Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Gateway And Revenue Forecast topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council presses administration on Gateway funding and GRT outlook as budget hearings continue
Summary
City Economist presented mixed GRT results and a modest employment outlook for Albuquerque; councilors pushed administration for details on a proposed $6 million general-fund reallocation to support Gateway operations while state funding phases down, and administration said midyear requests could follow.
City Economist Christine Borner gave the council a data-driven update on gross receipts tax (GRT) receipts and local employment projections, and members used the presentation to press the administration for specifics on Gateway operational funding.
Borner said February GRT was relatively strong in sectors such as healthcare and professional services, but Albuquerque faces modest downward pressure on revenues and an employment projection showing a small decline in FY26. She noted cannabis receipts were unusually high in February but otherwise have flattened around a long-run average of roughly $300,000 per month.
"We don't yet see how Albuquerque consumers and businesses are gonna be reacting to those gas prices and other uncertainties," Borner said, flagging national and regional risks that could influence FY26 and FY27 revenues.
Chair and several councilors pressed the administration about a technical adjustment that would transfer $6 million from the general fund to support Gateway operations as state time-limited funding winds down. The administration said the $6 million would cover initial months of contracting and operations, but is not sufficient to fund the full-year cost; the city reported a total annual Gateway cost estimate of about $35.0 million for all Gateway services and supports. The administration signaled it may request roughly $9 million more at the midyear cleanup to fully cover the anticipated shortfall once federal/state drawdowns and contract obligations are clearer.
Councilor Piedelhorn asked when the administration determined the general fund would need to absorb Gateway costs and asked for the total annual operating cost; administration staff said it had circulated a memo in December outlining intentions and promised to return specific contract and total-cost details. Chair said the committee would not proceed on department budget presentations related to Gateway without that clarity.
The exchange underscored the budget hearings dual character: a public accountability forum for department-level operations (transit, animal welfare, solid waste) and a venue for the council to secure precise financial and programmatic commitments before finalizing FY27 appropriations.
