By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Duke City residents looking forward to patio season may think they got through an unusually quiet spring bug season unscathed, but Albuquerque — currently ranked 38th on Orkin’s Top 50 Worst Mosquito Cities List — local health officials expect to see a spike in mosquito populations very soon. The […]
Jesse Jones
Jesse Jones is a reporter covering local government and news for The Paper. through a local journalism fellowship from NM Reports.
Posted inLocal Government
City Council ejects speakers in raucous debate, before approving new Albuquerque minimum wage
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Burqueños workers making minimum wage have something to be excited about – if they have patience – after the Albuquerque City Council approved a $3 increase to the city’s minimum wage Monday night after a packed and at times raucous meeting that drew so many people that some were […]
Posted inJobs, Workers & Economy
Wages vs. Rents: Albuquerque council set to vote on historic $15 minimum wage overhaul tonight
By Jesse Jones, City Desk in The Paper. — Burqueño workers and small business owners could soon feel the impact in their wallets as the City Council prepares to vote tonight on an overhaul of the city’s minimum wage law. As written, the proposal would break from the state’s minimum wage base for the first […]
Posted inCity Desk ABQ
ABQ tries to break its heavy metal habit with new copper theft law
By Jesse Jones, City Desk in The Paper. — Drivers and pedestrians are navigating dark stretches of East Central Avenue after copper thieves have ripped wiring from streetlights, prompting a pair of city councilors to tighten Albuquerque’s scrap metal recycling laws in an effort to curb the vandalism. Rather than creating a new law, Councilors […]
Posted inLocal Government
Edgewood eyes millions in cuts to plug overspending gap
By Pat Davis and Jesse Jones, The Route 66 Independent – For years, Edgewood commissioners have relied on leftover Covid-era federal government handouts and previous year budget surpluses to pay for new town services including police, parks, events and streets without raising the taxes to fund them long-term. With just a month until the end […]
Posted inLocal Government
After Lindy’s collapse, Councilor Baca pushes $5,000 vacancy fines, maintenance rules for Downtown buildings
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Residents and visitors can’t help but notice the empty buildings Downtown; the sudden structural failure of the Lindy’s building made those eyesores into a public hazard. Now, a councilor who pushed for stronger regulations on vacant and unkept properties Downtown other councilors removed from a prior bill. Sponsored by […]
Posted inNM.news
Councilor eyes higher fees for nonresidents dumping trash in ABQ city convenience centers
Staff report, City Desk in The Paper. — Just days after the City Council stripped similar fee hikes from the citywide budget, one city councilor is proposing a targeted $12 trash surcharge for nonresidents aimed at funding taxpayer-funded convenience centers while keeping local disposal costs at $5. Sponsored by Klarissa J. Peña by request, O-26-35 […]
Posted inCity Desk ABQ
Council said no to more safe outdoor spaces but Mayor Keller started one anyway. Now the funding and future may be in jeopardy.
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Almost a year ago, Mayor Tim Keller told reporters the city needs 100 more Safe Outdoor Spaces for its homeless population but the city council has never gotten on board with authorizing zoning and ordinance changes to get anywhere close. Even now, the city has only one privately run […]
Posted inCity Desk ABQ
Why Burqueños might feel safer on buses
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Burqueños riding public transit may be feeling safer lately as new ABQ Ride data shows security calls across the transit system are dropping even while ridership continues to grow. Data reviewed by City Desk from ABQ Ride’s third-quarter report shows safety calls dropped 21% from last year, averaging 1,871 […]
Posted inCity Desk ABQ
After mayor warns of budget woes, Council OK’s city’s biggest budget ever
By Jesse Jones, City Desk in The Paper. — The City Council passed the city’s largest-ever budget, $1.5 billion, Monday night overcoming earlier warnings from the mayor that future spending would have to be cut to meet slower economic projections. The spending plan, passing 7-2, with councilors Brook Bassan and Dan Lewis voting against it, […]