City Council fails to override veto of charter ballot question
Clerk’s action summary ↗Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗ Meeting details
The short version
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A vetoed ballot question on changing the City Charter stays dead.
Overriding the veto needed more votes. It failed 4-5: Councilors Champine, Fiebelkorn, Grout and Lewis voted for it, and Councilors Baca, Bassan, Peña, Rogers and Telles voted against.
What it means for youThe proposed change to Article V, Section 4 of the City Charter will not go to voters through this measure.
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The City Council approved up to about $40.5 million in bonds for a new hotel.
The bonds of up to $40,520,267 would pay for the Dreamcatcher Sawmill Hotel, a Hampton Inn and Home2 Suites with about 135 rooms. It passed 8-1 after one change; Councilor Peña voted no.
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An appeal of an overnight shelter on Yale Boulevard Southeast gets a full hearing.
The Yale Village Neighborhood Association and D. Love's Restaurants are appealing the approval of a shelter at 2300 Yale Blvd SE. The City Council voted 7-1 to hold a full hearing on Sept. 9; Councilor Bassan voted no and Councilor Peña was excused.
What it means for youResidents near the site can follow the case at the Sept. 9 meeting.
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A proposed new sales-type tax for voters to decide was pulled.
Councilor Peña withdrew a 0.4875% gross receipts tax called the "Community Investment Tax," which would have paid for city operations, wages and community projects starting July 1, 2027, if voters approved it. The withdrawal passed 9-0.
What it means for youThis tax won't go to voters through this measure.
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The City Council backed three tech company expansions with economic development deals.
It approved deals with Securin (cybersecurity, 8-0), Quantinuum (a quantum computing lab, 9-0) and BlackVe (a 55,000-square-foot satellite plant next to Kirtland Air Force Base, 9-0). The record does not give the dollar amounts.
What’s next
- Full City Council hearing on the appeal of the overnight shelter at 2300 Yale Blvd SE, Sept. 9.
- The resolution on state money for the Cottages at 161 Chama affordable housing returns Sept. 9.
- The city's final objectives report for fiscal year 2026 returns Sept. 9.
- The resolution assigning state construction money to specific projects returns Sept. 21.
Everything on the agenda (23 items)
Decided by vote 18
The city's final report on its objectives for fiscal year 2026 was put off to Sept. 9.
Councilor Peña withdrew a proposed 0.4875% gross receipts tax that would have gone to voters. It would have paid for city operations, including employee wages, and community projects, starting July 1, 2027.
For you: Everyone who pays gross receipts tax in the city. The tax will not move forward through this measure.
Councilor Fiebelkorn's resolution would assign state capital outlay money to specific projects and require City Council approval of scope changes. It was put off to Sept. 21.
Lets the city issue taxable industrial revenue bonds of up to $40,520,267 to build and equip the Dreamcatcher Sawmill Hotel, a Hampton Inn and Home2 Suites with about 135 rooms. Councilor Peña's change failed 1-8. Councilor Baca's change passed 6-3, with Councilors Bassan, Peña and Rogers voting no.
Approves a local economic development project to support Securin, Inc.'s expansion of its cybersecurity operations in Albuquerque. The record does not give the amount.
Approves a local economic development project for Quantinuum LLC to build a quantum computing facility with photonics and ion-trapping labs in Albuquerque. The record does not give the amount or the site.
Approves a local economic development project for BlackVe, Inc. to build a 55,000-square-foot satellite design, manufacturing and operations facility at the MaxQ Campus next to Kirtland Air Force Base. The record does not give the amount.
The Yale Village Neighborhood Association and D. Love's Restaurants, LLC appealed the Zoning Hearing Examiner's approval of an overnight shelter at 2300 Yale Blvd SE. The City Council rejected the hearing officer's recommendation and set a full hearing for Sept. 9.
For you: People who live or work near Yale Boulevard Southeast.
Adds money to the city's outside legal services agreement with Modrall Sperling. The record does not give the amount.
The administration withdrew a $2,835,000.00 agreement with Homewise, Inc. to run a home owner rehabilitation program using housing and neighborhood economic development funds.
For you: Homeowners who might have used the repair program.
Approves a development agreement with Family Housing Development Corporation to build the Uptown Connect apartments, a new affordable rental project, using workforce housing trust funds and state money. The record does not give the amount.
For you: Renters looking for affordable housing.
Changes the city's purchasing law, including how it defines social services and which departments it names, and tells the city to update its information.
Changes the zoning of about 165 acres at 6000 Alexander Dr. NE, owned by the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, from NR-SU to NR-LM.
Changes city law on the City Attorney and the city's legal department. The record does not say what changes.
Changes city law to improve how the budget is proposed and to strengthen oversight and accountability. Councilor Grout's change failed on a 4-4 tie. The City Council also voted 6-2 to extend the meeting to 11:00 p.m., with Councilors Baca and Rogers voting no.
Would direct the city to use state capital outlay money for the Cottages at 161 Chama affordable housing and to help find that StreetVision Housing Strategies qualifies for the grant. It was changed 8-0 and then put off to Sept. 9.
For you: People looking for affordable housing.
Accepts a $6,160,000 grant from the New Mexico Finance Authority to design and build the John St. pump station and gravity pond, divert the Williams St. 72-inch and Broadway Blvd. 66-inch storm drains, and upsize the storm drain in Barelas Ditch to a 30-inch pipe.
For you: People who live near John Street, Williams Street, Broadway Boulevard and Barelas Ditch.
Councilor Champine moved to override the veto of a measure that would have put a change to Article V, Section 4 of the City Charter on the ballot at the next city election. The override failed.
For you: City voters. The question will not appear on the ballot through this measure.
Passed together without discussion 4
Confirmed appointments and reappointments to the Greater Albuquerque Recreational Trails Committee, Youth Advisory Council, EMS Providers Advisory Committee, EMS Medical Control Board, Older American's Act Advisory Council, Greater Albuquerque Active Transportation Committee, Housing & Neighborhood Economic Development Committee, Affordable Housing Committee, Albuquerque Museum Board of Trustees and Balloon Museum Board of Trustees.
Adds money to the city's outside legal services agreement with Garcia Law Group, LLC. The record does not give the amount.
Adds money to the city's outside legal services agreement with Park & Associates. The record does not give the amount.
Approves filing an application for a Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grant. The record does not give the amount or the neighborhood.
Reports, presentations and discussion 1
A report listing all city grant applications from January through June 2026.
What the record doesn’t say
- What the vetoed City Charter change to Article V, Section 4 would have done, and who issued the veto.
- How much money was added to the outside lawyer agreements with Garcia Law Group, Park & Associates and Modrall Sperling.
- The dollar amounts of the Securin, Quantinuum and BlackVe deals, and of the Uptown Connect housing agreement.
- Why the Homewise home repair agreement and the proposed Community Investment Tax were withdrawn.
- What the amendments to the hotel bonds, the budget process law and the storm drain grant changed.
- How many people spoke during public comment and what they said.
Meeting details
- Meeting
- Regular meeting, 5:00 p.m.–10:51 p.m.
- Where
- Vincent E. Griego Chambers, One Civic Plaza NW, City of Albuquerque Government Center
- Presiding
- Council President Klarissa J. Peña
- Attendance
- All nine members present at roll call; Councilor Peña was later excused for several votes.
- Written from
- From the clerk’s action summary.
Written by AI from the official record and checked by code against it: every dollar figure, vote, number, date and member’s name must appear in the record’s own words, or the summary is held. Not reviewed by a person. Residents are not named. How these are made · All Albuquerque meetings