All Six of the candidates for Mayor of Albuquerque sat together on a stage for an hour and a half line of questioning by reporters hosted by the Albuquerque Journal and moderated by Journal Editorial Page Editor Dan Boyd. The six debated a wide range of issues. The main issues that dominated the discussion included crime, the unhoused, sanctuary city, how they would deal with President Donald Trump and the redevelopment or relocation of the New Mexico State Fair.
COMBATING CRIME
Crime was a major topic of discussion.
Mayor Tim Keller argued that crime in all major categories is going down. However, he admitted that crime is going down from historical highs during his tenure and that crime needs to go down even further. He proclaimed that his policies of relying of technology, such as speeding cameras, and use of civilians, such as his Albuquerque Community Safety Division, and his violent crime reduction programs are in fact working on reducing crime.
Darren White noted recent FBI statistics show that Albuquerque is ranked sixth in the country for violent crime and ranked sixth in the country for property crime. White proclaimed APD needs to return to “proactive policing” policies and that Keller’s reliance on technology and the use of civilians is misplaced. He said technology has many limitations, including not being able to make arrests nor do full investigations. White denounced “turn style” justice. He said he would work with the courts and the District Attorney’s office to hold criminals accountable.
Alex Uballez relied heavily on his experience as the former New Mexico United States Attorney. He noted he has prosecuted serious violent crime, including drug cases and cartels, and said he has the know how to bring down crime. He said public safety must be a major priority and the city needs a smarter approach. He called for a consolidated 911 dispatch center with the city and county.
City Councilor Louie Sanchez emphasized for his part work as a retired APD officer and the need for a new police chief to foster a better culture within the department. Sanchez said this:
“My plan is to make sure that we have the best police chief ready to go so that Albuquerque can have a new culture in their department. … Officers aren’t dumb. When they vet a department, they do their homework. And right now, when they do their homework, they go to a different department.”
Retired Fire Chief Eddie Varela for his part proposed a curfew to address youth violence. Varela said this:
“I’m going to install a curfew in our city. We need to have a curfew, 18-year-olds and under, an emergency curfew in our city. We have 12, 13, 14-year-olds killing people and murdering people in our city, and nothing is being done about it.”
Mayling Armijo the city needs far more cops on the street and that APD can increase its ranks with aggressive recruitment tactics including offering sign on bonuses.
THE HOMELESS CRISIS
Tim Keller proclaimed his administration is taking an “all above approach” to dealing with the homeless and that it is working. He emphasized what has been accomplished with the creation for the first time a homeless shelter system that is assisting and providing services to1,000 unhoused daily.
Darren White said that law enforcement needs to take a stricter approach to the homeless population and make arrests for illegal camping and drug use. He has said that “on day one” he would clean up the streets of Albuquerque of the homeless.
Louie Sanchez noted the millions being spent by the Keller Administration on the unhoused and that the crisis is only gotten worse. He noted how he sees and cleans up after the unhouse daily in front of his business and how the unhoused have affected his business. However he says he does not see cops patrolling. He argued Keller’s policies are not doing enough to address the root causes of homelessness.
Alex Uballez argued the homeless crisis is only getting worse, but that arrest and incarceration is not the solution to the crisis. He proclaimed that a “care and consequences” approach is needed to deal with the unhoused.
Mayling Armijo said the city in reality has no control over crime and punishment. However she said the city can do more to address assistance to the homeless and deal with those suffering from mental health issues.
Eddie Varela argued that 9 out of 10 of the unhoused are not from Albuquerque. He said the city “needs to get out of the homeless business”. He said the homeless need to be identified, even using private security, and cite them for crimes committed and make arrests to get them off the streets.
SANCTUARY CITY DEBATE
EDITOR’S NOTE: Albuquerque is not nor has it ever been a “sanctuary city.” For the last 23 years, and by city council enacted ordinance, the city is an “immigrant friendly” city. A “Sanctuary City” requires local government to essentially shield the undocumented from federal authorities and from federal detention and arrests. “Immigrant friendly” cities enact policies that allow the undocumented city services like all other citizens and does not allow its local law enforcement to investigate federal immigration law violations nor detain nor arrest for violations of federal immigration laws. Immigrant friendly cities allow local law enforcement to make arrests of the undocumented only for violations of local ordinances and state laws.
The Candidates were divided on whether Albuquerque should be a “sanctuary city” or an “immigrant friendly” city.
Tim Keller and Alex Uballez both support the city’s current “immigrant friendly” policies enacted by the city council, though Uballez said that it does not go far enough to protect residents.
Mayor Keller made it clear that as long as he is Mayor, the city will not work with Immigration, Customs and Enforcement (ICE). He pointed out that the city does not maintain any data and does not determine immigration status of those arrested by APD so there is nothing to turn over to federal authorities. Keller made it clear that APD makes arrests for all crimes committed, no matter the immigration status of a defendant
Armijo, Varela, Sanchez and White all oppose the “immigrant friendly” policy saying that it gets in the way of law enforcement.
Mayling Armijo said the city should be “immigrant friendly” but not “criminal friendly” and that the city needs to turn over all information on crimes committed to the feds.
Former U.S. Attorney Alex Uballez addressed immigration and ICE raids and said this:
“I think we’re being asked at this moment to give up our values for money. And I will never give up my neighbor for money. … We should be banning masks. We should be requiring identification. We should be doing proactive, know your rights education on our buses, our TVs, and our radios.”
If elected, Darren White said he would re-establish a policy piloted by then-President George W. Bush and expanded upon by President Barack Obama that facilitated information sharing between local and federal law enforcement. Obama later got rid of the policy, called “Secure Communities,” in his second term.
Eddie Varela for his part said what is need is a voter initiative and allow voters to decide if the city should be a “sanctuary city” or an “immigrant friendly city.”
DEALING WITH TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
The Candidates expressed differing views on how they would deal with the Trump Administration.
Mayor Tim Keller struck a very defiant tone toward the Trump administration that has already clawed back funding from the city. In September, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced in a letter that it would withdraw an $11.5 million grant for the Albuquerque Rail Trail, a loop for pedestrians and cyclists around the city’s core.
Keller said this:
“If any president from any party is going to try and divide our families, I will resist. If a president tries to take over our streets, I will resist. If a president tries to round up immigrants, I will resist. … If any president is going to try and take our land, I will push back. If any president is going to try and tell us what is best for us, I will say they are wrong and they need to respect us as our own city, with our own history and our own governments. Now, if a president wants to help, support housing in our city, support transportation, I will absolutely work with them.”
Former Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White said that collaboration is “critically important” regardless of who’s in office. Beyond budget cuts, White feared retaliation might also include a base realignment and closure directive from the Pentagon, similar to what was attempted and failed in the ’90s, which he said could shutter Kirtland Air Force Base and cripple the city economically.
Former U.S. Attorney for New Mexico Alex Uballez said this:
“I think we’re being asked at this moment to give up our values for money … And I will never give up my neighbor for money.”
Alex Uballez pointed out the state’s $64 billion in permanent funds as a remedy to federal budget cuts he sees as a certainty with the current administration.
Mayling Armijo, a Navy veteran and former Bernalillo County Economic Development director, said her priority is making Albuquerque safer and if that requires collaborating with the federal government, she would be willing to compromise. Armijo said this:
“So regardless of who the president is, we need to figure out how to work with the federal administration. … I know what it is to not have a paycheck every two weeks, to have to eat what you kill, to be hungry, to know that if you do not get results, you get fired.”
Former firefighter Eddie Varela emphasized the race’s intended nonpartisan nature, but went on to talk about his own political leanings. Varela said this:
“Sure, I’m a Republican. I don’t know Donald Trump — never met the guy — I watch world news, I watch national news and I see what he’s doing. I agree with a lot. I disagree with a lot.”
City Councilor Louie Sanchez declined to comment on how he would approach the currently tenuous relationship with the Trump administration , stating that the mayoral race was intended to be “nonpartisan.”
MOVING THE NEW MEXICO STATE FAIR
In December, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced plans to move the New Mexico State Fair and put a mixed-use development and affordable housing on the state-owned land where the annual State Fair has been held since 1934. The announcement drew criticism from fairgoers and surrounding neighborhood associations.
In response to the Governor’s announcement to redevelop or move the state fair, the New Mexico legislature passed Senate Bill 481 creating the “State Fairgrounds District,” a governing board which has redevelopment authority over the existing State Fair grounds area. The bill includes an appropriation of approximately $12 million to cover initial costs. The “State Fairgrounds District” Board is empowered to raise property taxes and issue up to $500 million in bonds to fund future development of the property, to make improvement or even relocate the fairgrounds and repurpose the property.
The state has paid Stantec Consulting Service Inc., a global firm, $850,000 to develop a master plan to make suggestions for the land’s use.
All six candidates expressed opposition to the governor’s plan of moving the state fair grounds.
City Councilor Louie Sanchez said this:
“I actually love the State Fair being where it’s at and it should be held in Albuquerque and left alone.”
Mayling Armijo said that state spending on the project has been fiscally irresponsible and she said this:
“What burns me about this whole process is they did hire an out-of-state company and they’re paying them thousands of dollars to tell us something we already know — that it needs to stay there.”
Alex Uballez said he’d like the State Fair to stay put, though he said the decision is largely up to the governor. He welcomed an “intentional” redevelopment, if it comes to that.
Tim Keller said he is opposed to moving the fair, but said that there was opportunity for redevelopment in empty or underutilized areas around the property’s fringes. Keller said this:
“It doesn’t have to be either or, it can be both.”
Darren White called the State fair a New Mexico gem and said he is opposed to moving it.
Eddie Varela opposes the governor’s plan and he said the decision should be put to the voters to decide.
REVEALING CLOSING REMARKS
The most revealing comments made during the forum came during the closing remarks by Darren White and Mayor Keller where both said they are ending their public service career.
Mayor Keller, who is seeking an unprecedented third consecutive four year term, said this in his closing remarks:
“For Day One Darren: The only thing you are going to do on day one is break a promise. You are just saying things that are illegal or ineffective or not doable, especially on day one. You say you are running to ‘save the city.’ I don’t have some kind of savior complex. I’m just doing the tough work of problem solving to help our city for generations. And you’re trying to resurrect your career. I know mine is already done. No Mayor has ever gone on to something else besides being Mayor because this is a work that you do because you love your hometown and you know it’s the right thing to do. These are tough times. It’s easy to just talk about the problem or say things there is no way you can deliver on. What’s hard is to actually do the real work, to say how you’re going to fix it. That is what I have done today. I see the challenges but I also see the things we are doing right that are making a difference. That’s why we have to keep going.
Darren White said this in his closing remarks:
Before you go vote ask yourself this question, what is Tim Keller going to do in 12 years that he hasn’t done in eight. If I’m elected I will only serve four years. I’m not trying to pad my political career or punch my ticket to higher office. Mayor Keller is running to save his political career. I’m running to save our city. Mayor, today I noticed you started referring to me as Day One Darren and that is a moniker I proudly accept. Because on day one I am going to roll up my sleeves, get to work and clean up the mess, a mess you created, Mayor, in 2,882 days. It is time for a change.
You can view the full roundtable discussion here:
https://www.koat.com/article/albuquerque-mayor-election-candidate-roundtable/69124034
Links to quoted or relied upon news sources are here:
ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL POLL REVISITED
On Sunday, September 28, the Albuquerque Journal published the results of its expected opinion poll on the Albuquerque’s Mayor race. Mayor Keller said
Following are the poll results:
- Tim Keller: 29%
- Darren White: 16%
- Alex Uballez: 6%
- Louie Sanchez: 6%
- Mayling Armijo: 1%
- Eddie Varela: 2%
- Daniel Chavez: 1%
- Undecided 37%
- Decline To Say 2%
TOTAL: 100%
Note that the undecided were at 39% outpacing all the candidates.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
The final debate round table was a far cry from the televised debate by Channel 7 where only the 4 top candidates in the polls and in fund raising were invited. Channel 7 did the general public a major disservice with its debate of 4. This final debate was needed in that all 6 candidates participated.
The most revealing disclosure in the final appearance by the candidates came from Darren White and Mayor Keller in their closing remarks. Mayor Keller said that he knows his career is done after he serves as Mayor and Darren White said he intends to serve only one term.
It is doubtful the final appearance by all the candidates this last time will have any impact on the final outcome of the election. In the final analysis, there was no clear winner. The last appearance likely did not sway very many undecides nor anyone’s opinion on who they will vote for come November 4. The trajectory of the race remains the same as reflected in the Journal poll with Mayor Tim Keller and Darren White in runoff.
Early voting commences on October 18 and ends on November 1Under Albuquerque’s city charter, the two top finishers in the mayor’s race will face off in a run-off election if the top finisher does not receive 50% or more of the votes cast. If it’s necessary, this year’s run-off election would take place December 9.