[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6251928,"mediaKeyId","3192613-60768dd8e2181c861049c2ad95c98624","parentId",3192613,"title","Santa Fe Municipal Airport proposes fee increases and new landing charges in FY26 budget","audioSeconds",7777,"startMs",7962000,"endMs",15739000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192613-60768dd8e2181c861049c2ad95c98624&start=7962&end=15739","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192613-60768dd8e2181c861049c2ad95c98624/thumbnail_7962000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6251928/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/Santa-Fe-Municipal-Airport-proposes-fee-increases-and-new-landing-charges-in-FY26-budget","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251928-a5434dd863483e23ce0e578bb5cbe0e7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167943&Signature=kvjXJeoBcBXeYhqRHJkj0v1-hnLS06xbXd-6pHCU6iYhR4SwM0MaaU6X3~Hez3CUUi5bKH4oPvgWp2suqp1ObkhS0RKnOWzXrbNB~-HC0o4NDoEA-Sr8S2zShN1maWBasCDUJY~~n~mtg~urC-gVyw1RPYF1fxPV~AvQiYoJacz6gClSB~tyO~yogt-Jw-6SmgbpwXuJBdBJygzXFuV3OHsbQ-otu5H~PKZ0humjWcenm9kWoMLRZJIyCxsUSXoC8EqbbqlIOlCx~kxByG3yFf6sBtAeWOxE6RNHVbY4QsF7rV6C89f-ZNayfPUdzt2CtIgCEefR~a2btbQGkBPXDg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Santa Fe, NM","date","2025-05-05T23:02:54.703Z","article","Santa Fe Municipal Airport presented a proposed FY26 operating budget Tuesday that relies on new and adjusted aviation fees to close a budget gap and support staffing and maintenance needs.

Airport Director (last name not stated in transcript) told the Finance Committee the airport’s FY26 proposed budget totals $5,381,879 — about $723,555 higher than the current year — and projects roughly $5,002,630 in revenue. The director identified several new or increased revenue lines: aircraft landing fees (projected $1,332,636), higher passenger parking receipts (projected $700,000), increased fuel flowage fees (projected $470,000), and higher concession fees (projected $1,120,000). The director described those projections as conservative.

Why it matters: airport revenues and fees

The airport presented the fee and revenue adjustments as part of a multi‑pronged effort to fund staffing, improve passenger and ground infrastructure, and maintain compliance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements. Staff said the FY26 budget will support completed and ongoing capital purchases and facility work, and will help stabilize airport operations after recent growth in passenger activity.

Operational details and projects

- Terminal and capital: The airport has completed phase 1 of its terminal work and said design for phases 2 and 3 is roughly 75% complete; staff proposed continuing to design the combined phases for cost savings and economies of scale.

- Airport access road: The airport has a design scope ready to begin work with Public Works and expects the project to require FAA, state and local environmental and design coordination before construction; initial engineering estimates discussed with the legislature were roughly $4.5 million but staff noted final DOT standards and environmental work could raise costs.

- Parking and shuttle operations: Staff said they purchased six new light carts for nighttime safety and are hiring additional shuttle drivers to increase frequency between long‑term lots and the terminal. The airport reported improvements following complaints about signage and towing at a rental car lot that resulted in multiple tows; staff said they assisted affected patrons where appropriate.

- Safety and compliance: The airport said it resolved most FAA issues and is in compliance with Part 139 requirements; an annual FAA inspection is expected in July. The airport also described recent purchases of two large aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles (one in hand, one expected soon).

Committee action

The Finance Committee voted to preliminarily approve the airport budget; committee roll call recorded affirmative votes from Councilors Cassatt, Lindell, Faulkner, Lee Garcia and Chair Romero Worth.

Ending note

Airport staff said the FY26 budget prioritizes conservative revenue estimates while advancing design work for terminal expansion, continuing safety and compliance investments, and seeking to complete the airport access road design in coordination with the state Department of Transportation and Public Works.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Budget Meeting 5/5","oneSentenceSummary","Airport management presented a FY26 budget that increases projected revenue through aircraft landing fees, higher parking and fuel flowage fees, and concession revenue while seeking funds for staffing and facility improvements.","taxTitle","Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, New Mexico","taxId",2727,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6251933,"Santa Fe’s economic development plans target small‑business navigation, broadband and workforce supports",1516,5377000,6893000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192613-60768dd8e2181c861049c2ad95c98624&start=5377&end=6893","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192613-60768dd8e2181c861049c2ad95c98624/thumbnail_5377000.jpg","/articles/6251933/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/Santa-Fes-economic-development-plans-target-smallbusiness-navigation-broadband-and-workforce-supports","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251933-7c572a467e36862523fcfb40728af1a1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167943&Signature=HXf41IUWgBeob4qegN6zZ-eSDtS3T~~v0SOM46jogCHoTfFihhJo0rvRm04nGp7wHmjsPVispmtJEK9VUl87lYAaZudfV5mQMihBSjNenbllgj0KwLhvZuhaMxCEpdK~z9v2l~ochKeancn7T5N84MPHOaPuTwNniPsTkV6RjdX6wcpZF-lDkD1TfC~73Vk91H6ET0pZcMcm9xMflhkWPE6Tccb2nCh7y4hMP8wd22fO4hsyOpf~404zgeXeW0vsnsy~yQ5L1DRPDnB2c00RvULCIsH7-e4JlmCJTxsByyU42sE6WTD2iYU-U8Kskp0fksg4efQwxUEKjfwAv1SzDw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Santa Fe’s Office of Economic Development told the Finance Committee on Tuesday it will use ARPA and local funds to expand business support, workforce training and digital‑access programs aimed at helping local businesses scale.

Johanna Nelson, director of the Office of Economic Development, presented a strategic overview and said the office encumbered about $3 million in ARPA funds for workforce development, Wi‑Fi access and small‑business programs. “The purpose and the mission of our office is to create the conditions that our community can allow for our residents to have economic opportunity to thrive,” Nelson said.

What the office will do

Major FY26 goals described by staff include launching a small‑business navigator program (run with New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead program), reinstating an entrepreneurial resource map, running quarterly business finance fairs and industry convenings (film and media, bioscience, outdoor rec), funding small business grants, expanding downtown and South Side business coordination, and completing a Wi‑Fi accessibility and broadband‑infrastructure implementation plan.

Nelson said staff are building “office hours” and in‑person outreach in target corridors, hosting bilingual Santa Fe Business 101 workshops with land‑use staff and producing two business resource newsletters monthly and a general community newsletter each month. The office also plans a “Libraries as Launchpads” program to deploy laptops and hotspots and turn library locations into business support hubs.

Funding and staffing

Nelson said the office currently has nine funded positions plus one vacant, one‑time‑funded South Side coordinator funded by governing‑body appropriation and ARPA‑funded roles (downtown coordinator and contracts administrator). The office plans to use a mix of ARPA and local economic development funds to seed small‑business grants (staff called the initiative “SPUR”), and Nelson said early work will align workforce training and industry needs through partnerships with Santa Fe Community College and UNM’s Center for Responsible Entrepreneurship.

Why it matters: businesses cited barriers

Nelson summarized the most common barriers reported by the business community: limited awareness and navigation of existing resources, access to capital, workforce and housing shortages, permitting and licensing complexity, fragmented stakeholder coordination and retail saturation. Councilors pressed staff on fee‑in‑lieu and inclusionary zoning issues while praising initiatives to streamline permitting and to provide face‑to‑face resource navigation.

Next steps

Staff asked councilors to expect a forthcoming RFP for the economic development strategic plan’s community‑engagement phase and to anticipate a Quality of Life presentation on Wi‑Fi planning. Nelson said the small‑business grant program (with county partners) and the Arrowhead navigator work would roll out over the coming months.

Committee action

The Finance Committee voted to preliminarily approve the economic development budget. The committee recorded yes votes from Councilors Cassatt, Lindell, Faulkner, Lee Garcia and Chair Romero Worth.

Ending note

Nelson said the office will continue to emphasize direct, visible services for businesses — in‑person outreach, bilingual workshops and a single “navigator” intake to direct entrepreneurs to capital, training and permitting support — and that ARPA investments are time‑limited and intended to create sustainable programs.","The Office of Economic Development outlined FY26 priorities including a small‑business navigator program, expanded business finance fairs, industry convenings, a Wi‑Fi/broadband access plan and ARPA‑funded grant programs to support startups, workforce training and downtown coordination.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6251936,"Santa Fe officials pledge $3 million to Affordable Housing Trust Fund, outline shift toward unit production",4898,406000,5304000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192613-60768dd8e2181c861049c2ad95c98624&start=406&end=5304","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192613-60768dd8e2181c861049c2ad95c98624/thumbnail_406000.jpg","/articles/6251936/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/Santa-Fe-officials-pledge-3-million-to-Affordable-Housing-Trust-Fund-outline-shift-toward-unit-production","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251936-ffe75d4bc594bc942d491f118e6f6629/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167943&Signature=VwBGRU82G6e6UXUozO0-bpbrOyAepxik~i8jFav8NSe96KN8m9kkoWj9sYyfyw7ejECMoO7Jpdc~09sTvq7WCvjK6ZWpky~WgtCdCQ-ozVVaH56yBCnTWDi1uYbeBSqorlvGkvV2KblMfeCO7RUYykwHkMSvSjcNkhCeZUVitD9wki37CSBXe8SHeB-Ioc8QMdll-yxpudDQCs4T1Vx-LUaTa2o7pg5--urdOjHqjfSnmoE3~ZHv66e1r~mB1uJa00Y1HzkosQQob-0Jf3KttiRZUcYFlKcgcSQiaxt4rhTSa0DREc3qn6Ui7Autcqw1b9pX8TihnxcbLIUufJFmyQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Santa Fe city leaders told the Finance Committee on Tuesday that the city will transfer $3 million into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund for fiscal 2026 and that staff are reorganizing grant rounds and application language to emphasize producing affordable housing units.

The announcement came as Alisa Montoya, community development director, introduced Johanna Nelson, interim director of the Office of Affordable Housing, who summarized the office’s 2025 accomplishments and FY26 goals. “The Office of Affordable Housing managed and deployed housing funds to increase affordable housing supply, preserved existing homes, and expanded access to homeownership and rental assistance through strategic investments, partnerships, and support programs,” Nelson said.

The $3 million contribution appears in the proposed FY26 budget as a transfer from one‑time FY24 unanticipated revenue, Christina Martinez, senior budget analyst, confirmed during the meeting. Martinez directed councilors to page 25 of the budget book, where the transfer is shown under “transfers out.” The City Manager said staff recommended using one‑time funds because recurring general‑fund dollars are limited this year and because the city is awaiting the outcome of litigation over a 3% excise tax on high‑end home sales that, if upheld, would create a recurring revenue stream for housing.

Why it matters: Councilors and the mayor said they want the Trust Fund to move toward directly producing units rather than primarily funding services such as rental assistance and homelessness prevention. Mayor [last name not stated in transcript] described a Venn diagram analysis by a city analyst showing most prior Trust Fund dollars went to emergency housing services and homelessness prevention, with relatively little directly tied to unit production. The mayor said the city plans to rewrite the next request for proposals to prioritize production so local builders and nonprofit developers know what projects the city will support.

Key program details and constraints

- Funding sources and limits: The Office of Affordable Housing receives about $600,000 annually from HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, Nelson said. CDBG funds are federally restricted and make up a small fraction of the office’s contractual budget. The $3 million Trust Fund contribution for FY26 was budgeted from FY24 one‑time unanticipated revenue, not recurring general‑fund dollars, Martinez confirmed. The City Manager said the city had previously funded the trust fund with recurring general‑fund money in other years.

- Program administration and timing: Nelson said the office has recently filled a program manager position to oversee HUD, CDBG and Trust Fund contracts and is recruiting to refill a long‑vacant housing planner post. Nelson and other staff acknowledged the award‑to‑expenditure pipeline can be slow: staff estimated some grants take roughly three to six months from award to contract execution, and expenditures vary widely by project type. Nelson said many FY25 awards were encumbered and that partners expected to expend roughly half of their contract amounts by June 30.

- Procurement and RFP changes: The office paused and revised a recent Affordable Housing Trust Fund RFP after receiving procurement‑method comments from applicants. Nelson said staff are rewriting the RFP to weight production and unit creation within the constraints of the Trust Fund ordinance.

- Santa Fe Homes and fee in lieu: Councilors and staff discussed inclusionary zoning and the city’s Santa Fe Homes program. Councilor Faulkner and others pressed staff to review the “fee in lieu” calculations used when developers pay a fee instead of building on‑site affordable rentals; staff said the fee applies only to rental developments (not for‑sale units) and that the fee, affordability period (currently 10 years) and other terms were intended to be reviewed again now that recent escalators have reached their caps.

- Match and leveraging: Mayor and councilors noted Trust Fund grants often leverage other funding; the mayor stated that Trust Fund allocations can be leveraged roughly three times when combined with outside sources and matching dollars.

Next steps and oversight

Councilors asked for a public, retrospective review of Trust Fund awards and encumbrances. Nelson said the city engaged Roots Policy to update housing statistics and prepare a funding “retro” picture and that the consultant will help the office prepare an implementation plan based on the previously adopted housing strategy. Councilor Cassatt and others requested a deeper presentation to the Quality of Life committee showing where Trust Fund dollars have been awarded, who the recipients are, what amounts remain encumbered, and the average time between award and community expenditure.

The Finance Committee voted to preliminarily approve the budget containing the $3 million transfer; the vote was recorded in committee roll call as affirmative for Councilors Cassatt, Faulkner, Lee Garcia and Chair Romero Worth.

Ending note

Nelson said the office will continue to press on organizational efficiencies, update public communications about how the Santa Fe Homes and Trust Fund programs operate, and work with economic development and land‑use staff to align housing production with workforce needs, pending the hiring of a permanent director for the Office of Affordable Housing.","City staff and councilors reviewed the Office of Affordable Housing’s FY26 priorities, confirmed a $3 million transfer into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund from FY24 one‑time revenue, and described a policy shift to emphasize production of affordable units while addressing administrative bottlenecks and program design issues.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Santa Fe Municipal Airport proposes fee increases and new landing charges in FY26 budget

Santa Fe’s economic development plans target small‑business navigation, broadband and workforce supports

Santa Fe officials pledge $3 million to Affordable Housing Trust Fund, outline shift toward unit production