City Councilor Nichole L. Rogers Introduces Legislation to Modernize and Clarify Albuquerque's Public Safety Tax

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Today, District 6 City Councilor Nichole L. Rogers introduced a comprehensive legislative package designed to modernize the administration and distribution of Albuquerque’s Public Safety Tax (PST). Through Ordinance O-26-31 and Resolution R-26-29, the proposed legislation seeks to update the existing PST framework—originally established in 2004—to reflect the city’s evolving public safety model while dramatically increasing transparency and oversight.

The legislation does not increase the tax rate. Instead, it better defines the use and distribution of the existing one-fourth of one percent tax imposed at ROA 1994, § 4-3-8-1 et seq., ensuring that voter-approved funds are aligned with the current safety needs of the City.

Enhancing Transparency and Oversight (O-26-31)

Ordinance O-26-31 focuses on the City’s administration of the PST. It empowers the Public Safety Tax Advisory Board to define specific "scopes" for each funding category, ensuring that City expenditures remain consistent with voter intent. Key provisions include:

• Program-Level Reporting: The City Administration will be required to present detailed programmatic expenditure to the Advisory Board, including stated objectives and performance measures.
• Defined Scopes: The Advisory Board will maintain written parameters for eligible program types and intended outcomes for every dollar spent.
• Administrative Flexibility: Clarifies that funds may be administered by various departments, including the Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) department, provided they meet the dedicated category requirements.

Updating Allocations for a Modern Albuquerque (R-26-29)

Resolution R-26-29 proposes a question for the November 3, 2026, General Election ballot. If approved by voters, the resolution would update the PST dedication percentages to officially include ACS and City Code Enforcement as part of the city’s public safety system.

"Our approach to public safety has evolved significantly since 2004," said Councilor Nichole L. Rogers. "With the addition of ACS as a third branch of our first-response system and the vital role Code Enforcement plays in preventing hazardous conditions, our tax allocations must reflect the reality of how we keep Burqueños safe today. This is about making sure every cent of the Public Safety Tax is working effectively, transparently, and in line with what the community expects."

Proposed New Funding Allocations

The legislation seeks to shift the current allocation model to include modern safety departments:

Note: The proposed updates reflect a more streamlined focus on direct emergency response and preventative safety measures.

Next Steps

Councilor Rogers emphasizes that the educational campaign led by the City Clerk will ensure residents are provided with the information that this is an update to an existing tax, not a tax increase. If passed by the City Council, the question of modernizing the PST allocations will be put to the voters this November.

Note: If approved by the voters in November, this would not go into effect until July 1, 2027. This is a Tax&Rev rule.