City Council committee amends 2025 GO bond package; key changes include pool, park and street allocations

The Albuquerque City Council Committee of the Whole voted to advance the committee substitute for AR-117 — the mayor's proposed 2025 general obligation (G.O.) bond program and the 2025–2034 decade plan for capital improvements — after adopting a series of floor amendments reallocating funding across parks, flood control, aquatic facilities, streets and city building rehabilitation.

The committee substitute as amended passed the Committee of the Whole on a 6-3 roll-call vote and will be sent to the full City Council for consideration at the March 17 council meeting; public comment is scheduled for that council meeting, the committee chair said. An attempt to take immediate action (which would have required unanimity) failed, so the item will advance to the next council meeting under the normal schedule.

Why it matters: The amendments change specific project funding and add a number of council-directed priorities while preserving a significant portion of flexible bucket funding for the administration to respond to unforeseen facility or construction-cost issues. Several provisions reflect localized priorities — pedestrian safety in District 6, reallocation for food insecurity projects in District 6, and preservation or enhancement of specific parks and trails — that could alter which projects voters ultimately authorize in the bond measure.

Major amendments and outcomes

- District 6 pedestrian safety (Councilor Rogers): The committee approved an amendment specifying pedestrian-safety work in District 6 (Central from Louisiana to Eubank and surrounding school routes near Whittier Elementary and Wilson Middle School). Vote: unanimous.

- District 6 food insecurity / Bullhead Park (Councilor Rogers): Councilor Rogers moved funds into a new District 6 “food insecurity” project by reducing the Bullhead Park renovation allocation. The amended motion (taking the funds from Bullhead Park) passed unanimously.

- Aquatic facilities and pools: Councilor Rogers proposed reducing a generic aquatic facilities line by $300,000 to fund a District 6 project; staff and…