Gas prices continue to soar and individual drivers are not the only ones who feel the squeeze. Increased gas prices also adversely affect the City’s operating budgets.

“This is a lean budget year, not only because of decreased gross receipts taxes, but also due to the escalation of gas prices. The City must cut back on vehicle miles traveled,” said Councilor Cadigan.

The cost of fuel and lubricants for the City vehicle fleet increased by over $1.1 million from the FY07 actual expenditures to the FY09 budgeted expenditures.

“It is time the City of Albuquerque developed concrete plans for reducing its fuel usage,” added Councilor Cadigan.

Senators Bingaman and Domenici recently introduced Senate bill 1115, The Energy Efficiency Promotion Act, which calls for federal leadership in energy efficiency by requiring a reduction in petroleum consumption by federal and state fleet vehicles by 30 percent by 2016.

Councilor Cadigan’s bill would require each City department director to develop a gasoline reduction plan. The plan would focus on reducing gasoline usage by not less than 10%. In his bill, Councilor Cadigan calls for the plans to include methods for reducing vehicle miles traveled in take home vehicles, speed reduction goals, departmental policies regarding vehicle idling, route examination, trip combining, use of fuel efficient vehicles rather than 4-wheel drive vehicles, and removing excessive weight from vehicles. Maintenance would also be part of fuel the reduction plans, including air filter checks, tires inflated to proper pressure and engine tune ups. The plans would include motivating initiatives for incentivizing City employees to reduce gasoline use while performing their jobs.

If the bill passes each City department director would have to present its department’s gasoline reduction plan to the City Council at the August 4th Council meeting.