The candidates in New Mexico’s most contested Congressional race of 2026 are getting a head start on the November General Election matchup after Republican Jose Orozco ended his primary campaign, but with voter registration data showing voters fleeing both major parties, the race is shaping up to be a fight for the independent voter. After […]
Jesse Jones
Jesse Jones is a reporter covering local government and news for The Paper. through a local journalism fellowship from NM Reports.
Posted inCity Desk ABQ
Keller veto holds: Council leaves rules requiring better A/C for renters in limbo
By Jesse Jones, City Desk in The Paper. — On Monday, the Albuquerque City Council failed to override Mayor Tim Keller’s veto of changes to a controversial renters’ rights cooling ordinance, falling one vote short of the six votes required. Council President Klarissa Peña and Vice President Dan Champine, along with Councilors Brook Bassan, Renée […]
Posted inCity Desk ABQ
Albuquerque’s new ‘Safety Zones’: A boost for business or a crackdown on poverty?
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — A new Albuquerque ordinance hands the mayor power to surge police and city services along commercial corridors, a move supporters call a boost for local business and critics blast as a crackdown on the city’s most vulnerable. On Monday, the Albuquerque City Council voted 6-3 to approve the “Enhanced […]
Posted inLocal Government
The Bernalillo County tax civil war: Assessor vs. Treasurer
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — A legal fight over a short-term rental tax has escalated into a civil war inside the Bernalillo County government — and a Democratic primary battle in the background — pitting top financial officials against each other over millions in tax revenue and allegations of ethical misconduct. The dispute simmering between County […]
Posted inCity Desk ABQ
Is Albuquerque settling for slow 911 response times?
By Jesse Jones, City Desk ABQ in The Paper. — When a crisis strikes, every second counts. On a ringing 911 line, those seconds can feel like an eternity. Even as call volume drops and the city rolls out new technology, dispatchers are falling further behind national standards, leaving more callers waiting longer for someone […]
Posted inLocal Government
Albuquerque budget hearings kick off: Here’s how you can weigh in on how the city spends $1.47 billion
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Over the next two weeks, Burqueños will have a chance to weigh in on Mayor Tim Keller’s $1.47 billion budget proposal before the City Council votes to approve or amend it. Whether it’s police response times, city parks or how the city addresses homelessness, councilors are opening the floor […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, City Desk ABQ, Local Government
Mayor’s budget pitch doubles treatment spending but lowers targets, but city says there’s a reason
By Jesse Jones, City Desk in The Paper. –– While reviewing Mayor Tim Keller’s $1.47 billion budget proposal, a counterintuitive number jumped out in the city’s Health, Housing and Homelessness Department budget: despite contracts for substance use treatment more than doubling to $5.5 million,the city expects to serve fewer people, lowering its target from 650 […]
Posted inNM.news
Keller proposes to add “out-of-towner” fees to BioPark, golf courses to help close city budget gap
Duke City taxpayers may soon stop covering the cost for out-of-town visitors who use city services, as Mayor Tim Keller pushes new fees on non-residents. Keller last week proposed a $1.47 billion budget for fiscal year 2027 that would add new fees for non-residents who use city services. The plan would charge visitors the full […]
Posted inEnvironment, Conservation & Climate
Rio Grande water levels “no longer sufficient” to meet irrigator and river needs, says MRGCD
Middle Rio Grande Valley farmers are facing a tough, unpredictable irrigation season. While an early runoff from the mountains allowed for a head start, river flows have already plunged by about a third since early March. While water demand climbs, river flows have dropped to 30% of early March levels, straining the region’s irrigation system. […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
Consultants send “preferred plan” keeping State Fair, adding stadium to Fairgrounds board
By Jesse Jones and Pat Davis, City Desk in The Paper. — Consultants tasked with recommending options for redevelopment of the State Fairgrounds will recommend a $240 million multi-year master plan to serve as a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization on and off-site, City Desk has learned. The plan presented in a public meeting Friday evening […]