Santa Fe approves its FY2023 budget
SANTA FE, NM – The Santa Fe City Council unanimously approved the administration’s proposed Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) budget.
The $382.8 million budget reflects an increase of $25.5 million, or 7.1 percent, compared to FY 2019 pre-pandemic levels. According to the City Council, the spending plan may be adjusted as the year progresses to address new needs and financial conditions.
The city reported that the new budget includes an investment in public safety that features salary increases, hiring bonuses for lateral move police officers, purchases of state-of-the-art vehicles and equipment, and down payment assistance for home purchases.
“This is a progressive and bold budget. In it we invest in our employees, parks and streets, housing and sustainability. Community health and safety, in particular, are at the forefront as we move forward on Covid,” said Mayor Alan Webber.
Key provisions of the public safety package include: a 16% pay increase for police officers and an 8% increase for other first responders to retain and attract the best people to protect our community.
In addition, a $750,000 pilot project is contemplated to provide mortgage assistance for police officers, firefighters and paramedics to purchase a home; as well as $15,000 incentives for lateral transfer police officer hires.
Also contemplated is a new downtown police substation; $1.1 million for police cameras, including body-worn devices and for cars; funding for 30 new vehicles, most of them hybrids; expansion of the Fire Department’s Alternative Response Unit (ARU); and support for five test/property technician positions.
Furthermore, to address critical needs, strengthen services, modernize and professionalize all aspects of city government, other notable spending plans include the creation of housing and livable neighborhoods; for the third consecutive year, the city will invest $3 million in the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
Also planned is the creation of a Clean Energy Fund, in part to reduce costs to enable households of all income levels to switch to energy and cost-saving technologies, such as solarization.
For the city to become the region’s employer of choice, employees will receive the equivalent of an 8% salary increase, Santa Fe will offer $2,000 per year in retention incentives to current employees and will continue to offer $1,000 in recruitment incentives to help fill city positions.
In smart growth planning and downtown development, support for small businesses, economic diversification, and education for workforce training and job creation, among other projects, are contemplated.
Source: MEXICONOW Staff