logo
Albuquerque Mayor, City Council disagree on use of opioid settlement funds

Albuquerque Mayor, City Council disagree on use of opioid settlement funds

Yahoo08-04-2025

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque will get millions of dollars in opioid settlements funds over the next decade, but the latest decision over what to do with some of that funding has sparked disagreement between the mayor and city council. The Keller Administration is pushing for city council to change its proposal. The mayor wants more spent on existing programs, while some councilors want to see other non-profits get access to money.
Story continues below
Crime: APD arrests mother for shooting death of 2-year-old son
Community: Westside Albuquerque rallies around Cup of Cozy after robbery
National: Trump threatens additional 50 percent tariff on China
'The administration needs to know how they're going to fund these operations, not just one year at a time, so we need a plan, we haven't seen a plan,' said Renée Grout, Albuquerque City Councilor.
That's what she said is driving city councilors plan on where to spend millions in opioid settlement funds. 'I think it's really balanced plan that does meet what the community told us what they wanted, which was those non-profits to be taken care of,' said Tamy Fiebelkorn, Albuquerque City Councilor.
Meanwhile, Mayor Tim Keller's Administration is urging councilors to change their plan for roughly $14 million, saying the bulk of that money should go into existing programs like Serenity Mesa. 'I would hope that this money that Serenity Mesa would have an opportunity to apply for some of this funding, there's a lot of providers, really good providers in Albuquerque,' said Jennifer Burke, Serenity Mesa.
Councilors' current plan calls for $1.8 million for Albuquerque Public Schools' substance abuse prevention for school kids, while another $2 million would go toward smaller and medium-sized service providers. But the bulk of the money, $10 million, would go toward infrastructure grants for non-profits to expand. 'Nowhere in this resolution or the attachment does it say about building a new building, because no one I spoke to at any point in the last year and a half has said they wanted a new building,' said Councilor Fiebelkorn.
Facing uncertainty in the federal grant process, city administrators said now is the time to fund existing programs. 'If we wanted to bring on a new provider or expand our use of someone like Serenity Mesa, we currently can't do that because there is 10 million dollars locked away for three years for capital investment, capital projects, and buildings,' said JR Rael, Executive Operations Officer, City of Albuquerque.
City councilors are expected to vote on that resolution Monday night. If it passes, the mayor will ultimately have to decide if he'll sign or veto the plan. Albuquerque has already spent more than $18 million in opioid funds of the roughly $80 million they're expected to get over the next decade, including about $5 million on a pallet home community near Comanche Rd. and I-25.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump's DOGE efficiency agency says it slashes $25B in federal spending as rehiring begins
Trump's DOGE efficiency agency says it slashes $25B in federal spending as rehiring begins

Yahoo

time29 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Trump's DOGE efficiency agency says it slashes $25B in federal spending as rehiring begins

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced on Wednesday it has decreased its annual non-defense federal obligations by an additional ~1.9% since last month. As of June 8th, annual non-defense federal obligations are down 22.4%, or ~$25B, as compared to 2024, DOGE announced on X. The cut marks an additional ~1.9% reduction from last month's figures, which were announced on May 8. Doge's Greatest Hits: Look Back At The Department's Most High-profile Cuts During Trump's First 100 Days "Cash outlays will follow as obligations come due," DOGE wrote in the post. "Our initiative to reduce wasteful spend, consistent with the DOGE Cost Efficiency Executive Order, continues to bear fruit." On May 14, DOGE announced the current year's non-defense federal obligations were down 20.5% as compared to 2024. Read On The Fox News App The announcement came minutes before Fox News Digital was first to report the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is rehiring more than 450 previously fired employees belonging to multiple divisions within the agency's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The rehired CDC employees came from the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention; the National Center for Environmental Health; the Immediate Office of the Director, and the Global Health Center, according to an HHS official familiar with the matter. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told CBS News in April some personnel who were cut shouldn't have been. Doge Ends 108 'Wasteful' Contracts, Including For An 'Executive Transformational Leadership Training Program' "We're reinstating them, and that was always the plan," Kennedy said. "Part of the—at DOGE, we talked about this from the beginning, is we're going to do 80% cuts, but 20% of those are going to have to be reinstated, because we'll make mistakes." In addition to the HHS rehires, the Internal Revenue Service, Food and Drug Administration, State Department, and Department of Housing and Urban Development started rehiring employees let go during DOGE cuts, the Washington Post reported. Doge Takes A Chainsaw To Federal Spending With 7 Major Victories This Week: 'Got To Be Done' Another roadblock this week was a ruling from U.S. District Judge Denise Cote of the Southern District of New York, who ruled to restrict the agency's access to federal databases. The Trump administration previously said DOGE could not work effectively with the limitations, noting DOGE needed to access Social Security information to root out fraud. Fox News Digital's Alec Schemmel and Danielle Wallace contributed to this article source: Trump's DOGE efficiency agency says it slashes $25B in federal spending as rehiring begins

JCPD releases statement regarding ‘No Kings Day' protests
JCPD releases statement regarding ‘No Kings Day' protests

Yahoo

time29 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

JCPD releases statement regarding ‘No Kings Day' protests

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Johnson City Police Department issued a statement regarding protests planned around the region Saturday. The nationwide 'No Kings' protests will take place across the Tri-Cities, including in Johnson City, Kingsport and Abingdon. The event is part of 'No Kings Day,' a protest against the Trump administration on the same day as a military parade in Washington, D.C. The statement from the Johnson City Police Department is as follows: Crowder, Shenandoah, Zach Top and more performing at Appalachian Fair The Johnson City Police Department respects and upholds the right of individuals to engage in peaceful assemblies. We are aware of local gatherings related to national events planned for this weekend and remind the public that temporary structures and amplified sound require proper permitting, sidewalks must remain accessible for pedestrians, and traffic flow cannot be obstructed. Additionally, participants must comply with all traffic signals when crossing intersections. As always, the mission of the Johnson City Police Department is to protect the safety, rights, and freedoms of all individuals in our community. That commitment guides our approach each and every day. Johnson City Police Department The Johnson City 'No Kings' protest will be held in Founders Park at 9:30 a.m. To view a list of planned demonstrations, many of which will also host food drives, visit TennVa UNITED. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures slip as investors assess easing trade tensions
Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures slip as investors assess easing trade tensions

Yahoo

time30 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures slip as investors assess easing trade tensions

US stock futures slipped as Wall Street assessed easing tensions between the US and key trading partners as well as softening inflation. Futures attached to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) dipped 0.1%. Futures attached to the benchmark S&P 500 (ES=F) and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) fell 0.2%. On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Congress it is "highly likely" that countries engaging in trade negotiations with the US would see an extension of a tariff pause that is already in place on President Trump's most sweeping duties. Bessent's comment came after he returned from London on Tuesday, where representatives from US and China announced the countries had agreed to a proposal that would address critical trade disputes. Read more: The latest on Trump's tariffs Stocks wobbled during the day Wednesday amid the evolving trade news as well as the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, which showed easing inflation pressures. The data puts the Federal Reserve in a tight spot ahead of its policy meeting next week, though analysts expect officials to maintain their wait-and-see approach to interest rate cuts as tariff uncertainty lingers. On Thursday, investors will receive fresh data on wholesale inflation with the release of the Producer Price Index (PPI) report. As earnings season wraps up, Adobe (ADBE) will also share its results. Sign in to access your portfolio

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store