By Rodd Cayton Albuquerque City Councilors continue to work through building a spending plan for fiscal year 2026. They’ll get more scrutinous after Thursday evening as they fine-tune adjustments to Mayor Tim Keller’s $1.5 billion proposed budget. All nine councilors make up the budget-focused Committee of the Whole. The overall budget, including all revenue sources, […]
Rodd Cayton
Rodd Cayton is a senior reporter with nm.news covering local news and government as a local reporting fellow with NM Reports.
Posted inCity Desk ABQ, Federal Government & Congress, Local Government
County ethics board finds hiring of former clerk violated rules. But there isn’t much they can do about it.
By Rodd Cayton A board looking into the Bernalillo County Treasurer’s Office Tuesday found Linda Stover broke county ethics rules when she accepted a deputy treasurer position the day after her term as county clerk ended. However, the Code of Conduct Review Board noted the matter is in state district court and clarified that its […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress, Local Government
Ethics panel to take up treasurer hiring issue
By Rodd Cayton An ethics issue that has been working its way through Bernalillo County government could come to a conclusion as soon as Tuesday morning. The county’s Code of Conduct Review Board will meet at 9 a.m. to discuss an allegation by county commissioners that Linda Stover violated the code by accepting an appointment […]
Posted inCourts & Justice, Federal Government & Congress
Albuquerque Police Department finished with federal oversight after years of reform
By Rodd Cayton Federal oversight of the Albuquerque Police Department is over. The city and the U.S. Department of Justice filed a joint motion in federal court Friday to release the department from monitoring connected to high numbers of excessive-force incidents and police shootings. On Monday, U.S. District Judge James O. Browning officially dismissed the […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress, Local Government
The story of Albuquerque’s budget
By Rodd Cayton Albuquerque is moving closer to having a budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. City Councilors, Thursday night, sought answers from department heads as they search for the best use of $1.5 billion. At Thursday’s Committee of the Whole meeting, they questioned staff on topics that included performance metrics, hiring efforts and future […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress
Congestion now, freedom later?
By Rodd Cayton City of Albuquerque crews are preparing to launch what is being billed as the largest construction project in city history, to the benefit of Westside drivers. The Unser and Paseo del Norte widening project will start this fall, and will include new lighting, bike lanes and trails as well as adding traffic […]
Posted inCity Desk ABQ, Federal Government & Congress, Local Government
Council to review Keller’s budget proposal
By Rodd Cayton The public is invited again Thursday to give input on Albuquerque’s fiscal year 2026 budget. Mayor Tim Keller last month proposed a $1.5 billion spending plan, which City Councilors are now reviewing. Meeting as the Committee of the Whole, all nine councilors will take public input regarding the budget and capital improvements […]
Posted inCity Desk ABQ, Federal Government & Congress, Local Government
Library advocates want budget increase
By Rodd Cayton Public library advocates Monday went to bat again for their cause, urging the Albuquerque City Council to boost it as the city’s fiscal year 2026 budget takes shape. Mayor Tim Keller’s proposed budget includes about $16.54 million for libraries, which is down about $49,000 from fiscal year 2025. Janet Saiers, who sits […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress, Local Government
City Council approves behavioral health voucher database
By Rodd Cayton Albuquerque City Councilors Monday approved a contract to produce a database aimed at simplifying access to addiction treatment and support services. Contractor Real Time Solutions will be paid $300,000 for creating the database, designed to help administer vouchers for the Providing Addiction Treatment and Healing (PATH) program. City officials say the Albuquerque-based […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress, Housing & Homelessness
Gateway navigation deal gets green light from City Council
By Rodd Cayton Albuquerque City Councilors voted Monday night to approve a deal for a nonprofit organization that will help women experiencing homelessness make the transition into stable housing. Approval of the professional services agreement with Chicanos Por La Causa was delayed two weeks after councilors sought more information about the organization’s current work. Chicanos […]