Budget Highlights
The City of Albuquerque is required by state law to adopt a balanced budget. Councilor Lewis has been influential in reducing the recurring cost of government without raising taxes or fees, and without mass layoffs.
Councilor Lewis has also worked to fund economic development, infrastructure, and recreation improvements for residents in District 5. Read more for a specific list of projects that increased the quality of life for District 5 residents. Councilor Lewis was instrumental in funding and completing these projects.
Fiscal Year 2013
The Mayor's proposed budget includes:
- No tax increases, no pay cuts, and no reduction of hours at any of our facilities
- Renewed funding for the equivalent of a 1% raise for bargaining unit employees making below $50 thousand per year (subject to negotiations)
- No additional layoffs or additional furloughs
- New positions at Transit and Animal Welfare
- Additional funding for staffing volunteer services at the Veterans' Memorial
- Additional funding for a first of its kind scholar program for Albuquerque called International Baccalaureate
- A second year of increased reserves, beyond the required 1/12th
- Funding for ABQ: The Plan in two parts: 1) a $3 million transfer to the Debt Service Fund to pay debt service on the Paseo del Norte / I-25 project bonds and; 2) a $3 million transfer of FY/12 reversions to the Capital Acquisition Fund to begin funding the pay-as-you-go portion of this plan
- Addtional funding for utility costs of capital coming-on-line such as irrigation of parks and street lighting
- Continued funding for 1,100 officers at APD
- $2.2 million for replacement police vehicles
- Continued funding for the Albuquerque Fire Department at the highest staffing levels in history including full-year funding for sworn personnel for Fire Station Seven and last year's addition of a rescue unit at Fire Station Eight
- Continued funding for fuel hedge positions at Libraries and Animal Welfare
- Continued funding of the Running Start Program designed for students to gain workforce experience
For more information about the budget process watch the following interview between Councilor Lewis and Council Finance Officer Jon Zaman.
Fiscal Year 2012
- No new taxes or increases in existing taxes or fees.
- Permanently eliminated 149 vacant positions saving the general fund $7.3 million. Combined with the FY11 deletion of 158 positions, the City will have reduced the size of government by 307 positions which is to equal to an approximate 5 percent reduction in the size of government.
- Councilor Lewis sponsored an amendment to fund an additional 3 Animal Welfare positions and 5 library positions
- Placed an extra $200,000 in reserves, commonly called “rainy day fund,” on top of the 1/12th of the budget already put in as required by state law.
- Budget did not affect operating hours for libraries, community centers, senior centers, city parks or museums.
- Negotiated and approved a fuel hedge agreement to lock in city gasoline purchases at 2.71 per gallon which saved the City $600,000 dollars,
- Albuquerque Police remained funded for 1,100 officers and a police academy class.
- Budget allowed for one-time funding for new police cars, big ticket maintenance on the transit fleet, and new computers.
- Funding for an enhanced spay/neuter program at the Eastside animal shelter continues.
- Appropriated $200,000 for Running Start for Careers, a high school retention and workforce development program.
- The City entered into an agreement with Presbyterian Healthcare Services as a sole source provider for health insurance benefits. This agreement saves $4.7 million.
- Realized savings of $606,000 as a result of negotiations with Bernalillo County to take over Fire Station 29, which is on County property.
- Provided funding for the 2011 municipal elections and the leap year.
Fiscal Year 2011
- Permanently eliminated 158 vacant positions and provided for a 12 month delay in hiring another 88 positions saving the City $12 million
- Effective 2.22% cut in the total cost of labor
- No increase in taxes
- No layoffs or furloughs
- No shift in property taxes to Operations
- Preserved the City’s 1/12th operating reserve as required by state law
- $500,000 fuel reserve for unanticipated fuel price hikes above the planned $2.75 per gallon
General Obligation Bonds
The following do not include the G.O. Bond projects classified as “city-wide”
2011 G.O. Bonds
- $2.3 million for a Regional Sports Complex
- $250,000 for Paradise Hills Little League Improvements
- $2.5 million for Central and Unser Library
- $3 million for Unser Boulevard Reconstruction from Dellyne to Montano
- $500,000 for Northwest Mesa Storm Drains Rehabilitation
- $1 million for Northwest Arterial Roadway Improvements
2009 G.O. Bonds
- $6.6 million for the Ventana Ranch Community Park
- $800,000 for New Neighborhood Park Development
- $200,000 Unser Boulevard Reconstruction
- $3.2 million for Sixth Area Command Phase II
- $500,000 for Northwest Arterial Roadway Improvements
- $100,000 for a Feasibility Study for a Northwest Public Library
- $1.5 million for Ladera Golf Course Irrigation Improvements
- $1 million for NW Arterial Roadway Improvements
- $500,000 Open Space Facility Renovation
Capital Improvement Projects (CIP)
The following were paid for with discretionary money from the District 5 Council Neighborhood Set-Aside fund ($1,000,000 every bond cycle):
Park Improvements
-Funding Assistance for a concession stand for the Petroglyph Little League
- Lights and other park improvements at the Santa Fe Village Dog Park off Unser Boulevard
- Veterans Park Trailer
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial Pete Padilla Park in Barelas
- Ventana Ranch Regional Park
- Rancho Encantado Park
- Seville Park
- Park Hill Park
- Chamiza Elementary Soccer Fields
Infrastructure Improvements
- Study for speed radar signs along Irving Boulevard between Unser and La Paz
- Street Light on Dayflower Drive
- Street Lights on Ladera Drive between Bent Tree and Sequoia
- Funding towards landscaping medians along Ladera Drivecu
- Bicycle lanes and “No Parking” Signs Along Atrisco Between Ladera and Sequoia
- Deceleration lane at McMahon and Stonebridge
- Northwest Education Corridor Study and Improvements
- Improvements at the Paseo del Norte and Ventana West Parkway Intersection
- Sidewalks on Unser
- Stonebridge Street Lights near Black Arroyo Park
- Volcano Trails Speed Boards on Rainbow Boulevard
- Traffic calming on Valle Vista Drive and Golden Avenue
- Drainage and Landscape Improvements on Coors and Villa de Paz
- Median Landscaping on Paseo del Norte from Golf Course Road to Coors Boulevard
Neighborhood Signs
- Paradise Hills Civic Association
- Molten Rock Neighborhood Association
- Santa Fe Village Neighborhood Association
- Rancho Encantado Neighborhood Association
- Ladera Heights Neighborhood Association
- “Curb Your Dog” signs for Windmill Manor and Rancho Encantado
Community Center Improvements
- In collaboration with Councilor Sanchez, funding for new computers and new exercise equipment at the Don Newton Taylor Ranch Community Center
Library Improvements
- Taylor Ranch Library: ADA compliant parking spaces, provide equipment and materials for the Library’s children’s room and video collection
