Las Cruces staff present $609.6 million FY26 proposed budget; council questions homeless outreach, Mano y Mano and staffing

City of Las Cruces staff presented the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget at a work‑session public hearing Monday, April 28, 2025, saying the citywide proposed expenditures total $609.6 million and the general fund proposal is about $174 million.

The presentation laid out a $5.7 million increase in general fund expenditures from the FY25 revised level, driven largely by personnel costs and a built‑in 5% across‑the‑board wage projection. Jacqueline Rubalcaba, the city’s budget and grant administrator, said the FY26 proposal “is a visual of the FY26 proposed city budget, again, totaling the 609,600,000.0 expenditures.”

Why it matters: the budget frames hiring, public safety staffing, community services and one‑time projects. Councilors used the hearing to press for details on programs paid from Teleshore and other funds and to ask for follow‑up information before the council’s adoption vote.

Key numbers and policies - Citywide FY26 proposed expenditures: $609,600,000 (staff figure presented). - General fund FY26 proposed: approximately $174,000,000 (an increase of roughly $5.7 million vs. FY25 revised). - Proposed new general‑fund positions: 26; non‑general fund positions: 12. - Budgeted wage/benefit assumptions include a 5% general wage increase and selected insurance premium assumptions.

Highlights and contested items - Homeless outreach: Councilor Flores asked how the city’s homeless outreach allocation is used. Natalie Green, Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Administrator, said, “Our homeless outreach program staffs 2 teams of 2 employees that do street outreach to people experiencing homelessness in our community.” Green added that the city contracts with Mesilla Valley Community Hope, which hires and manages those teams.

- Mano y Mano: Councilors pressed staff about a lower subcontract amount in the FY26 proposal ($676,000) compared with higher past allocations. Staff said the $676,000 figure is the subcontract amount to Mesilla Valley Community Hope and that the city also provides vehicles, supplies and long‑term maintenance outside that number. City staff said there is a carryover from Fy25 that also supports Mano y Mano and that reducing the subcontract would mean a lower level of service for park maintenance.

- Public safety and staffing: The budget includes funding for fire and police academies to support recruitment and operations; the fire academy is budgeted to start in February 2026. The budget also includes funding lines for overtime for licensed master social workers in the fire department to increase coverage of the city’s light team.

- Teleshore and one‑time programs: The proposed Teleshore fund allocations in FY26 include Mano y Mano ($676,000), public health and outreach items and other housing and homeless response programs. Council members sought clarity on the sustainability of programs that currently rely on Teleshore and on whether state grant matches are expected.

Other items noted - Fleet purchases: Fleet Services (Mercedes Tomaco) described approval to purchase 17 vehicles from the Vehicle Acquisition Fund, mostly replacements and one new vehicle for an animal control officer tied to a new position. - Fiscal agent contributions: The city’s proposed FY26 contributions to fiscal agents (City share only) were summarized: Animal Services ~$2,335,001.36; MRVDA ~$3,031,131; Metro ~$325,543, totaling about $5.6 million.

Next steps and context - The presentation was a public hearing; council members asked for follow‑up detail on specific programs and one‑time funding sources. Staff indicated the council would consider adoption at an upcoming meeting (the hearing on the proposed budget is the step prior to the council’s adoption vote). No budget adoption vote occurred in this session.

Ending Councilors said they want additional detail on program carryovers, staffing projections and Teleshore assumptions before the adoption vote. Staff will return with any requested clarifications and the formal adoption ordinance at a subsequent council meeting.