CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY SIXTH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. RA-25-9 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Nichole Rogers, Joaquín Baca
RULES AMENDMENT
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Amending The City Council Rules Of Procedure: Article III, Section 23 Allocation Of Councilor Expenses (Rogers and Baca)
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WHEREAS, City Councilors are responsible for maintaining strong lines of communication and engagement with their constituents, including more than 22 neighborhood associations in certain districts that require ongoing support, coordination, and outreach; and
WHEREAS, community engagement activities such as neighborhood meetings, informational mailers, safety notifications, and public forums, are essential for building trust, transparency, and collaboration between residents and their elected officials; and
WHEREAS, the current annual allocation of $20,000 for discretionary constituent outreach is no longer sufficient to meet the growing number of requests for support from neighborhood associations, community coalitions, small nonprofits, and district-led initiatives; and
WHEREAS, Councilors regularly receive numerous sponsorship requests for community events, public safety initiatives, cultural programming, youth activities, and other projects that directly support City goals and improve resident quality of life; and
WHEREAS, districts with high levels of community participation and engagement host multiple annual events, meetings, clean-ups, and public information campaigns that require accessible and reliable funding to be effective; and
WHEREAS, increased constituent outreach needs, including digital engagement, multilingual communication, printed materials, and expanded public participation processes, have raised the cost of effective governance, and made current funding levels inadequate; and
WHEREAS, providing Councilors with sufficient outreach resources ensures that all neighborhoods receive access to information, support, and engagement opportunities; and
WHEREAS, raising the annual allocation to $50,000 will better align Councilor resources with the scale of community engagement expectations and allow elected officials to respond more effectively to constituent needs and project requests; and
WHEREAS, strengthening Councilor capacity for district outreach and event sponsorship directly advances the City’s goals of resident participation, community safety, local economic vitality, and transparent governance.
SECTION 1. ARTICLE III, SECTION 23 of the City Council Rules of Procedure is amended as follows:
ARTICLE III - PROCEDURES
Section 23. Allocation of Councilor Expenses. Each Councilor shall be
allocated a maximum annual amount of [$20,000] [$50,000] for Council expenses related to discretionary constituent outreach, including but not limited to mailing/notification expenses, District meetings, and small event sponsorships to governmental or not-for-profit entities. The Director of Council Services will evaluate requests for use of the funds, in consultation with legal staff, based whether 1) the expense advances an identifiable goal of the City, 2) the public benefit of the expense outweighs the incidental private benefit, and 3) the expense is in compliance with all applicable City regulations and policies. The annual amount shall be calculated on a fiscal year basis, from July 1 to June 30. The annual amount for newly elected Councilors shall be prorated for the period from January 1 to June 30. [This rule shall become effective July 1, 2019.]
SECTION 2. SEVERABILITY. If any section, paragraph, sentence, clause, word or phrase of this Rules Amendment is for any reason held to be invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Rules Amendment. The Council hereby declares that it would have passed this Rules Amendment and each section, paragraph, sentence, clause, word or phrase thereof irrespective of any provision being declared unconstitutional or otherwise invalid.
SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Rules Amendment takes effect immediately upon adoption. Councilor discretionary funds shall be prorated as of January 1, 2026 as an increase to Councilor FY25 discretionary constituent outreach funds.