On Thursday, Albuquerque City Councilors held their first meeting to discuss and hear from constituents about the mayor’s $1.4 billion proposed budget for the next fiscal year. Budget Input Concerns about funding for the public library and the Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum drew the top comments from the handful of residents who attended […]
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City investigated for undisclosed special ‘payouts’ to top officials who resigned
Exclusive in City Desk ABQ High-level city officials have been awarded thousands of dollars in extra compensation after announcing their resignations thanks to a special, and mostly unknown, leave program, City Desk ABQ has learned. The most high-profile recipient of the “special leave” was Sarita Nair, Mayor Tim Keller’s top aide and the city’s chief […]
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City Council wants to hear your thoughts on the mayor’s proposed budget
Have some opinions on how the city should budget its money? The public is invited to share its thoughts with Albuquerque city councilors at two upcoming meetings — one this Thursday and another next Thursday. The Committee of the Whole will meet May 2 and May 9 to hear resident input on the mayor’s proposed budget […]
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Library IT funds missing from mayor’s budget
The days of searching for a book using card catalogs and the Dewey Decimal System became obsolete at least a decade ago as libraries were computerized and digitized. This is one reason employees and supporters of the metro area’s 19 branches are concerned that the entire information technology (IT) budget — $400,000 — has been […]
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Councilor eyes return of Berry-era homeless labor initiative
An idea born under former Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry that provides day labor jobs for those experiencing homelessness could be making a comeback. “There’s a Better Way” was launched in 2015 and the initiative quickly gained national attention. After a year in operation, the Washington Post called it “a simple idea that works.” The […]
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Barelas Park event to promote city summer programs
Spring has sprung, and city leaders want community members to come out and celebrate the return of warm weather while learning about the city’s summer programs for kids. Saturday’s Spring into Summer event will include music, food trucks, games and animals in need of homes. HOW TO PARTICIPATE: WHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April […]
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City seeks input on food ordinance changes
Albuquerque’s Environmental Health Department is seeking the public’s input as the city prepares to update its food service and retail ordinance. Stakeholders and interested parties have the opportunity to review the draft ordinance and accompanying rules document and provide input. The updated ordinance will replace the city’s existing food safety laws ordinances. The new ordinance […]
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Business licenses, permit fees would rise under mayor’s proposed budget
Under Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller’s proposed $1.37 billion budget, the cost of a business license and some building permits would increase. The proposed increases are estimated to generate about $6 million in revenue from the city’s Planning Department, which oversees permitting, development reviews, code enforcement and more. The proposed fiscal year 2025 budget for the […]
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What to know: ABQ’s first pallet home campus
The city unveiled plans Monday to develop a transitional recovery housing campus with 50 pallet homes, but with just a handful of specifics. Since then, we’ve heard from City Desk ABQ readers wanting to know more so we tracked down some answers. The project — the first of its kind in Albuquerque — was allocated […]
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Councilor wants to expand successful gun violence intervention program to county
The City of Albuquerque is hoping to soon partner with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office to create a Violence Intervention Program for the unincorporated areas of Bernalillo County. City Councilor Nichole Rogers will introduce legislation at the next meeting to allow the city to apply for a $1,392,698 grant from the New Mexico Department of […]