The Santa Fe Finance Committee kicked off its yearly budget meetings on Tuesday.
The $403.4 million dollar spending plan includes investments in Santa Fe’s infrastructure, maintaining parks and open spaces and working to increase affordable and workforce housing.
The budget proposes giving city employees who make less than $100-thousand a year a three-percent raise, with a one-percent raise for those over $100-thousand.
It includes $1.5 million to open the new teen center, $100-thousand for the CHART Commission and another $1.5 million for homeless services.
Finance Chair Councilor Carol Romero-Wirth says she anticipates they’ll be taking a long look at what is being proposed by Mayor Alan Webber and the Department Directors.
“I’m looking forward to the next few weeks where we can talk to the department heads and directors about how the year’s gone and how they envision the future and just really looking forward to diving in and seeing what’s in the budget and how people are feeling about where we are and where we’re going,” she said.
The Finance Committee will be holding budget hearings, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday through the rest of April.
The full Governing Body is expected to vote on the budget at its May 10th meeting.