Political pundit Joe Monahan is reporting that Republican New Mexico Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez has decided not to run for Governor but to instead to run against Democrat United States Senator Martin Heinrich. (See April 14, 2017 post “Lt. Gov Sanchez Publicly Attacks Sen. Heinrich And Appears Poised for Senate Bid” at http://joemonahansnewmexico.blogspot.com/)
Political insiders are also saying that Republican US Congressman Steve Pierce has decided not to run for Governor, but for re-election to his safe Southern Congressional seat.
With the departure of Republican heavy weights John Sanchez and Steve Pierce running for the GOP nomination for Governor, the Republicans are left with discredited light weight Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry as a front runner for the Republican nomination.
I for one hope that Berry runs for Governor so that he will be held accountable for the disastrous ART Bus Project, for what has done to destroy a once great police department, what he has done to city government and the Albuquerque economy and to end his political career.
If elected, a Governor Richard Berry will do to New Mexico what he has done to Albuquerque the last seven years.
By his permission, below is an April 18, 2017 FACEBOOK post sent to me by Pete Wierzbicki that sums up what Mayor Richard Berry has presided over and done to Albuquerque during the last seven (7) years and it should be a required read for all those running for Mayor:
FACEBOOK POST BY PETE WIERZBICKI:
“Albuquerque has fallen to the bottom and in many cases dead last of every meaningful ranking in the country, including economy, jobs, crime, education, real estate, desirability, and traffic. (For example, #404 in economic recovery.)
ABQ has become a sea of litter and garbage — it will take years and millions of dollars to clean up — it’s been accumulating for 7 years.
Complaints fall on deaf ears, and the Mayor said “It’s the windy season’s fault.”
Ninety percent of the beautiful nighttime landscaping that Mayor Chavez put in is malfunctioning or completely dead and it also has been so since Berry became mayor.
Murder, drugs, violence, gangs, homelessness, and city scandals abound.
APD is understaffed and short 200 police officers.
The ART is a colossal disaster and the city lied to feds to secure funding.
This mayor and city council are 100% responsible for all of this and none of them should ever be voted into public office again.
Vote no for Berry for governor and no for Lewis or any other city Councilor for mayor.
See the facts that no one is talking about:
The Year 2006: Mayor Martin Chavez
1. Albuquerque ranked #1 – yes FIRST, by Forbes Magazine as best place for business and careers in the entire country.http://www.forbes.com/2006/05/03/06b…ness_land.html
Today, under Mayor Berry and this city council — Recent Reports And Data:
1. Forbes Magazine — Albuquerque #162 for doing business — July 29, 2015
— just ahead of Clarksville, TN, Allentown PA , and DETROIT, MI (#169)
http://www.forbes.com/best-places-fo…verall_page:16
2. “New ranking puts ABQ in cellar for economic growth” – September 29, 2015
http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerq…ic-growth.html
3. “2015’s Cities with the Fastest Growing Economies” – Albuquerque ranked #404 – September, 2015
https://wallethub.com/edu/fastest-growing-cities/7010/
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Metropolitan Employment Rankings — Albuquerque ranked #324 – August 2015
http://www.bls.gov/web/metro/laummtrk.htm
5. Colliers US Downtown Office Vacancy Rates — Albuquerque Dead Last — December 2014
Click to access medi…e_d8_Final.pdf
6. Wikipedia: Traffic analysis firm INRIX in 2013, ranks the top 65 worst US traffic cities — Albuquerque #18
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_congestion
7. The Albuquerque metropolitan area’s 0.3 percent growth rate in the year that ended July 1 put it in 77th place among the nation’s largest 100 metro areas, according to a Brookings Institution analysis of population trends.
http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerq…on-growth.html — July 2014
8. 2017’s Best & Worst Cities for Jobs – Albuquerque #119 out of 150 – Jan 4, 2017
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-cities-for-jobs/2173/
9. NOV 30, 2016 MID-SIZED METROS WITH FASTEST GROWING GROSS REGIONAL PRODUCT ARE PROVO, FAYETTEVILLE AND CAPE CORAL; SLOWEST ARE PALM BAY, ALBUQUERQUE, SYRACUSE
Albuquerque #2 Slowest Regional Product
http://headlightdata.com/medium-sized-metros-with…/
10. The Best Places For Business And Careers
2016 RANKING ABQ #138
http://www.forbes.com/best-places-for-business/list/3/…
11. Albuquerque is the 5th most violent city in the nation
Updated: 6:59 PM MDT Aug 12, 2016
http://www.koat.com/…/albuquerque-is-the-5th…/5072628
12. Fortune: ABQ the worst city in the U.S. to own a home
http://nmpoliticalreport.com/…/fortune-abq-the-worst…/
13. ABQ ranked among worst real estate markets
https://www.abqjournal.com/…/abq-ranked-among-worst…
14. Albuquerque ranks 113 out of 150 for Most and Least Recession-Recovered Cities.
http://www.bizjournals.com/…/new-ranking-puts-abq-in…
15. Albuquerque ranks near bottom in list of best, worst cities for families
http://krqe.com/…/albuquerque-ranks-near-bottom-in…/
16. Albuquerque Really Is Like Breaking Bad
http://ideas.time.com/…/why-breaking-bad-rings-true-to-me/
17. NM again ranks 49th in child well-being, 50th in education
http://www.lcsun-news.com/…/nm-again-ranks…/86140070/
18. Colliers US Downtown Office Vacancy Rates — Albuquerque Dead Last — December 2014
Click to access 4Q_NA_Office_d8_Final.pdf
Sorry for some of the truncated links.
If anybody wants them I can provide.”