Albuquerque, NM

Kagi AI Summary:
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has unveiled her proposed executive budget for the upcoming legislative session, emphasizing investments in early childhood education, clean energy, infrastructure, affordable housing, and expanded healthcare access. The budget reflects a commitment to building a stronger foundation for New Mexicans and aims to foster collaboration with state lawmakers. The Legislative Finance Committee recently indicated that the legislature will have $892 million in new funds available for appropriations, contributing to a total General Fund of $10.944 billion for fiscal year 26, starting July 1, 2025.

Lujan Grisham's proposal includes reserves of $3.33 billion, representing 30.4% of the budget, and outlines significant allocations across various departments: $4.56 billion for Public Education, $2.2 billion for Health Care, and $1.4 billion for Higher Education, among others. Additionally, the budget proposes $172 million for state employee pay raises, inclusive of educators. The early release of the budget is intended to promote transparency and trust, allowing ample time for public review before the legislative session begins on January 21.

Kagi AI Summary:
Strong Towns ABQ, an anti-sprawl advocacy group, reflects on its inaugural year marked by both achievements and disappointments, primarily citing the Albuquerque City Council's failure to effectively tackle the affordable housing crisis. Brandi Thompson, the group's committee coordination chair, expresses frustration with councilors' resistance to zoning changes, which the group believes are essential for addressing housing shortages. The organization has gained traction since its launch in November 2023, increasing its presence at City Council meetings and hosting public events focused on community-building initiatives.

Thompson highlights the disappointment over the defeat of a duplex bill and the council's lack of action regarding homelessness, criticizing councilors for prioritizing political gain over addressing community needs. Despite these setbacks, the group celebrates its success in engaging a diverse audience in civic discussions, encouraging participation from younger generations and various backgrounds.

For 2025, Strong Towns ABQ plans to continue advocating for five key campaigns, including incremental housing solutions, halting highway expansion, and promoting transparent local governance. Additionally, the group aims to pursue nonprofit status to enhance its outreach and funding opportunities.

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/46309524

Trump stiffed the southwestern city to the tune of half a million, complicating his return to New Mexico

Former President Donald Trump had a hard time finding a spot for his Halloween rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico rally, as unpaid bills came back to haunt his campaign.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that the campaign’s original plans to use the Albuquerque Convention Center were dashed, due in part to an unpaid bill of nearly $445,000 from a 2019 rally.

“If you’re not going to pay your bills, we’re just not going to entertain you using city facilities, and that’s the way it should be,” Albuquerque mayor Tim Keller told the outlet.

New Mexico’s Open Meetings Act requires public bodies to conduct their business out in the open. But after watching this week’s City Council meeting, reporter Elizabeth McCall discovered councilors may have violated that law when discussing a potential lawsuit. Find out more about what a local transparency expert has to say about all of it and what the council was actually discussing behind closed doors in today’s featured story.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/21008754

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A settlement reached by the U.S. government and a Native American tribe in New Mexico signals the end to what has been a yearslong legal fight over claims to the Valles Caldera National Preserve.

Government attorneys in a filing Friday asked a federal appeals court to close out the litigation with Jemez Pueblo in light of a settlement being reached after more than a year of negotiation. The case began in 2012 when the pueblo asserted its claims to all of the preserve, which spans nearly 140 square miles (363 square kilometers).

The agreement signed by U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in part recognizes the pueblo’s rights to occupy and use a nearly 5-square-mile (13-square-kilometer) area for traditional cultural and religious purposes. It follows a 2023 ruling by the court that acknowledged the pueblo’s title to what is known as the Banco Bonito area.

Haaland, a member of New Mexico’s Laguna Pueblo and the country’s first Native American Cabinet secretary, said in a statement that the nation’s lands have been central to the cultural and spiritual practices of Indigenous people for generations.

With election season underway, Bernalillo County voters are being asked to consider six bond questions that could lead to $40.5 million in capital projects.

It then goes on about what many of them are.

Shout-out to [email protected] for making me aware of this ✊

Registration is open for 2024 REGISTER TODAY! Presented by Sandia Resort & Casino Save the Dates for Day of the Tread & the Bosque Bone Shaker Gravel Grinder The Gravel Grinder will be on Saturday October 26, 2024 The 4k Walk and Road Cycling Events will be on Sunday October 27, 2024 Day of the…

Alex Bukoski, a spokesperson for the department, told City Desk ABQ there are nearly 2,000 outstanding requests for either residential trash can repairs or replacements.

“The problem is certainly there and we acknowledge it, but there are a lot of plans in place for not only building back our supply, but also building up the team of how we’re going to be more efficient and work on that,” Bukoski said.

Complicating things is the 4,500 trash cans and 1,300 trash can lids Bukoski said are on backorder from a manufacturer. He said the order should be in by early November.

Amid passionate public objections to a proposal to put more pressure on vacant property owners and ban sitting or lying on sidewalks in Downtown Albuquerque, city councilors voted down the bill almost unanimously Monday night.

It's fall mfers that means we'll be serving Polsole every Sunday at Trumbull Park on top of every Saturday we'll be making burritos under the lead bridge. That's right! We're be taking care of your weekend meals all you have to do is show up and yell fuck the police with us. Don't forget to give us a call to tell us to bring cigarettes or something you might need, vent IDC I'll check the voicemails if you leave one.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/20380296

Medina offered two puzzling excuses for leaving his camera off. He "cited intermittent conversations with his wife, who was a passenger in his unmarked patrol vehicle at the time of the collision," Ortiz says. "He claimed there was a right to privileged communication between spouses, which specifically exempted him from mandatory recording requirements." But the relevant policy "does not provide for nonrecording based on spousal privilege."

Even more troubling, Medina said he "purposefully did not record because he was invoking his 5th Amendment right not to self-incriminate." Since "he was involved in a traffic collision," he reasoned, he was "subject to 5th Amendment protections."

For more information on Meshtastic, check out this sweet Hackaday article!

Also be sure to check out NMMDC, which is a similar Meshtastic project with a Matrix chat and a Discord!

A councilor who represents some of the most impoverished areas of the city wants to use recreational-use cannabis tax revenue to implement a basic income program for her constituents.

Guaranteed basic income is essentially a monthly stipend given to a specific community that usually lasts a year. Not to be confused with universal basic income, a cash payment that all people receive regardless of their income.

This is actually a pretty cool idea for the funds.

A proposal to cut wages for certain workers in Albuquerque is stirring up fierce debate in Albuquerque City Council. Some argue it would level the playing field for restaurant workers, while others say, it’s a big step backwards. Councilors are divided over whether employees who receive tips should be allowed to earn a lower base rate, cutting it by more than $4 an hour.

“I did not agree to sponsor this bill to take pay away from workers,” said Councilor Nicole Rogers.

Chatter, a local nonprofit that focuses on performances that combine contemporary and classical music, is gearing up for its August programming, hosted by the Albuquerque Museum.

What will it take for something like this to be successful in Abq?

Kagi AI Summary:
The South San Pedro Neighborhood Association in Albuquerque is focusing on housing solutions and services for those experiencing homelessness, which is less common for neighborhood associations. The association formed a housing solutions committee to address homelessness and advocate for more affordable housing options. While safe outdoor campsites had some initial support, the idea has lost traction in recent years. The association's chair Tawnya Mullen believes the neighborhood should get involved to help their vulnerable neighbors, and that positive change can come when neighbors work together. Other neighborhood associations like Fair West have been inspired by South San Pedro's efforts to find community-driven solutions.

The whole thing is worth a read. It's so nice to see some YIMBYs

Kagi AI Summery: The document announces that improvements to I-25 between Comanche and Montgomery in the United States will begin next month. The improvements will involve work on the interstate highway. The project aims to enhance the road infrastructure in that area. No additional details about the specific nature of the improvements are provided. The document serves as a brief announcement of the upcoming construction project on I-25.

I didn't expect an AI to point out how little info there is. That's impressively bad for The ABQ Journal. But at least it's a warning of construction that might slow things down.