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Council approves 20252034 capital-improvement GO bond package after months of negotiation
Summary
The Albuquerque City Council voted unanimously to approve a floor substitute for the city's 20252034 capital improvement program and 2025two-year capital budget, after amendments reallocating district and parks funding were negotiated among councilors.
The Albuquerque City Council on April 7 unanimously approved a revised floor substitute for the 20252034 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and the two-year capital budget, concluding several weeks of committee work and negotiations among council members.
The floor substitute consolidates project lists, prioritizes district-level needs and adds a roughly $21 million parks-and-recreation general-obligation (G.O.) bond package for voters to consider in November, according to sponsors.
Why this matters: the capital program sets the citys investment priorities for infrastructure, park improvements, public safety facilities and neighborhood projects. Council members said the final substitute balances citywide needs and district equity after a round of amendments.
Key elements approved: councilors described agreed changes that shifted and restored funding across districts and added specific projects.
- Parks and Recreation: the substitute includes a $21,000,000 parks bond allocation to finance security upgrades, pool renovations, Bosque protection, irrigation and tree canopy projects. The Metropolitan Parks and Recreation Advisory Board publicly urged the council to back the allocation and to create a modest annual allocation for park programming.
- District projects: the substitute contains targeted allocations for sidewalk, street, drainage and neighborhood facility projects identified during committee review; several council amendments moved modest amounts among line items to address urgent district needs.
- Funding clarifications: council amendment language corrected earlier drafting errors, shifted $500,000 to a Mariachi Hall of Fame planning study and added smaller reassignments for emergency vehicle fleet purchases requested by Albuquerque Community Safety.
Council process: Councilor Grout, who led the CIP subcommittee, moved the floor substitute and worked with colleagues in a series of private and public meetings to produce the package that passed without opposition.
Public comment: advocates for parks and recreation, affordable housing and neighborhood activists spoke in favor of bond dollars to fund local projects and park activation. Several speakers urged that the city invest in affordable housing, transit and climate mitigation projects in addition to the bond list.
What happens next: with council approval the floor substitute will be placed on the ballot in November 2025, subject to final voter approval. Council members said staff will provide implementation plans and timelines for prioritized projects.
Ending: the motion to approve the floor substitute passed unanimously; councilors emphasized the package reflects a compromise after weeks of hearings and technical edits.
