Summary

City Council reorganizes leadership; takes actions on housing, budget, transit, and personnel compensation

AlbuquerqueJan 5, 20263 min read

At a glance

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At its January 5, 2026 meeting the Albuquerque City Council elected Councilor Klarissa Peña as Council President and Dan Champine as Vice‑President, selected committee leadership, approved multiple mayoral appointments and contracts, advanced several capital and budget measures, passed a one-time supplemental compensation payment for city employees, and considered but failed an override of a mayoral veto. Several items (including a bond issuance and housing-related measures) were postponed to later meetings.

Projects mentioned

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From The Martineztown/Santa Barbara Character Protection Overlay Citywide Text Amendments To The Integrated Development Area Text Amendment To The Integrated Development And La Plata Multi-Family Residential Development Albuquerque Development Relating To The Approval Of A Redevelopment Amendment To The New Mexico Metropolitan Redevelopment Local Economic Development And Equipping The Juniper Flats Housing Development Inc. Pursuant To The Local Economic Development

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City Council

Topics discussed

LaborTransportationBudget & TaxPublic SafetyCommerceHousing

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Key decisions

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Council reorganized leadership: Klarissa Peña elected Council President (5-4); Dan Champine elected Vice‑President (5-4); Renée Grout elected Chair of the Committee of the Whole (5-4).
OC-25-59 (Request for review of City Attorney conduct in Mayor v. City Council litigation) was withdrawn.
Multiple consent items confirmed: mayoral reappointments and appointments to boards and advisory bodies were approved/confirmed (including Development Commission, ABQ Volunteers Advisory Board, Transit Advisory Board, Older American’s Act Advisory Council, Youth Advisory Council, Para Transit Advisory Board, Greater Albuquerque Recreational Trails Committee).
R-25-202 (Transit Department’s 2025 Updated Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan) passed.
O-25-106 (Indus Synergies Inc. project under the Local Economic Development Act) was passed as substituted.
O-25-99 (issuance of Gross Receipts Tax Revenue Bonds for Juniper Flats project and refunding) was postponed to January 21, 2026.
O-25-102 (Rental Practices Ordinance) was amended and postponed as amended to January 21, 2026.
R-25-209 (add McMahon Boulevard roadway project to Capital Implementation Program) passed as amended.
R-25-212 (redevelopment tax abatement for 4th & La Plata multi‑family residential project) passed.
R-25-215 (adjusting FY2025 appropriations and adjusting FY2026 operating appropriations) passed after Council consideration and extended meeting time.
R-25-216 (amending the Capital Implementation Program: new projects, supplementation, scope changes) passed as amended with multiple successful amendments.
R-25-219 (establishing a one-time supplemental compensation payment for city employees based on ending FY25 General Fund balance) passed as amended.
RA-25-9 (amendments to Council Rules regarding allocation of councilor expenses): at least one amendment passed, but the final motion to pass the item as amended failed.
M-25-7 (declaring support for state legislation on transparency of local planning review processes impacting housing) passed.
R-26-1 (increase Heading Home by $662,526.92 to maintain housing for 92 households in FY2026) was postponed to January 21, 2026.
An attempt to override the mayoral veto of C/S O-24-67 (EC-26-11) failed (override attempt failed by 1-8).

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