City Councilor Dan Lewis Says Mayor Tim Keller’s “$35 Million in Cuts” is Misleading—Budget Actually Increases Spending

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – City Councilor Dan Lewis, District 5, is pushing back on claims that the mayor’s proposed FY27 budget includes “$35 million in cuts,” calling the characterization misleading and urging greater transparency for residents.

“Albuquerque residents are being told that this budget cuts $35 million. That’s simply not accurate,” said Councilor Dan Lewis. “The mayor didn’t cut $35 million—he moved it.”

According to the City’s own budget documents, projected revenue for FY27 is expected to increase by approximately $21 million, while spending on day-to-day operations will rise by roughly $6 million. Core service areas including public safety and general government operations continue to grow.

“The basic question is simple: will the city spend less next year to run itself? The answer is no,” Lewis said. “Operating spending is increasing, not decreasing.”
Lewis explained that the widely cited “$35 million in cuts” figure is derived from combining reductions, reallocation, and accounting shifts across the City’s full budget. A significant portion of that figure reflects moving expenses from operating funds into capital budgets, along with adjustments to internal transfers and enterprise funds such as Transit and Solid Waste.

“That’s a shift,” Lewis said. “It’s like saying you reduced your household spending because your checking account went down, when you actually paid for things out of your savings.”

Lewis also raised concerns about the City’s long-term financial outlook, noting that the Administration’s own projections show a growing structural imbalance.

“This budget is being described as ‘structurally balanced,’ but the City’s forecast shows spending exceeding revenue starting next year, with a gap approaching $70 million by FY30,” Lewis said. “That’s the real issue—not whether $35 million was ‘cut,’ because it wasn’t.”

Lewis emphasized that Albuquerque residents deserve clarity about the City’s finances and a plan to address future deficits.

“For years, the mayor has increased taxes and fees while expanding government and spending nearly every dollar of new revenue,” Lewis said. “At the same time, residents are still facing serious challenges—from crime to homelessness—and they’re not seeing the results they were promised. The mayor has built a larger, more expensive City government—but without the outcomes to justify it.”

Councilor Lewis called for a more transparent and sustainable approach to budgeting moving forward.

“Albuquerque needs a plan,” Lewis said. “The numbers are clear: the City is bringing in more money and spending more. The question is what happens next.”