Albuquerque City Council votes down $110M bond proposal

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Albuquerque City Council voted Monday night to turn down a $110 million proposal.

The proposal, which needed 7 votes to pass, was voted down in a 5-4 decision.

The councilors were split before the vote occurred.

Albuquerque city councilors Brooke Bassan and Klarissa Peña are sponsoring the proposal, hoping to get some projects off the ground around the city.

"People want to see their tax dollars go to work to do something for them. They want to see their tax dollars being used for things they’re asking help about,” Bassan said.

“Investing in a multi-generational center, even though it’s not in District 1, having it on the West Side is critical and important. Having the West Side public safety corridor is important but this bond package is the first bond package that actually invests in amounts the westside has not seen in many, many years,” Sena said.

However, some are asking councilors to pump the brakes and wait until several new council members take office in January, including councilor Sena’s replacement, councilor-elect Louie Sanchez.

Sanchez believes because Sena was appointed, not elected, he should get a seat at the table for the remainder of her term.

"It’s very, very obvious that I should be the elected official right now,” said Sanchez.

Sena said until her term is over, she will represent District 1 as best as she can – and she believes this bond package will do that.

“I want to really stress the point that the district has suffered immensely once councilor Sanchez passed away. I filled his vacancy knowing that in between from when he passed to really the district got to have that representation. We lost out in critical investments and in dollars and projects as well. I’m not going to certainly let that happen again.”

If passed, the proposal would’ve allocated the $110 million as follows:

Public safety ($38.9 million)

• $12.5 million for APD’s main building
• $5 million for APD’s academy
• $4.4 million for Phase 2 of the Southeast Area Command
• $7 million for the San Mateo and Katheryn public safety facility
• $10 million for the Westside public safety facility

Parks, open space and recreational facilities ($45.5 million)

• $5 million for city buildings
• $3 million for Los Altos pump
• $2 million for Civic Plaza awning
• $10 million for the Cibola Loop Multigeneration Center
• $4 million for Westgate Community Center
• $12 million for NDB Aquatic Center
• $4 million for Loma Linda Community Center
• $3 million for Westside recreation fields
• $1.5 million for Phil Chacon Park
• $1 million for Westside indoor recreation complex

Housing

• $25.6 million for acquiring, improving and equipping housing facilities including a sobering center