Albuquerque City Council holds final budget amendments meeting before May 19 adoption

The Committee of the Whole meeting for the City of Albuquerque convened on May 15, 2025, with all councilors present. The meeting began with a moment of silence followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. This session marked the third public hearing required for the city’s operating budget, focusing on potential amendments and substitutes.

The agenda included a significant discussion on the city’s operating budget for fiscal year 2026, which runs from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. The council noted that live public comments would not be taken on the budget legislation, but would be accepted for other legislative objectives. The amended budget will be forwarded to the city council meeting scheduled for May 19, 2025, for final adoption.

The meeting allowed for public comment, with participants given two minutes to address the council. Following this, the council moved to discuss agenda item AR 1 32, which involves appropriating funds for city operations. A motion to pass the committee substitute was made and seconded, and the council voted in favor of it.

The council then proceeded to review several amendments to the budget. The first amendment, proposed by Councilor Bassan, aimed to decrease various funding allocations, including a reduction of $161,000 from the purchasing program and reallocating $1,113,000 to the legal department. This amendment passed unanimously.

The second amendment addressed a correction regarding a duplicate 2% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that had been mistakenly included. This cleanup amendment also passed unanimously.

The third amendment, again proposed by Councilor Bassan, sought to decrease funding for council services by $200,000 while reallocating funds to support tourism projects, including events and festivals. This amendment was also moved and seconded, with further discussion on the impact of funding cuts to local nonprofits that support youth in Albuquerque.

Overall, the meeting was structured and focused on the budgetary adjustments necessary for the upcoming fiscal year, with all proposed amendments receiving unanimous support from the council. The next steps will involve finalizing the budget at the upcoming city council meeting.