ABQ Mayor Tim Keller’s proposed budget could be trimmed further (UPDATED with comments from Councilor Dan Lewis)

The chart below put together by Rio Grande Foundation highlights how Albuquerque’s budgets have grown under Mayor Tim Keller from: $997,720,000 during Keller’s first term to over $1.5 billion in the current 2026 fiscal year. Keller has proposed a modest reduction in spending for FY 2027 which is currently under consideration.

The City population has been stagnant over that time (around $560,000) while, if the budget had increased at the same rate as the Consumer Price Index would be closer to $1.3 billion, not in excess of $1.5 billion. Keller’s latest budget would see a slight drop in spending to $1.47 billion. Keller has said he plans to eliminate 247 positions with the City to cut the $35 million needed due to slower revenue growth.

A chart illustrating the growth in City of Albuquerque spending can be found below.

There is plenty of wasteful at the City starting with the outrageous $10 million/mile bike trail. 

Free buses are another issue. So is out-of-control spending on the homeless which hasn’t made a dent in the problem. The proposed FY27 budget would increase funding by 9.5% to $48.9 million for the city’s Health, Housing and Homelessness Department. Homeless is widely considered to have worsened dramatically under Keller with a doubling in the population. 

The remodel of City Hall is yet another project that has grown overbudget and the book about COVID in Albuquerque while small in amount only highlights the ridiculous spending at the City.

UPDATE: We received the following from ABQ City Councilor Dan Lewis: “The Mayor’s budget shows a 2.7% increase in revenue year over year, yet spending all of it. There is no spending cut. We are spending more than the year before. The decrease in revenue was from some shell game adjusting to aviation and other departments of revenue that’s not there and never was.

They eliminated 247 untilled positions that were never going to be hired in the first place but always budget for, and then added 80 positions – s0 net -167. Again, no reduction in revenue or spending. This is a Mayor that raises taxes, raises fees, spends every penny, and has nothing to show for it. Most of the increased spending goes to Health, Housing & Homelessness for failed housing programs.”