Santa Fe, New Mexico
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Santa Fe is the capital city and fourth largest city in New Mexico. It is one of 62 cities in the state. As of 2010, it had a population of 75,764.[1]
[edit] Website evaluation
This website was most recently reviewed Jan. 23, 2012.
- Main article: Evaluation of New Mexico city websites
[edit] The good
- City of Santa Fe's bids and RFPs are posted.[2]
- Agendas and minutes are available for City Council Meetings. [3]
- The budget is posted. [4]
- The Mayor and city council officials contact information are posted online.[5]
- Building permits are available on the website[6], as is zoning information [7]
- City of Santa Fe grants the access of government records to public.[8]
- Provides information on local taxes [9][10]
- Audits are available.[11][12]
- Contracts with lobbyists are posted.[13][14]
[edit] Budget
The 2010-2011 operating budget is $72,156,148 which is $5 million less than the previous year.[15]
| Expenditure | Amount |
| Community Development | $1,868,406 |
| Community Services | $7,517,178 |
| Finance | $6,882,547 |
| Fire | $13,539,264 |
| General Government | $5,398,264 |
| Human Resources | $908,325 |
| Land Use | $4,215,097 |
| Police | $18,829,079 |
| Public Works | $12,997,828 |
| Total | $72,155,988 |
City Manager Robert Romero has requested that the 2011-2012 budget not include any additional programs.[16]
[edit] Stimulus
Santa Fe has received a total of $281,876,524 in federal stimulus money.[17]
[edit] Public Employees
[edit] Elected Officials
The city council is made up of eight Councilors elected to four year terms. Two councilors represent a district and their are four districts. Elections are held every two years.[18]
| First | Last | Position | District | Term Ends |
| Patti | Bushee | Councilor | 1 | 2014 |
| Chris | Calvert | Councilor | 1 | 2014 |
| Rosemary | Romero | Councilor | 2 | 2012 |
| Rebecca | Wurzburger | Mayor Pro Tem | 2 | 2014 |
| Miguel | Chavez | Councilor | 3 | 2012 |
| Carmichael | Dominguez | Councilor | 3 | 2014 |
| Matthew | Ortiz | Councilor | 4 | 2012 |
| Ronald | Trujillo | Councilor | 4 | 2014 |
The mayor of Santa Fe is Democrat David Coss who was originally elected in 2006 and then re-elected in 2010. Before becoming mayor, Coss had served on the city council from 2002-2006.[19] Coss is a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns.[20]
In Santa Fe, the mayor only votes in the governing body to break a tie or when his vote is required by law, but has the power to appoint the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk, and other administrative positions.[21]
The city council and the mayor are currently working on redistricting the city council districts based on the new Census information.[22]
The city council is looking to pass an ordinance requiring that will force participants in the World Naked Bike Ride to cover up more than just primary genitalia after this years ride led to a flood of complaints.[23]
[edit] Administrative Officials
The City Manager is responsible for the day to day operations of the city including departments, constituent services, public information, and emergency management. The mayor appoints the City Manager who then has to be approved by the City Council. The City Manager in Santa Fe is Robert Romero.[24]
| First | Last | Position |
| Robert | Romero | City manager |
| Geno | Zamora | City Attorney |
| Yolanda | Vigil | City Clerk |
| Arlene | Sisneros | Court Administrator |
| Isaac | Pino | Public Works Department Director |
| Kathryn | Raveling | Finance Director |
| Barbara | Salas | Fire Chief |
| Kathy | McCormick | House and Community Dev Director |
| Raymond | Rael | Chief of Police |
| Brian | Snyder | Public Utilities Dept. & Water Division Director |
[edit] Parking Division Controversies
The Santa Fe Police has begun an embezzlement probe of the Santa Fe Parking Division. A recently fired employee is confirmed as a target of the investigation and another employee resigned.[25]
An internal audit found that city officials were lax and tracking $4 million in funds obtained from parking meters. The internal controls over these funds was either lacking or nonexistent.[26]
Some other findings from the 2010 internal audit[27]:
- Parking Division's audit software had not worked for two years
- Door keys and safe combinations had not been changed despite turnover
- Security systems such as video cameras and alarms were not working in the parking garages
[edit] Salaries
The 2010-2011 budget allocates about $37 million to public employee salaries and $18 million for benefits.[28]
Santa Fe is currently negotiating with unions over incentive and leave pay. The city wants to find a way to cut over $1 million from incentive and leave pay. The cuts are part of the attempt to close a $8 to $9 million budget gap. The three unions in Santa Fe are Police, fire and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.[29]
[edit] Pensions
Public employees in Santa Fe are enrolled in New Mexico's Public Employee Retirement Association (PERA).[30]
[edit] Emergency personnel
The 2010-2011 budget allocates $25,858,291 to the police department of which $17,308,956 is dedicated to salaries, wages, and benefits. The fire department is allocated $17,379,471 of which $13,195,797 is dedicated to salaries, wages, and benefits.[31]
[edit] Lobbying
The most recent lobbying contracts posted on the website are from 2009 and 2008.
[edit] Transparency & public records
The city website has a request page for public records here. The Public Records Policy is posted here and the following table shows some of the fees incurred when requesting public records.
| Copy Type | Fee |
| 1-100 Single Sided Copies | $.25 per page |
| 101-300 Single Sided Copies | $.20 per page |
| 301 or more Single Sided Copies | $.15 per page |
| Police/Fire Dept. Reports | $1 per page |
| Records from Archives | $1 per page |
[edit] Taxes
The 2010-2011 budget revenue estimate is $72,096,148. The following table shows the amount of revenue by source.[32]
| Revenue Source | Amount | Increase/Decrease from 2009-2010 |
| Local Taxes | $19,316,896 | -3.6% |
| State-Shared | $35,713,189 | -5.2% |
| Lic & Permits | $1,495,149 | -38.6% |
| Fees and Services | $2,730,692 | 33.3% |
| Reimbursement | $4,758,923 | 2.0% |
| Fines and Forf. | $534,536 | -6.0% |
| Rentals | $31,300 | 0.0% |
| Misc. Rev. | $239,023 | -26.9% |
| Grants | $0 | -100.0% |
| Interest on Investments | $158,670 | -10.80% |
| Transfers | $7,117,770 | 2.90% |
| Total | $72,096,148.00 |
The gross receipts tax rate in Santa is 8.1875%. The following table breaks down the GRT rate.[33]
| DISTRIBUTED TO: | CENTS | ALLOCATION TO CITY 2010/11 BUDGET |
| The State (1.225 is returned to the city) | 4.6250 | 35,163,189 |
| New State increment replacing food GRT | 0.5000 | N/A (included in other listed City categories) |
| Operations | 0.4375 | N/A (SF County) |
| Capital Outlay | 0.2500 | N/A (SF County) |
| EMS/Medical | 0.3125 | N/A (SF County) |
| Corrections/Jail | 0.1250 | N/A (SF County) |
| Regional Transit | 0.1250 | N/A (SF County) |
| City Capital Improvement Plan | 0.5000 | 14,065,494 |
| General City Operations | 0.5000 | 14,065,494 |
| G.R.T. (Bus Systems, Quality of Life, Revenue Loss) | 0.2500 | 7,032,746 |
| Mun. G.R.T. Environmental (WW) | 0.0625 | 1,739,072 |
| Mun G.R.T. Infrastructure: | ||
| Solid Waste | 0.0625 | 1,737,859 |
| Railyard | 0.0625 | 1,738,084 |
| Police | 0.0625 | 1,738,084 |
| Chavez Center | 0.0625 | 1,738,084 |
| Water | 0.2500 | 6,915,442 |
| TOTAL | 8.1875 | 85,933,548 |
[edit] External links
- Santa Fe official site
- Santa Fe Visitor’s information
- Santa Fe News
- Santa Fe Detailed Profile
- Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce
- Santa Fe information
- Santa Fe New Mexican
- Santa Fe Public Records Directory
[edit] References
- ↑ Census
- ↑ Bids and RFP's
- ↑ Agenda and minutes
- ↑ Budget
- ↑ Mayor and city council officials information
- ↑ Building Permits
- ↑ Zoning Information
- ↑ Public Records
- ↑ Local taxes
- ↑ Financial Services Gross Receipt Tax
- ↑ Audit
- ↑ Archived Audits
- ↑ 2009 Lobbyist Contract
- ↑ 2008 Lobbyist Contract
- ↑ Budget
- ↑ Santa Fe New Mexican "Salvaging city's broken budget"
- ↑ ARRA
- ↑ City Council
- ↑ Mayor
- ↑ Mayors Against Illegal Guns
- ↑ FAQ
- ↑ ABQ Journal "SF City Councilors Take Up Redistricting at Special Meeting"
- ↑ KOAT "Criticisms Follow Santa Fe's Naked Ride"
- ↑ City Manager
- ↑ ABQ Journal "SF Police Conduct Embezzlement Probes at City’s Parking Division"
- ↑ ABQ Journal "Audit Says Santa Fe Lax in Tracking Meter Fund"
- ↑ ABQ Journal "SF Police Conduct Embezzlement Probes at City’s Parking Division"
- ↑ Budget
- ↑ ABQ Journal " SF, Unions Negotiating Cuts in Incentive and Leave Pay"
- ↑ HR
- ↑ Budget
- ↑ Budget
- ↑ Finance
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