Housing, community safety services, Explora and funding for disc golf topped the list of public comments at a meeting of city leaders to hear city budget concerns.
What’s COW?
The Albuquerque City Council’s Committee of the Whole (COW) met Thursday to hear resident input on the mayor’s proposed $1.4 billion budget for fiscal year 2025.
Three speakers asked the committee to restore $250,000 that was omitted from the Explora Science and Children’s Museum budget proposal.
“As a member of the Explora board, I have seen firsthand how Explora makes Albuquerque a better place. Please restore the $250,000 to maintain current funding,” said John Bell, summing up the comments of the other Explora advocates.
Several people from the Albuquerque Affordable Housing Coalition spoke about continued funding for affordable housing and vouchers.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
WHEN: 5 p.m. May 16
WHERE: Vincent E. Griego Chambers in the Albuquerque Government Center, 1 Civic Plaza NW
VIRTUAL: GOV-TV or on the city’s YouTube channel
“Housing is a cornerstone of dignity and opportunity,” said Anita Cordova, past president of the affordable housing coalition.
Other speakers echoed her request for no cuts to affordable housing or the city’s voucher program.
“Obviously, Albuquerque is in the midst of a housing crisis with hard-working families living with housing insecurity,” said Terry Storch.
A couple of people spoke about the importance of funding for Albuquerque Community Safety. This division allows 911 dispatchers to send trained professionals with backgrounds in behavioral and mental health and social services to non-violent and non-medical calls. This relieves police officers of taking some of these types of calls.
“The ACS model has been proven effective,” DeVante Watson said. “The long-term savings will foster a healthier community.”
Another speaker encouraged the committee to fully fund re-entry programs for those being released from prison.
“Re-entry is a huge issue in New Mexico,” Natasha Garcia said. “We need to show them another way of living.”
One speaker thanked the councilors for their support of the popular sport of disc golf in the community.
“I would like to thank the City Council for working with the group and for the recent grant that was approved for a 20-hole disc golf course at Puerto del Sol,” said Marcus Eye, a founding member of Albuquerque Disc Golf. He encouraged the council to follow through with the grant project and for improvements at Ladera Dam and the other disc golf courses.
At COW meetings, all nine council members act as a committee considering the budget and the capital improvement program. The committee also meets with the mayor and department heads to review and make recommendations about the priority, ranking and implementation of policy priorities in the budget. The committee will work out an amended budget proposal at a May 16 meeting and then send it on to the full council for approval on May 20.
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