By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Albuquerque is tightening its belt for the first time in years, and Burqueños may soon feel the shift.
Mayor Tim Keller sent his $1.47 billion budget proposal to the City Council on Wednesday. The budget is $35 million less than last year. After a record budget year approved last July, the reduction, the first in years, will cut administrative costs and eliminate vacant jobs to offset inflation and shrinking federal aid.
“We’re making the necessary cuts without sacrificing services or public safety,” Keller said. “This budget shows our total focus on protecting public safety, housing and the core services people rely on every day.”
Cutting positions, redirecting savings
The proposed FY27 budget cuts about 160 full-time jobs, a 2.3% decrease. The city is eliminating 272 vacant or redundant roles to prioritize frontline services.
While the plan cuts administrative positions, much of that is reorganization within the city. For instance, the municipal development department will lose 57 jobs, but the city is moving 49 of those roles to general services. Other cuts include 52 positions in transit, 42 in youth and family services and 23 in technology and innovation.
The Albuquerque Police Department will cut eight command positions. The move will help fund 100 Police Service Aides and return 43 sworn officers to the streets. The Albuquerque Community Safety department will also get a $2 million boost for its street outreach team.
A new $400,000 legal diversion program will also launch. According to the proposal, the city attorney’s office will direct low-level offenders toward shelter and treatment instead of jail.
New programs
New projects in the FY27 budget include $610,000 to start Albuquerque Fire Rescue’s Medic 12 unit and funding to open the Conway Northwest Multi-Generational Center. The city moved an $8 million affordable housing voucher program into the health, housing and homelessness department to streamline services.
The city plans to place new surcharges on visitors from outside Albuquerque at the BioPark, museums, golf courses and animal welfare facilities to recover costs typically covered by taxpayers.
Residents can share their thoughts on the plan during public hearings starting April 30.
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