City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn’s Plan to Issue One-Time Supplemental Compensation Payment to City Staff is Funded

ALBUQUERQUE, NM —The Albuquerque City Council recently unanimously passed Councilor Fiebelkorn’s proposal to dedicate remaining FY25 General Fund dollars to provide a one-time supplemental compensation payment equal to 1% of each eligible employee’s annualized base salary. R-25-219 was contingent on the City having a positive General Fund balance after the annual audit of the 2025 Fiscal Year.

Today, the New Mexico Office of the State Auditor published the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) confirming sufficient funding is available to provide a one-time supplemental payment to all eligible City employees, as outlined in R-25-219, excluding elected officials.

"Our City employees work hard every day to serve our community, and they deserve compensation that keeps pace with the rising cost of living," said the bill's chief sponsor, Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn. "During the budget process, we promised our workforce we'd provide additional funding if at all possible, and I'm proud that we're able to keep that commitment. This payment recognizes the dedication of our employees and the important work they do for Albuquerque." 

“City Workers show up every single day to keep our community safe and our services going,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “We take every chance we can to thank our workers at the City and show that it’s the best place to come to work every day.” 

Terms of R-25-219: 

Certification Requirement: The Chief Financial Officer must certify that the FY25 General Fund ending balance exceeds all legally required reserves and outstanding obligations by at least $2,951,000. 

Priority Funding: R-25-219 established this supplemental payment as the priority use for any certified available FY25 balance, superseding other potential appropriations. 

Fiscal Responsibility: Because the payment is a non-recurring "one-time" measure, it does not increase base salaries or create permanent, long-term fiscal obligations for the City. 

Eligibility and Impact: Eligible staff include employees in authorized General Fund positions as of the final pay period of FY25, as well as those hired into such positions on or after July 1, 2025. This action follows a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) provided during the FY26 budget process, providing a secondary boost to employees as economic conditions have improved. 

Bargaining Units: The payment is subject to collective bargaining requirements for represented employees. It does not apply to employees represented by IAFF Local 244, who previously received an 8% cost-of-living adjustment. 

For more information on ACFR and City financial reports, please visit the City of Albuquerque Office of Management and Budget’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports webpage.