Bernalillo County approves $1.08 billion budget with worker pay increase

Bernalillo County commissioners approved a $1.08 billion budget that includes a pay increase for county workers, keeping compensation at the center of the county’s spending plan. For residents, the question is not just how much the county spends, but whether that money helps keep day-to-day services staffed, from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office to the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Library System.

The new budget builds on a county budget cycle that has already been operating at billion-dollar scale. Bernalillo County’s fiscal year 2026 operating budget, approved in May 2025, totaled $1.03 billion, including a $451.4 million general fund. The county said that budget began July 1 and was intended to support its strategic goals and priorities.

Pay has been a recurring issue in county budgeting. In 2024, commissioners approved a pay raise for Bernalillo County deputies that put starting salaries above the Albuquerque Police Department and New Mexico State Police. That move signaled how tightly the county watches regional competition for public safety workers, especially when surrounding agencies are recruiting from the same labor pool.

County leaders have also used budget decisions to address other service pressures. In one 2025 budget-related action, commissioners added $250,000 for libraries and initial funding to address a firefighter pay gap. Those choices show that wage decisions are not isolated line items but part of a broader effort to keep public-facing departments functioning with enough experienced staff.

The county has taken similar steps before. In 2020, the Bernalillo County Commission approved a minimum wage increase from $9.20 to $9.35 an hour. In 2022, commissioners approved $5 million in American Rescue Plan Act money for one-time compensation tied to retention and recognition of essential workers in qualifying county businesses.

Taken together, the budget moves show a county trying to manage rising personnel costs while keeping core services stable. The latest pay increase adds to that pattern, with the county’s annual spending decisions continuing to shape how well Bernalillo County can hold onto the workers who keep government moving.