Keller Administration Outlines Vision for Upcoming Fiscal Year Budget

Today, Mayor Tim Keller submitted the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2025. The $1.4 billion budget reflects the administration’s continued commitment to public safety, and also focuses on addressing the housing and homelessness crises effectively and creatively. The budget reflects a return to historical growth after the post-pandemic recovery, inflationary pressures and the phasing-out of food and medical hold harmless payments. With the proposed budget at just 2.3% more than the 2024 budget, the administration is prepared to do more with less as we move our city forward.

“We are focused on continuing to invest in public safety, and fully supporting our frontline workers and the programs and services they provide to help address our city’s challenges,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “We’re implementing creative solutions to address homelessness and housing insecurity, and strengthening our neighborhoods to make our city better for all of our families.”

“This budget continues to make important investments where they are needed, but takes a conservative approach, adjusting for past inflation and future revenue projections,” said Donna Sandoval, Director, Department of Finance and Administrative Services. 

“This budget covers our bases and continues to invest in what’s important in a fiscally responsible way as costs stay high across the board,” said Kevin Sourisseau, Chief Financial Officer, City of Albuquerque. “Using this approach, we can continue to bring on important progress for our communities.”

Similar to last year’s budget, the Administration’s submission is ‘balanced,’ with a $5 million dollar fund balance in addition to 12% held in reserves that ensures flexibility as we head into a tight economic year. The budget includes commitments to rank and file wage increases based on the City’s current collective bargaining agreements, as well as the millions in recurring funding added in the prior fiscal year to address pay equity.

The Fiscal Year 2025 budget includes fee adjustments to offset rising costs due to inflation, and previously deferred adjustments are comparable to other similar sized cities. Adjustments to planning permitting and licensing fees are the first in over 15 years and will allow for needed staffing. Golf course green fees, pool fees, and BioPark fee adjustments will help cover the inflation of expenses for maintaining these quality of life amenities. 

Key investments in this year’s budget include:

Advancing Public Safety

Public safety is a top priority for the Keller Administration, and historic investments have proven effective, with preliminary statistics for 2023 showing notable decreases in key crime categories including violent and property crimes. Although our recruitment and retention efforts are proving out, our investments reflect what we have learned: we need to civilianize more roles and have realistic expectations about the number of sworn officers we can attract and employ. The budget also includes our continuing investment in crime fighting technology.

• Funding for positions across APD, including 1,000 officers, an increase in Police Service Aids and civilian staff to support sworn staff and increase capacity
• Continues to provide $22 million for the use of technology in crime fighting through the RTCC and the APD Crime Lab
• Support for the Office of the Superintendent and the Independent Monitoring Team, police reform, oversight and consent decree related expenses so that APD can reach reform goals
• Funding for ACS to continue to hire more field responders since their call volume has tripled over the past two years and since expanding to 24/7 service
• Funding to support wage increases for AFR so the department can continue to serve not only as emergency response, but run important programs like the ADAPT and HEART programs that keep our communities safe
• Funding for the Automated Speed Enforcement program, including hearing officers

Homelessness, Housing, and Behavioral Health

• $8 million in non-recurring funding for supportive housing and voucher programs
• $900,000 non-recurring to fully fund the Assisted Outpatient Treatment program
• $730,000 in recurring funding for operation of the Medical Sobering Center at Gateway
• $100,000 non-recurring for emergency housing vouchers for victims of domestic violence
• Full funding for service contracts for mental health, substance abuse, early intervention and prevention programs, domestic violence shelters and services, sexual assault services, health and social service providers, and services to abused, neglected, and abandoned youth
• $1.5 million in recurring funding for the Medical Respite facility at Gateway
• $1.5 million for the Westside Emergency Housing Center, which has operated at close to full occupancy for much of the year
• $100,000 non-recurring for the development of a technology system that enables the City and providers to coordinate on the provision of social services to people experiencing homelessness and behavioral health challenges
• $500,000 non-recurring to fund Albuquerque Street Connect, a proven program that focuses on establishing ongoing relationships with people experiencing homelessness to help them into supportive housing

Other Key Investments in Jobs, Sustainability, and Quality of Life

• $1.25 million investment in the Job Training Albuquerque program to continue to fill workforce training gaps and help local workers gain valuable skills
• Full funding for the Small Business Office, which helps support entrepreneurs and gives them access to valuable resources
• Enhanced public safety technology and related staffing for our public transit system
• $1 million for the Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) fund, which helps the city attract and retain key businesses
• Full funding for the Head Start program and the highly successful Youth Connect programs so the city can continue to create productive, safe opportunities for thousands of youth
• Continued investments in sustainability efforts to help the City achieve goals set out in the Climate Action Plan and reduce utility costs
• Funding for nuisance abatement efforts so that Code Enforcement and the ADAPT program can keep our communities clean with voluntary abatement, condemnations, and clean-ups of dangerous properties that become havens for drug dealing and other crimes
• Funding for the Duke City Ambassador program, formerly called Block by Block, to provide outreach, hospitality, cleaning, and a positive presence in Nob Hill and Downtown areas

The Administration’s draft budget now goes to City Council for the next two months for public input and deliberations regarding the final city budget, to be completed by May 30th according the city Charter.