Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Contents |
[edit] Website evaluation
In 2011, the Albuquerque earned a Sunny Award for having a perfect website transparency score.
This website was most recently reviewed Jan. 25, 2012.
- Main article: Evaluation of New Mexico city websites
[edit] The good
- Elected officials contact information is available.[3]
- Administrative officials contact information is available.[4]
- City Council meeting dates, action summaries, and agendas are posted.[5][6]
- Public records request information is available.[7]
- All City vendor contracts are available for searching on the website.[8]
- Annual budget reports, including tax spending information, a break-down of city goals and associated costs, 10-year spending trends, and the General Fund and special revenue, internal service, project and enterprises funds, is available.[9]
- Details of all ongoing city construction projects, including the project contractor, city approval date, expected beginning and end dates of construction, map of the project, and project cost are disclosed.[10]
- Current and archived audits of city finances, including detailed reports of budgets, individual department spending, and city services, are available.[11] Information regarding how audits are conducted is also provided, as well as means to report fraud to the city.[12][13]
- Investigation reports of city departments performed by the Office of Internal Audits are available.[14]
- City progress reports and information regarding the progress of Federal Recovery Act projects are posted.[15]
- Political monetary contributions to the city are disclosed, including campaign finance contributors/vendor reports and audit reports by candidate or committee.[16]
- Lobbyists for Albuquerque are listed with contracts.[17]
- Travel expenses for all city employees are posted, including date of expenditure and reason for expense.[16]
- The Mayor’s credit card statements are available.[18]
- Employee salaries are posted.[19]
- The City’s Vendor Check Book Register, which includes city payments made to vendors since July 1, 2010, is available.[20]
- The City’s Whistleblower Ordinance is posted.[21]
- A means of providing citizen suggestions for improving the City’s transparency is provided.[22]
- Planning and zoning information is provided. Permitting information can be accessed through the Planning Department.[23][24]
[edit] Budget
Albuquerque 10-year budget trends:[25]
| Fiscal Year | Revenue | Expenses | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | $811,337,000 | $808,820,000 | $2,517,000 |
| 2003 | $812,567,000 | $776,218,000 | $36,349,000 |
| 2004 | $900,299,000 | $853,406,000 | $46,893,000 |
| 2005 | $863,085,000 | $859,235,000 | $3,850,000 |
| 2006 | $871,142,000 | $863,033,000 | $8,109,000 |
| 2007 | $885,867,000 | $871,780,000 | $14,087,000 |
| 2008 | $973,084,000 | $949,520,000 | $23,564,000 |
| 2009* | $905,305,000 | $902,033,000 | $3,272,000 |
| 2010* | $942,374,000 | $981,690,000 | -$39,316,000 |
| 2011* | $887,752,000 | $891,798,000 | -$4,046,000 |
FY/09 is unaudited actual; FY/10 is Estimated Actual; FY/11 is Approved Budget.[25]
"Current budget by program:"[26]
| City Goals | Percentage of Total Budget | FY2011 Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Public Safety | 28.4% | $253,403,000 |
| Public Infrastructure | 23.4% | $208,335,000 |
| Governmental Excellence | 18.8% | $168,294,000 |
| Human & Family Development | 13.0% | $115,776,000 |
| Environmental Protection | 9.5% | $85,017,000 |
| Sustainable Community Development | 4.1% | $36,468,000 |
| Community & Cultural Engagement | 1.4% | $12,343,000 |
| Economic Vitality | 1.4% | $12,162,000 |
| Totals | 100% | $891,798,000 |
[edit] Stimulus
Albuquerque has received $591,525,791 from the stimulus package.[27]
| Type | # of Awards | Amount | Jobs Reported |
| Contracts | 479 | $202,584,279 | 138.64 |
| Grants | 412 | $387,441,511 | 453.01 |
| Loans | 2 | $1,500,000 | 4.5 |
| Total | 893 | $591,525,791 | 596.15 |
[edit] Public Employees
[edit] Elected Officials
[edit] City Council
The City Council is the legislative authority of the city. It has the power to adopt all ordinances, resolutions, or other legislation conducive to the welfare of the people of the city. The Council shall have the power to adopt all ordinances, resolutions or other legislation conducive to the welfare of the people of the city and not inconsistent with the City Charter. The Council shall not perform any executive functions except those functions assigned to the Council by the City Charter.[28] The Council is made up of nine members, elected on staggered terms, with four or five districted Councilors elected every two years.[29]
| Member | District | Term Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Ken Sanchez | District 1 | November 2013 |
| Debbie O'Malley | District 2 | November 2011 |
| Isaac Benton | District 3 | November 2013 |
| Brad Winter | District 4 | November 2011 |
| Dan Lewis | District 5 | November 2013 |
| Rey Garduño | District 6 | November 2011 |
| Michael Cook | District 7 | November 2013 |
| Trudy Jones | District 8 | November 2011 |
| Don Harris | District 9 | November 2013 |
According to the City Charter, City Councilors receive annual salaries equal to one-tenth of the annual salary received by the Mayor. The Council President shall receive double the annual salary received by other Councilors. Currently, this amount is about $10,940.00 for City Councilors and $21,881.00 for the Council President.[30]
[edit] Mayor
The City Charter establishes the executive branch of the city government. The Mayor shall control and direct the executive branch. The Mayor is authorized to delegate executive and administrative power within the executive branch. The Mayor shall be the chief executive officer with all executive and administrative powers of the city and the official head of the city for all ceremonial purposes.[28]
The current Mayor of Albuquerque is Republican Richard Berry.[31] His salary is $109,400.[30]
Mayor Berry is asking the council to put a $50 million bond package on the ballot in October that would approve the construction of a sports complex, whitewater rafting pool, a Rio Grande boardwalk and a bicycle loop around the city.[32]
[edit] Administrative Officials
Pete Dinelli, a former Director of Public Safety, called his old job "a waste". Public safety unions have said they do not want the position filled.[33]
Albuquerque fighters voted "no confidence" in the Fire Chief James Breen with sixty-four percent voting no confidence.[34]
[edit] Salaries
The website has a page for salaries of graded employees here and a page for ungraded employees here.
500 non-bargaining city employees received a 1% raise in the 2012 budget. Mayor Berry says the raises were part of the process of restoring salaries after a 2.2% cut last year.[35]
[edit] Pensions
Qualified city employees are mandated to take part in the Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico (PERA).[36]
[edit] Lobbying
Albuquerque has reported $789,750 spent lobbying since 2000 (see table).
| Year | Amount spent on lobbying |
|---|---|
| 2011 | $20,000 |
| 2010 | $80,000 |
| 2009 | $80,000 |
| 2008 | $90,000 |
| 2007 | $107,000 |
| 2006 | $72,000 |
| 2005 | $72,000 |
| 2004 | $72,000 |
| 2003 | $116,000 |
| 2002 | $96,000 |
| 2001 | $72,500 |
| 2000 | $72,500 |
[edit] Transparency & public records
The website has a page dedicated to transparency.[38] Among other items it includes monthly reports on what the mayor uses his city issued credit card for.[39]
Mayor Berry has ordered an investigation to see if any city laws were broken when Public Safety Director Darren White opened the medical records of his wife after she had been in a car accident and many had speculated she had been using prescription drugs.[40]
[edit] Taxes
The city collects revenue through sales taxes, property taxes, and various fees and charges. It estimates $891,798,000 of total revenue in the 2011 budget.[41]
| Revenue Source | Amount |
| Gross Receipts Tax | $287,439,000 |
| Property Tax | $136,658,000 |
| Other Taxes | $41,182,000 |
| Intergovernmental | $69,038,000 |
| Enterprise | $155,650,000 |
| Interfund and Fund Balance | $154,788,000 |
| Charges and Permits | $30,982,000 |
| Miscellaneous | $16,061,000 |
| Total | $891,798,000 |
[edit] External links
- Official city website
- Errors of Enchantment, Kudos to Mayor Berry for new transparency website, Aug. 25, 2010
- News 13, ABQ posts more information online, Sept 4, 2010
- Government Computer News, Albuquerque lets it all hang out with data, Oct. 4, 2010
- Albuquerque Airport
- Albuquerque Journal
- Albuquerque on WikiTravel
- Albuquerque on City Data
[edit] References
- ↑ [1] |title= Table 1: Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places Over 100,000, Ranked by July 1, 2008 Population: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008 (SUB-EST2008-01)
- ↑ fastest growing cities
- ↑ City Councilors
- ↑ Department Listing
- ↑ Meetings
- ↑ Find Legislation, Meetings, Agendas
- ↑ Public Records
- ↑ City Contracts
- ↑ Current City Budget
- ↑ DMD Project Query
- ↑ Audits
- ↑ Internal Audit
- ↑ Inspector General
- ↑ Investigation Reports
- ↑ How is the City Progressing?
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Political Contributions
- ↑ Lobbyists for Albuquerque
- ↑ Credit Card Statements
- ↑ ‘City of Albuquerque’, Employee Earnings and PERA Rehires, August 25, 2010
- ↑ City Check Book
- ↑ Vendor Check Book Register
- ↑ Suggestions for ABQ View
- ↑ ‘City of Albuquerque’, Albuquerque Code Enforcement, August 25, 2010
- ↑ Building and Safety Division
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 [2]
- ↑ current budget
- ↑ Recovery
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 [3]
- ↑ [4]
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 [5]
- ↑ mayor
- ↑ KOB "Berry wants city council to greenlight ABQ tourism plan"
- ↑ KOAT "Ex-Public Safety Director Calls Job 'A Waste'"
- ↑ Fire Rescue "Firefighters give 'no confidence' vote to chief in NM"
- ↑ Canadian Business "Some Albuquerque city workers see raises"
- ↑ Retirement
- ↑ [ Open Secrets]
- ↑ Transparency
- ↑ Credit Card
- ↑ NewsWest "Albuquerque official opens wife's medical records"
- ↑ FY11 Budget
