A Tale of Two Cities and Two Mayors

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What a very sharp contrast between Democrat Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales and Republican Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry.

You really have to commend Mayor Javier Gonzalez for standing up and voicing his support for members of his own community. Mayor Gonzales went on Fox News to be interviewed by Megyn Kelly to debunk the contention that sanctuary cities have more crime because of minorities and he defended Santa Fe’s Sanctuary City policy. Mayor Gonzalez showed real backbone and courage. Mayor Gonzalez was also there for his community and brought it together when he put together and led a vigil after the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida.

Eight years ago, Berry campaigned on the platform that he would end Albuquerque’s Sanctuary City policy when none existed, but his right wing supporters had a traveling bill billboard condemning Mayor Martin Chavez for it. Berry also said he opposed marriage equality and that marriage could only be between a man and a woman and he declined to speak at the memorial service held by our LGBTQ community for the Orlando, Florida, shootings. Berry has also never participated in Gay Pride events.

People need to really remember actions of their elected officials that are so revealing of leadership.

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About

Pete Dinelli was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is of Italian and Hispanic descent. He is a 1970 graduate of Del Norte High School, a 1974 graduate of Eastern New Mexico University with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and a 1977 graduate of St. Mary's School of Law, San Antonio, Texas. Pete has a 40 year history of community involvement and service as an elected and appointed official and as a practicing attorney in Albuquerque. Pete and his wife Betty Case Dinelli have been married since 1984 and they have two adult sons, Mark, who is an attorney and George, who is an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Pete has been a licensed New Mexico attorney since 1978. Pete has over 27 years of municipal and state government service. Pete’s service to Albuquerque has been extensive. He has been an elected Albuquerque City Councilor, serving as Vice President. He has served as a Worker’s Compensation Judge with Statewide jurisdiction. Pete has been a prosecutor for 15 years and has served as a Bernalillo County Chief Deputy District Attorney, as an Assistant Attorney General and Assistant District Attorney and as a Deputy City Attorney. For eight years, Pete was employed with the City of Albuquerque both as a Deputy City Attorney and Chief Public Safety Officer overseeing the city departments of police, fire, 911 emergency call center and the emergency operations center. While with the City of Albuquerque Legal Department, Pete served as Director of the Safe City Strike Force and Interim Director of the 911 Emergency Operations Center. Pete’s community involvement includes being a past President of the Albuquerque Kiwanis Club, past President of the Our Lady of Fatima School Board, and Board of Directors of the Albuquerque Museum Foundation.