Mayoral Candidates Final Roundtable Debate; Both Mayor Keller And Darren White Proclaim Political Careers Are Ending If Elected; Trajectory Of Race Remains Same With Keller And White In Runoff

Posted on October 23, 2025 by Pete Dinelli

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:

https://www.koat.com/article/six-albuquerque-mayor-hopefuls-clash-over-crime-curfews-and-federal-power-in-fiery-journal-roundtable/69128146

https://www.abqjournal.com/election/article_3430289a-6d86-4587-8161-228573f36b4d.html#tncms-source=home-featured-7-block

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.

Mayor Keller Loses Cool During Greater Albuquerque Realtors Association Forum; Sharply Rebukes Audience Not To Vote For Him If They Believe Opponents “Red Meat”; Homeless Biggest Obstacle To Keller Securing Third Term; The Civil Mental Health Commitment Option

Posted on October 20, 2025 by Pete Dinelli

On October 16, Mayor Tim Keller lost his cool during the Mayoral forum sponsored by the Greater Albuquerque Realtors Association. All five of his opponents appeared with Keller at the forum. Not surprisingly, throughout the forum, his opponents call out the Mayor for his failures and severely criticized him. The biggest criticisms were Keller’s failure to effectively deal with the city’s homeless crises.

City Councilor Louie Sanchez and Darren White aggressively challenged and pointed out Mayor Keller’s failure to remove and clean up homeless encampments and allowing them to proliferate the city. Alex Uaballez in particular criticized Mayor Keller for not removing the homeless encampments from public spaces in a humane manner and aggressively displacing people with sweeps from city streets and open public spaces by throwing away personal belongings, including identification. In the Channel 7 debate, Uballez called the sweeps “cruel” and alleged that city solid waste department workers have disposed of personal belongings including personal identification and, in one case, cremated remains.

The criticism regarding the removal of homeless encampments prompted an angry rebuke of the audience by Mayor Keller who was visibly upset. Gesturing with an aggressive outward wave of his right hand to show disgust, and then followed by gesturing with left hand closed with his thumb extended pointing to the 4 opponents to his left and tilting his head, Mayor Keller in a raised voice said this:

“… and also, you can’t do it. So if you just want to believe all the red meat everyone is throwing out here, vote for them, I don’t want your vote.”

The body language and the reactions by Keller’s 5 opponents to Mayor Keller’s remarks are worth noting. Sitting to Keller’s left were City Councilor Louie Sanchez and Alex Uballez looking down at notes, shuffling papers, with pens in hand and with their arms and hands on the table. Eddie Varela had his hand on the table as he stared at the audience. All three showed no expressions on their faces. Darren White is shown writing on paper at first, then glancing briefly over to Keller and then crossing his arms as Keller speaks as he then sits back with his head moving and his eyes darting nervously back and forth ostensibly looking for audience reaction. Mayling Armijo was sitting to Mayor Keller’s right, she had her hands clasped at first and as Keller spoke she shook her head slightly, ostensibly expressing dissatisfaction. She turned her head away and looks downward with a slight smirk appearing on her face as she sat back. No audible reaction from the audience can be heard to Mayor Keller’s remarks.

The link to review on a Louie Sanchez for Mayor Commercial on a FACEBOOK post of Mayor Keller’s rebuke is here:

KELLER AND THE UNHOUSED

Mayor Tim Keller’s handling of the city’s unhoused has become the single biggest issue in the 2025 Mayor’s race. It’s obvious, based on Mayor Keller’s outburst, he knows how very venerable he is on the issue and he is extremely sensitive to any criticism relating to his policies addressing the homeless.

On October 2, the Albuquerque Journal published a poll that found the vast majority of voters do not think the city is doing a good job addressing the homeless. Of likely and proven voters, the poll found a whopping 92% of voters were somewhat or very concerned about homelessness. Of likely and proven voters, 63% think the city is doing a poor or very poor job addressing homelessness, 30% a fair job and only 7% a good or excellent job.

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/article_aad71965-565b-4c2f-99a1-c1de44e70a22.html#tncms-source=home-featured-7-block

THE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS

The Point-In-Time (PIT) count is the annual survey of identifying and counting individuals and families experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness as defined by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD). The PIT count is taken each year on a designated day in January.

The 2024 PIT survey found that the total count of PERSONS experiencing homelessness in Albuquerque was 2,740 broken down in 3 categories.

Emergency Shelters: 1,289
Transitional Housing: 220
Unsheltered: 1,231

The 2,740 figure was an 18% increase of the number of the unhoused from the previous year. City officials and unhoused charitable providers always argue the PIT is below the actual number and that the city has upwards of 5,000 unhoused.

According to the 2024 PIT report, the historical totals of PEOPLE counted during the Albuquerque Point-in-Time counts from 2017 when Keller was first elected to 2024 during he tenure as Mayor is as follows:

2017: 1,318
2019: 1,524
2021: 1,567
2022: 1,311
2023: 2,394
2024: 2,740

Note the number of unhoused has more than doubled during Keller’s two terms in office and the number is still climbing.

The link to review the entire 62-page 2024 PIT report is here:

https://www.nmceh.org/_files/ugd/ad7ad8_4e2a2906787e4ca19853b9c7945a4dc9

A 2025 report by the city found 30% of individuals experiencing homelessness self report having a serious mental illness, 25% self report having a substance use disorder and around 66% experience some form of mental health condition. Keller’s first re election commercial boasts he has provided “shelter with addiction treatment for 1,000 homeless”.

The biggest problem for Keller and the city is that surveys have confirmed upwards of 75% of the chronic, emergency unhoused simply refuse city services, yet Mayor Keller continues to have the city spend millions a year to benefit so few of the many that need assistance.

KELLER’S GATEWAY NEWORK OF SHELTERS

Over the past four years in response to the homeless crisis, Mayor Keller took steps to build a network of support shelters for the unhoused called the Gateway Network System. The Gateway Network consists of 5 shelters costing a staggering $300 Million dollars spent over the last 4 years by the Keller Administration to assist the unhoused. The Gateway system has a yearly operating cost of over $53 million a year including contacts to 115 service providers and charitable organizations.

Since becoming Mayor in 2017, Mayor Tim Keller has made the homeless the top priority perhaps only second to public safety. During Mayor Keller’s tenure, the city has established two 24/7 homeless shelters, including purchasing the Loveless Gibson Medical Center for $15 million to convert it into a homeless shelter and spending upwards of $90 million to renovate it for a shelter. The building being contaminated with asbestos contributed to a delay in the remodeling.

Keller has taken an “all the above approach” to deal with the city’s homeless. The city has a total of 5 shelters to deal with the homeless that operate as an integrated system. Those shelters are:

Gateway Center (Former Lovelace Hospital on Gibson) – Campus providing medical, behavioral, and social services including overnight beds, first responder intake, medical sobering and respite to assist upwards of 1,000 and to accommodate at least 330 a night.
Gateway West (Former Westside jail)– Supportive 660-bed facility for individuals experiencing homelessness, offering specialized resources and case management. (Annual Impact: 5,700, open 24/7 Since 2019.)
Gateway Family – Supportive housing center for families with overnight beds, meals, and case management to help achieve stable housing. (Annual Impact: 987 Individuals, open Since 2020.)
Gateway Recovery– 50-resident micro-community offering low-barrier beds, recovery services, and support for 18 – 24 months. (Annual projected Impact: 50 – 100.)
Gateway Young Adult – Housing and support for young adults ages 15-25 experiencing homelessness, tailored to their unique needs. Annual projected Impact: 120 Individuals, yet to open.

The City Council approved in the 2026 city annual budget for the Health, Housing and Homelessness Department (HHH) 115 contracts negotiated by the Keller administration totaling $53,881,649 to provide housing, emergency shelter and medical and counseling services to the homeless as follows:

32 Affordable Housing, Community Development contracts $30,391,436
12 Emergency Shelter contracts $6,347,619
16 Health and Human Services contracts $1,962.480
28 Homeless Support Services contracts $5,746,188
5 Gateway Shelter operating contracts $3,864,500
11 Mental Health service contracts $2,995,960
11 Substance Abuse counseling contracts $2,573,526

115 TOTAL CONTRACTS TOTAL CONRACTS $53,881,649

The link to 2026 City Council approved city budget is here with the HHH budget appearing on pages 209 to 213 listing all service contracts:

Click to access fy26-approved-final.pdf

The problem for Mayor Keller is the City’s unhoused are proliferating all areas of the city, including city streets, intersections, neighborhoods and business alleys, open space and parks and it’s getting worse and worse after spending millions for shelters and services the homeless do not even want or refuse. During the past four years, the unhoused have become more aggressive, camping where they want and for how long as they want.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

You know the pressure and scrutiny is starting to get to Mayor Keller who is running for a third 4 year term when he reacted with emotion and even anger. Such outbursts often derail a candidate’s chances of winning an election, especially when the candidate admonishes an audience for believing other candidates, which is their right, and telling the audience not to vote for themselves.

Simply put, Mayor Keller lost his composure in front of one of the most influential business groups in Albuquerque. His public performance was disappointing and it was just as revealing. Keller’s reaction was a far cry from his Channel 7 debate performance with four of his opponents where identical criticisms were made against him and he kept his composure through out. The difference is that talking to a TV camera without real time fact checking, which is a Keller forte, as opposed to a live audience that may be hostile, tends to bring out far more of a person’s personality and true character.

KELLER’S “YOU CAN’T DO THAT” ATTITUDE

It’s common knowledge at city hall and amongst political observers that Mayor Tim Keller is thin skinned and resents criticism of any sorts and simply ignores it with a cold shoulder. For the last 8 years, Keller has had the attitude of “It’s my way or the highway” when it comes to dealing with the homeless, and he only listens to himself and his closest advisors at city hall.

Keller has only made things worse when it comes to the homeless. The city’s unhoused numbers continue to rise and Keller’s approach has made Albuquerque the hub for the state to provide shelter and services to the unhoused. Sant Fe is the capital of New Mexico. Albuquerque is the State’s capitol for the unhoused and the Gateway Center on Gibson is its capitol.

Mayor Keller’s all the above approach to temporary shelter is not sustainable. Given the numbers in the 2024 PIT report and the millions being spent on the homeless crisis it should be manageable. Yet the unhoused crisis has only gotten worse and worse each year of Keller’s tenure as Mayor and it is a continuing major drain on city resources. The blunt reality is that Mayor Keller’s policies on dealing with the homeless have been more of a failure than a success, benefiting more the contract providers as opposed to the unhoused, to the tune of $53,881,649 as approved by the city council for 2025 – 2026 fiscal year and will continue to increase each year if Keller is elected to another 4 year term.

Unhoused who have no interest in any offers of shelter, beds, motel vouchers or alternatives to living on the street force the city to make it totally inconvenient for them to “squat” anywhere they want and must force them to move on. That is what the city sweeps are all about.

After repeated attempts to reason with the unhoused to move on, citations and arrests are in order. However, citations and arrests of the homeless for violations for vagrancy, unauthorized camping and trespassing ordinances and misdemeanor laws is against city and APD policy and something Mayor Keller opposes. That is why the homeless are proliferating every part of the city despite city sweeps. This is why Keller said “you can’t do that” to the Greater Albuquerque Realtors Association.

CIVIL MENTAL HEALTH COMMITMENTS

There is a better way to deal with the chronic homeless who refuse services but need them and who pose a danger to themselves or the public.

It is likely that the Albuquerque Police Department and the city Community Safety Department know who the “frequent flyers” are and who need to be taken immediately off the streets because they pose an immediate threat to themselves or others. Both departments could and should assist the District Attorney or the City Attorney with civil mental health commitments of the unhoused and file civil mental commitment actions.

The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office and the Albuquerque City Attorney should form a specialized unit to deal exclusively with civil mental commitment actions in the Metropolitan Court’s “Out Reach Court” with the state providing funding and medical services through the Behavioral Health Trust Fund provided for in the Behavioral Health Reform Package both which were passed in January by the 2025 New Mexico legislature and signed into law by Governor Lujan Grisham.

It is understood the Gateway Shelter on Gibson that Keller pushed the city to buy for a 24-7 shelter over neighborhood objections, which is the former Lovelace Medical Center and Hospital, is still largely vacant and has upwards of 200 vacant patient rooms. The Gateway Shelter on Gibson should be utilized for referrals from the Metropolitan Court’s “Out Reach Court” that deals with the unhoused charged with crimes and with the State providing mental health services to those committed for mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Civil mental health commitment hearings are in order for those unhoused who are a danger to themselves or others in order to get them into a hospital setting and get them the mental health treatment or drug counseling they need and get them off the streets, but Mayor Keller is reluctant to do that preferring a more subdued approach of “you can’t camp here so move along”.

Until the homeless crisis is resolved, the public perception will be that very little to no progress has been made despite millions spent by Mayor Keller to deal with what Keller has proclaimed as the “challenge of our lifetime.”

Come November 4 election day, voters must decide if they want to give Mayor Keller another 4 years to continue with his same efforts and policies to deal with the homeless or elect a new Mayor and take the city in a different direction to deal with the “challenge of our lifetime. ”

The link to a related blog articles are here:

Mayor Tim Keller Creates 5 Separate Gateway Shelters To Deal With “Challenge Of Our Lifetime”; City’s $200 Million Financial Commitment To Unhoused; Keller Embellishes By Doubling Unhoused Numbers As He Fails To Deal With Those Who Refuse Services And Getting Them Off Streets

Metro “Out Reach Court” Must Do More To Remove Unhoused Who Are A Danger To Themselves And Others From Streets; Concentrate On Civil Mental Health Commitments; DA And City Attorney Should Form Joint Specialized Unit; Gibson Gateway Shelter Should Be Used For Metro Court Order Commitments For Treatment Of The Unhoused Who Suffer From Mental ILLness And Substance Abuse

No Clear Cut Winner Of Mayoral Debate; Trajectory Of Race Remains Same With Likely Runoff Between Keller And White

Posted on October 16, 2025 by Pete Dinelli

On October 15, Mayor Tim Keller, City Councilor Louie Sanchez, Darren White, and Alex Uballez appeared on KOAT TV for the only televised debate in the 2025 Mayors race. The four were deemed by the station as the front runners based upon an Albuquerque Journal poll. Excluded because of low polling numbers and low campaign fundraising were challengers Mayling Armijo, Eddie Varela and Daniel Chavez with Chavez having withdrawn from the race. KOAT TV news anchor Doug Fernandez acted as the moderator with KOAT TV news reporter Shelley Ribando, Albuquerque Journal Reporter Dan Boyd and radio talk show host Bob Clark asking questions.

The four candidates answered an array of questions on Albuquerque’s problems including the homeless, crime and the city’s sanctuary city or immigrant friendly status and economic development with the four clashing over how they would handle the issues and their solutions to the city’s problems. The three most discussed issues in the debate were crime fighting, how the city is dealing with the homeless and the city’s immigrant friendly policy.

CRIME FIGHTING

Mayor Keller touted his administration’s creation of Albuquerque Community Safety Department. The department is the first of its kind in the country and uses civilians and social workers to divert people in crises and other “calls for service” from the Albuquerque Police Department. Keller also emphasized APD’s use of crime-fighting technology such as the ShotSpotter system, which sends an alert when a gunshot is detected across the city as well as “speed cameras” to detect speeding and issue civil citations.

City councilor Loui Sanchez, a retired police officer, for his part called Keller’s crime fighting methods “reactive, not proactive.” He said the only way to bring down crime is to hire more officers and enforcing the law even when it comes to low-level crime. Sanchez said the city needs 1,600 sworn police to deal with the city’s crime rates. APD currently has 900 sworn police.

Former Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White said he would choose a new police chief for the Albuquerque Police Department and focus on proactive policing, directing officers to do more patrols and make more traffic stops. White noted that traffic stops are key to apprehension of people who have committed other crimes or who have outstanding warrants and that sworn officers, not technology, can do hands on investigations during traffic stops.

Former U.S. Attorney Alex Uballes proposed streamlining the 911 process by creating a “unified dispatch center” shared by the city and county. Uballez also said he would focus on helping inmates re-entering society from jail or prison to stop recidivists from returning to the criminal justice system.

NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT TO DEAL WITH CRIME

Mayor Keller said he sees Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s deployment of the New Mexico National Guard to Albuquerque to help with addressing the city’s crime problem as “forward-thinking” and that it was cooperation between the city and state. Keller said he and the governor anticipated Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard and by making the first move blocked any attempt to do so in New Mexico. Keller argued that the public misunderstands the National Guard’s role in Albuquerque. Keller noted the National Guard doesn’t do law enforcement, but helps APD officers with cumbersome and time-consuming tasks outside of making arrests.

All three of Keller’s opponents took issue with the National Guard being deployed to the city. They called it offensive and a political farce and compared the action to President Donald Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles, the District of Columbia, Portland and Chicago.

Darren White said that deploying the Guard to do support services and paperwork makes a mockery of the serving men and women serving in the military. White said this:

“These are people who are trained as fighters for our military. … We deployed them here in Albuquerque in such a way that they were put into polo shirts and khaki pants — that’s not the uniform of our military.”

Louie Sanchez said he was upset that the National Guard were taken out of their traditional role by having military personnel wear polo shirts and doing support work and services for APD.

Alex Uballez compared Keller and Lujan Grisham to Trump’s actions and said the move “set a terrible precedent.”

THE HOMELESS

Solving the city’s homelessness crisis was heavily debated by the candidates. All four candidates proposed everything from providing shelter, making arrests and expanding social services.

Keller pointed to the his development and creation of the Gateway System, a group of homeless shelters and social services, as a step in the right direction. According to the city shelter bed tracker, between 800 and 1,000 people sleep in city-affiliated homeless shelters each night. The 2024 annual survey of the homeless known as the “Point In Time” counted 2,750 chronic homeless, with and 18% increase over last year, with other estimates being as high as 5,000.

Sanchez called the Keller’s Gateway System of shelters for the homeless an ineffective use of taxpayer funds, saying “$300 million spent and look at the streets, they are not changing.”

White said that law enforcement needs to take a stricter approach to the homeless population and make arrests for illegal camping and drug use.

Both White and Uballez criticized Keller’s encampment sweeps. White called the estimated 200 sweeps conducted each week by the Solid Waste department unproductive. Uballez called the sweeps “cruel.” Uballez alleged that city solid waste workers have disposed of personal belongings like ID cards and, in one case, cremated remains.

SANCTUARY CITY DEBATE

The most spirited topic of the debate was over the city’s immigration policy and if it is a sanctuary city or an immigrant friendly city.

City Councilor Sanchez launched an aggressive attack on Keller’s immigration policy, decrying the city’s status as a “Sanctuary City” and pointing at Keller and declaring: “You want to protect criminals!”

The problem for Sanchez is that he voted against a proposed amendment to Albuquerque’s immigrant-friendly policy, which required police cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The decision was part of a Council debate on the city’s stance towards immigration enforcement.

Keller shot back at the Sanchez accusation and said this:

Louie, you literally voted for my policy. Like, literally. And no one is protecting murderers. We will arrest anyone who commits murder and we will prosecute them. . .so look at your own voting record.

Darren White responded agreeing with Keller and said this:

Louie that law was very clear that you voted on. That change would have said if you were in this country illegally and you were charged with a violent crime . . .it would have required the APD to turn that information over to (federal authorities). You voted against that. You were the deciding vote. So the truth is you voted against it.

CANDIDATE CLOSING STATEMENTS

The four candidates made the following closing statements that are a good summation for all 4 candidates:

MAYOR TIM KELLER

“Number one, you’ve heard a lot about people talking about the problems, about what they want to do or blaming the problems on different things. That’s easy. That’s not leadership. What leadership is, is actually explaining how to solve the problem. That is the real work. That is the problem solving that I’ve been doing. The second thing is you’re going to hear how the last eight years wasn’t that great. And I will tell you, that’s not what this election is about. It’s about who is best equipped in these tough times to lead us and hold us together for the next four years. That’s why we need strong, experienced leaders.”

DARREN WHITE:

“Before you cast your vote, ask the simple question. What is Tim Keller done in 12 years? That he’s not going to do that he hasn’t done in eight. If I’m elected, I’m only going to serve four years. I’m not trying to pad my political resume or punch my ticket to higher office. I want to go in day one, roll up my sleeves, get to work and clean up the mess. Mayor Keller is running to save his political future. I‘m running to save our city. I’m Darren White, and I respectfully ask for your vote.”

LOUIE SANCHEZ:

“Thank you. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over. And it’s expecting different results. I’m running for mayor to stop the insanity. This is unbelievable. I am a retired law enforcement officer. I’m a city councilor and a small business owner. I know what it is to sign paychecks, and I know what it is to sign policy. We need new leadership. We need experience. And we need accountability and transparency back in City Hall. I’m Louie Sanchez , and I’d love to earn your vote.”

ALEX UBABLLEZ:

“The mayor is a temporary custodian of a position that belongs to you. The people. You don’t have to decide between going backwards with these challengers and going nowhere with the incumbents. My first 100 days, I will lay the framework for public safety that’s responsive and gets you the answer that you need quickly. That deals with homelessness in a humane way that has built economic development and possibility for our kids. Because this office, it’s not a right, it’s a responsibility, and it’s an Albuquerque that will work for you. My name is Alex Uballez, I respectfully ask for your vote.”

The link to the full transcript of the debate is here:

https://www.koat.com/article/albuquerque-mayoral-debate-2025-election/69041960

Watch the entire debate on KOAT‘s Youtube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNmjW_7vEBk

The link to a relied upon or quoted news source is here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/election/article_9aade1b0-5094-4186-92fc-e1f9f47e5963.html#tncms-source=home-featured-7-block

https://www.koat.com/article/combative-koat-mayoral-debate-puts-spotlight-on-keller-as-early-votes-pass-4000-analyst-sees-likely-runoff/69050037

POLL RESULTS

On Sunday, September 28 the Albuquerque Journal published the results of its opinion poll on the Albuquerque’s Mayor race.

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%

https://www.abqjournal.com/election/article_bf155bf7-2226-486b-ac34-07ca23e0173b.html

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Given the apathy of voters when it comes to municipal elections, it is more likely than not that very few actually watch the debate, except perhaps “political junkies” and candidates supporters and campaign staff. One thing is for certain is that KOAT -TV did a major disservice to voters with the exclusion of Mayling Armijo and Eddie Varela given the fact the Albuquerque Journal poll showed that 37% of the voters are undecided. The station could have very easily allowed another 30 minutes for the debate to include them or simply cut back on questions and concentrated on the three major issues.

In the final analysis, there was no clear winner of the debate. The debate likely did not sway very many undecides nor anyone’s opinion on who they will vote for. The trajectory of the race remains the same as reflected in the Journal poll with Mayor Tim Keller and Darren White in runoff.

The link to a related article is here:

Seventh Campaign Disclosure Statement Filed in Mayor’s Race; Keller Spends $476,000 Of $757,000 With $281,000 Remaining; Other 5 Candidates Continue To Lag Behind; Emerging Republican Support For Democrat Louie Sanchez

Seventh Campaign Disclosure Statement Filed in Mayor’s Race; Keller Spends $476,000 Of $757,000 With $281,000 Remaining; Other 5 Candidates Continue To Lag Behind; Emerging Republican Support For Democrat Louie Sanchez

Posted on October 15, 2025 by Pete Dinelli

The Albuquerque City Clerk has qualified the following 7 candidates to run for Mayor who will appear on the November 4 ballot but with one dropping out of the race:

Tim Keller, incumbent two term Mayor seeking third term.
Darren White, the former sheriff of Bernalillo County and former CEO of medical cannabis company PurLife.
Louie Sanchez, a retired APD police officer and current city councilor.
Alex Uballez, the former U.S. attorney for the District of New Mexico.
Mayling Armijo, the former director of Economic Development for Bernalillo County and deputy county manager for Sandoval County.
Eddie Varela, a retired Albuquerque firefighter and former California fire chief.
Daniel Chavez, president of Parking Company of America was the very first to qualify for the ballot, but on September 29 he dropped out the race.

On June 20, the City Clerk determined that Mayor Tim Keller was the only candidate to qualify for public finance, and he was given $755,946 in public finance. The remaining five candidates are privately financed.

On October 13, the six remaining candidates for Mayor filed their Seventh campaign disclosure statements. The report covers the time period of September 9 to October 13, 2025. Following is a summary review of finance reports:

TIMOTHY KELLER

COMBINED FINANCIAL TOTALS

Total Contributions $757,147 (Same as before.)
Total Expenditures $476,323 (Previously $103,101)
In-Kind Contributions $2,427 (Previously 2,427)
In-Kind Expenditures $3,008 (Previously $248)
Current Cash Balance $280,823 (Previously $654,046)
Current Debt Balance $0.00 (Same as before.)

TOP CONTRIBUTORS

City of Albuquerque $733,968 (Public Financing)
Tim Keller $2,500
Duke City Commercial $781
Garcia Realty $781
Tim Keller $650
Ona Porter $615

Tim Keller lists 191 contributors for a total of $733,968.

ANALYSIS: Mayor Tim Keller is the only candidate to qualify for public financing. His reelection campaign has given $733,968 in public funding on July 17. He ends the period with $280,823.80 on hand to spend during the 3 weeks remaining in the campaign. The Keller expenditures for the reporting period included $31,883 to Nineteen Sixty Campaigns, a full service politcal consulting firm, and $12,945 to Holguin Consulting, the firm owned by his campaign manager Neri Holguin.

The link to a relied upon or quoted news source is here:

Click here to review the financial disclosure statement and to download all filed contributions and filed expenditures for Tim Keller.

https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/#/exploreDetails/yoees8S9dosDI1OaCKWi1JP4048PFnxLXRUfdOLcQk01/2/null/2/2025

2. LOUIE SANCHEZ

COMBINED FINANCIAL TOTALS

Total Contributions $306,391 (Previously $222,488.)
Total Expenditures $237,977 (Previously $58,519.69
In-Kind Contributions $1,000. (No Change )
In-Kind Expenditures $0 (No change)
Current Cash Balance $68,414 (Previously $163,969.14)
Current Debt Balance $152,500 (No change)

TOP CONTRIBUTORS

Sanchez, Louie $150,000
Sanchez, Louie $10,000
Peterson Properties $6,000
Thomas P. Tinnin $6,000
Alarid, Vanessa $6,000
Howard Gogel $6,000
Jewelry Market Supply $6,000
Annie Sanchez $6,000
Jalapeño Corporation $6,000
Ty Hise $5,000
Peggy Mueller-Aragon $4,155

LOUIE SANCHEZ lists 111 contributors for a total of $222,488.83 in contributions.

ANALYSIS: City Councilor Louie Sanchez has raised $306,391.92 with $160,000 of that coming from money Sanchez loaned himself for the campaign in June. His current cash balance stands at $68,414.80 .

Jalapeño Corporation is listed as donating $6,000. Jalapeño Corporation is an oil and gas company owned by former State Republican Party Chairman and National Republican Party Committeeman Harvey Yates.

Click here to review the financial disclosure statement and to download all filed contributions and filed expenditures for Louis Sanchez.

https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/#/exploreDetails/t4aI25Nr9EiUnEI8lwunGApRrh19RviUIoO4CmCWDAE1/2/null/2/2025

3. DARREN WHITE

COMBINED FINANCIAL TOTALS

Total Contributions $271,872 (Previously $198,583)
Total Expenditures $117,735 (Previously $68,210 )
In-Kind Contributions $20,867 (Previously $17,821)
In-Kind Expenditures $25 (Same as before.)
Current Cash Balance $154,136 (Previously $130,373)
Current Debt Balance $20,000 (Same as before.)

TOP CONTRIBUTORS

Darren White $20,000
Progress Healthcare, Inc $10,000
Darren White $8,765
RGL Investments $6,000
Peterson Properties $6,000

Darren White lists 653 contributors for a total of $198,583 in contributions.

ANALYSIS: Former Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White has raised $271,872 total, with a current balance of $ $154,136 . White raised $73,019 this period. New cash donations include $5,000 each from Rebecca Weh of Maestas Development Corporation and CSI Aviation, an air charter service and deportation contractor for the federal Department of Homeland Security, and Deborah Maestas, formerly of CSI Aviation and one of the President Trump’s “fake electors” from New Mexico in 2020. Accountant Mary Ann Okeefe and Mountain Run Partners, a real estate firm owned by The Downs Racino owner Paul Blanchard also donated $5,000 each to White.

White has loaned himself over $28,765. White’s largest contributors also include $6,000 from Pierre Amestoy, a local developer, and $5,000 each from entities associated with the Pitre family’s automotive businesses, cannabis companies Truforia and Elevated Labs, and Peterson Properties run by Doug Peterson. White also reported a $10,000 donation from Progress Healthcare based in Louisiana, though the city’s limit for contributions to mayoral candidates is $6,000. White told the on line news outlet City Desk the extra $4,000 has been returned. White reported spending of $117,735. White reported paying his longtime friend and political consultant or campaign manager $63,661.

Click here to review the financial disclosure statement and to download all filed contributions and filed expenditures for Darren White:

https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/#/exploreDetails/L7j64Ew1a0rWwbrOJFbL4JP4048PFnxLXRUfdOLcQk01/2/null/2/2025

4. ALEXANDER M.M. UBALLEZ

COMBINED FINANCIAL TOTALS

Total Contributions $193,977 (Previously $197,940)
Total Expenditures $138,016 (Previously $76,139)
In-Kind Contributions $24,674 (Previously $8,738)
In-Kind Expenditures $0.00 (Previously $0.00)
Current Cash Balance $110,369 (Previously $121,801)
Current Debt Balance $50,000 (Previously $50,000)

TOP CONTRIBUTORS

Alex Uballez $50,000
Michael Cassidy $5,250
Organizers In the Land of Enchantment $5,000
OLE $5,000
Attorney Antonia Roybal-Mack $5,777
Attorney Darren Cordova $5,777
Aleli Colon $3,610
Haley Murphy $2,407
Brian Colon $1,203
Diane Cox $1,203
Gabriela Gomez $1,200
NM Voters First PAC $1,000.

ALEXANDER M.M. UBALLEZ lists 503 contributors for a total of $197,940.71 in contributions.

ANALYSIS: Alex Uballez ended the reporting period having raised $193,977.68 with a Current Cash Balance of $110,369. Uballez’s single largest donor is himself having donated $50,000 of his own money. Contributors also include $962 from Miranda Viscolli, leader of the nonprofit New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence, $1,203 each from Brian Colón, former state auditor and managing partner of the Singleton Schreiber law firm’s New Mexico office, and his wife Aleli Colón and multiple donations under $500 from local attorneys.

Click here to review the financial disclosure statement and to download all filed contributions and filed expenditures for Alexander M.M. Uballez:

https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/#/exploreDetails/YjD7dBPe243VBfqRi2eazQpRrh19RviUIoO4CmCWDAE1/2/null/2/2025

5. MAYLING ARMIJO

COMBINED FINANCIAL TOTALS

Total Contributions $137,277 (Previously $108,133)
Total Expenditures $78,900 (Previously $47,433)
In-Kind Contributions $2,257 (Same as before.)
In-Kind Expenditures $0.00 (Same as before.)
Current Cash Balance $58,376 (Previously $60,700.)
Current Debt Balance $15,175 (Same as before.)

TOP CONTRIBUTORS

Mayling Armijo $15,175
Stephen Poe $6,000
Beelien Armijo $6,000
Mia Armijo $6,000
Walter Grodahi $6,000
Joseph J. Armijo $6,000

Mayling Armijo lists 131 contributors for a total of $108,133.

ANALYSIS: Navy veteran and former Sandoval County deputy manager Mayling Armijo has raised $$137,277, with $58,376. Armijo’s funding includes a $15,175 loan to herself. Almost half of her total donations came from Armijo family members, including $6,000 each from Joseph, Mia and Beelien Armijo, all of Albuquerque. Her largest non-Armijo donor was $6,000 from Walter Groadhi, a housing developer based in Oregon. She has $60,700,15 cash on hand when before she had $37,727 .

The link to a relied upon or quoted news sources are here:

Click here to review the financial disclosure statement and to download all filed contributions and filed expenditures for MAYLING ARMIJO:

https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/#/exploreDetails/lRnEYQd4H9z-h4QAAWqHPZP4048PFnxLXRUfdOLcQk01/2/null/2/2025

6. EDDIE VARELA

COMBINED FINANCIAL TOTALS

Total Contributions $22,333 (Previously $20,676)
Total Expenditures $13,926 (Previously $10,819)
In-Kind Contributions $22,028 (Previously $17, 442)
In-Kind Expenditures $1,300 (Previously $300)
Current Cash Balance $8,406 (Previously $9,856)
Current Debt Balance $10,000 (Previously $10,000)

TOP CONTRIBUTORS

Eddie Varela $10,000
CIPGAW $4,000
Penfold Live, LLC $3,000
Eddie Varela $2,827
Jose C. Lopez $2,000
CIPGAW $1,500
Angie Custom Design $1,300
Chester & Diana Stewart $1,000

Eddie Varela lists 58 contributors for a total of $20,676 in total contributions.

ANALYSIS: Retired Albuquerque Fire Chief Eddie Varela shows $22,333 in total contributions, including a $10,000 donation to himself, and $8,406.

Click here to review the financial disclosure statement and to download all filed contributions and filed expenditures for EDDIE VARELA:

https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/#/exploreDetails/Z9RllTzngK2bi6GfQSm9AJP4048PFnxLXRUfdOLcQk01/2/null/2/2025

MEASURED FINANCE COMMITTEE FINANCIAL REPORTS

There are three measured finance committees (MFA) formed to promote 3 individual candidates for Mayor. On October 13, the 3 committees filed finance reports with the City Clerk as follows:

ASEND ALBUQUERQUE MEASURED FINANCE COMMITTEE

Ascend Albuquerque is the measured Finance Committee which has been formed for the sole purpose “to support the election of Tim Keller as Mayor of Albuquerque.” On Ascent Albuquerque filed it fourth financial disclosure statement as required by the City’s election code. Following is a summary of the Financial Report for Ascend Albuquerque:

COMBINED FINANCIAL TOTALS

Total Contributions $200,550.00 (Previously $155,350)
Total Expenditures $41,256 (Previously $35,019)
In-Kind Contributions -0- (No Change)
In-Kind Expenditures – 0- (No Change)
Current Cash Balance $160,369 (Previously $120,330)
Current Debt Balance $0.00

TOP CONTRIBUTORS

Council of Carpenters, Brotherhood of Carpenters $20,000
New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council: $20,000
Fresquez Concessions, Inc $15,000
Sangre De Cristo Hotel Investment, LLC $10,000
IBEW PAC Voluntary Fund $10,000
Curtis & Company Law Firm $10,000
NCRA Architects $5,000
Scott Goodman $5,000
Attorney Randi McGinn $2,500

ANALYSIS: Included in major donations to Ascend Albuquerque are donations from those who do business with the city. Fresquez Concessions, Inc along with one of its principal owners Lenny Frequez, manages all the concessions at the airport. The partners of the law firm of Robles, Rael & Anaya donated $30,000. The law firm over any years has been contracted by the city to represent it in civil rights lawsuits. Two brothers of the prominent Garcia family each donated $5,000 and their family are the owners of car dealerships as well as being major downtown developers. The Garcia’s have also made contributions to Mayor Keller’s city endowment fund.

The city link to review the Financial Disclosure Statement for Ascend Albuquerque is here:

https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/#/exploreCommitteeDetail/VMQvJiHXaP1z-Iz2eL_papP4048PFnxLXRUfdOLcQk01/null/null/2/2025

2. Safer Albuquerque Committee (KATRINA TRACY)

Safer Albuquerque Committee (Safer ABQ) is the measured finance committee formed to “advocate for Mayling Armijo’s candidacy for mayor during the Albuquerque 2025 mayoral race and align with values that reduce crime, reduce homelessness, and promote job growth.”

COMBINED FINANCIAL TOTALS

Total Contributions $221,080.00 (Previously $145,080)
Total Expenditures $218,327.61 (Previously $140, 519)
In-Kind Contributions 0.00 (No Change)
In-Kind Expenditures 0.00 (No Change)
Current Cash Balance $2,752.39 (Previously $4,560.08)
Current Debt Balance $0.00 (No Change)

TOP CONTRIBUTORS

Katrina Tracy $121,000 (Previously $65,000)
Chauling Mary Armijo $40,000
Four Winds Mechanical HTC/AC $40,000
Charles Rolison $80.00

The city link to review the Financial Disclosure Statement for Safer Albuquerque Committee (Safer ABQ) is here:

https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/#/exploreCommitteeDetail/M3FjOgNU2Z3h9u5VXBTrEgpRrh19RviUIoO4CmCWDAE1/null/null/2/2025

3. CIPGAW: Committee to Elect Eddie Varela Mayor of Albuquerque

CIPGAW: Committee to Elect Eddie Varela Mayor of Albuquerque is the measured finance committee which has been formed “for the purpose to Elect Eddie Varela Mayor of Albuquerque.”

COMBINED FINANCIAL TOTALS

Total Contributions $39,000 (No Change)
Total Expenditures $39,000 (No Change)
In-Kind Contributions: -0- (No Change)
In-Kind Expenditures: -0- (No Change)
Current Cash Balance: -0- (No Change)
Current Debt Balance: -0- (No Change)

TOP CONTRIBUTORS

Hat Mesa Oil $39,500
Bradley William Day $7,500

The city link to review the Financial Disclosure Statement for CIPGAW: Committee to Elect Eddie Varela Mayor of Albuquerque is here:

https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/#/exploreCommitteeDetail/feXJuXAYkFJVGJBhl95rMZP4048PFnxLXRUfdOLcQk01/null/null/2/2025

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

With 3 weeks before the November 4 election, it is not at all surprising that Mayor Tim Keller has spent the most to get elected to a third term. Following is a breakdown of what each candidate has thus far spent:

Tim Keller $476,232
Louis Sanchez $237,977
Alexander Uballez $138,016
Darren White $117,735
Mayling Armijo $78,900
Eddie Varela $13,928

Following is a breakdown of the cash on hand and what the candidates have left to spend:

Tim Keller $280,833
Darren White $117,735
Alexander Uballez $110,319
Mayling Armijo $78,900
Louis Sanchez $68,414
Eddie Varela $13,928

Mayor Keller continues to have an overwhelming financial advantage over his opponents and it is likely he will finish first and be in the runoff.

Ascend Albuquerque, the measured finance committee formed to support Tim Keller, is also sitting on another $160,369 that will likely be used over the next 3 weeks to promote Keller or be used in the run off.

EMERGING REPUBLICAN SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRAT LOUIE SANCHEZ

The biggest question at this point is will Republican Darren White be in the runoff with Tim Keller? What is beginning to emerge is that Democrat City Councilor Louie Sanchez is beginning to peal away significant Republican support from Darren White and it is having an impact on Darren White’s fundraising.

It is now known that prominent republicans Harvey Yates, former State Republican Party Chairman and Carla Sonntag, President of the New Mexico Business Coalition and former Republican Mayoral candidate Michelle Garcia Holmes and former Chief of Staff to former Attorney General Gary King are now throwing their support behind conservative Democrat Louie Sanchez. Republican Darren White is known to use his radio show to criticize the state Republican Party and candidates backed by Harvey Yates.

Michelle Garcia Holmes is a retired APD police officer and she in particular has been very aggressive in opposing Darren White and pointing out all of his political baggage and his controversial history. Garcia Holmes has said White can not win in a runoff with Tim Keller. She has taken to social media encouraging Republicans to vote for conservative Democrat Louie Sanchez believing he can ultimately defeat progressive Tim Keller.

FINAL COMMENT

Candidates going forward must file new campaign finance reports every Monday until the election day November 4.

Keller’s Positive, “Feel Good Ad” On His Record Deflated By Sanchez And White’s TV Ads On Keller’s Failed Record As Mayor; Will It Make A Difference?

Posted on October 13, 2025 by Pete Dinelli

Mayor Tim Keller, City Councilor Louie Sanchez and Darren White are now up and running television commercials for Mayor.

TIM KELLER TV AD

On October 1, Mayor Tim Keller released his first TV ad in the 2025 Albuquerque Mayor’s race. The ad features a very young Hispanic woman posing as a “bubbly” and smiling news reporter as she announces in a classroom setting a YES or NO “pop quiz”. The ad then moves on to her walking leisurely side by side with Tim Keller down the streets of Albuquerque as she announces his accomplishments as Mayor with “True or False” flashed across the screen. Keller for his part is casually dressed in a shirt with rolled-up sleeves and genes as he grins throughout, waives or nods his head up and down and he says nothing. They appear at various locations to highlight what Keller has accomplished. They are shown walking by a building, walking on a sidewalk in a quiet neighborhood as a police vehicle slowly drives by, standing in the middle of a playground as children run by them in all directions playing, walking in front of apartments that are ostensibly affordable housing, standing in front of the Gateway shelter on Gibson, and ending standing in front of an “ICE” storage vending machine. Keller says nothing until the very end of the ad and then takes a shot at the news media saying the media has not reported all of what he has accomplished.

Following is the transcript of the ad:

YOUNG WOMAN ALONE IN A CLASSROOM SETTING:

“ Pop Quiz. True or False.”

YOUNG WOMAN WALKING WITH KELLER:

“Tim Keller created the nations first community safety department with mental health responders.

So police are freed up to fight crime.

He created before and after-school programs for over ten thousand children.

Twenty-five hundred affordable housing units.

And shelter with addiction treatment for 1,000 homeless.

He’s also blocking ICE if they don’t have a warrant.”

TIM KELLER:

“We’re getting a lot more done than the news media is telling you about!”

The link to review the Keller ad is here:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1486960282587111

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS ON KELLER AD

Mayor Tim Keller’s first TV ad and its narrative and positive tone are a far cry from his campaign pitch he has made including in his “State of the City” event held at the bio park zoo and in public forums before business and civic groups where he has acknowledge the city’s serious problems including high crime rates and the homeless crisis.

Keller publicly proclaims aggressively that his leadership and what he has done over the last 8 years as Mayor is finally “getting traction” and making a difference but he says there is far more that needs to be done. Keller has said he needs four more years to complete his work.

It’s down right laughable that Keller’s ad takes a shot at the media saying the media has not reported on what he has accomplished. Keller on a daily basis does news conferences and he is known for his ongoing self promotion of all things Keller has supposedly accomplished.

Keller’s first TV ad went unanswered by his 6 opponents as they went dark for a full 10 days, until now. Both Louie Sanchez and Darren White are running commercials labeling the Keller record a failure.

LOUIE SANCHEZ TV AD

On October 9, 2025, City Councilor Louie Sanchez announced the release of his new campaign ad entitled “Our Own Eyes”. The advertisement boldly proclaims Mayor Keller is lying and argues that Mayor Tim Keller says things are getting better but makes the point “we can see with our own eyes” what the truth is. The Sanchez ad is in sharp contrast to Keller’s up beat ad. Dispersed throughout the Sanchez ad are dramatic and disturbing images of the streets of Albuquerque inhabited by the unhoused with their belongings and congregating or sleeping on the streets of the city.

The narrative of the ad is as follows:

“Do you believe a failed politician [when Keller says] we have made real progress or your own eyes?”

Tim Keller is lying, we can see it with our own eyes!

And now he says “That’s why we need a little more time.”

Eight years has been enough!

We Deserve better.

Louie Sanchez has a plan to clean up our city.

Safe streets, more jobs, and a government that works.

Vote for change.

Vote Louis Sanchez for Mayor.

The link to review the entire Sanchez ad is here by clicking on the ad when Keller’s image pops up:

https://www.louie4abq.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawNYo6JleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF0Z1ZQTmJvYWxxTTZkZVZ5AR76uwn9df0w8DV_9ogMUV19NHGXdC54Uw0JlJ26XPONQ87jDFzPFPJMCruYxw_aem_sLSG8uMA-_v6Ix0mzZJhjg

In a press release releasing the TV ad, City Councilor Louie Sanchez said this:

“Too many Albuquerque families already know firsthand that we’re experiencing skyrocketing violent crime, open-air drug use, homelessness spiraling out of control, and a city government that has lost the trust of its people. … Tim Keller has spent eight years telling us everything is improving. … But by every objective measure, things have gotten worse. Families don’t feel safe. Businesses are closing. Homelessness is worse than ever. The only thing that’s grown under Keller is the gap between his political spin and the reality on the ground. … This election isn’t about fancy speeches or campaign slogans. It’s about telling the truth and fixing what’s broken. Albuquerque deserves a leader who will stop sugarcoating failure and start delivering results.”

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS ON SANCHEZ AD

The Sanchez ad is a blunt, no-nonsense message accusing Mayor Tim Keller of lying and of pretending that his 8 years have somehow made the city better. The ad proclaims Keller has been a failure.

The Sanchez ad is a very effective illustration of Keller’s failed record on public safety, homelessness, and accountability. It effectively challenges voters not to trust a politician’s campaign speeches, but to trust what they are seeing and experiencing in the city they live in every day.

The Sanchez ad is now live across digital platforms, broadcast television, and cable. Sources have confirmed the 30 second commercial is airing on broadcast and cable channels with $30,000 being spent initially for its airing.

DARREN WHITE TV AD

Darren White has also produced a hard-hitting TV ad. The White commercial attacks Keller for the 750 homicides that have taken place during his eight years as well as the homeless. White singles out the homeless encampments calling them “tent cities” and says he will take them down on “day one” reminiscent of Donald Trump. The ad ends with declaring White to be a Republican when the race for Mayor is non partisan.

White says this in his TV commercial ad:

“Eight years of failure is enough.

No more sanctuary for criminals and the tent encampments come down on day one.

Over 750 homicides, homeless tent cities everywhere. We need change now.”

Ending comment: “Republican Darren White for Mayor.”

The Darren White ad can be viewed here:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/665888349913519

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS ON WHITE AD

The White ad is not as effective nor as well produced as the Sanchez commercial. It is an obvious attempt by White to consolidate the Republican vote because he ends by being identified as a Republican.

This is not the first time Darren White has taken issue with the homeless. When White was the city’s Chief Public Safety Officer under Republican Mayor Richard Berry, he was reckless when he declared it was time for the city to “take the gloves off ” when dealing with the homeless. Two homeless sued the city for actions it had taken and White’s words and actions resulted in payment of a $100,000 settlement by the city.

JOURNAL POLL RESULTS RECALLED

On Sunday, September 28, the Albuquerque Journal published the results of its expected opinion poll on the Albuquerque’s Mayor race.

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%

https://www.abqjournal.com/election/article_bf155bf7-2226-486b-ac34-07ca23e0173b.html

On September 29, candidate for Mayor Daniel Chavez dropped out of the race saying he did not see a viable path forward. While Chavez is dropping out, he will still appear on the ballot. Six candidates remain in the running.

Although the Albuquerque Journal Poll found that Mayor Tim Keller has the lead in his bid to win reelection to a third term as Albuquerque’s mayor, the poll also found that less than half of city voters approve of the job he’s done over the last seven-plus years. A total of 47% of voters surveyed expressed disapproval of Keller’s job performance, while 42% approved of the way he has handled being mayor. The remaining voters were unsure or declined to say.

KELLER’S OVERWHELMING FINANACIAL ADVANTAGE

What overshadows all the poll numbers is Mayor Tim Keller’s overwhelming financial advantage in the mayor’s race. Mayor Keller was the only candidate to qualify for $733,968.00 in public financing while the others failed to secure public finance and have failed with their efforts to raise sufficient private financing to compete.

As of September 8, Mayor Keller reported he had $654,046.56 in public financing still left to spend and a measured finance committee formed to promote his candidacy reported having another $120,000 in cash.

On September 8, Darren White reported having $130,373.73 in cash on hand, Louie Sanchez reported $163,969.14 cash on hand and Alex Uballez reported $121,801.56 cash on hand with all three having made significant contributions of their own money of $50,000 or more.

FINAL COMMENTARY

Keller’s opponents have been relegated to carry on a “social media” campaign because of lack of funds to telecast TV Commercials. Alex Uballez and Louis Sanchez in particular have been using FACEBOOK to post repeatedly their stands on issues or to level criticism against Keller. Its very uncertain if a social media campaign is at all effective.

The Sanchez and White ads represent the very first negative campaign commercials against Mayor Tim Keller on TV as Keller’s campaign spends the considerable amount of cash on hand it has left. The biggest questions are does Sanchez and White have enough money to make a media buy to have any real impact and change the dynamics of the race given the recent Albuquerque Journal poll and will more negative ads be released by the other candidates?

The first phase of early voting started on October 7 with absentee ballots being sent out to voters and in-person voting opening at the Downtown Clerk’s Annex, 1500 Lomas NW. Expanded early voting will then begin on Oct. 18, and will end three days before Election Day on November 4.

Please vote!

Metro “Out Reach Court” Must Do More To Remove Unhoused Who Are A Danger To Themselves And Others From Streets; Concentrate On Civil Mental Health Commitments; DA And City Attorney Should Form Joint Specialized Unit; Gibson Gateway Shelter Should Be Used For Metro Court Order Commitments For Treatment Of The Unhoused Who Suffer From Mental ILLness And Substance Abuse

Posted on October 10, 2025 by Pete Dinelli

The Albuquerque Journal Editorial Opinion pages feature 5 types of opinion columns submitted for publication: those by the paper’s Editorial Board, those by the paper’s Community Council, those by Syndicated Columnists, those by Local Columnists and those by Local Voices.

“Local Columnists are tasked with carrying a heavy load of responsibility to help readers scrutinize issues impacting them, their community and their country. It is the Journal’s goal to publish columnists from all walks of life and varying political viewpoints to give readers exposure to all sides of local issues.”

On October 6, the Albuquerque Journal published on its editorial opinion page the below “Local Columnist” opinion column by Bernalillo County Metropolitan Judge Arsa Elliot who presides over the court’s “Outreach Court” that deals with the homeless.

JOURNAL EDITOR’S HEADLINE – “OUT REACH COURT: A SMALL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE”

BY ARSA ELLIOT, LOCAL COLUMNIST

“Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court’s Outreach Court, previously known as Homeless Court, provides people who are unhoused or precariously housed an opportunity to resolve pending misdemeanor cases, outstanding warrants and unpaid fines, which can pose barriers to housing and employment opportunities and hinder progress toward self-sufficiency. Outreach Court has been gaining the attention of our city and county leaders, law enforcement agencies and members of the public as our community struggles to find solutions for the complex problem of homelessness. As the judge presiding over Outreach Court, I am grateful for the community interest in the program and hope to provide helpful information about how the program works and can be best utilized.

Outreach Court is unique from the Metropolitan Court’s other specialty courts because it is designed to reward and support participants who have already taken the first steps to reclaim their lives and resolve outstanding cases; defendant buy-in is a prerequisite. This self-motivation is critical because participation in Outreach Court is voluntary. Success is dependent on participants’ own momentum toward further progress and stability, rather than completion or compliance with certain requirements imposed by the court.

The program accepts a variety of misdemeanor cases already pending in Metropolitan Court — generally, the types of cases precipitated by homelessness, like unlawful camping, trespassing, parking tickets and administrative vehicle offenses that often follow when a person has been living on the streets or in a vehicle. While Outreach Court seeks to assist as many motivated individuals as possible, each case and defendant are subject to individual review, including consultation with possible victims or affected parties, prior to acceptance. Certain misdemeanor cases or defendants are automatically disqualified from participation in Outreach Court, including DWI cases and defendants who have a violent felony conviction within the last seven years or an outstanding warrant in another jurisdiction.

Referrals to Outreach Court must be initiated by a community provider already assisting the defendant with housing, employment, education, behavioral or substance use treatment, or another social support program. Once accepted into Outreach Court, participants work with their case manager from the community provider to design a plan to move toward self-sufficiency.

The Outreach Court review team, which includes the prosecutor and defense attorney, meets monthly to review each case manager’s report on their assigned participant’s background, efforts in the program over the course of 30 to 90 days, improvements in their life, and goals for further participation and progress. Based on the case manager’s report, and upon agreement of the Outreach Court review team, the court acknowledges the participant’s efforts and progress by either dismissing the case or accepting the participant’s work in satisfaction of any remaining financial obligations and closing the case.

Although the court was unable to hold graduation ceremonies during the pandemic, we were happy to announce the resumption of in-person graduation ceremonies in 2024. The ceremonies typically involve 10 to 20 participants and their guests, graciously hosted by a volunteer community provider. The court personally recognizes each participant’s accomplishments in reclaiming their lives and their value as members of the community. Participants are presented with their signed dismissal paperwork, certificate of completion of Outreach Court and a small gift.

The graduation ceremonies are heartwarming but can be nerve-wracking to prepare for — knowing and remembering each participant’s story is a way of conveying the court’s appreciation of their efforts. Participants often arrive dressed in their best and accompanied by proud friends, family and children, and case managers. They mingle over food and refreshments in an unassuming, tiled community room equipped with folding cafeteria tables. Meeting the participants in person, witnessing their pride in themselves, and having the opportunity to publicly recognize their accomplishments and progress is tremendously gratifying. Their gratitude is incredibly humbling, and, if I am lucky, a participant might even ask me to be in a photograph with them. The issues of homelessness and intersecting crime pose a complicated and confounding puzzle. Outreach Court on its own cannot solve the problem, but it is a small piece of the puzzle the court can deliver.

Arsa Elliott is a judge in Division I of the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court. For more information about Outreach Court, please visit the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Cout’s website:

https://metro.nmcourts.gov/bernalillo-county-metropolitan-court/specialty-courts/outreach-court/.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE REFORM PACKAGE

During the 2025 regular session of the New Mexico legislature, the Behavioral Health Reform Package was enacted. On February 22, the New Mexico legislature gave final approval to 3 Senate Bills that make sweeping changes to how New Mexico’s mental health and drug abuse treatment programs are run statewide. All three bills taken together are known as the Behavioral Health Reform Package.

On February 27, 2025 Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law the Behavioral Health Care Reform Package. The following is a description of each of the enacted Senate Bills:

Senate Bill 1: This bill creates the Behavioral Health Trust Fund for the state of New Mexico to support mental health and substance abuse treatment, prevention, and intervention programs throughout the state. The behavioral health trust fund will be invested by the State Investment Council. The trust fund will distribute 5% of its annual value to fund the programs and support investments in necessary infrastructure, technology, and workforce development to facilitate the expansion of services. The fund could also help New Mexico unlock matching funds from federal, local, and private sources. One major change made to Senate Bill 1 was removing a $1 billion appropriation for the new proposed trust fund. Money for the new fund is now expected to be provided in a separate budget bill during this year’s 60-day session.

Senate Bill 2: This bill allocates $200 million to expand regional behavioral health services such as crisis response and outpatient care. The bill appropriates the funding to the New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts and various state agencies to set up a new framework for behavioral health programs statewide.

Senate Bill 3: This bill requires regional plans be crafted for providing mental health and substance abuse treatment. The plans would be overseen by the state judicial branch and would include time lines and regional funding priorities.

The Behavioral Health Reform Package had a total of 19 bipartisan sponsors, led by Senators George Muñoz (D-Gallup) and Liz Stefanics (D-Cerrillos). During the 2025 Legislative session, House and Senate Democrats worked together to make record investments in behavioral healthcare and substance use treatment programs to give New Mexicans the help they need when they need it. Speaker of the House Javier Martínez (D-Albuquerque) said this:

“Throughout the interim, we worked closely with our colleagues in the Senate to develop a multi-faceted plan to address our state’s behavioral healthcare needs and improve public safety statewide. … This session, we have worked quickly and thoughtfully to deliver on our promise to advance meaningful legislation that will make our communities safer right away and address long-standing gaps in services for this generation and the next.”

JUDICIARY IN CHARGE OF NEW MENTAL HEALTH CARE MODEL

Under the passed legislation, the new mental health care model places the state judiciary in charge of planning while leaving the state Health Care Authority largely in charge of overseeing funding. This is a significant change from the current system that largely falls under the executive branch’s jurisdiction.

The legislation increases accountability by requiring regional plans outlining priorities for providing mental health and substance abuse treatment. The new trust fund will provide annual funding to support the regional plans, which would largely be overseen by the state’s judiciary.

CIVIL MENTAL HEALTH COMMITMENTS VIABLE OPTION

During the 2025 regular session of the New Mexico legislature, the legislature enacted House Bill 4 referred to as the Omnibus Crime Package. It included 6 bills, one of which is the criminal competency legislation. It specifically requires that competency evaluators determine whether defendants are dangerous to themselves or others.

The enacted Omnibus Crime Package gives prosecutors more options to involuntarily commit people into a locked psychiatric facility if they are found to be dangerous to themselves or others and unable to stand trial.

Under House Bill 4, when a court determines that a defendant is not competent to proceed in a criminal case the court shall determine if the defendant is dangerous. A defendant who is not competent is dangerous if the court finds clear and convincing evidence that the defendant presents a serious threat of:

(1) inflicting great bodily harm, as defined in Section 30-1-12 NMSA 1978, on another person;

(2) committing criminal sexual penetration, as provided in Section 30-9-11 NMSA 1978;

(3) committing criminal sexual contact of a minor, as provided in Section 30-9-13 NMSA 1978; (4) committing abuse of a child, as provided in Subsection D of Section 30-6-1 NMSA 1978;

(5) violating a provision of the Sexual Exploitation of Children Act;

(6) committing human trafficking, as provided in Section 30-52-1 NMSA 1978;

(7) committing a felony involving the use of a firearm; or

(8) committing aggravated arson, as provided in Section 30-17-6 NMSA 1978.

The link to review House Bill 4 is here:

https://legiscan.com/NM/text/HB4/2025

After a competency hearing, and if a defendant is found not to be competent, a judge then decides whether the defendant poses a threat to themselves or others. Based on that determination, a defendant is either ordered to attend an assisted outpatient treatment program or sent to the state Behavioral Health Institute in Las Vegas, New Mexico. The problem is there is a shortage of available facilities to send those committed for treatment with funding to build such facilities in the Behavioral Health legislation.

METROPOLITAN COURT TO DETERMINE COMPETENCY

During the recent Special Session of the New Mexico legislature that ended on October 2, the legislature enacted legislation which allows the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court to determine competency which previously only allowed District Court involvement. A recent report by the New Mexico Justice Reinvestment Working Group found that 65% of individuals who enter the state’s criminal justice system have a behavioral health need and the criminal justice system cannot provide necessary medical treatment and facilities.

As noted by Metropolitan Judge Arsa Elliott in her Albuquerque Journal guest opinion column, the “Outreach Court” provides people who are unhoused with the opportunity to resolve pending misdemeanor cases, outstanding warrants and unpaid fines, all of which can pose barriers to housing and employment opportunities and hinder progress toward self-sufficiency. The “Outreach Court” can and should do more when it comes to the homeless who suffer from severe mental illness or who are drug addicted and are a danger to themselves and others.

During last year’s 2024 Special Session, legislators appropriated $3 million to ramp up court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment programs for individuals with mental illness in three judicial districts. The behavioral health legislation puts the judiciary in charge of planning while leaving the state Health Care Authority largely in charge of overseeing funding.

The City of Albuquerque has a spent a staggering $300 Million over the last three years and is spending upwards of $60 Million a year to provide assistance to so few, estimated to be between 3,000 to 5,000 unhoused. However upwards of 75% of the chronic unhoused refuse services. There has got to a better way than just throwing money at the problem.

The blunt reality is Albuquerque is now New Mexico’s capitol for the homeless service because of referrals made from throughout the state and thanks to Mayor Keller’s 5 integrated shelters known as the GATEWAY system and the Albuquerque City Council acquiescence. The City is managing the homeless who are from far beyond the city’s borders. The City and the State’s unhoused numbers are getting worse and not better after spending millions.

A 2025 report by the city found 30% of individuals experiencing homelessness self-report having a serious mental illness, 25% self-report having a substance use disorder and around 66% experience some form of mental health condition. The biggest problem is that upwards of 75% of the chronic, emergency unhoused simply refuse city services, yet the city continues with spending millions a year to benefit few.

FORM SPECIALIZED UNIT

It is likely that the Albuquerque Police Department and the city Community Safety Department know who the “frequent flyers” are and who need to be taken immediately off the streets because they pose and immediate threat to themselves and others. Both departments could and should assist the District Attorney or the City Attorney with civil mental health commitments of the unhoused and file civil mental commitment actions.

The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office and the Albuquerque City Attorney should form specialized unit to deal exclusively with civil mental commitment actions in the Metropolitan Court’s “Out Reach Court” with the state or courts providing funding and medical services through the the Behavioral Health Trust Fund provided for in the Behavioral Health Reform Package.

It is understood The Gateway Shelter on Gibson, which is the former Lovelace Medical Center and Hospital, is still largely vacant and has upwards of 200 patient rooms that are vacant. The Gateway Shelter on Gibson should be utilized for referrals by the Metropolitan Court’s “Out Reach Court” with the State providing mental health services to those committed for mental health and substance abuse treatment.

The link to a related article is here:

2025 New Mexico Legislative Update: Legislature Passes Historic Behavioral Health Care Package; Criminal Competency Legislation Passes As Part Of Six Bill Omnibus Crime Package; Sweeping Changes Made To States Behavioral Health Care System 12 Years After Destroyed By Republican Governor Susana Martinez

NEWS AND COMMENTARY

Monthly Archives: October 2025

Mayoral Candidates Final Roundtable Debate; Both Mayor Keller And Darren White Proclaim Political Careers Are Ending If Elected; Trajectory Of Race Remains Same With Keller And White In Runoff

Mayor Keller Loses Cool During Greater Albuquerque Realtors Association Forum; Sharply Rebukes Audience Not To Vote For Him If They Believe Opponents “Red Meat”; Homeless Biggest Obstacle To Keller Securing Third Term; The Civil Mental Health Commitment Option

No Clear Cut Winner Of Mayoral Debate; Trajectory Of Race Remains Same With Likely Runoff Between Keller And White

Seventh Campaign Disclosure Statement Filed in Mayor’s Race; Keller Spends $476,000 Of $757,000 With $281,000 Remaining; Other 5 Candidates Continue To Lag Behind; Emerging Republican Support For Democrat Louie Sanchez

Keller’s Positive, “Feel Good Ad” On His Record Deflated By Sanchez And White’s TV Ads On Keller’s Failed Record As Mayor; Will It Make A Difference?