| Dear Albuquerque, I want to talk to you about something that affects all of us—proposed federal cuts that could take away more than $200 million in funding for our city. These cuts threaten programs that keep our community safe, support our kids, and help small businesses thrive. We’re talking about funding for 50 police officers, crime lab equipment, sexual assault kits, victim support, early childhood education for 900 kids, and assistance for 400 small businesses. These cuts could also impact projects like the Uptown Connect housing development and the Rail Trail, which are critical to our city’s future. This isn’t the first time we’ve had to stand up against harmful policies, and it won’t be the last. I want you to know we’re doing everything we can to fight for Albuquerque. We’re ramping up legal action, working with our state and local partners, and finding alternative funding sources. We will not let these cuts define our future. Now more than ever, we need to come together as One Albuquerque. You can help by getting involved—volunteer, advocate, and support local organizations that are also facing funding shortfalls. In the coming weeks, we’ll launch a new dashboard to track the impact of these threats and keep you informed on our response. Together, we’ll protect the future of our city. Thank you for standing with our community. Sincerely, Mayor Tim Keller |
Defend ABQ Town Hall
| Mayor Keller led a town hall discussion on Sunday afternoon at Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center with more than 230 residents in attendance to learn about the threats to City government and how the City is pushing back. Funding at risk Mayor Keller outlined essential City programs and services that could be impacted by cuts, from funding for APD and community safety, to mixed-use housing and transit development, to bike and pedestrian safety projects. The cuts will lead to tough choices, but the City will continue to balance the cuts with keeping fees low for working families, maintaining quality of life amenities for residents, and prioritizing public safety. City fighting back Mayor Keller explained what the City is doing to defend Albuquerque from dangerous cuts. Protections range from ramping up legal support and grant writing, to engaging County and State partners for flexible funding that can be used to keep the City running. The City plans to tighten its overall budget, cut non-essential spending and evaluate sales of non-essential property, equipment, and vehicles. Lastly, freeing up additional funding, like opioid settlement and marijuana tax dollars, will be critical to fill the holes of potential cuts. Learn more. |
Funding Threats
| The City has received multiple threats to vital programming, including a letter received by the Senior Affairs Department. The letter stated that unless the department immediately removed the terms ‘diversity, equity, and DEI’ from its programming, its AmeriCorps volunteer funding would be revoked—jeopardizing opportunities for 800 seniors to stay engaged and contribute to the community. The department responded within hours, meeting the deadline and preserving the funding. In the coming weeks, the City will launch a dashboard to track impacted services and similar threats. Read the letter on our website. |