FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: City Councilor Dan Lewis, Chair
Committee-of-the-Whole
(505) 768-3189
danlewis@cabq.gov
swestbrook@cabq.gov
City Councilor Dan Lewis, Chair of the City Council’s Committee-of-the-Whole, today released a Committee Substitute for R-12-41, the City’s proposed FY/13 operating budget. The substitute bill will be discussed during the City Council’s Committee-of-the-Whole markup meeting at 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012.
C/S R-12-41 builds on Mayor Berry’s 2013 proposed budget, and retains virtually all the components of the Mayor’s proposed budget, including a 1% raise for bargaining unit employees and all the additional positions included in the proposed budget. The bill provides funding for debt service on bonds for the Paseo del Norte/I-25 project and also reserves $3,000,000 in the General Fund for future projects. The new International Baccalaureate program and Running Start are also funded, and the bill retains an additional $400,000 in the General Fund operating reserve.
C/S R-12-41 provides new funding as well. The substitute adds funding for the following positions:
- $66,000 for Animal Welfare to convert a half-time veterinarian to permanent full-time in order to provide capacity for more spays and neuters.
- $140,000 for Cultural Services to add two new Library paraprofessionals positions (one permanent and one temporary).
- $43,000 for Parks to add a permanent parks maintenance worker to maintain parks, open space and medians.
- $55,000 for Planning to add an analyst to assist in processing zoning hearings.
- $41,000 for Transit to add a transit security worker to provide added security on some of ABQ Rides most highly used bus routes.
The Committee Substitute adds funding for a number of other programs that will enhance our community and protect our citizens. The bill includes, among other things:
- Animal Welfare – $45,000 in funding for supplies for an additional 1,000 spays and neuters.
- Cultural Services – $433,000 in funding for cultural programs such as Black History Month, Globalquerque, Cesar Chavez Day, the New Mexico Philharmonic, and for the Explora and Balloon Museums.
- Economic Development – $83,000 in funding for the Southeast Team for Entrepreneurial Success and the Nob Hill Mainstreet Program.
- Family & Community Services – $288,000 in funding for domestic violence prevention programs such as Enlace Communitario and the Domestic Violence Resource Center.
- Parks & Recreation – $75,000 in funding for a third shift during the summertime at the very popular West Mesa Aquatic Center.
- Planning – $110,000 in funding for a Zoning Hearing Examiner and an analyst to assist in processing zoning hearings.
- Police – $30,000 in funding for a full-time APD presence at the Dwyer sub-station and an additional $150,000 (for a total of $2,350,000) to replace police vehicles.
C/S R-12-41 provides for positive fund balance, balances recurring expenditures with recurring revenues, and funds a well-rounded package of municipal services for Fiscal Year 2013.
