Very proud parents who feel their golden child can do no wrong are the very first to get upset about low grades in school and are always wanting them changed because they feel the grades given are not “fair”.
It is very similar when lawyers appeal decisions of judges only to have the lower court affirmed by a higher court to their chagrin.
On June 18, 2018 I took some direct and indirect flack over the report card I issued on Mayor Keller’s first six months grades in office and published by the Albuquerque Journal on June 8, 2018.
You can read my entire Journal guest column published here:
https://www.abqjournal.com/1183092/keller-earns-a-c-in-his-1st-semester.html
The Albuquerque Journal published 4 letters to the editor saying how wrong I was to give Mayor Keller a “C” average for his first six months in office.
The grades were “A” for Public Relations, “B” for Political Appointments, “C” for Public Safety, “D” for DOJ Reforms and “F” for Economic Development.
Former Mayor Marty Chavez, my old boss, did not mention me by name but proclaimed Tim Keller “rock steady”, admitting he endorsed Keller, felt he was the best candidate at the time, and saying Keller has vision for the city and can carry it out.
Three others mentioned me by name: attorney Roberta Ramo Cooper, Margaret Galbraith and Rick Frendle.
All three said how wrong I was and proceeded to proclaim Mayor Keller in their own words the best thing to happen to Albuquerque since sliced bread and did not disclose they were strong Keller supporters.
I was told by the Journal that it gets over 100 letters to the editor every week and that it received only the 4 letters to take issue with mine.
LIMITATIONS ON JOURNAL GUEST EDITORIALS
Guest editorial columns such as the one I wrote to the Albuquerque Journal are strictly limited to 650 words, and no more.
Once published, the person must wait a full 90 days to offer another article.
My last Letter to the Editor before this one was March 7, 2018 and it was on me supporting the one-eighth of a cent gross receipts tax enacted by the city council.
Because of the Albuquerque Journal’s limitation to 650 words, which is strictly enforced, I could not list what I thought were Keller’s accomplishments that formed a basis of the grades.
I did publish a very lengthy and extended blog article listing Mayor Keller’s major accomplishments as well as low test scores with the link here:
The list of accomplishments are very detailed as are the low “test scores”.
The main reason for the “F” in economic development is that the Keller Administration has failed to put forth or suggest any kind of economic development plan that is any different than we have had for the last 8 years.
Apparently, the Albuquerque City Council also feels Keller deserves an “F” grade for economic development seeing that they overrode his veto by a unanimous vote of 9-0 on the “Topgolf” project giving $2.6 million for the development package.
Read the full story on the veto override here:
https://www.abqjournal.com/1186431/council-green-lights-topgolf-project.html
I cannot recall a single Mayor who has been in office for six months where the city council has overridden a veto by a unanimous vote, especially a city council that has a super majority of 6 from the same political party.
COMMENTARY
I voted for Tim Keller for State Auditor and voted for him for Mayor of Albuquerque and made it very clear I feel he is up to the challenge:
https://www.petedinelli.com/2017/12/31/up-to-the-challenge/
I have even defended Tim Keller from Journal editorials and others:
https://www.petedinelli.com/2018/03/15/boxing-match-between-mayor-keller-and-albuquerque-journal/
https://www.petedinelli.com/2018/03/28/you-must-be-republican-for-journal-to-cover-your-rear-end/
https://www.petedinelli.com/2017/12/09/apoa-union-president-is-the-one-acting-dishonorably/
The reason for my June 8 letter to the editor is that I think Mayor Tim Keller has great potential.
Given all the problems this city is facing, Keller needs to step it up a notch because what he is doing is just not cutting it.
When Tim Keller was running for Mayor, he repeatedly proclaimed his administration would be upfront and transparent with voters but as Mayor he kept all applicant names and resumes for City Attorney and APD Chief confidential until after a person was appointed.
Voters need to be upfront and transparent with the Mayor when it comes to his job performance and not just tell him what he wants to hear and support him out of blind loyalty which is what I keep seeing and hearing from his supporters.
We have already have had 8 years of blind loyalty to a Mayor and now to President Trump by his supporters.