Albuquerque's Environmental Story
Albuquerque's Environmental Story
Albuquerque
continues to grow. In 1995 Albuquerque contained over 163 square miles. The
city population increased by over 50,000 people in 10 years, from almost 333,000
in 1980 to almost 385,000 in 1990. Interim census estimates continue to rise
by about 5,000 annually within city limits and by about 10,000 within the metropolitan
area, which includes all of Bernalillo County, Rio Rancho, Los Lunas and Belen.
Unlike the increases of the 1960s and 1970s, population increases are now primarily
from births rather than in-migration.
Albuquerque's population is diverse and younger than that in most other cities. Over one-third of the population is of Hispanic origin.
Kirtland Air Force Base is still an important component of the local economy in that base personnel require Albuquerque's housing and retail services, but the economy is certainly diversifying.
Albuquerque is a regional center for New Mexico and parts of Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. It offers a wide array of specialized health, legal, and government services, retail shopping, and education. Assisted living and other services for the elderly and disabled are developing in Albuquerque as the post-World War II baby boom generation ages.
Over 30% of Albuquerque's work force is employed in service industries, which include both low-paying jobs in restaurants and hotels and high-paying, technical jobs in Sandia National Laboratories, large and small contract businesses, and health, legal, and business services.
The fastest growing employment centers in New Mexico are the south campus and I-25 industrial areas where several corporate headquarters, and technical, research and manufacturing businesses are located. These high-tech businesses contract their services to Sandia Labs and other clients. Low-paying service jobs have kept Albuquerque's unemployment levels to about 4%. However, the difference between housing costs and wages from these jobs is a significant local problem.
Wholesale and retail businesses employ almost 25% of the work force. Government, which includes the Albuquerque Public Schools, the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque Technical-Vocational Institute, Kirtland Air Force Base, and city, county, state, and federal government offices, employs almost 20% of the work force. The rest are employed in construction, transportation, public utilities, manufacturing, finance, insurance, and real estate.
Since Albuquerque relies on gross receipts taxes as a primary revenue source, construction activity in the 1990s has provided the city with financial resources for rehabilitation projects, new projects, and municipal services. Construction, however, is susceptible to boom and bust cycles.
During the first half of the 1990s Albuquerque's personal income and wages grew faster than the nation's, but it is still below the national average.
Our rapid growth coupled with some limited resources (water and finances) forces us to find a balance, to look for new technologies, and to engage in strategic planning. Some of the city's growth management strategies include water conservation, increasing financial resources through impact fees and other financial sources, and conserving land and natural resources through cluster development and open space preservation.
(Up to Section III, Back to Anglo Influence, On to The Human Environment - Bibliography)