At its Wednesday meeting, the Santa Fe City Council presented its proposed budget for fiscal year 2027. The city proposes increases in both the Community Development Fund and the police department budgets by about 15 and 13 percent respectively. That would bring the police department budget to $47.8 million.
But much of the meeting was dedicated to discussion of a bill approving the ground lease and development agreement of a city owned building, the Midtown Visual Arts Center with Midtown Arts and Design Alliance.Dozens of community members and local leaders spoke in favor of the bill, highlighting the project's economic and cultural benefits. Takara Thomas is the executive director of the Santa Fe Arts Institute.
"It's a proven model to allow entities, organizations and community groups, to be able to be sustainable, to stay in their communities, to leverage their resources, not just to survive, but to be able to thrive," Takara Thomas, executive director of the Santa Fe Arts Institute, said.
MADA's goal with the space MADA, the goal is to create affordable studios, classrooms, maker spaces, galleries, performance venues, and workforce-training programs for artists and creative nonprofits. City Council will vote on the bill on June 13.
