The December 7 run off in City Council District 7 is between Democrat Tammy Fiebelkorn running against Republican Lori Robertson. District 7 is the Mid-heights including Coronado Shopping Center and Uptown surrounding areas and parts of the near northeast heights. City Council District 7 at one time was City Council District 5 before the city council districts were realigned. Pete Dinelli was the city councilor for the area at one time and invited Tammy Fiebelkorn to submit a guest column as a sign of support by this blog for distribution on her behalf. Following is her guest column, unedited and in her own words:
TAMMY FIEBELKORN IN HER OWN WORDS
“I’m Tammy Fiebelkorn, and I’m running for Albuquerque City Council because I care. I care about the environment, I care women’s rights, equality, unions, workers, public safety and community health. I believe in social justice and want to make sure every decision made by City Council is looked at through an equity lens.
I love living in District 7. It’s been my home for two decades. My partner, Paul, and I reside here with our furry and feathered kids: Frida (17-year-old mutt), Frijolito (12-year-old mutt), Cinderella (9-year-old mutt), and Mr. T (69-year-old paralyzed parrot). We love this district because it has the best of all worlds—great parks, vibrant small businesses, an incredibly diverse population, and lots of entertainment options for people young and old.
Just like other parts of Albuquerque – and cities nationwide, we have our share of challenges. I know this firsthand, from walking door-to-door daily for the past six months. During that time, I’ve heard stories of incredible compassion, courage, and heartbreak. I’ve met people struggling to pay their bills, coping with increased crime, living with the negative impacts of climate change on a daily basis, and working together to make our community stronger and better. Here’s what I’ve learned: Albuquerque is still a place where we take care of one another.
The priorities I’ve heard from District 7 residents:
● Safe streets with more programs to address substance abuse and behavioral health, with equal rights and protections for all residents, regardless of race, religion, ability, or identity
● Relief from the COVID pandemic for working families and small businesses
● A transition to a clean energy economy, with reduced utility costs, cheaper and cleaner transportation options, and healthier air and water
● City policies that protect and respect all animals
I was born in Grants and raised by a divorced single mother. We were poor. My mother struggled to keep us housed and fed. I was the first in my mother’s family to go to college. Now I am a small business owner and an environmental economist, having earned degrees in economics and finance from Northeast Louisiana University and a master’s in natural resource economics from Colorado State University. I have advocated for over thirty years to reduce energy use, environmental impacts, and energy burdens on working families, including helping to pass the landmark Energy Transition Act and the Efficient Use of Energy Act. I am passionate about animals and ensuring that everyone is safe from family violence, including children, animals, adults, and seniors. I founded Positive Links, a nonprofit organization dedicated to training law enforcement officers and social workers about this issue. As someone who had breast cancer, I know that our health—as individuals and as a community—is more important than anything.
I know what it’s like to struggle and have to decide whether to pay the rent or the utility bill. I believe we all need to take care of one another. My Republican opponent has already attacked me in a mail piece and has the backing of an enormous PAC, funded by real estate development and big oil interests. I hope I can count on your support because we have a lot to do, District 7. I invite you to find out more at www.tammyforalbuquerque.com and I ask for your support.”
DINELLI COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
The December 7 runoff ballot for District 7 consists solely the listing of two names, and nothing else is on the ballot. It is expected that the voter turnout will be dramatically lower. To complicate things is that the city council races are nonpartisan by state law and therefor party affiliation will not be delineated on the ballot. It is common knowledge amongst political insiders that Republican Lori Robertson is a very right-wing Republican Trump supporter.
Tammy Fiebelkorn has no problem at all identifying herself as a Democrat on her campaign materials. Lori Robertson on the other hand avoids stating her party affiliation on campaign materials as she uses the old misleading Republican ploy of not identifying her party affiliation in predominantly Democrat City Council Districts to vote for her saying that municipal elections are “ non-partisan and you should vote for the person and not the party.”
Robertson is relying heavily on Republican Party financial support, volunteer work and two Republican measured finance committees. Republican Lori Robertson has a distinct financial advantage over Democrat Tammy Fiebelkorn. Healthy Economies Lead to Progress, the measured Finance Committee established to promote and support Republicans filed its Runoff Finance statement for the time period of October 30 to November 5 reporting it has a closing balance of $87,864.62 for the reporting period it can use for the City Council runoff election.
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