, goal departments budgets, which include police, Albuquerque Fire Rescue, Civilian Police Oversight Agency, Community Safety, Health, Housing, and Homelessness, Youth and Family Services, Parks and Recreation, City Clerk, Economic Development, Arts and Culture, and Senior Affairs on May 8th, the council will hold a second hearing to discuss the city's physical goal department budgets, which includes municipal development, planning, general services, environmental health, transit, animal welfare, aviation, legal, solid waste, internal audit, inspector general, human resources, technology and innovation, finance and administration, and city support. The council will hold a third committee of the whole meeting on Thursday, May 15th, to consider amendments and or substitutes. No public comment will be taken. Whoops. No public comment will be taken on that day. Um, but we will take written comments as will be accepted. At the end of the May 15th meeting, the budget as amended and or substituted will be sent to the Monday, May 19th City Council meeting for adoption. Live public comment and written comments will be accepted at the May 19th council meeting. Members of the public, city staff, and the media have the ability to view this meeting in person and on live streams through four different platforms Gov TV on Comcast Channel 16, the Gov TV website, YouTube and Zoom webinar. The live streams can be accessed from most smartphones, tablets, or computers. Also, this meeting is closed captioned, and you may enable the closed captioning services on your television or device at this time. The video recording of this meeting will also remain available for viewing at any time on the city council's website. Council staff is available via telephone if members of the public need assistance finding the videos online. Please call 505-768-3100 for assistance during business hours Monday through Friday from 8 to 5. Members of the public have the opportunity to address the committee if they have signed up for public comment for the rules published on the agenda and on our website on Friday. We will now move to public comment. Here are the public comment ground rules. Each participant has two minutes to present. Comments are to be addressed to the counselors only. Any disrupt disruptive conduct will result in removal from the meeting. Mr. Cornelius, please call the name of the first speaker. Thank you, Madam Chair. Our first speaker this evening is Janet Sayers, followed by Marie Zenny. All righty. Good evening, Madam Chair and members of the council, and thank you for this opportunity to speak. I'm Janet Sayers, a resident of Councilor Grout's District 9 since 1986, but I actually grew up near Carlisle and Candelaria in District 7. So the library advisory board has existed in some form for over a hundred years. Uh the library is part of city government and the city government family, and in a perfect world, our economy would just be gangbusters and there would be enough gross receipts to pay for everything, but it's not so request is to restore the minimum of 49,000 to the budget so that we're even with where we were this year, but also to make the recurring line item of uh technology back to $500,000, which is what it was for years and years before COVID, and something got all fouled up right around the 2020, 2021 budget, and it was taken out as being a recurring line item. So 27 seconds, okay. So, what I want to promise you um, we we're reading people back in the board. You there was only four people on the board a year ago. So we're getting people back in the board. We want to serve you. We want to be your link to the community. So I would just pledge that with new members of the board, we're gonna meet at least six times a year. Oh and it's gonna be go ahead and finish your comment. Okay, so thank you. We we will be gathering input by visiting library branches, talking to friends, neighbors, colleagues. We want to be an active board that can provide input back to you, which is what our library ordinance tells us to do. Thank you. Thank you. Marie Esseni, followed by Julia Clark. I think Maria is still trying to find how to get into the building. We'll come back.
openpublica.com