Local Gov. Archives - City Desk ABQ

City promised fraud reports in 15 days, still waiting after 300

A months-long fight over transparency erupted at Albuquerque City Hall last fall after nine Inspector General fraud investigations were completed. Of those investigations, the public has only seen two final reports; four remain unreleased and one was formally rejected. The controversy began in April when the Albuquerque Accountability in Government Oversight Committee deferred six reports, […]

Pictured is Bernalillo County’s administrative headquarters, at 415 Silver Ave. SW downtown Albuquerque. (Jesse Jones)

Local Gov.

Bernalillo County moves to regulate AI data center expansion

by Lauren Lifke January 14, 2026January 14, 2026

With Project Jupiter, a controversial campus of data centers slated for Doña Ana County, in the works, the Bernalillo County Commission took a first step Tuesday toward imposing some of the state’s strictest regulations on data center development, introducing a resolution that would tie taxpayer-funded incentives to aggressive hiring, wage and environmental standards. Sponsored by […]

Adriann Barboa was elected as the new chair of the Bernalillo County Commission at its Jan. 13 meeting. (Jesse Jones)

Local Gov.

New leadership takes the gavel in Bernalillo County

by Lauren Lifke January 14, 2026January 14, 2026

The Bernalillo County Commission elected the new chair and vice chair of the commission in its first meeting of the 2026 calendar year, where Adriann Barboa took over as the commission chair with Frank Baca as her vice chair. The commission voted 5-0 for Barboa to take over the gavel from outgoing chair Eric Olivas. […]

Inside the push to save Albuquerque’s aging Main Library

The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Library Advisory Board has raised $925,000 in pledges from state, city and county officials to replace the Main Library’s 50-year-old heating and cooling system, bypassing traditional district boundaries. The board still needs $1.6 million to reach its $2.5 million goal. The 100,000-square-foot downtown library relies on a 1975 “air handler” system […]

Sweeping zoning changes affecting about 160,000 Albuquerque properties head next to the City Council’s Land Use, Planning and Zoning (LUPZ) Committee amid sharp disagreement over what’s changing and whether residents received adequate notice. (Roberto E. Rosales)

160,000 properties in Albuquerque could get a zoning change, here’s what you need to know

Sweeping zoning changes affecting at least 160,000 Albuquerque properties head next to the City Council’s Land Use, Planning and Zoning (LUPZ) Committee amid sharp disagreement over what’s changing and whether residents received adequate notice, according to 2023 U.S. Census data. The Integrated Development Ordinance Biennial Update, approved by the Environmental Planning Commission in November, includes […]

BorderPlex Digital Assets in August gave lawmakers on the state Legislative Finance Committee a rendering of Project Jupiter. (Courtesy of BorderPlex Digital Assets)

Local Gov.

Bernalillo County Commission to consider data center regulations

by Lauren Lifke January 12, 2026January 12, 2026

The Bernalillo County Commission is set to tackle a landmark proposal to regulate data center incentives and a final vote on a revision of the county’s ethics code on Jan. 13. Commissioner Eric Olivas said he will introduce a resolution establishing strict criteria for data center projects that seek taxpayer-funded incentives. “If we are to […]

Bernalillo County joined a longstanding lawsuit with the Town of Edgewood as an interested party last month, filing a petition to intervene after the Campbell Ranch development appealed the Town of Edgewood’s decision in July to deny its subdivision applications.

Local Gov.

Bernalillo County joins Campbell Ranch lawsuit legal battle in Edgewood

by Lauren Lifke January 12, 2026January 12, 2026

Bernalillo County joined a longstanding lawsuit with the Town of Edgewood as an interested party last month, filing a petition to intervene after the Campbell Ranch development appealed the Town of Edgewood’s decision in July to deny its subdivision applications. The Edgewood Town Commission denied subdivision applications for an area known as Village 2, which […]

Former APD cheif Harold Medina, left, walks with Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. (Roberto E. Rosales)

ABQ’s new interim police chief follows a familiar path. Will it lead to the same destination?

Cecily Barker, named Albuquerque’s first woman interim police chief on New Year’s Eve, follows a familiar pattern: Her two predecessors served as interim chief for about six months before being permanently appointed. The pattern is clear: Michael Geier served 6.5 months as interim chief before the City Council confirmed him 9-0 in June 2018. Harold […]

Baca interviews for Gov. cabinet post

Albuquerque City Councilor Joaquín Baca has two more years left to serve in his council term, but he could be leaving sooner than that, City Desk has learned. Baca has interviewed with Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham for consideration to fill the governor’s vacant cabinet position for secretary overseeing the state’s Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources […]

ABQ launches ambitious plan to attract global businesses to Mesa del Sol

The Albuquerque City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Monday committing $5.75 million in public funds to launch a global business accelerator expected to create 1,200 high-paying jobs in Mesa del Sol. The ordinance authorizes the city to serve as fiscal agent for $5 million in state economic development funds and invest $750,000 in local resources […]