[{"_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",6152833,"mediaKeyId","5496106-d93e311e5814c66c2826eb843c50458a","parentId",5496106,"title","Committee splits on charter ballot measures to limit mayoral removal power; one measure advances with amendment","audioSeconds",7219,"startMs",7228000,"endMs",8404,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5496106-d93e311e5814c66c2826eb843c50458a&start=7228&end=8","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5496106-d93e311e5814c66c2826eb843c50458a/thumbnail_7228000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6152833/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/Committee-splits-on-charter-ballot-measures-to-limit-mayoral-removal-power-one-measure-advances-with-amendment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152833-97ba57c6cc9809509f55214be4fac98e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173125&Signature=jkD6Z3HjaLta3vEQD88sVW9hf9dFTWeopgh40tcppe6Si3Xj6irkRGWuSVHYVbOPIj~Q6hDk2xc1fpRbFAHRsNm3h3oHWHof6hG2xpY4XXbHKF3GSJLgwr7ufEA1vxsYJ6gFVAm3rogcbrijJPLKQXg2s6X8irvBrryamEpX0Hu4MLGj9-YKx1Hjsp5XFs4pSk0pGibIwKNskSP2yAmnZT4LU-SQiMmOl8KtfCSpf0DdcxmQ9m67FYdP9FwGgbpVqsaaKIIbX7GUprvCReAqZCldqqDWuG1cG3aEWUbAjk4EOEvnPLyKve8gzP7BSpvbeMXqgvsRki~8jWvDjl2mtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Santa Fe, NM","date","2025-07-28T23:01:17Z","article","The City of Santa Fe's finance committee debated two council-sponsored charter amendment proposals July 28 that would change how the mayor and city council share authority over hiring and firing top city officials.
Resolution W: requiring governing-body consent for mayoral removal — failed. The first resolution (item W) proposed amending the charter to require the governing body's consent before a mayor could remove the city manager, city attorney or city clerk except during the first 100 days of a mayor's term. The motion to place that question on the Nov. 4, 2025 ballot failed in committee (roll call: Cassatt no; Lindell no; Faulkner yes; Lee Garcia yes; Chair Romero Worth no). Councilors who opposed said they prefer sending such structural changes to a charter-review commission for more study; supporters said voters deserve a chance to weigh in now.
Resolution X: council removal/suspension authority — passed as amended. The second resolution (item X) would allow a specified number of councilors to suspend or remove the city manager, city attorney and city clerk at a regularly scheduled meeting. Councilor Cassatt moved an amendment to raise the required number of councilor votes from five to six; the amendment passed. The committee then approved the amended resolution, forwarding a version that would require six councilor votes to suspend or remove those top appointees.
Why the changes were proposed: Sponsors said the measures are intended to provide additional checks and balances on mayoral authority over senior staff and to give the council a stronger role where a mayor will not act on concerns about an appointed manager or attorney. Opponents urged a more deliberate charter-review process and warned that easier removal could deter qualified professionals from accepting city appointments.
What happens next: Committee approval sends the amended resolution to the governing body and, if adopted by the governing body, the amendment(s) would be placed on the Nov. 4, 2025 municipal ballot for voter approval. The committee record shows split support and further debate is expected at the full governing-body meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Finance Committee Meeting 7/28","oneSentenceSummary","Two council-sponsored charter amendment proposals on mayoral appointment and removal powers were debated July 28; one failed in committee and another passed after an amendment that raised the required council votes for suspension/removal.","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},6152838,"Finance committee orders cease-and-desist for Good Luck Body Massage over unlicensed operation",2191,4215000,6406000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5496106-d93e311e5814c66c2826eb843c50458a&start=4215&end=6406","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5496106-d93e311e5814c66c2826eb843c50458a/thumbnail_4215000.jpg","/articles/6152838/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/Finance-committee-orders-cease-and-desist-for-Good-Luck-Body-Massage-over-unlicensed-operation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152838-904241a7d448e1445d9113eedff7e829/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173125&Signature=OMM25Xr7-obOpWo4X2gVdQWUchTlJGRN7iV817hTThmCQSi9kVOJqPxJn28-~5KbJgWlTEY~KgBFD3LkhYyXIoyIK~ILKPQXrctEpkIJwBGAoKv5QjWCkIOATtZDmsusCRb6bfGUvI~UC3O6GaFAE85~n6AZ~itswITyx4m-ZjX~JSe4i0FgoN7Jez891FuJdtA9x0tm9nImWxjHpL9XSSDSYRb92dRuGC1Dl2sJ~C915H4553EziwupThVD8NdHRBdDOrPDUg08b-~VLM0qXRN-THC5EnycqWdGlsgJ8twj9uLe8dMWIRwgnAtEi-ydc8h61CwtsXjjHnMgnvxMSw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Santa Fe's finance committee voted July 28 to issue a cease-and-desist order preventing Good Luck Body Massage, 360 E. Palace Ave., from conducting business at that property until city code requirements are met.
Code enforcement staff brought the case after a resident complaint led to an inspection that found unpermitted signage and window coverings and, crucially, operators present who were not licensed massage therapists and a business license that had expired July 7. Maggie Moore, code enforcement, told the committee that a person present during the inspection produced a license belonging to the business owner but that licensed therapists were not on site during operations.
The hearing and vote: The finance committee followed the process set out in Santa Fe City Code 18-1.7 and 18-1.8 for show-cause hearings. Staff notified the owner and property owner and scheduled the hearing no fewer than 30 days after the notice, as required. The committee approved a motion, moved by Councilor Pilar Faulkner and seconded by Councilor Cassatt, to issue a cease-and-desist order that \"prevent[s] the owner or operator of the business from conducting any business in the building, structure, or on the land until the terms of Chapter 18 of the Santa Fe code have been complied with.\" The roll call vote recorded Cassatt yes, Lindell yes, Faulkner yes, Lee Garcia yes and Chair Romero Worth yes.
Owner response and status: Code enforcement said an agent who identified himself as Robert Alonia (identified in the record as the spouse of the owner) told staff the business had been closed; Maggie Moore told the committee, \"they have closed the business,\" and staff said they would proceed with the enforcement action to ensure the business did not resume operations without meeting code requirements.
Legal and enforcement context: City Attorney staff confirmed that show-cause hearings on cease-and-desist orders are heard by the finance committee under SFCC 18-1.8 and that an owner may appeal a finance-committee decision to the governing body within 30 days. Enforcement in this case focuses on city licensing and public-welfare provisions; state licensing for individual massage therapists is handled by the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department (the state board licenses individuals but does not license businesses), staff said.
Next steps: The committee directed staff to return to the next finance meeting with formal findings of fact and conclusions of law for the committee to adopt, following the standard quasi-judicial record process.","The City of Santa Fe finance committee voted July 28 to issue a cease-and-desist order for Good Luck Body Massage at 360 E. Palace Ave., finding the business operating without a valid city business license and without licensed massage therapists on site.",{"_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},6152843,"Santa Fe staff propose shift to performance-based budget, new calendar and reporting",3491,768000,4259000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5496106-d93e311e5814c66c2826eb843c50458a&start=768&end=4259","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5496106-d93e311e5814c66c2826eb843c50458a/thumbnail_768000.jpg","/articles/6152843/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/Santa-Fe-staff-propose-shift-to-performance-based-budget-new-calendar-and-reporting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152843-1cfdb57d2c11ec6e0d365a1e8f0237e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173125&Signature=JIgQHx5lHvy0DT2J04CkuT5nRFouFePla7VE0a9KuJLCo7qcI5SL0~gNPZ45pSCJBSfqBfwyB~Ac57SzG2JfmZbvO5B1XgOvxxSXkfG-9dx3MYPGBNVyL~p4bdP-lfQbpoozRkC0qxuPkNrTTRq4wSoCAXEKN4hWSorWRNh~-lq3Ei-Buvp23sLYk17dnfRLpMnA010EiiVUSXMXy63MvYxX7KtlZzB77EQPgtC4Uokb5tGgGGume7fcrTJFlN944T2w8act2ecdqQ9FsZ~NwfNxNsKrCb5qLzduDDIwtgDvn-f0k4mf-~JBV8MtBfwJ1TPvQcJl3hoaCAWXH79pEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City officials presented a plan July 28 to change how Santa Fe builds and uses its budget, recommending a shift from a line-item spending document to a performance-oriented budget that ties dollars to measurable goals and recurring reporting.
The proposal, led by Rod Gould, senior adviser and public engagement coordinator, called on the finance committee to direct staff to develop department goals, objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs), hold joint hearings with the full council, and adopt a performance budget framework this year. Gould said the budget “is probably the most important legislative action that any council takes” and argued a performance budget would make expected results clearer to residents and managers.
Why it matters: Staff said the change would make the budget a clearer policy and management tool, not just a means of controlling spending. Under the proposed calendar, the council would set priorities in a special session this fall or at an early winter study session; staff would present mid-year performance checks in December; new department submissions with KPIs would be due in February; joint finance/council hearings would be held in May; and the adopted budget would be delivered to the state in June.
What staff proposed: Gould and Andy Hopkins, the city’s budget manager, described a program of workshops, a smaller set of measurable objectives per department and a feedback loop so the council can see results mid-year. Hopkins cautioned the committee that building reliable performance indicators will take time and data: “It is not a sprint. It is a marathon,” he said, noting some indicators may require one to three years before they yield meaningful trends.
Software and implementation: Director Oster told the committee the city is implementing Questica budget software to improve budget-to-actual reporting and transparency; staff warned the software rollout will require time and dedicated implementation resources. Hopkins cited other jurisdictions’ experiences with Questica and Munis integrations and warned that Albuquerque’s implementation stretched far longer than planners expected.
Committee response: Members of the finance committee — including Councilors Cassatt, Lindell, Faulkner and Lee Garcia and Chair Romero Worth — voiced support for the concept while pressing for clarity on (1) state Department of Finance and Administration constraints, (2) who will own performance collection within the organization, and (3) how capital budgeting and funding sources will be treated. Hopkins and Gould stressed the need for senior-management ownership (mayor and city manager) of the performance program rather than placing sole responsibility on the budget office.
Next steps: Staff said they will return with a proposed resolution and a draft of department goals and indicators this fall, and the committee instructed staff to proceed. Gould and Hopkins said they will present draft goals for council adoption in December and run periodic performance check-ins during the fiscal year.
Ending note: Committee members said the proposal has the potential to produce more honest conversations about trade-offs in a constrained fiscal environment and to improve transparency about what the city delivers for its public dollars.","City staff recommended moving Santa Fe from a line-item budget to a performance budget, with an earlier, council-led priority-setting calendar, department KPIs and new software reporting. The finance committee endorsed developing the approach and a related resolution for council consideration.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee splits on charter ballot measures to limit mayoral removal power; one measure advances with amendment

Finance committee orders cease-and-desist for Good Luck Body Massage over unlicensed operation

Santa Fe staff propose shift to performance-based budget, new calendar and reporting