CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY FOURTH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-20-21 ENACTMENT NO. _____________________
SPONSORED BY: Pat Davis
RESOLUTION
title
Establishing The City Council’s Budget Priorities For The Fiscal Year 2021 City Budget (Davis)
body
ESTABLISHING THE CITY COUNCIL’S BUDGET PRIORITIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 CITY BUDGET.
WHEREAS, a city’s budget is a statement of its values and priorities; and
WHEREAS, Article IV, Section 10 of the City Charter of the City of Albuquerque vests in the City Council with the power to “review, approve or amend and approve all budgets of the city…”; and
WHEREAS, Article VII of the City Charter of the City of Albuquerque requires the Mayor to submit a budget developed “in consultation with the City Council” to the Council no later than April 1st of each year; and
WHEREAS, residents of the city have established priorities for city outcomes through the Indicators Progress Commission, and residents have ranked those outcomes from “desirable” to “undesirable”; and
WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes that while needs in communities in each City Council district are distinct, the budget can be used to invest in programs and effect outcomes that raise the quality of life for residents in all districts equally; and
WHEREAS, having considered our residents’ desired outcomes and desiring to work in consultation with the Mayor to develop the City’s operating budget, the City Council desires to establish priorities for the FY21 operating budget.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
SECTION 1. BUDGET PRIORITIES. The City Council, after careful consideration of available funds and obligations, and of the community’s desired outcomes, declares the priorities listed below to be the City Council’s general priorities for the City’s FY21 budget, and the Council commits to working with the Mayor to enact these priorities in the FY21 operating budget (the order of listing does not signify any ranking of importance amongst priorities):
(A) BUDGET PRIORITY: PUBLIC SAFETY
(1) Support the Mayor’s plan to hire 100 new police officers:
Increase APD’s funded, authorized staffing to 1,153 sworn officers.
(2) Increase funding available for wage increases and other programs to recruit and retain police officers, subject to contract negotiations.
(3) Complete the testing and review of all sexual assault examination kits: Complete testing of the rape kit backlog and complete the review of all pending cases in the backlog, to include referrals for investigation or prosecution of outstanding leads.
(4) Increase compensation for transit security personnel.
(B) BUDGET PRIORITY: HUMAN & FAMILY DEVELOPMENT
(1) Establish a permanent supportive housing fund to fully meet the supportive housing needs for homeless and at-risk residents: Working with the City Council, develop a citywide homelessness prevention strategy and create a permanent, recurring fund to fully fund such services in the City of Albuquerque.
(2) Support efforts to change course of problem residential and commercial properties by funding initiatives proposed by the Vacant, Abandoned, Substandard Properties (VASP) and Abandoned & Dilapidated Abatement Property Team (ADAPT), as well as the implementation of foreclosure processes by the Planning Department for the purpose of improving neighborhoods, preventing homelessness and allowing better options for small business startups.
(3) Establish and utilize an “open RFP” procurement process for funding and building the capacity of established, proven and effective early childhood, family and youth intervention programs of community partners.
(C) BUDGET PRIORITY: COMMUNITY & CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
(1) Integrate recurring annual event sponsorships into the Department’s recurring annual budget for established, proven and effective arts and cultural programs.
(2) Create a process for “start-up” cultural events to apply for Department-administered assistance funding. Support one-time and emerging community-led cultural events to apply for city support.
(D) BUDGET PRIORITY: ECONOMIC VITALITY
(1) Implement the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. Implement the C-PACE Program to expand clean and renewable energy financing for commercial business.
(E) BUDGET PRIORITY: SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
(1) Implement Community Planning Assessments as required by the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO): Establish budget goals for the administration and timely completion of the Community Planning Assessments, as required by the IDO.
(2) Expand city park security investments. Fund additional security for parks and open space, ensuring parks are accessible and safe for all residents.
(F) BUDGET PRIORITY: PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE
(1) Implement a process to transition to a “fare-free” model for ABQ Ride. Building on the Mayor’s successful summer bus pass program for youth, create a system-wide, year-round program to eliminate bus fares for Transit.
(2) Increase compensation for transit drivers.
(G) BUDGET PRIORITY: GOVERNMENTAL EXCELLENCE & EFFECTIVENESS
(1) Reduce the use of temporary employees performing duties better suited for permanent, merit city employees.
(2) Adequately fund the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP) so that:
a) For each request the pre-study phase, petition gathering, and confirmation or denial of a future study are completed within 90 days of receipt of the request, with periodic updates to the requesters.
b) Each approved study is completed within one year of approval, unless extenuating circumstances exist that are articulated to the public.
(3) Increase compensation for city engineers and project managers responsible for project evaluation and management in order to remain competitive and to retain top talent and valuable institutional knowledge.
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