ABQ council works to cut back zoo admission

The ticket price hike at the zoo isn't sitting well with some, and a group of Albuquerque City Council members have a plan to roll back the admission fees put in place at the beginning of the month. Right now, it costs a few bucks more for families to visit the zoo. Some families don't mind the price increase. "If it's for upkeep, then I think it's a good idea. I mean it's not that big of an increase and it's still affordable," zoo-goer Natanya Cisneros said. The fee hike is to help maintain the aging BioPark, which needs $18 million in repairs. City Council member Ken Sanchez said $3 more for adults and $1.50 extra for children and seniors is more than enough. He's proposing admission be rolled back to $8, instead of $10. "We can get this done without having a big impact on the fees and families of this community," Sanchez said. Sanchez said his proposal will generate $400,000 and the city can find additional funding sources. "Right now, the mayor has $9 million in a discretionary fund called 'ABQ The Plan.' We should take part of the money, which is $3 million, and use some of the money to pay for maintenance at the zoo," Sanchez said. The mayor's office said Sanchez's proposal provides less revenue than needed to maintain the park and would cause layoffs for city employees.  
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ABQ council works to cut back zoo admission