Commissioners weigh council vacancies, budget process and a possible strategic plan for Santa Fe

Commissioner Brandon Vela, lead of the strategic planning and budget subcommittee, summarized the group's work on elections and council vacancies, the budget process, and strategic planning.

On vacancies and elections, the subcommittee recommended following precedent and not forcing a councilor to resign to run for mayor. The subcommittee also highlighted a charter provision that requires the mayor to appoint a qualified district elector within 30 days when a seat becomes vacant; members flagged that as a separation-of-powers concern because appointments can shape council composition for up to a full term.

On budgeting, the group said the city's annual budget currently functions as the city's de facto strategic framework and recommended adopting performance-based budgeting tied to public-facing metrics. Commissioners noted a recent city resolution intended to change budget process features for FY 2026'27 (earlier calendar references noted) and said they will watch implementation. Commissioner Gold and others urged caution about putting operational budget details in the charter rather than in municipal code where they can be adapted more easily.

On strategic planning, the subcommittee proposed researching a three- to five-year strategic plan that sets priorities for annual budgets. Commissioners discussed the general plan and how a strategic plan could complement, but not replace, planning documents that look 20'1 years ahead.

Next steps: The subcommittee will investigate peer models, the history of any prior strategic-planning attempts in Santa Fe, and whether a chief financial officer or finance director role should be recommended as part of structural reforms to improve financial oversight.