New Mexico Senators condemn Trump tax and spending bill after Senate passage - by Kevin Hendricks, NM.news
Following the narrow passage of President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill in the Senate, New Mexico’s Democratic Senators, Ben Ray Luján and Martin Heinrich, have issued strong condemnations, warning of the potential negative impacts on New Mexican families and communities.
The bill passed with a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote, despite opposition from all Democrats and three Republicans.
Luján criticized the bill for gutting healthcare, stripping food assistance and jeopardizing rural hospitals and grocery stores, all while delivering “massive tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy and big corporations.” He also warned that the bill’s addition of over $3 trillion to the national debt would drive up interest rates, making essential costs like car loans and mortgages more expensive for families and increasing borrowing costs for small businesses and farmers.
“Senate Republicans just pushed through a budget bill that hurts New Mexican families. In their rush to meet President Trump’s demands, they voted blindly, with no regard for the harm this bill will inflict on all of our constituents,” Luján said.
Luján further detailed his efforts to mitigate the bill’s negative effects, noting that he backed several amendments aimed at protecting healthcare and nutrition programs and lowering costs for New Mexicans. These proposals, including motions to protect SNAP funding, strengthen Medicaid, increase resources for local law enforcement, invest in wildfire prevention, safeguard clean energy investments, and provide tax relief to the middle class and small businesses, were all blocked by Senate Republicans.
“This bill is not just bad policy – it’s a failure of leadership and a betrayal of New Mexico families, rural communities and American values,” Luján said.
Heinrich echoed Luján’s sentiments, saying he “stood up for New Mexico families by voting against Senate Republicans’ budget reconciliation that funds Republicans’ tax handouts for billionaires at the expense of working people.”
Heinrich said he pushed to amend the legislation, repeatedly voting to lower costs, block Medicaid cuts, protect rural hospitals, extend healthcare tax credits and prevent millions from losing health insurance.
“The largest cut to Medicaid in American history. The largest transfer of wealth to the rich in American history. The largest cut to food assistance in American history,” Heinrich said. “The largest increase to the national deficit in American history: That’s what this bill represents. And it has one effect — billionaires win, American families lose. It’s a betrayal of working families masquerading as legislation.”
While Heinrich successfully fought against provisions mandating the sale of public lands, which were removed in the final round of negotiations, he said the bill still has devastating potential consequences. Heinrich warned that if signed into law, the bill would hike electricity bills, leave tens of millions uninsured, cut food assistance for millions, shutter nursing homes, force rural hospitals to close (potentially 6 to 8 in New Mexico alone) and send health insurance premiums soaring.
Heinrich outlined numerous efforts blocked by Senate Republicans, including amendments to lower healthcare costs, protect food assistance (preventing 223,000 New Mexicans from losing SNAP benefits), prevent Medicaid cuts (which could lead to 90,000 New Mexicans losing coverage and four nursing homes closing), increase the Child Tax Credit, lower energy prices and provide permanent tax relief for overtime wages. He also filed amendments to protect veterans, prevent tax handouts for billionaires, and safeguard various environmental and immigration policies.
“Senate Republicans had a choice: stand with working families or bend to billionaires. They chose greed, cruelty, and a callous disregard for the people they represent,” Heinrich said. “New Mexicans and all Americans will suffer for it. I urge all Americans to raise their voices and call on their elected leaders in the House of Representatives to stop this disaster before it becomes law.”
The bill now moves to the House for debate and a final vote, before it heads to Trump’s desk.
The Latest: Democrats weigh options to block Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' as it heads to the House- Associated Press
Senate Republicans hauled President Donald Trump’s big tax breaks and spending cuts bill to passage Tuesday on the narrowest of votes, pushing past opposition from Democrats and some in their own GOP ranks after a turbulent overnight session.
Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie to push it over the top. The three Republicans opposing the bill were Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky.
House Democratic leaders are meeting Tuesday evening to discuss possible ways to block the final bill, and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries vowed to use “all legislative tools and options” to prevent its passage.
Update: Oak Ridge Fire burning on Navajo Nation nears 10,000 acres- Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
A wildfire that erupted over the weekend on the Navajo Nation near the New Mexico border has grown to more than 9,800 acres, according to the latest updates.
The Oak Springs fire began Saturday a few miles southwest of Saint Michaels, Ariz. and cast smoke throughout much of the area over the weekend, including nearby Gallup. Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, in updates posted on social media, said wood haulers in the area may have started the fire, though its cause is still officially under investigation.
More than 400 people have responded to the fast-growing wildfire, which is 0% contained. On Monday, in response to the rapid fire spread, a complex incident management team took over the fire, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
On Tuesday morning, the team announced that high winds had made fighting the fire challenging, sending it 6 miles west, including covering the length of two football fields in a few minutes and stoking 200-foot flames.
“Firefighters were pulled back to their safety zones and reengaged after conditions improved,” according to an update from the Southwest Complex Incident Management Team on Tuesday.
What the team leaders described as a “weak monsoonal pattern” is adding complications, including unpredictable wind patterns, but also the possibility of moisture that will slow the fire’s spread.
The fire is burning in a heavily overgrown area, meaning there is a “lot of dry fuel ready to burn,” the team said.
No structures have been damaged or destroyed so far, according to the team.
Evacuations are ordered in several areas around the fire. A map can be found here.
Nygren’s office on Tuesday said 350 people in more than 100 homes have fled the fire.
The fire is the biggest on the Navajo Nation since June 2020, according to a Source review of National Interagency Fire Center records, and is already the second-biggest in more than a decade. The biggest fire, the Wood Springs 2 Fire, burned about 20 miles north of the Oak Springs Fire, consuming more than 12,000 acres.
Crews assigned to the Oak Springs fire are prioritizing protecting the town of Saint Michaels, the corridor along highway 12, including homes and pipelines.
A public meeting was at 6 p.m. Monday night at the Fighting Scouts Field House A video of that meeting can be found here.
This is a developing story and will be updated as needed.
In with the new: A look at New Mexico laws taking effect July 1- Danielle Prokop, Source New Mexico
Of the 160 new laws passed in the most recent legislative session, 41 of them take effect Tuesday, which also marks the start of the new fiscal year and the roll-out of the state’s $10.8 billion budget.
Source highlights some of the top new laws kicking in July 1, 2025:
Criminal Justice
Lawmakers spent the first 30 days of the 2025 legislative session focused on a package of criminal-legal reforms crammed into House Bill 8, including: overhauling criminal competency; enhanced penalties for fentanyl trafficking; increased fourth-degree felony charges for making a shooting threat; criminalization for possession of a weapon conversion device; increased penalties for vehicle thefts; and legislation to make it easier for police to conduct blood tests in DWI cases.
Tuesday also marks the first day for a new police agency under the state’s insurance regulator to enforce state cannabis laws.
Health care
Lawmakers will begin seeding the Medicaid trust fund with $300 million on Tuesday to generate enough in interest to pay more for low-income residents’ health care services. Lawmakers remain concerned that proposed federal cuts could further impact the state, which has the highest U.S. per-capita reliance on the program.
From years past:
Several laws passed in 2023 also fully take effect Tuesday.
One allows the state to automatically register eligible voters during driver’s license purchases at the Motor Vehicle Division. Any change of address will be automatically updated with the Secretary of State’s Office. Another law reduces fees for administrative costs withheld from local governments by the New Mexico Department of Taxation and Revenue, which will be eliminated by fiscal year 2029. A third law in effect updates the license and certification requirements for elevator construction and repair.
Education
Lawmakers increased minimum teacher salaries by an additional $5,000 dollars across the state, and ensured the inclusion of vocational teachers of subjects such as auto-shop, culinary and other trade skills. Lawmakers also raised minimum annual salaries for staff such as cafeteria workers and custodians, to $30,000 and enacted a 4% raise for all staff.
The state also raised oil and gas royalty rates for the first time in 50 years, which is expected to produce between $50 and $75 million to New Mexico’s public schools, universities and specialty schools.
Environment
While many of New Mexico’s big changes to water policy and pollution already went into effect, several changes to energy policy start July 1.
For instance, the state will allow larger electric utilities to incorporate advanced grid technology projects into their plans to modernize electric grids, and incorporate those plans into the ratemaking process before the Public Regulation Commission.
Child welfare
Child welfare presented a throughline of tension between the executive, and legislative branches this session. Members of the New Mexico Department of Justice will begin standing up the Office of the Child Advocate, tasked with independent oversight of the state’s child welfare agency.
The state also approved a minimum of $500 million in additional funding for the Early Childhood Education and Care Department.
And just a few more:Also going into effect Tuesday:
- A $7 million state grant fund for animal shelter projects for communities.
- A law allowing cyclists to pass through a red light at an intersection after stopping — without waiting for a green light — or to proceed through an intersection past a stop sign with no cross-street traffic.
Not everything happens July 1Laws without specified start dates take effect 90 days from the end of the Legislative session or June 20 this year.
Some laws passed in the 2025 Legislative session contain staggered start dates, including the medical psilocybin program, slated to start in 2027; along with requirements to put defibrillators into every school and reforms to the state’s wildlife agency, which both take effect in 2026.
Other bills with emergency clauses went into effect immediately after signing, including a provision to allow New Mexico graduates to wear tribal regalia and bills allowing local governments more ways to access money to aid in disaster recovery and emergency response.
Here's who PED picked to help guide its remedial plan to comply with Yazzie-Martinez ruling - by Noah Alcala Bach, Albuquerque Journal
The state’s Public Education Department has selected two outside entities to assist it in complying with the landmark Yazzie-Martinez ruling from 2018, which found that the state was violating the constitutional rights of New Mexico students by not providing adequate education.
PED selected the New Mexico-based Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation and the Phoenix-based nonprofit WestEd to help it develop a remedial plan to fix the state’s public education system. The decision comes just hours ahead of the July 1 deadline to select a consultant as ordered by 1st Judicial District Judge Matthew Wilson in late April when he ruled the department had not done enough since 2018 to comply with the Yazzie-Martinez ruling.
“The LANL Foundation will focus on organizing and supporting stakeholder engagement to inform the development and completion of the remedial action plan, while WestEd will focus on the development of the plan itself,” a news release from PED states.
Choosing an outside consultant marks the completion of the first step in the remedial plan ordered by Wilson. PED’s next step will be to produce a draft of the remedial plan by Oct. 1, and then to file a comprehensive final plan and a status report by Nov. 3.
The suit originated in 2014 when Wilhelmina Yazzie, the parent of a student at Gallup-McKinley County Schools, and Louise Martinez, the parent of an Albuquerque Public Schools student, joined other parents to file a lawsuit against the state, tasking it to improve its education system, particularly for Indigenous and minority students. In 2018, the late Judge Sarah Singleton ruled in favor of the plaintiffs.
“This is a critical opportunity to honor the intent of the Martinez/Yazzie decision and move boldly toward a public education system where every student is supported to thrive,” Stephanie Montoya Lobaugh, a spokesperson for the LANL Foundation, said in a statement. “Our team brings deep experience in community engagement, with a strong track record of fostering authentic, inclusive partnerships with students, families, tribal communities, educators, and local organizations. We believe that lasting change happens when those most affected by educational inequities are meaningfully involved in shaping the solutions.”
Navajo Nation fire grows to over 6,500 acres; cause still under investigation - Gregory R.C. Hasman, Albuquerque Journal
A northeast Arizona fire has burned more than 6,500 acres, forcing 350 people to evacuate.
The Oak Ridge Fire — about 8 miles southwest of Window Rock on Navajo Nation land — is 0% contained. About 350 people are battling the fire that has burned 6,545 acres as of 6:20 p.m. Monday, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said in a social media post.
No injuries have been reported and the cause remains under investigation.
Wind gusts could reach 25-30 mph Monday night into Tuesday that will cause problems for the firefighters, said Rocky Gilbert, incident management team operations section chief, during a community meeting Monday evening.
Twenty-three evacuees are staying at the Bee Hółdzil Fighting Scouts Events Center in Fort Defiance. Another shelter was set up at the Window Rock Fighting Scouts Event Center on Navajo Route 12. People can also take their animals to the Dean C. Jackson Memorial Arena in St. Michaels.
Volunteers are needed to monitor overnight stays for the evacuees and can stop by the event center to volunteer, according to the office of the Navajo Nation president's website.
Navajo Nation Council Speaker advised people to stay away from the fire area and not to try to take photographs.
Due to the fire, Nygren signed an executive order Sunday enacting fire 2 restrictions prohibiting all open flames.
New Mexico joins state consensus that FEMA assistance is essential - By Roz Brown, New Mexico News Connection
The Trump administration has floated the idea of downsizing or even eliminating the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but a new poll shows the majority of Americans think the government has a role to play when disaster strikes.
The nation's leading disaster relief agency poured millions into New Mexico after a massive wildfire in 2022, and Brian Kennedy, senior researcher at the Pew Research Center, said in its latest poll, 64% of Americans said they believe the federal government should provide money to help local communities recover from a disaster.
"Large shares of Democrats and Republicans say that it's a good idea to set stricter building standards in these communities," he said. "And similarly, majorities say it's a good idea for the government to provide financial assistance for people in high-risk areas to rebuild."
President Donald Trump has suggested FEMA could be "phased out" after this year's hurricane season, forcing states to cover their own disaster relief costs.
New Mexico's massive Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire was triggered by two separate prescribed burns conducted by the U.S. Forest Service. As of 2024, FEMA had paid claimants nearly $2 billion for the negative outcome.
Survey respondents were split on other approaches. Half of Democrats agreed the government should help cover the rising cost of homeowners insurance in those places, while fewer than a third of Republicans agreed. Regardless of party affiliation, Kennedy said, 74% of Americans said they've experienced at least one of five types of extreme weather in the past year.
"When we look at this data and what we've seen over the past several years is the broad pattern," he said, "in that you see large shares of Americans say, 'Hey, climate change has contributed at least a little.'"
Among respondents to The Pew Research Center poll who have experienced a major wildfire, 58% connected the event to climate change, but Democrats were more likely to make the link than Republicans.
NM set to crack down on cannabis industry scofflaws, three years after legalization - Dan Boyd, Albuquerque Journal
Three years after New Mexico threw open its doors to adult-use cannabis sales, the state is set to get serious about enforcement.
With a bill approved by lawmakers during this year’s 60-day session set to take effect Tuesday, the director of the state agency tasked with cracking down on illicit actions in the cannabis industry said the expanded authority will be quickly put to use.
Specifically, state Regulation and Licensing Department Superintendent Clay Bailey told lawmakers Monday his agency is set to hire 10 compliance officers once the new law takes effect.
Those officers will be spread out around New Mexico and will have full law enforcement powers, including the ability to seize and destroy unlawful cannabis products. Funding to hire the officers comes from a $1.6 million earmark in this year’s budget bill, which also takes effect this week.
“I’m going to do the best I can with what we’ve got,” Bailey said during a meeting of the legislative Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee in Taos Ski Valley.
He also said vehicles for the new law enforcement bureau have already been picked out, and said he’s hopeful officers with experience enforcing drug laws will be hired for the new positions.
New Mexico lawmakers approved legislation legalizing adult-use cannabis sales in 2021, and the state became the 17th state to launch such a law in April 2022.
But uncertainty over which law enforcement agency should take the lead in enforcing the cannabis industry’s laws and regulations has led to what critics describe as a free-for-all of sorts.
It also prompted this year’s legislation, which passed overwhelmingly with bipartisan support in both the Senate and House of Representatives.
While the state Cannabis Control Division has revoked 18 operating licenses to date and issued nearly $4.4 million in fines, state officials acknowledged enforcement efforts have been largely limited to administrative actions to date.
Among the issues expected to be tackled by the new law enforcement bureau are dispensaries having more cannabis than allowed, no testing records on file, mislabeled products and a lack of surveillance video, Bailey told lawmakers.
He also said some violators are “so egregious you can’t bring them into line” without criminal charges.
Sen. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, who opposed the push to legalize recreational cannabis, said some New Mexico communities have become overrun with legal marijuana dispensaries.
“We’ve become the Mecca for mota,” he said during Monday’s hearing, using a slang Spanish term for cannabis.
Specifically, Cervantes said there are roughly 36 cannabis dispensaries in Sunland Park, a Dona Aña County community nestled between Texas and New Mexico’s border with Mexico.
“I think we have to be able to step back and say, ‘Maybe we didn’t get this right,’” he added, saying such a concentration of dispensaries was not healthy for communities.
Since New Mexico began adult-use cannabis sales in April 2022, licensed cannabis retailers statewide have sold about $1.7 billion worth of cannabis products, according to RLD data. About $1.2 billion of that amount stems from recreational cannabis sales, with the rest purchased by medical marijuana patients.
However, the state’s monthly sales have largely leveled off over the last year after increasing over the new industry’s first two years.
Some legislators said Monday the revenue infusion has come at a societal cost for state residents, citing elevated use of cannabis among New Mexico minors and the ease of buying disposable vapes and other products.
“I think we’re somewhat neglecting our youth with this issue,” said Rep. Andrea Reeb, R-Clovis, a former prosecutor.
States brace for impact as Trump's big bill nears completion in Congress - By David A. Lieb, Associated Press
President Donald Trump's big bill to cut taxes and reduce federal spending on some social safety net programs could have large implications for states, but for many it's too late to do much about it this year.
Tuesday marks the start of a new budget year in 46 states. Though some legislatures are still working, most already have adjourned and finalized their spending plans without knowing whether federal funding will be cut and, if so, by how much.
"The ebb and flow of rumors and reality have created great uncertainty and some anxiety in state governments," said David Adkins, executive director of The Council of State Governments.
Several states have taken preemptive steps, setting aside money in reserves or tasking committees to monitor the impact of federal funding reductions. Others are tentatively planning to return in special sessions this year to account for potential funding cuts to joint federal-state programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Others will have to wait until their legislatures are back in session next year.
What's at stake for states?
"If there are significant cuts, states wouldn't be able to fully absorb those," said Brian Sigritz, director of state fiscal studies at the National Association of State Budget Officers.
Nationally, the Medicaid health care program for lower-income residents accounts for 30% of total state expenditures, according to the health policy research organization KFF. That makes it the costliest program in many states, ahead of even K-12 education. The bulk of Medicaid money comes from the federal government, meaning any changes in federal policy can create big ripples for states.
Legislation pending in Congress would affect Medicaid in several ways. New work requirements are expected to reduce enrollment by millions of people, while other proposed changes also could reduce federal payments to states.
Until now the federal government also has covered the full cost of SNAP benefits and half the administrative costs. Trump's bill would shift more of those costs to states, leaving them to either divert money from other purposes or trim back their food assistance programs.
The Medicaid and SNAP changes are just the latest in a series of Trump policies affecting state finances, including the rollback of grants for transportation and high-speed internet projects and attempts to withhold federal funds from sanctuary jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Some legislatures are stocking up on savings
A surge in federal aid and state tax revenue during the coronavirus pandemic led to booming budgets and historic cash surpluses in many states. As revenues slow and those surpluses get spent, some states now are trying to guard against federal funding reductions.
New Mexico enacted a law this year creating a Medicaid trust fund gradually stocked with up to $2 billion that can be tapped to prop up the program if federal funding cuts would otherwise cause a reduction in coverage or benefits.
Hawaii lawmakers, in crafting the state's budget, left an extra $200 million in the general fund as a contingency against federal funding uncertainty. They plan to return for a special session.
And Vermont's budget sets aside up to $110 million in case federal funding is cut. That includes $50 million that can be spent while the Legislature is not in session and up to $60 million that could be appropriated in the future to address federal funding shortfalls.
Though not necessarily tied to federal cuts, Florida lawmakers approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would set aside $750 million a year — or an amount equal to up to 25% of the state's general revenue, whichever is less — in a reserve fund that lawmakers could use for emergencies. That measure still must go before voters.
Some governors are cutting back on spending
Because of legislative deadlines, some state lawmakers had to craft budgets well before the details of Trump's bill took shape.
Virginia lawmakers passed a budget in February for their fiscal year that starts Tuesday. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced several dozen line-item vetoes in May with the goal of creating a roughly $900 million financial cushion.
"There are some short-term risks as President Trump resets both fiscal spending in Washington and trade policies that require us to be prudent and not spend all of the projected surplus before we bank it," Youngkin said in a statement.
Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe on Monday vetoed or froze about $500 million of general fund budget items, citing a need "to rein in unsustainable spending" and guard against a projected future shortfall.
Other states also have left money unspent, even though it has not always been touted as a buffer against federal cuts.
States are "enacting really cautious budgets, knowing that they may have to kind of revise them in special sessions or address changes in next year's sessions," said Erica MacKellar, a fiscal affairs program principal at the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Some are taking a wait-and-see approach
Before adjourning their sessions, some state legislatures established procedures to monitor federal funding cuts and recommend budgetary changes.
Montana's budget includes $50,000 for an analysis of the financial implications of federal actions, but that spending kicks in only upon the cancellation of at least $50 million of previously approved federal funding or the anticipated loss of at least $100 million of future revenue.
If federal funding to Maryland decreases by at least $1 billion, a provision approved by lawmakers requires the state budget office to submit a report to the General Assembly with proposed actions and potential spending reductions.
The spending plan passed by Connecticut lawmakers also requires the state budget office to respond quickly to federal reductions by identifying state funds that could be used to preserve programs, particularly those providing health care, food assistance, education and other priorities.
North Dakota lawmakers left room for more work. They adjourned their biennial session six days shy of their 80-day limit, allowing time to reconvene if needed.
Heinrich hails victory as public lands sales stripped from GOP bill-Kevin Hendricks, nm.news
A controversial proposal to sell off large portions of America’s public lands has been defeated following widespread public outcry, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced Friday.
The public land sale provisions were included in the Republican-backed “Big, Beautiful Bill,” but were removed after thousands of Americans voiced strong opposition. Heinrich, the Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, credited the change to overwhelming grassroots pressure.
“Today is a major victory for our public lands,” Heinrich said in a statement. “Thank YOU for your incredible outpouring in defense of our American birthright. Because of you, the lands that we cherish will remain OURS.”
Heinrich has been a vocal defender of public lands, calling them essential to the nation’s heritage, outdoor economy and environmental health. The original provisions in the Republican proposal sparked backlash from conservationists, outdoor recreation groups, Indigenous communities and everyday Americans who feared losing access to lands that have long been publicly owned.
The senator also issued a warning to those who may try similar tactics in the future.
“To those already plotting to go after our public lands another way: Don’t. Unless you like losing,” Heinrich said.
The defeat of the public lands provision marks a key moment in the ongoing national debate over the future of federally owned lands, which make up nearly 640 million acres across the United States. Heinrich vowed to remain vigilant in protecting those lands for future generations.
Downtown Albuquerque’s vacancy crackdown begins July 1- Jesse Jones, nm.news
Starting July 1, Albuquerque property owners must register and maintain vacant buildings downtown under a new ordinance designed to reduce blight and boost economic activity.
Passed by City Council in January, the Downtown Vacant Premises Ordinance targets unused properties within a defined downtown core area, where vacancy rates remain high and over 30% of land serves as surface parking. By enforcing registration and upkeep, the city aims to reactivate empty spaces, attract new businesses, and revitalize the neighborhood for residents and visitors.
“The Vacant Premises Ordinance will help activate the empty buildings downtown and allow new businesses to thrive,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “By working together, we can make the most of our downtown core and revitalize the area for residents to live, work, and enjoy.”
According to the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Comprehensive Plan, the Downtown Core is where the city expects the most activity, with shops, offices and residents close to each other. But vacancy remains high — about 12.8% for retail, 23% for office space and over 30% of the land is just surface parking. Which means more than half the area isn’t reaching its potential.
The law
To understand how Albuquerque’s new downtown vacancy rule could reshape the city’s core, it helps to know what it requires, where it applies and how enforcement will work. Here’s a rundown of the key rules, boundaries, fees and exceptions.
“For decades we’ve seen many of our historic buildings sit vacant and empty, today we are seeing movement and the beginning of a renaissance downtown,” said City Councilor Joaquín Baca.
The ordinance defines the “Downtown Core” as the area between 1st and 8th streets, from Copper Avenue on the north to Gold Avenue on the south. It also includes any property that fronts Gold Avenue.
Each year by June 30, property owners must register with the city if their building was vacant for at least nine months during the previous fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30. Owners planning to vacate must register and get a license at least 15 days in advance. They also have to explain how they’ll keep the building secure, weather-tight, safe for emergency crews, free of nuisances and in good condition.
Owners must also get a vacant building maintenance license and renew it annually if the property stays empty. To track compliance, the city will survey all properties in the Downtown Core each year to check for vacancy.
A property is considered vacant if no one lives or runs a licensed business there full time. A building also counts as vacant if more than 30% of its ground floor is empty. Empty lots qualify as well.
Some properties may be exempt, but the city must approve them. Exemptions may include buildings with active construction permits, properties listed for sale or lease and foreclosed properties still within the redemption period.
Code Enforcement started notifying property owners on May 1. A survey completed May 15 found 20 vacant properties out of 137. The city will repeat this survey each year, with owners receiving at least 30 days’ notice. Each August, the mayor or a designee will report to the City Council on vacant buildings, their condition, vacancy rates, cleanup progress and any approved exemptions.
The vacancy registration fee depends on how long a building has been empty and its ground-floor size. The fee equals the (years vacant) multiplied by (square-foot base cost). Base costs range from $1,000 for buildings under 1,000 square feet to $5,000 for those over 15,000 square feet:
- Under 1,000 sqft: $1,000
- 1,001 to 5,000 sqft: $2,000
- 5,001 to 10,000 sqft: $3,000
- 10,001 to 15,000 sqft: $4,000
- Over 15,000 sqft: $5,000
Owners also pay a $200 annual license fee plus a $14 tech fee. All fees and fines go directly toward enforcing the vacancy rule.
Years in the making: City opens Route 66 trailhead- Andrea Vasquez, nm.news
City leaders, community members and land grant representatives gathered to celebrate the official opening of the Route 66 Open Space Trailhead — a long-awaited project that links Albuquerque’s cultural history with greater public access to nature and the East Mountains.
“This one is a long time in the making, going back to 2010, but is now finally officially opening,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “We’ve been talking about this ever since I started, ever since I was a state legislator.”
The new trailhead provides access to more than five miles of trails and includes equestrian parking, shaded picnic areas and interpretive signage.
It also functions as the western gateway to the Tijeras Creek Cultural Corridor, a regional initiative connecting historic sites between Albuquerque and the Village of Tijeras.
Keller spoke about the personal and historical significance of the site, recalling it as the former location of Beavertown, a short-lived roadside amusement park.
“Let’s just be honest — Beavertown is legendary for anyone born from 1968 to 1985. But we want this space to be for all generations,” he said.
The intention was to transform this site into a nature and reflection destination for New Mexicans.
The trailhead’s launch was intentionally timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Route 66, which will be celebrated in just a few weeks.
“The timing is so important and so powerful,” Keller said. “This is going to be here for the Route 66 anniversary and be open to everyone who comes.”
Among the many speakers was Colleen McRoberts, superintendent of Albuquerque’s Open Space Division, who highlighted the extensive teamwork behind the project.
“It took a lot of work and wonderful collaborations to get here,” she said. “It truly took a community to make all this happen, and it is here to serve our community.”
She also noted that the cultural corridor initiative required cooperation beyond city limits.
“We couldn’t just do that with only the areas the city manages. It needed to be a multi-jurisdictional initiative,” she said, citing partnerships with Bernalillo County, the Cañón de Carnué Land Grant and the Village of Tijeras.
City Councilor Renee Grout, representing the area and providing over $200,000 in funding, commended the accessibility of the new trail network.
“This network of trails is great for anyone of any hiking ability. It doesn’t matter what your abilities are — everybody can enjoy it,” she said. “Once you get to the trailhead, you’re in a different place.”
Grout also encouraged the community to take an active role in caring for the space, especially now during fire season.
“Having people out there enjoying open space actually puts extra eyes on the area,” she said. “We’ve got to take care of it. It’s up to all of us to do that.”
She advised the community to call 311 in case of fire or smoke, and to call 242-COPS if something inappropriate is happening or if “somebody’s not doing something they should.”
Dave Simon, director of Parks and Recreation, noted the seven-figure site’s evolution into an important destination for both recreation and cultural engagement.
“From this sort of short-lived roadside attraction, to this vibrant open space destination, this site’s really undergone a thoughtful transition and transformation that could not have happened with all of these good people sharing a common vision and putting a lot of energy,” he said.
“It reflects years of vision and collaboration and respect for the land, but you know, it does mean trails also with a capital T,” he added.
The city now owns 617 contiguous acres of open space accessible from the trailhead, and over 800 acres in the broader Tijeras Arroyo BioZone.
Plans are underway to expand the trail network to 8 to 10 miles in the area.
“Right now, this Route 66 Trailhead represents a portal — a doorway to a phenomenal trail system,” Simon said. “It’s often said about the Mother Road, ‘you get your kicks on Route 66.’ Well, starting today, you can get your hikes on Route 66.”
The event concluded with a ribbon cutting and guided tour of the area, now open to the public and maintained by the City of Albuquerque’s Open Space Division.
For more information about the Route 66 Open Space, the Tijeras Creek Cultural Corridor and a full calendar of events for summer 2025, visit cabq.gov/openspace.