Albuquerque spends thousands in taxpayer funds to air mayor’s State of the City address on local TV

Albuquerque is spending at least $15,500 in taxpayer money to broadcast Mayor Tim Keller’s State of the City address across five local television stations as paid advertisements, with the most expensive 30-minute slot costing $12,000.

Keller is running for an unprecedented third term as Albuquerque mayor this year, with the election set for Nov. 4.

The city did not respond to multiple requests asking how much was spent to air Keller’s Aug. 23 address or why it is airing now, with the election less than two months away.

Other mayoral candidates raised concerns about the address being aired and were offered the chance to purchase airtime on KOAT for $12,000, KRQE for $1,500, FOX New Mexico for $1,200, KWBQ for $600 and KASY for $200.

Keller has aired his annual address on television since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The practice of purchasing broadcast time for the State of the City represents a use of municipal funds for what is effectively campaign-season messaging from the incumbent mayor.

“The city has paid to promote and broadcast the State of the City address for the last several years, including this year, to ensure a broader audience had access if they couldn’t attend the community event,” according to the mayor’s office. “The address also includes recorded testimonials from city councilors and residents who are affected by city policies. We got great feedback as a result of the format and continued to invest in broader access since then. The only criticism we’ve received is from political candidates who are trying their best to get media attention.”

Former U.S. Attorney and current mayoral candidate Alex Uballez said, “To use city funds to broadcast something that could be uploaded to the city’s YouTube page for anyone interested is a gross misuse of taxpayer dollars and continues to blur the line between Keller the incumbent and Keller the candidate.”

The address will air at various times on Sundays across the stations, with some slots unavailable during NFL games. KOAT will broadcast the speech Sept. 14 from 4:30-5 p.m., while KWBQ will air it the same day from 5-5:30 p.m. KASY is scheduled to broadcast the address Sept. 21 from 11:30 a.m. to noon, FOX New Mexico on Sept. 28 from 5:30-6 p.m., and KRQE on Oct. 5 from 4-4:30 p.m.

In his 2025 State of the City address delivered Saturday at the city’s BioPark and Botanical Gardens, Keller highlighted crime reduction achievements and unveiled plans to make Albuquerque a quantum computing hub. The mayor said major crime categories have decreased for the first time in over a decade and announced the “Housing Now ABQ” initiative to expand affordable housing.

Keller faces several challengers in November, including City Councilor Louie Sanchez, Uballez and former Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White.

Sanchez disputed Keller’s crime statistics, noting 47 homicides through August. Uballez said eight years was “too long to just gain traction” on the city’s problems, while White called Keller’s address “a lie” and criticized the administration’s handling of crime and homelessness.