Budget Woes Anger Council.(Metro & New Mexico)

Byline: Olivier Uyttebrouck Journal Staff Writer

* Mayor's trims, overruns at the jail and police department spur claims of fiscal mismanagement

Accusations of financial mismanagement flew Monday as Albuquerque officials struggled to find ways to cover higher-than-expected jail and police costs.

Councilors took aim at Mayor Jim Baca's plan to cut $2.4 million earmarked for new vehicles and $1 million from a fund intended to pay for the construction of police mini-substations.

Albuquerque "lacks the basic financial controls and financial planning needed to implement a budget," Councilor Alan Armijo said. He said Baca's cost-cutting proposals picked on programs "adopted by the council as budget priorities. …