albuquerque hopes to see wide array of bond-funded public facility upgrades and improvements

Nearly $8.6 million in public safety bonds are being proposed for Albuquerque police and fire department facility upgrades in this November’s election.

Those public safety bonds are a part of list of ten categories comprising more than $100 million in bonds for various public facility and project needs in the city.

The public safety bonds will provide funding for everything from the acquisition of land for new construction projects, to the renovation and rehabilitation of existing structures for both the Albuquerque Police Department, as well as the Albuquerque Fire Rescue department.

Bond Question Number two is asking for a big $21.7 million to pay for the design, development, and building - among other items - of city-owned community centers for families, the homeless, senior citizens, and youth.

Just over $10.4 million in bonds is proposed for energy and water efficiency construction and upgrading projects; with another nearly $8.8 million going to pay for facility construction and improvement projects within the vast Albuquerque Bernalillo County Library system.

The largest bond, at just under $33 million, will pay for any number of street, road, bridge, sidewalk, and pathway construction and upgrade projects across the city.

Funding for the building and upgrading of transportation facilities will come from the more than $3.1 million in public transportation bonds; while $11.2 million in general obligation bonds will pay for the construction and upkeep of the city’s storm sewer system.

The smallest bond amount, at just under $1.8 million, will target museum and cultural facility construction and upgrading projects, with a $5 million affordable housing bond question proposed to fund the construction and rehabilitation of permanent affordable housing for the city’s low to moderate working families.

By Garry Boulard

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