The Paper. Archives - City Desk ABQ

Albuquerque’s record $1.5 billion budget heads to the state, without Keller’s signature

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Burqueños and city workers can breathe a sigh of relief as the city’s new $1.5 billion budget becomes law without the stroke of the mayor’s pen. The plan avoids resident trash fee hikes, locks in funding for core community services from public safety to senior programs and includes upcoming […]

Civic Plaza in downtown Albuquerque with the City Hall building pictured in the background. (Roberto Rosales)

Why did the city cancel 311 on Sundays? Councilor quizzes mayor’s office after getting no answer

City Desk ABQ: How that story came together Jesse Jones is a local government reporter with City Desk and The Paper. This column covers his work uncovering what’s behind a news tip he received about City Hall. Whether you’re reporting graffiti, looking for a swimming pool schedule, seeking homeless services or trying to track down […]

City Councilor Brook Bassan, co-sponsor of the revived proposed gross receipts tax increase that would go before Albuquerque voters in Novembe. (Jesse Jones)

ABQ councilors try again on tax hike — but this time, voters will decide

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Following the defeat of a similar measure in March, a pair of City Councilors are reviving a nearly half-percent sales tax proposal to fund neighborhood improvements and city services. The measure would ask Burqueños to pay slightly more in exchange for neighborhood infrastructure upgrades and higher pay for city […]

Renée Grout was reelected chair of the Committee of the Whole on Monday, a role that oversees the city's $1.5 billion budget and capital improvements program. Grout previously served as council vice president in 2023 and 2024.

ABQ tries to break its heavy metal habit with new copper theft law

By Jesse Jones, City Desk in The Paper. — Drivers and pedestrians are navigating dark stretches of East Central Avenue after copper thieves have ripped wiring from streetlights, prompting a pair of city councilors to tighten Albuquerque’s scrap metal recycling laws in an effort to curb the vandalism. Rather than creating a new law, Councilors […]

Albuquerque approves $3M deal to land space energy startup

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Most people do not notice the thunderbird on Albuquerque’s flag in the top left corner, but its late-’60s design reflected the city’s role in the nuclear and Space Age. Nearly 60 years later, that vision is still unfolding, and could mean almost 200 high-paying jobs for Albuquerque residents. On […]

From curbside to containers: Why Albuquerque is rethinking how it recycles glass

It looked like the glass would finally be picked up with the rest of our trash and recycling we all hoped for, but the reality was that it was not to be, at least not yet. Editor’s note: For years, the city has fielded requests to add glass to “blue bin” curbside recycling, so when […]

APD investigating hate crime in Old Town after Muslim mom with kids spit on by man asking, “Are you Christian?”

An Albuquerque mother taking photos of her children in Old Town says she was spit on and harassed all because she was wearing a hijab, and she caught it on video. Editor’s note: This story was updated Wed. afternoon after APD confirmed the name of the suspect they identified in this case. That update is […]

‘No Kings’ organizers plan for 40K & Stacey Abrams in rally, march through ABQ Sat.

By Kevin Hendricks — Organizers of Albuquerque’s “NO KINGS” rally are planning for more than 37,000 people to participate in a planned 3-mile march and rally on Saturday – prompting police to issue warnings of impromptu road closures along some of the city’s busiest thoroughfares. The “NO KINGS” movement began in 2025 and has since […]

Inside the Oso Negro project: Bernalillo County’s newest weapon against power outages

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — With an uncertain future for power rates and unreliable power grids, Bernalillo County residents may see more stable electricity rates and a stronger power grid, following the approval of a $175 million battery storage project on Albuquerque’s Westside. Bernalillo County commissioners approved an industrial revenue bond, 4-1, March 11, […]

Keller nominates Cecily Barker to permanently lead APD, pending City Council confirmation

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — After 22 years of climbing the ranks from patrol officer to the Albuquerque Police Department’s top-ranking officer, Cecily Barker stands one vote away from making history as Albuquerque’s first female police chief. Mayor Tim Keller announced Barker as his official nominee for chief of police on Tuesday, choosing the […]