“See them tumbling down
Pledging their love to the ground
Lonely but free I’ll be found
Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds

Cares of the past are behind
Nowhere to go, but I’ll find
Just where the trail will wind
Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds”

Lyrics to song by Sons of the Pioneers, Songwriters: Bob Nolan,  Tumbling Tumbleweeds lyrics © Williamson Music, Inc.

RAIL TRAIL PLANS ANNOUNCED

On July 22, with great fanfare, Mayor Tim Keller was joined by world-renowned architect Antoine Predock at the Neon Park Museum to announce  plans  for the Albuquerque Rail Trail project. The Rail Trail project  is a 7- to 8-mile multi-use pedestrian and bike trail circling downtown that will connect key destinations in the downtown area.  The City has 400 miles of bike trails and paths that run along the bosque arroyos and city streets. The trail will give residents and visitors a trip through Albuquerque’s history. Riders and pedestrians can stop at certain points, scan a QR code and learn more about what they are seeing.

It was in June 2014 that the City Council voted unanimously to adopt the Rail Yards Master Plan.  The Rail Trail  was first announced by Mayor Tim Keller in 2021. According to the Keller Administration it will encourage economic development, healthy recreation, and cultural expression.

 Predock and his team are spearheading the design of the City project, creating a “modern and artistic” pedestrian parkway that according to city officials reflects the culture and history of the city. The intent is to highlight the history of the railroad and Route 66.

RAIL TRAIL PROJECT DESIGN

World renowned Architect Antoine Predock is designing the Rail Trail Project.   Predock has lived Albuquerque for decades. He is one of the top living architects in the world who lives in Albuquerque. Predock designed the Rio Grande Nature Center and the La Luz community, which was Predock’s first solo architecture project.  Predock is known internationally with his architecture firm having an office in Taipei.  His fingerprint as an Albuquerque based architect can be seen throughout New Mexico.

The Rail Trail is located along the existing railroad corridor in the heart of Albuquerque. It travels past the Alvarado Transportation Center, crosses the historic Route 66, and the historic alignment of El Camino Real De Tierra Adentro. The historic communities of Barelas, South Broadway, and Martineztown are located adjacent to the corridor. The trail also connects a number of community assets, both public and private.

Click to access part-i-rail-trail-executive-summary.pdf

The Rail Trail will consist of 11 major sections all in the Downtown area from the Rail Yards to the Sawmill District, Old Town, Tingley Beach, the Barela’s neighborhood, and back around in a 8-mile loop. The trail will show major attractions like scenic stops along the Rio Grande, tourist spots, and a unique raised trail area with a plaza beneath for shops and food vendors over by the convention center. It will also have a redone underpass with lighting at Central and 1st highlighting the Historic Route 66.

City officials say the multi-level structure will include space for food trucks, vendors and other events on the ground. An elevated path will also give people views of the Sandia mountains in the distance.  Two plazas — Enchantment Plaza and Iron Horse Plaza — will be incorporated into the trail.

Other features include a tree-like, geometric structure wrapping over the bike path, which will be rooted in spaces that could be used for retail or other purposes. Collages, representing the history of the areas the path crosses, will be embedded into the street. Green space is also a priority. The city is currently in the process of acquiring properties around the area to use as green space on the trail, including one at Marquette and Commercial.  As for safety along the trail,  city officials  said they are working to have the trail fully lit with street lights and security officers.

“AURAS” AND PLAZITAS, OH MY

The project has been described by city officials as “fanciful” and “cosmic”. Throughout the length of the 8 mile trail there will be distinct “zones”. Project Architect Antoine Predock describes these zones as “auras.” Each aura celebrates the culture and history of that area. The auras contain “plazitas” along the path that serve as access points and gathering spots for activity and community. Each plazita will have a digital explanation of the zone featuring music, people, foods, and the broader “story of us.”

Predock identifies the following auras along the trail:

• Rio: The Rio Grande sustains life in Albuquerque and draws people for agriculture, recreation, and ritual. The Rail Trail loop connects to the Bosque Trail, taking people to the river.
• Origins / Albuquerque: Old Town is the historic heart of Spanish Colonial Albuquerque and a destination for locals and tourists.
• Tiguex: The Tiguex people originally inhabited this land. This zone honors the first people to live here and recognizes that their descendants are still here and contribute to the vibrancy of our present and future.
• Sawmill: The lumber yards were an important industry in our city. Neighborhoods grew around the sawmills to sustain the people who worked there.
• Enchantment / Enchantment Plaza: From this zone, you will be able to see the Sandias to the east, volcanos to west, and the enchantment of the sky and land everywhere you look. It is a celebration of the landscape that inspires all who see it.
• Industry: Factories and warehouses clustered along this area for ease of shipping dry goods and heavy materials. Family run businesses still fuel commerce in the zone.
• 66: The Mother Road brought people to and through Albuquerque in the automobile. Albuquerque continued to be a crossroads for travel and commerce with Route 66.
• Iron Horse: The arrival of the rail and trains transformed Albuquerque. The Rail Yards were once an economic powerhouse during industrialization. This area continues to be the hub for moving people and goods by train through the city.
• Barelas: Barelas is one of the oldest neighborhoods that grew as a result of the railroad coming to Albuquerque. Barelas maintains many traditional ways and fortitude of the families that built this community.
• Umbral: Umbral is the Spanish word for threshold. This place is the original crossing of the Rio Grande and the entry point for the Camino Real.

25-FOOT NEON TUMBLEWEED

Project Architect Antoine Predock places what he and Mayor Keller  believe is an iconic Albuquerque image front and center: the tumbleweed. Predock envisions a giant, electric tumbleweed that will be a key feature of the Rail Trail. Predock proclaims the image of a tumbleweed rolling down the road is part of every resident’s experience and is enshrined in pop culture.

The new Rail Trail is expected to pass right through a neon tumbleweed, and a new “Enchantment Plaza” near the Big-I.  Mayor Tim Keller became downright giddy with excitement with a grin on his face and a smile in his voice during the July 22 presentation as he talked about the 25-foot neon tumbleweed.  Keller said this:

 “When this happens, no one will think of Albuquerque without the neon tumbleweed at the intersection of Route 66 and the railroad.”

INITIAL PROJECTED COST ESTIMATES

The total projected cost is $80 Million. The project is roughly half funded and with the city almost ready to break ground on it.  So far, the city has set aside $40 million for the project and is ready to break ground as the remaining funding is secured.

Funding for the Rail Trail Loop includes $15 Million from the City, $10 million from the State of New Mexico, and $11.5 million  from the Federal RAISE Grant, totaling $36.5M for the full loop.  Money from bonds that voters are expected to vote on in November’s city election could also be used for the project.

The Albuquerque Rail Trail Framework Plan outlines that the project will be built in 6 segments. The Framework plan outlines the probable construction costs of each phase of the project.

Phase 1a is the Marquette Crossing with a cost of $2,000,000.

Phase 1b is the Lomas – Tijeras  phase with a cost of $3,898,018.

Phase 2 is the Tijeras – Central Ave portion of the trail costing $1,988,000.

Phase 3 is Tijeras Access + 1ST Street to Central Ave portion of the trail costing  $2,424,000.

Phase 4 is the Alvarado Station portion of the trail costing  $990,000.

Phase 5 is the 1ST Street – Gold Ave to Coal Ave portion of the trail costing  $2,371,000.

Phase 6 is the  1ST Street – Coal Ave to Rail Yards portion of the trail costing $2,580,000 .

Total cost for all 6  phases is $16,251,018

See Albuquerque Rail Trail Framework Plan, Page 30.

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/documents/part-i-rail-trail-executive-summary.pdf

The Albuquerque Rail Trail Framework Plan outlines funding Sources:

City Transportation Funds (committed): $3,000,000

City Lodgers Tax (committed): $2,000,000

State Legislative Request: $5,000,000

Federal Infrastructure Grant: $5,239,000

Total available funding: $15,239,000

See Albuquerque Rail Trail Framework Plan, Page 30

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/documents/part-i-rail-trail-executive-summary.pdf

City officials said they hope to break ground by this fall  and have some elements open to the public by late 2024.  City officials predict the full trail could be completed by 2027. The final cost of the project is projected to be $80 Million. Currently, the city has raised $39 million to fund the construction.

Project Architect Antoine Predock had this to say:

“Beginning with Enchantment Plaza and culminating with that auspicious American crossroads moment at Central Crossing where US Route 66 was joined by the railroad, the Rail Trail reveals layers of the Land of Enchantment. … The intense polychrome graphics on the trail’s surface at each stop along the eight-mile circle tell the story of the neighborhoods, and of Albuquerque, summing up the Land of Enchantment.”

It is at the Central Avenue crossing where US Route 66 is joined by the railroad tracks that Project Architect Antoine Predock wants the city to erect his 25 foot neon tumbleweed.

The Rail Trail has been a major goal of Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller’s administration.  According to Mayor Keller, it  will transform our downtown neighborhoods and elevate the way we experience the city.  At the unveiling,  Keller said he expects the project will become as much of a landmark as the BioPark or the Sandia Peak Tramway. Keller said this:

 “This is the pedestrian parkway. It’s meant for recreation. It’s meant for transit. It’s meant for families coming together. It’s meant reuniting neighborhoods that have historically been divided. … This is probably the largest public works undertaking since we literally built the zoo and the tram. … When we pull this off, almost every New Mexican will know about the Rail Trail and will have experiences with it … And, most importantly, be a place that brings us together and unites us. … The Rail Trail will be a defining project for our City and a landmark for future generations. … We’re grateful to the team of architects, and community members, who believe in this vision. Together, we are creating a special place for residents, visitors and families to cherish and enjoy.”

Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency Director Terry Brunner had this to say:

“What we’ve learned from a lot of other cities is when they’re able to rehab their downtowns with a major tourism or amenity or attraction, it really helps drive downtown improvements. … We’re excited to start hopefully with a central crossing which will be an at grade crossing with ramps at Central to eliminate the dangerous underpass that we have for pedestrians. … Potentially Sawmill or that length from Rail Yards all the way up to Lomas [will]  probably [be] our first sections. … This project honors Albuquerque’s cultural history while also laying the ground work for its future. … The Rail Trail is an investment that will connect our communities and activate the heart of our city. I tend to think it’s one of the biggest projects that Albuquerque will have had in the last 100 years.”

ONE PERSONS ART VIEWED AS WASTED TAXPAYER  MONEY

The entire Albuquerque Rail Trail project has more than a few major critics, especially when it comes to the $80 Million dollar price tag and the extra features that will driving up the cost.

Paul Gessing  of the taxpayer watch group Rio Grande Foundation said the cost breakdown is too much. Guessing said this:

“It strikes me as over the top for a bike trail. … Over $10 million per mile is a lot of money for a bike trail. And there’s art, some kind of tumbleweed design, and Antoine Predock, a well-known architect and designer.”

RAIL TRAIL STEERING COMMITTEE: FRIENDS OF THE RAIL TRAIL

The Rail Trail project has a steering committee known as the Friends of the Rail Trail. It is a 14 person committee appointed by the Mayor. Ostensibly the steering committee was involved with the overall project, selection of the architect and final approval of the plans. The members of the steering committee are:

Mayling Armijo, Bernalillo County Economic Development Director

Dale Armstrong, Property Owner

Lola Bird, Downtown Mainstreet

Dennis Gromelski, FUSION

Ed Garcia, Property Owner

Seth Gardenswartz, Property Owner

Johanna Gillian, Homewise

Maria Griego-Raby, Contract Associates

Frank Martinez, Citizens Information Committee of Martineztown

Tim Nisly, Barelas Community Coalition

Jay Rembe, Property Owner

Sgt. Matthew Tinney, Downtown Public Safety District

Laura Trujillo, Valley Area Command Crime Prevention

Kelly Ward, Innovate ABQ

The listing of the Rail Trail steering committee can be found at the end of this link:

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/rail-trail

Links to quoted news sources are here:

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/city-leaders-unveil-plans-for-rail-trail-project-in-albuquerque/

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/new-rendering-announced-for-albuquerque-rail-trail-project/

https://www.koat.com/article/albuquerques-dollar80-million-bike-project-some-say-it-cost-too-much/44655154

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/city-of-albuquerque-unveils-designs-for-rail-trail-which-includes-a-25-foot-neon-tumbleweed/article_db3ac628-299b-11ee-9dd1-1bf24988c47d.html

City links to information on Rail Trail:

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/rail-trail

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/news/albuquerque-rail-trail-a-vision-unveiled

https://www.cabq.gov/council/projects/current-projects/albuquerque-rail-yards-redevelopment

For more information on the Albuquerque Rail Trail, visit cabq.gov/railtrail.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYIS

By any measure, spending $80 Million dollars on an 8 mile bike trail and pedestrian walkway is a difficult sell to the general public which is the likely reason Mayor Tim Keller and his administration conveniently did not put it on the ballot for voter approval, especially when it comes to a legacy project the Rail Trail represents to Keller. Calling an $80 million bike trail and pedestrian walkway “one of the biggest projects that Albuquerque will have had in the last 100 years” and saying “this is probably the largest public works undertaking since we literally built the zoo and the tram” that will transform the city is laughable and typical of the Keller Public Relations Team and his city hall insiders.   Keller and company forget the $125 Million ART bus project Keller completed down the middle of central that has destroyed Route 66 as well as the urban renewal of the1970’s that essentially gutted downtown to its detriment.

POLICE PRESENCE WILL BE CRITICAL FOR USE

Keller’s dream trail could easily become a trail of nightmares. Safety along the trail will be critical to its use.  City officials said they are working to have the trail fully lit with street lights and security officers. Given the openness and length of the trail, the entire length of the trail will likely become a magnet for crime. It’s not at all hard to envision panhandling, drug dealing, prostitution solicitation, pick pocketing and purse snatching, shop lifting at the merchandise vendor stations and the homeless camping at the various locations. At a minimum there will be the need for police to patrol the entire length of the trail and to have it closed down at night like a city park and to prevent illegal camping.

RAIL TRAIL STEERING COMMITEE

The city is currently in the process of acquiring properties around the rail trail to use as green space on the trail, including one at Marquette and Commercial. When you look at the 14 members Rail Trail Steering Committee what are found are a number of big name property owners and developers with very little representation of people actually living in the areas of the city that will be affected by the project. One unanswered question is to what extent will the members of the steering committee benefit from the project or if the are selling property to the city for the project?

THAT 25-FOOT NEON TUMBLEWEED

Spending thousands of dollars on a 25-foot neon tumbleweed at the intersection of Route 66 and the railroad as a symbol for a City falls squarely into the category of “What the hell are they thinking?”  Frankly, the use of a 24 foot neon tumbleweed is embarrassing for a city known for its Sandia vistas, the International Balloon Fiesta, Route 66, its history and diversity.

A tumbleweed conjures up images of windswept dust and desolation.  It conjures up the images of Albuquerque being nothing more than a dusty and dying little town in New Mexico as tumbleweeds, dirt and debris are swept by the winds through the vacant streets of a once vibrant community.

There are so many other symbols that could be and are reflection of the city as a whole and that can  even be whimsical at times. Those images include chile ristras, luminarias, images of the tramway, hot air balloons during a  balloon glow, a vintage train, a vintage convertible driving down Route 66, images of a cowboy riding a bronco or a buffalo soldier, mariachis playing with dancers, Indian jewelry, pottery and tribal dancers, an adobe pueblo oven (horno), hand-carved and painted wooden santos, bultos, retablos, and crosses and carvings.  The comedy and tragedy masks could be used as a symbol of the city’s emerging film production industry, especially at the rail yards where CNM is building a film school. Whimsical images of  a “big enchilada”,  tamales and tacos and even Bugs Bunny saying “I should have taken a left at Albuquerque” or even Homer Simpson and the Isotopes could be used.

The 25-foot neon tumbleweed is one piece of artwork  that needs to be scraped as not a fitting symbol of the city.

On June 7, New Mexico State Representative Christine Trujillo announced her  resignation from the New Mexico House of Representatives effective July 1. It is now the responsibility of the Bernalillo County Commission to appoint her replacement to complete the remainder of her term.  The replacement will serve the rest of the term ending on December 31, 2024. Whoever is appointed will have to stand for election to a full 2 year term in 2024. The winner of the November 2024 election will then serve a full term starting January 1, 2024.  The district straddles central I-40, mainly in the Northeast Heights, including neighborhoods between Carlisle and Louisiana in Bernalillo County.

COUNTY COMMISSION ANNOUNCES MEETING

On June 30, 2023 the Bernalillo County Commission announced it was accepting applications from individuals interested in filling the vacancy and applicants had until Friday, July 28, 2023, at noon.

The Bernalillo County  Commission announced it will appoint a replacement from the  list of applied candidates at their Friday, August 11 meeting at 10 am. The meeting will take place in the Ken Sanchez Commission Chambers at BernCo @ Alvarado Square, 415 Silver Ave SW. 

https://www.bernco.gov/blog/2023/06/30/bernco-commission-seeks-applications-to-fill-new-mexico-house-district-25-seat/

The Bernalillo County Commission website reports that seven candidates have applied to fill the vacncancy.  The 7 seven applicants are:

• Cristina Parajón (D)
• Robert Padilla (D)
• Sofia Sanchez (D)
• Brian A. Thomas (D)
• Andres P. Valdez (D)
• Derek James Villaneuva (D)
• Denis Litvinenko (R)

You can review each applicants letter of application and resume by clicking on each of the candidate names above.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY WARD AND PRECINCT CANDIDATE FORUM

After the forum, the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County (DPBC) will facilitate an online election for registered Democrats living in HD25. The election will be ranked-choice, with voters able to rank all the candidates according to their preferences. If you’re a registered Democrat residing in HD25, you can  register here to receive a ballot.

The election is non-binding. The Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners is ultimately responsible for appointing a candidate to fill the open seat with the goal of the election to provide the County Commission with a recommendation of a preferred candidate.  DPBC will send out ballots on Friday, August 4. Voters have until 6:00 pm on Sunday, August 6 to cast their ballot.

The Candidate Forum will be held at AFT New Mexico (530 Jefferson St. NE) on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, at 6:00 pm. Doors will open at 5:30, with the proceedings beginning at 6:00 pm.

Anyone is welcome to attend the candidate forum, but only registered Democrats living in HD25 will be allowed to take part in a vote that will recommend to the County Commission who should be appointed.

Each candidate will give a 2 minute opening statement and a  2 minute closing statement. Each candidate will have 1 minute to answer each question. The order in which candidates will be asked a question will be rotated so that no candidate will be asked the question first each time.

The vote is a non-binding election that establishes a preferred candidate. Democrat voters will rank the candidates according to their preferences. The Democratic Party of Bernalillo County (DPBC)  will then deliver the full voting results to the Bernalillo County Commissioners.  The final results are strictly a recommendation and in no way is binding upon the Bernalillo County Commission.

Only Democrats in House District 25 can register to attend and vote. While attendance is not required to vote, it is highly encouraged.  DPBC will tally the votes on Monday, August 2, and deliver the results to the Board of Commissioners the next day.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

The current makeup of the current Bernalillo County Commission is as follows:

District 1: Progressive Democrat Barbara Baca, Commission Chair

District 2:  Moderate Democrat Steven Michael Quezada

District 3: Progressive Democrat Adriann Barboa

Disrtrict 4:  Conservative Republican Walt Benson 

District 5: Progressive Democrat Eric Olivas

The legal and constitutional process of filling vacancies in the New Mexico legislature caused by  the early departure of a legislator has always rested with the County Commission where the legislators district is located.  On paper, it is pretty straight forward process.  There are 5 county commissioners and the applicant who  secures a 3 vote majority wins, period, end of discussion.

EDITOR’S NOTE: In the interest of full disclosure, Pete Dinelli intended to apply for the vacancy but decided against it preferring to continue with retirement and publication of www.PeteDinelli.com as a Democrat activist and having other priorities in life without political drama.

In practice, the process of filling a legislative vacancy is always a very messy process, especially when there are philosophical rifts within the same party that has the majority of the votes on the commission. Such is the current makeup of the Bernalillo County Commission which is comprised of 4 Democrats and 1 Republican.

There currently exists a politcal  rift  between the 3 Progressive Democrats of Barbara Baca, Adriane Barboa and Eric Olivas who have the majority over Moderate Democrat Stephen Michael Quesada and Conservative Republican Walt Benson.  It will be the progressive majority of Commissioners Baca, Barboa and Olivas who will decide to fill the vacancy giving very little or no consideration to what is said by the other two commissioners. Sadly, such is the reality of politics.

Sources have confirmed that the reason why there will be a candidate forum on August 2 held by the Bernalillo County Democratic Party  is because of just how messy and divisive the last appointment was.  Many Democratic party officials’ believe there is a need for the party to be involved with the selection process and to at least voice their opinions and not give exclusive authority to appoint to 3 elected officials who hold the majority on the County Commission.

It was on November 16 that longtime Westside Albuquerque Rep. Antonio “Moe” Maestas was appointed by the County Commission to serve the remaining 2 years in the New Mexico Senate caused by the resignation of Senator Jacob Candelaria on October 19.  Maestas, who represented a Westside seat for 16 years, immediately announced his interest in Candelaria’s seat, and Candelaria threw his support behind him.  Two county commissioners immediately raised concerns about Maestas and whether Candelaria’s seat should be filled before others had a chance to apply for the seat. The November 16 County Commission meeting making the Maestas appointment degenerated into a verbal slug fest of false accusations, innuendos and slurs with one commissioner even  calling another commissioner a “bitch”.

It has been confirmed by sources that the desires of the county commissioners whose district the vacancy falls within, which in this case is both Baroboa and Olivas, will be given greater consideration and relied upon. It’s called politics with a touch of retaliation thrown in for good measure sending the message as to who is in charge now that Commissioners Debbie O’malley and Charlene Pyskoty are gone and that the 3 like minded progressives have majority control of the commission.

The blunt truth is that the August 2 forum to be held by the Bernalillo County Democratic Party is strictly advisory.  The individual County Commissioners can and will vote for whoever they want regardless of recommendation made by the party.

Three  or more of the 5 county commissioners are strictly prohibited by law from attending the August 2 Democrat forum together all at once because it would constitute a quorum and be in violation of New Mexico’s Open meetings act. Notwithstanding, confidential sources are saying that at least 2 County Commissioners are planning on attending the meeting.

County Commissioners should not attend the August 2 candidate forum and there are very good reasons for that. If any county commissioner does attend, their presence means that they will be lobbied by the candidates themselves or the Democrats attending who will want to know how the commissioner intends to vote. It’s more likely than not they will be asked if they are endorsing anyone.  Those who  attending commissioners say they will vote for and any discussions of applicant’s qualification should be a matter of public record and of conducting interviews of the applicants at an open commission meeting.

It is highly commendable that House District 25 Democrat Ward and Precinct leadership of Wards 25A, 25B, 25C, and 25D are  holding  a moderated, in-person candidate forum for the applicants.  It is clearly necessary to allow the Democrat Party to have input on the process and to voice their preference. What is also commendable is that the meeting is open to the public and the Bernalillo County Democratic Party is thereby making accommodations for neighborhood association participation and other private citizens to attend who may want to merely listen to the candidates and become informed.

The Bernalillo County Commission should hold a special meeting of the county commission, all day if needed, where all applicants are given an equal opportunity to speak and be interviewed and questioned in public by all 5 county commissioners during a public meeting with a record of the proceedings and what is said.  The county commission should also allow testimony from the public, including from Democrats, Republicans and Independents and make public all communications and lobbying efforts on behalf of individual candidates. It’s called transparency in the public interest to avoid back-room politics of pre selection of appointments.

Bernalillo County Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada is a life-long resident of New Mexico. Commissioner Quezada is a screen actors guild award-winning actor, producer and comedian with a long record of public service for Bernalillo County children and families.  He pursued his love of performing by studying theatre arts at Eastern New Mexico University, and has earned the distinction as one of the most charitable celebrities in New Mexico.

Commissioner Quezada has raised money for organizations such as Youth Development Incorporated and countless others. Quezada  has also worked with the gang intervention, Mi Voz and Elev8 programs through YDI, taught acting to local kids, and educated future filmmakers at the Digital Arts and Technology Academy.  He is married to Cherise Quezada, has four children, and plays golf in his spare time.

EDITOR’S DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this guest column written by Bernalillo County Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada are those of  Commissioner  Quezada and do not necessarily reflect those of the www.petedinelli.com blog. Commissioner Quezada has not been paid any compensation to publish the guest column and has given his consent to publish on www.PeteDinelli.com.

“With roughly a year and a half left in my tenure as a Bernalillo County Commissioner, I feel the need to speak out, once again, against the “bad politics” plaguing the Bernalillo County Commission.  More specifically, the inclusion of Commissioner Adriann Barboa in the hiring process for the newly created position of Deputy County Manager for Behavioral Health.

During my years on the county commission, I have seen the good and the bad; appropriate decisions and those that have failed and divided this great county.  But this latest power move by Commissioner Barboa is out of line, out of touch and smacks of political patronage, a practice in which a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its supporters, friends (cronyism), and relatives (nepotism).  This is not an accusation, merely an observation that is not solely my own.

 It seems that since 2016, politics has degraded into the practice of politicians forcing their political views under the guise of leadership while double-talking to save their political careers and push their misguided values.

Commissioner Barboa appears no different.  She says her knowledge and work in the behavioral health field will allow her to share institutional knowledge in the hiring process for the new Deputy County Manager.  And while she states that the final decision is not hers, the mere fact that she urged friends and acquaintances to apply and that she is privy to the selection process and applicants, gives her undue, unfair, unethical, and possibly illegal influence on the process, putting Bernalillo County in a vulnerable legal position.

The county commission hired Julie Morgas Baca as County Manager in 2015 with the simple understanding that she works for the commission, but the employees work for her.

 Commissioner’s don’t hire and fire, they develop policy to guide county government.  Among other duties, the commissioners have final authority on budget, affirm proper tax rates, issue general obligation bonds, pass ordinances and resolutions, make appointments to boards and commissions, create fire districts, and establish zoning and business regulations.

Nowhere does it state that commissioners should be involved in hiring county staff.

It’s no secret that the county commission is divided.  In the past few years the votes have been a standard 4 – 1 based on party affiliation.  More recently, the votes have digressed to a common 3 – 2 margin with commissioners Adriann Barboa, Barbara Baca, and Eric Olivas forming a majority. As for the vote to allow commissioner Barboa to sit on the selecetion committee for the new Deputy Manager, I was the only dissenting vote.

Please don’t confuse my explanation with an apology.  I am never sorry for the way I vote and always work, and vote, with the best interest of the county and all residents as my guide.

 As I serve out my final months on the commission, I will continue to vote my conscience for all who live, work, and plan their futures in this great county.  But I do encourage you to speak up against this feeble attempt at a power grab, rise up against government intrusion, and vote your conscience in the next election.

At Bernalillo County I don’t know if you can count on us but you can definitely county on me!

The link to a relevant Dinelli blog article is here:

Bernalillo County Commission To Appoint House District 25 Replacement On August 11; Democratic Party Candidate Forum On August 2 To Make Non-Binding Recommendations To County Commission; Candidate Biographies; County Commission Party Infighting Reason For Forum

 https://www.petedinelli.com/2023/07/25/bernalillo-county-commission-to-appoint-house-district-25-replacement-on-august-11-democrat-party-candidate-forum-on-august-2-to-make-non-binding-recommendations-to-county-commission-candidate-biogr/

On April 7, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law House Bill 547 passed during the 2023 legislative that progressively increases the annual cap on film industry tax credits from $110 million to $160 million over the next 5  fiscal years. The law took effect on July 1. The law promises to stimulate further growth and employment in New Mexico’s film industry throughout the next decade, with estimates projecting the creation of thousands of jobs. New Mexico Film Office Director Amber Dodson said that the increase will prevent a backlog of rebates and that it will  foster the continued growth of film and television productions in the state.

House Bill 547 introduced adjustments that exempt resident principal performers from a $5 million credit cap per production. The ultimate goal is to incentivize the casting of local talent for leading roles. The above-the-line credit cap for New Mexico Film Partners, including Netflix, NBCUniversal, and 828 Productions, was  increased from $5 million to $15 million per production. The legislation further introduces a maximum total credit cap of $40 million per fiscal year.

Rural New Mexico will greatly benefit from the new legislation. House Bill 547 increases the rural uplift incentive from 5% to 10% and redefines the zoning to at least 60 miles from the city hall of each county. This will prove a major boon for rural communities including Doña Ana County, McKinley County, and the Mescalero Apache Reservation.

The legislation also ushers in more restrictive terms for the Nonresident Crew Exception Program (NRCE). However, New Mexico Film Partners will see added benefits. NRCE offers productions the ability to hire nonresident below-the-line crew at a reduced credit, with restrictions differing depending on the production company’s partnership with the state.

FILM INDUSTRY EXPENDITURES DOWN

On July 18, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that New Mexico’s  film industry spent more than $794 million in the state from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023. The $794 million in direct spending is down from fiscal year 2022, which had a record high of $855.4 million. Over the last 3 fiscal years, film industry spending in the state was over $2.2 billion.

Though in fiscal year 2023, the direct spending for productions receiving the credit is $16.5 million, which is down from the $50 million in fiscal year 2022.

The rural uplift credit, which gives a production an extra 5% in rebates for filming at least 60 miles outside the Albuquerque/Santa Fe corridor, continued to bring productions to every corner of the state.

Despite the decline in direct spending, Governor Lujan Grisham said this in a statement:

“The investments in New Mexico by the film and media industry are delivering higher wages and creating cascading positive economic impacts in communities large and small across the state. … Our continued efforts to create a thriving and robust film industry means more money in the pockets of New Mexico families and businesses.”

PRODUCTIONS OUTLINED

According to the New Mexico Film Office, the state hosted 85 productions in fiscal year 2023, down from 109 total productions in fiscal year 2022. The data released by the film office shows that median hourly wages for industry workers was $35.51 in fiscal year 2023, up from $29.36 the prior year.

New Mexico-based productions include Nickelodeon’s “The Loud House” franchise, Walt Disney Pictures’ untitled reimagining of “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” the upcoming Netflix series “American Primeval” and the feature “Rez Ball,” as well as second seasons of Amazon Studio’s “Outer Range” and AMC’s “Dark Winds.”

The state also saw “Better Call Saul” end its six-season run. Production for the AMC series had been steady from 2014 through 2022.  State-filmed series ABC’s “Big Sky: Deadly Trails” and The CW’s “Walker: Independence” premiered last fall, but were both canceled in their third and first season, respectively.

THE FUTURE NEW MEXICO MEDIA ACADEMY

The New Mexico Media Academy, located in the Albuquerque Rail Yards, is scheduled to open in 2025. The academy will have a satellite campus in Las Cruces. Students at the academy will enter a competitive and growing film and television industry workforce.

Amber Dodson, New Mexico Film Office director, in statement said this:

“We are building our film, television and digital media ecosystem from the ground up, with a particular focus on staying competitive and not just being relevant but leading the way into the next frontier of how content is made. … Our best-in-class incentive, workforce, training programs, and soon, the film academy, are all essential to generating opportunity, access, and prosperity for New Mexican residents and businesses, which are the foundation of our sustainable, thriving industry.”

The link to news source reference material is here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/lifestyle/tv-and-film/nm-film-industry-brings-in-794m-how-does-that-compare-to-previous-years/article_f7d62b38-25a4-11ee-8ed5-3f5d937fc242.html

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Prior to and despite the ongoing Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strike, New Mexico remains a hotspot for filming as Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces were named to Movie Maker’s list of best places to live and work as a filmmaker. Currently, the industry is being impacted globally by the ongoing Writers Guild of America and  the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike and New Mexico is no different.

There is very little doubt that New Mexico film industry production crews, vendors and local businesses are dramatically beginning  to feel the crunch of lost revenues as film production in the state has come to a screeching halt. From all appearances, the end of the strike is nowhere in sight with the actors union SAG-AFTRA joining Writers Guild of America.

SAG-AFTRA STRIKE RECALLED

The last time the actors guild went on strike was in 1960 and  Ronald Regan was president of SAG-AFTRA. SAG’s strike ended on April 18, 1960, when the guild agreed to forego residual payments on films made prior to 1960 in exchange for receiving residuals on all films made from 1960 on as well as a one-time payment of $2.25 million from producers to form a SAG pension and health plan.

The writers’ strike, on the other hand, continued until June 12, 1960, when the WGA agreed to a groundbreaking new deal. Gains for the guild included the first residuals for theatrical motion pictures (payments of 1.2% of the license fee when features were licensed to television), an independent pension fund and industry health insurance plan, and 4% residuals for both domestic and foreign television reruns.

The link to quoted news source material is here

https://time.com/6294777/sag-wga-strike-1960/

MAJOR STUMBLING BLOG

The issues being dealt with in the current strike are far more complicated than what happened in 1960. The entire film and production industry is now completely shut down, not only in New Mexico, but globally.  Thousands of unionized New Mexico film workers and writers are standing down in support.

The current strike will not likely be resolved any time soon and may drag on for months if not at least a full year or more. At the core of the dispute is the use of artificial intelligence and how it is used and who benefits from it. What is being fought over are words, images and creation of  original productions that can be created without consent.

Ostensibly, what is happening is that the major studios including NETFLEX and NBC which do business in New Mexico are hellbent on starving out writers and actors. Only time will tell if the strike will be a major death blow to New Mexico’s film industry.

On July 6 Democratic U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján and President Biden’s senior adviser and infrastructure coordinator Mitch Landrieu along with Mayor Tim Keller held a news news conference to announce $25 million in new federal funding that will be used in part to expand the Uptown Transit Center. The total cost of the entire development project will be at least $50 Million. The federal funding is from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity program (RAISE) which was expanded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

UPTOWN CONNECT

The project has been dubbed “Uptown Connect”.  It is a public-private partnership project to reconstruct the existing bus platform on America’s Parkway, between Uptown Boulevard NE and Indian School Road NE.  The transit station is the end of the line for the Albuquerque Rapid Transit (ART).  According to the city, the bus route is one of the most frequent bus services used.

Senator Martin Heinrich for his part had this to say:

“This is an investment in infrastructure that we have not seen in the United States of America since the interstate highway system was created … this is what’s going to make us competitive in this very competitive world for years to come.”

Heinrich also announced  Albuquerque will also be getting $18 million from the Infrastructure Act to purchase 20 new electric buses to be added to the city’s bus fleet.

Mayor Tim Keller for his part said the total estimated price tag for the new Uptown Transit Center is about $50 million. Half of that money is from RAISE. Keller says the projects receiving these grants are supposed to be public-private partnerships. The city owns the land and the two private developers on the grant application are Family Housing Development Corp. and Palindrome Communities, the company behind the El Vado Motel redevelopment and other projects around the city.

Mayor Keller said the project is something the city has been pursuing for a while.  According to Keller, the facility being built will include transit security and staff 24/7. Keller said this:

“This is about connecting housing to public transit. It’s where you can live and access public transit all over the city. This will be literally the first example of this in New Mexico. … So right now, we do have a lot of challenges with safety because the parking lot that serves as the ART stop is just a parking lot. It’s not secure at all.”

The overall development project will have entertainment, affordable housing and retail uses.  Project developer Palindrome said it will be building 400 apartments above the transit center, as well as restaurants and retail sites. Half of the apartments will be dedicated to affordable housing and the other half will be at the fair market rental rates. The existing Nusenda Credit Union south of the bus transfer station will shift locations so that it remains next to the transit station.

As envisioned, the project is designed to make it easier for people to get to Uptown and to live in the area  by adding more housing and expanding the Uptown Transit Center. Lawrence Kline, principal project planner for the project said this:

“We work in a half-mile radius. … That’s about the average distance we think people will walk to get transit. So, within a half a mile of here, there are 13,000 jobs and only 100 people who both live and work within Uptown. So that means every day, 13,000 people are coming in from everywhere else. Why not let them live here, work here, ride the bus to UNM  or to Presbyterian?”

Construction is expected to begin in April 2025 and may be complete in 2027, according to transit department staff.  Carrie Barkhurst, a senior planner with the city’s Transit Department said this:

“Bringing people to the project and bringing retail and commercial is just going to make this area so vibrant and make it the urban center that we always wanted …  We can say we want these things, but if the market doesn’t respond, we don’t usually have that much leverage.  …  In this case, because of the federal grant to buy the property and we said we want to do this joint development, that’s what got us in the door to ask for more federal funds for this project.”

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/new-uptown-transit-center-to-include-400-apartments-retail-space/article_3c5767a8-1c4b-11ee-8fab-fb1ce94bc4ee.html

https://www.kunm.org/local-news/2023-07-03/albuquerque-will-leverage-25m-federal-grant-to-redevelop-uptown-transit-center

https://abq.news/stories/senators-heinrich-and-lujn-announce-millions-in-electrification-grants-for-buses-and-housing,34600

https://ladailypost.com/u-s-sen-ben-ray-lujan-welcomes-white-house-senior-advisor-mitch-landrieu-to-highlight-new-mexico-investments/

https://www.kunm.org/local-news/2023-07-03/albuquerque-will-leverage-25m-federal-grant-to-redevelop-uptown-transit-center

10-STORY “TWO PARK CENTRAL TOWER” UP FOR AUCTION

On July 26, it was reported that Two Park Central Tower, 300 San Mateo NE, is being marketed as a redevelopment project for up to 115 apartment units, according to the listing. Much of the interior of what has historically been an office building has been gutted, said Todd Clarke, the broker on the sale.  Standing 10-stories tall and 101,000-square feet, the building is six miles east of Albuquerque’s Downtown and is one of Albuquerque’s tallest buildings outside of Downtown. The building  is currently at auction with a starting bid of $600,000. The listing states:

“300 San Mateo Blvd NE offers the rare and profitable redevelopment option for savvy investment, with a major income generating prospective. …This multifaceted, (income-generating) project is in the prime northeast region of the city, currently a strong demand area of the city that needs 16,268 additional multi-family rental units and is experiencing phenomenal rent growth.” 

The building is being brought to market by Ten-X. Todd Clarke, a broker said much of the interior of what has historically been an office building has been gutted. Clarke said this:

“I think that’s really its highest and best use. … We’ve got a housing shortage of about 13,000 rental units and we’re seeing rents go through the roof.”

The link to quoted news source material is here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/one-of-albuquerques-tallest-building-outside-of-downtown-is-up-for-auction/article_10257356-2b0e-11ee-9947-77f222d04fc1.html

CITY  NEW APARTMENT CONSTRUCTION BOOMING

In the Albuquerque metro area, new permits for apartment building and actual construction has spiked dramatically. Building permits for a total of 4,021 new housing units were issued in the metro area in 2021, 35.1% of which are for units in buildings with five units or more.  In Albuquerque, about 2,000 units across 12 properties are  under construction, with an additional 2,485 units planned across 16 properties and 5,143 prospective units.

Five years ago only 20.3% of all permits for new housing units were for buildings with at least five units. The 14.8% point change for new apartment construction from 2016 to 2021 ranks as the 10th largest increase among all U.S. metro areas.

Alan LeSeck, Apartment Association of New Mexico executive director, told the Albuquerque Journal the market is “very hot,” due partially to the lack of apartment development dating back to before the pandemic.  Since 2013, and prior to 2020, LaSeck said Albuquerque was averaging about 500 new units a year, below what the city needed to accommodate new residents.  LaSeck said that, for every 10,000 new residents, there needs to be about 3,400 apartments since about 34% of people typically rent.  According to RentCafe, in Albuquerque, the average apartment is rented for $1,170 per month.

According to the February Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors report, home prices in Albuquerque continue to reach record highs, with the current median home value sitting at $315,000, up by 18.9% compared to a year prior. This has resulted in prospective homeowners being pushed out of the housing market, resulting in a demand for more rental and apartment unit construction. The increase in home prices has meant that some purchasers are simply priced out of the market.  There are those who have sold their homes only to be unable to purchase another home due to increasing costs or a lack of availability. These former and would-be home-owners are then pushed into the rental market, increasing the occupancy rate and affecting rents.

https://www.abqjournal.com/2466109/report-abq-home-prices-jump-more-than-17-in-2021.html

Titan Development is among the leaders of multi-family development. Titan is currently working on 3 multi-family developments totaling more than 500 units. It is also working on the largest multi-family development in construction with the 281-unit Allaso High Desert apartments at San Antonio and Tennyson Street. Some of Titan’s new developments, such as the Allaso Vineyards at Holly and Ventura, target an aging demographic that may be looking for a new place to live with less maintenance than a single family home.

Among the larger developments is Overture Andalucia, a new multi-family complex on Albuquerque’s West Side aimed at adults 55 and older. The 171-unit complex, owned by the property investment, development and management company Greystar,  was  set to have units ready by  fall.

Uptown has become one of the economic and entertainment centers of the city. It has grown from 2 modest malls of Coronado and Windrock shopping centers  into a financial district  with the highest concentration of retail establishments in the state. An abundance of shopping and dining venues characterize the area as  nucleus of commerce. In response to  people looking for an urban experience without transportation headaches, two major apartment projects are fully underway in the uptown area.

Goodman Realty is  moving forward with construction on multi-family housing  for the first time since the ’80s.  Goodman Realty is planning to build Lofts at Winrock in Albuquerque’s Uptown area. Although referred to as the “Lofts” project, renderings show developers are  planning to call the apartment development “The Pine Needle.” Three buildings comprise the entire development, one of which will be used for townhomes. Plans show the apartment complex will have four floors of upscale apartments. At least one of the buildings will have a large courtyard.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/winrock-finalizing-plans-for-200-unit-high-end-apartment-complex/

The increased demand for apartments has led Goodman Realty  to look at other areas to pursue multi-family development, such as near the Journal Center. Scott Goodman said multi-family housing could be particularly attractive to developers since it is seen as a less risky investment and it is also easier to finance. More development, he said, could also lead to lower rental costs and help with the affordability problem. Goodman put it this way:

“We’re looking at doing more apartments.  … Apartment rents have really skyrocketed, apartment construction costs have really skyrocketed, and I think that the supply of apartments is really going down, and that’s part of the reason you’re seeing what we’re seeing … and the city needs more apartments. … The more apartments we have, the more supply we have, the more affordable it should be.”

The 243 unit, six story Markana apartment complex is under construction and is  scheduled to be completed in  2023. It is located at 6500 Americas Pky, NE, South of Coronado shopping center, West of the Marriott and immediately North of the Hilton Garden Inn and West of the  Bucca De Beppo restaurant. It will have studio apartments and 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments ranging from 589 square feet to 1,226 square feet.

https://www.apartments.com/markana-uptown-albuquerque-nm/8n8z552/

Construction of the Element by Weston in the uptown area  merits mentioning.  It is a 120-room, 86,335-square-foot hotel  that is currently under construction located at 2430 Louisiana Blvd. NE, directly East of Coronado Shopping Center.

The links to quoted news sources are here:

https://www.thecentersquare.com/new_mexico/new-apartment-construction-is-booming-in-albuquerque-nm/article_4598bdff-d904-5125-b1c6-0d798a2f476f.html

https://www.abqjournal.com/2485325/builders-prep-for-apartment-building-boom-ex-realty-company-notes.html

ABQ UPTOWN APARTMENT COMPLEXES

 The uptown area  where Uptown Connect will be developed already has a number of apartment complexes.

 The Uptown Park apartments, formerly known as the Landmark Apartments, are studio and 1 and two-bedroom apartments located at 6200 Indian School Rd NE that were built around 1965.

The Warren Park Apartments located at 6230 Indian School and directly East of the Uptown Park Apartment were also built around 1965.

Around the year 2000, the 4 story Woodmark Assisted Living complex located at 7201 Prospect Place  NE was opened and provides extensive home care facilities.

ABQ Uptown Apartments were built in 2008 and located at 2222 Uptown Loop, NE, North of Indian School and East of Louisiana. It has rental units of studio apartments and 1,2, 3-bedroom apartments ranging from 603-1,671 square feet. The ABQ Uptown Apartment Complex consists of a number of separate 3 story buildings.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

The Uptown Connect with the development of 400 apartment units in the uptown area is coming at a time when there is a construction boom of apartments in the Uptown area. It will complement the 243 unit, six story Markana apartment complex as well as Goodman Realty construction of the Lofts at Winrock  in Albuquerque’s Uptown area which will consist of apartments and upscale condominiums.

Home builders serving the Albuquerque area estimate the cost to build residents in Albuquerque is between $175 to $275 per square foot. In other words, to build a small 1,000 square foot home will cost between $175,000 (1,000 square feet X $175)  $275,000 and (1,000 X $275), not including land acquistion, depending on custom design and materials used.  It’s a cost that equally applies to apartment complexes. City officials have said it would cost between $20 and $25 million dollars to build a new 100-unit apartment complex  which is the reason for the city relying on acquiring existing motels and  remodeling them for affordable housing.

https://www.koat.com/article/albuquerque-hotel-affordable-housing/43625253

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/city-of-albuquerque-plans-to-convert-hotel-into-100-apartments/

https://www.koat.com/article/albuquerque-hotel-affordable-housing/43625253

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/city-of-albuquerque-plans-to-convert-hotel-into-100-apartments/

Many developers and investors will no doubt believe that dedicating 200 of the 400 apartments of the Uptown Connect project to low-income housing is filled with good intentions but  not based in market reality. The blunt truth is that the final cost of building a 400-apartment complex on some of the most expensive commercial property in the city will be upwards of $75 Million if not more in construction costs, even though it is city owned property.

Like it or not the apartment developers and managers are in the business of making money.  High end developments such as the Markana developers and the Lofts at Winrock developers will likely frown on the city’s efforts for low-income housing essentially adjacent to their own multimillion projects.  Dedicating half of Uptown Connect to low-income housing is not the highest and best use of city resources given the other residential developments in the area. The market forces will likely have a major impact and sooner rather than later developers and investors will want the entire project to consist of fair market housing as profits become a major factor.

The city would be wise to look elsewhere to build low-income housing on city owned property.  The Keller Administration should seek with acquisitions of existing vacant commercial property for conversion into low income housing such as the acquisition of the  10-story “Two Park Central Tower.”

On June 7, New Mexico State Representative Christine Trujillo announced her  resignation from the New Mexico House of Representatives effective July 1. She said she decided to resign because of health issues, citing accelerating problems with Type-2 diabetes.  Trujillo was first elected in 2012 to serve District 25 which covers the mid heights and some of Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights area. Her term expires on December 31, 2024.  It is now the responsibility of the Bernalillo County Commission to appoint her replacement to complete the 1 year and 6 months remainder of her term. Whoever is appointed will have to stand for election to a full 2 year term in 2024.

COUNTY COMMISSION ANNOUNCEMENT AND MEETING

On June 30, 2023 the Bernalillo County Commission announced it is accepting applications from individuals interested in filling the vacant New Mexico House of Representatives District 25 seat.   According to the announcement applications will be accepted until Friday, July 28, 2023, at noon.

Applicants must submit a letter of interest and résumé to the Bernalillo County Manager’s Office, Attention: Julie Morgas Baca, County Manager, 415 Silver Ave, SW, 8th Floor, Albuquerque, NM, 87102 via in-person, mail-in, or email to: manager@bernco.gov.  Interested persons must be at least 21 years old and live within the boundaries of House District 25.  The district straddles central I-40, mainly in the Northeast Heights, including neighborhoods between Carlisle and Louisiana in Bernalillo County.

The Bernalillo County  Commission  will appoint a replacement from a list of applied candidates at their Friday, August 11 meeting at 10 am. The meeting will take place in the Ken Sanchez Commission Chambers at BernCo @ Alvarado Square, 415 Silver Ave SW.  The replacement will serve the rest of the term ending on December 31, 2024. The winner of the November 2024 election will then serve a full term starting January 1, 2024.

https://www.bernco.gov/blog/2023/06/30/bernco-commission-seeks-applications-to-fill-new-mexico-house-district-25-seat/

THREE APPLICANTS SHOW INTEREST

Sources have confirmed that there are 3 applicants for the vacancy and they are:

• Cristina Parajón
• Robert Padilla
• Sofia Sanchez

EDITORS’ NOTE: The postscript to this blog article provides the biographies of all 3 identified candidates.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY  WARD AND PRECINCT CANDIDATE FORUM

On July 25  it was reported that the House District 25 Ward and Precinct leadership of Wards 25A, 25B, 25C, and 25D  will hold a moderated, in-person candidate forum on August 2 where all 3 of the  Democratic candidates will be allowed to participate in a candidate forum.  Only Democrats in House District 25 can register for the event and to vote in a non-binding election that establishes a preferred candidate. Democrat voters will rank the candidates according to their preferences. The Democratic Party of Bernalillo County (DPBC)  will then deliver the full voting results to the Bernalillo County Commissioners.  The final results are strictly a recommendation and in no way is binding upon the Bernalillo County Commission.

The Candidate Forum will be held at AFT New Mexico (530 Jefferson St. NE) on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, at 6:00 pm. Only Democrats in House District 25 can register to attend and vote. While attendance is not required to vote, it is highly encouraged.  DPBC will tally the votes on Monday, August 2, and deliver the results to the Board of Commissioners the next day.

A MESSY APPOINTMENT RECALLED

Sources have confirmed that the  reason why there will be a candidate forum on August 2 held by the Bernalillo County Democratic Party  is because of just how messy and divisive the last appointment was. As a result of that  conflict, many Democratic party officials’ believe there is a need for the party to be involved with the selection process  and to at least voice their opinions and not give exclusive authority to appoint to  3 elected officials who hold the majority on the County Commission.

It was on November 16 that longtime Westside Albuquerque Rep. Antonio “Moe” Maestas was appointed by the County Commission to serve the remaining 2 years in the New Mexico Senate caused by the resignation of Senator Jacob Candelaria on October 19.  Maestas, who represented a Westside seat for 16 years, immediately announced his interest in Candelaria’s seat, and Candelaria threw his support behind him.  Two commissioners immediately raised concerns about Maestas and whether Candelaria’s seat should  be filled before others had a chance to apply for the seat.

Another commissioner countered that delaying the vote would deprive the area of a representative for too long. Candelaria, in posts on Twitter, also said extending the timeline was a “Mitch McConnell-style tactic” aimed at stalling the appointment until a new commission is seated in early January, one that might be less favorable to Maestas.

Commissioner Debbie O’Malley, who pushed for postponing the  Maestas appointment raised concerns  about Maestas’ wife, lobbyist Vanessa Alarid, and a $5,000 donation she gave to a commissioner who ultimately voted for Maestas, Charlene Pyskoty. O’Malley said the donation was a way to buy Pyskoty’s vote, and O’Malley unsuccessfully tried to get Pyskoty to recuse herself and also to pause the appointment vote until after an ethics complaint regarding the matter was  heard on Dec. 3.

Pyskoty denied any wrongdoing and said she wasn’t giving Maestas any special treatment. She also said that his spouse’s position as a lobbyist should have no bearing on the appointment before them.

Pyskoty and O’Malley disagreed sharply on the matter before. The last time the topic came up at the commission’s Oct. 25 meeting, O’Malley called Pyskoty a slur.  O’Malley apologized to Pyskoty for use of the slur, but she also proceeded to make the unsavory accusation that there  was a “scheme” a year in the making to get Maestas a Senate seat.

O’Malley said during the commission meeting that Maestas had tried to use redistricting at the county and state level to ensure he had an easy path to Candelaria’s seat, and she accused him of depriving constituents the chance to weigh in on their next senator.

Maestas for his part denied that he’d “schemed” to get the appointment. He said he learned along with the rest of the public that Candelaria was going to resign. Maestas said O’Malley was  accusing him of the same tactics she’s employed in her political career as a commissioner and Albuquerque city councilor.

Maestas and 7 other applicants sought to be appointed senator. They included Julie Radoslovich, director of the South Valley Academy, along with retired county commissioner and former Albuquerque City Councilor Steve Gallegos, and Em Ward, a doctor.

Radoslovich got two votes in favor of her appointment, the most of any other applicant. O’Malley and Chairperson Adriann Barboa voted for her.  About a dozen supporters stood up to speak in her favor, including former students and colleagues.

County Commissioner Quezada, who attended the meeting remotely, nominated Maestas for the seat.  Before Quezada voted, he accused O’Malley of throwing out a “half-baked” theory about Maestas without evidence.  Quezada said this:

“To put conspiracy theories forward sounds a lot like MAGA [Make America Great Again] to me. But at the end of the day – yeah, you can roll your eyes,  (apparently seeing O’Malley’s reaction on the video stream).  That’s okay. The whole world saw that. But that’s the truth. You have no facts to base your conspiracy theories. I think this wasn’t a place to have that conversation.”

Minutes earlier, Quezada  suggested that Barboa, herself a registered lobbyist, might be conspiring to appoint a state lawmaker that she could lobby when the legislative session begins in January. Quezada said this:

“If there’s a commissioner that’s a registered lobbyist that is herself or himself, appointing legislators or appointed officials, perhaps maybe that also could be looked at as a conflict of interest. … And I’m hoping that the news media will also look into that.”

Barboa for her part defended her lobbying as being on behalf of reproductive rights and affordable health care. She has lobbied for Forward Together since 2013, according to the Openness Project.

Ultimately,  3 commissioners  voted for Maestas. They were Democrats  Charlene Pyskoty, and Steven Michael Quezada and Republican Walt Benson.

County Commissioners Debbie O’Malley and Charlene Pyskoty are no longer on the Bernalillo County Commission and were replaced by County Commissioners Barbara Baca and Eric Olivas.

As a direct result of the extreme hostility and very public outburst involving the appointment of  Senator Moe Maestas,  the new  County Commission voted to clean up the appointment process to  avoid the  acrimony. Now, the commission chair is required to set a special meeting to name an appointment within 3 weeks of receiving a resignation letter from a lawmaker leaving a seat.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

The current makeup of the current Bernalillo County Commission is as follows:

District 1: Progressive Democrat Barbara Baca, Commission Chair

District 2:  Moderate Democrat Steven Michael Quezada

District 3: Progressive Democrat Adriann Barboa

Disrtrict 4:  Conservative Republican Walt Benson 

District 5: Progressive Democrat  Eric Olivas

The legal and constitutional process of filling vacancies in the New Mexico legislature caused by early the departure of a legislator has always rested with the county commission where the legislators district is located.  On paper, it is pretty straight forward process.  There are 5 county commissioners and the  applicant who  secures a 3 vote majority wins, period, end of discussion.

EDITOR’S NOTE: In the interest of full disclosure, Pete Dinelli considered applying for the vacancy but decided against it preferring to continue with retirement and publication of www.PeteDinelli.com as a Democrat activist and having other priorities in life without political drama.

In practice, the process of filling a legislative vacancy is always a very messy process, especially when there are philosophical rifts within the same party that has the majority of the votes on the commission. Such is the current makeup of the Bernalillo County Commission which is comprised of 4 Democrats and 1 Republican.

The current politcal conflict an rift  is that the 3 Progressive Democrats of Barbara Baca, Adriane Barboa and Eric Olivas have the majority over Moderate Democrat Stephen Michael Quesada and Conservative Republican Walt Benson.  It will be the progressive majority of Commissioners Baca, Barboa and Olivas who will decide to fill the vacancy giving very little or no consideration to what is said by the other two commissioners. Such is the reality of politics.

It has been confirmed by sources that the desires of the county commissioners whose district the vacancy falls within, which in this case is both Baroboa and Olivas, will be given greater consideration and relied upon. It’s called politics with a touch of retaliation thrown in for good measure sending the message as to who is in charge now that Commissioners Debbie O’malley and Charlene Pyskoty are gone and that the  3 like minded progressives have majority control of the commission.

ADVISORY VOTE

The blunt truth is that the August 2 forum to be  held by the Bernalillo County Democratic Party is strictly advisory.  The individual County Commissioners can and will vote for whoever they want regardless of recommendation made by the party.

All 5 county commissioners are strictly prohibited by law from attending the August 2 Democrat forum all at once because it would constitute a quorum. Notwithstanding, sources are confirming that at least 2 County Commissioners are planning on attending the meeting which will allow only Democrats to attend.  There is the appearance of impropriety  if they do attend and their  presence means that they will be lobbied by the candidates themselves or the Democrat attending who will want to know how they intend to vote. How they say they will vote should be a matter of public record of  conducting business at a commission meeting, It’s more likely than not all 5 commissioners will have already made up their minds who they intend to vote for before their August 11 meeting.

The August 2 meeting is closed to the public and only Democrats will be allowed to vote which is totally appropriate for a Democratic Party function.  However what is disappointing is that the Bernalillo County Democratic Party is making  no accommodations for neighborhood association participation nor other private citizens to attend who may want to merely listen to the candidates and not vote.

The bottom line is that not one Bernalillo County Commissioner should attend the August 2 Democratic Party forum.  The Bernalillo County Commission should hold a special meeting of the county commission, all day if needed, where all applicants are given an equal opportunity to speak and be  interviewed and questioned in public by all 5 county commissioners during  a public meeting with a record of the proceedings and what is said. The county commission should also allow testimony from the public, including from Democrats, Republicans and Independents and make public all communications and lobbying efforts on behalf of individual candidates. It’s called transparency in the public interest to avoid back room politics of pre selection of appointments.

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CANDIDATE BIOGRAPHIES

On July 25, the Bernalillo County Democratic Party published and distributed on its “BLUE REVIEW” news letter the following candidate biographies in their own words:

CRISTINA PARAJÓN

¡Buenos días! My name is Cristina Parajón and I am applying to serve as representative of House District 25. I am Gen-Z, Latina and Asian, and a member of the LGBTQ community.Born in Albuquerque, I attended Harvard University on full scholarship to study Sociology and I completed my Masters in Business and Economics as a fellowship recipient. Afterwards, I worked at one of the top financial management consulting firms in the world advising CEOs of fortune 500 companies. My deep-rooted commitment to my family and my community led me back to Albuquerque.

As the oldest daughter of public health doctors, I was raised with a strong sense of civic duty –to build policy not “for” or “on” but WITH community. I lead with the values of my family, listening first and acting with conviction. I have been entrusted with our City’s biggest projects and have direct experience working on our toughest issues.

 I was Deputy Incident Commander of the largest COVID Isolation Hotel in the state, became project lead for the Gateway Center (the City’s multi-million dollar investment in new pathways out of homelessness), and was recognized by Albuquerque Business First 40 under 40 for my work. Today, I am the Director of Strategy for the New Mexico Human Services Department.

 Having grown up in the area, I know the challenges we face in our neighborhoods. However, I also have seen the power of our community in creating solutions. We can make sure every family can be strong and healthy; we can ensure hard-working New Mexicans have a place to call home; and we can make smart infrastructure investments that improve community safety and support economic opportunities for our young people.

Si se puede and it is the role of the legislature to provide the resources and policies for our dedicated community leaders on the ground. I know this first-hand and I am committed to listening with humility and acting with conviction. Let me bring my boots on the ground experience to the legislature and work WITH you in the House!

ROBERT PADILLA

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to submit my application for the open position in the New Mexico State Legislature representing District 25. As a lifelong resident of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, and the State of New Mexico, I am deeply committed to the betterment of our community that I raised my family in.

Enclosed with this letter, you will find my resume, showcasing my extensive experience as an executive-level manager in the New Mexico State Court System and my educational background from the University of New Mexico. This combination of professional expertise and educational qualifications has allowed me to work closely with educational institutions throughout the state, providing me with a unique and valuable skill set.

 I hold a profound appreciation for the rich historical nature of our state and firmly believe that our best days are still ahead of us. I have an unwavering belief in the potential of our community, and if appointed to the open state representative position, I will be dedicated to advocating policies that strengthen New Mexico, a state we can all be proud of.

 One of my key priorities will be ensuring the effective use of the citizens’ tax dollars, fostering a robust local and regional economy that benefits all New Mexicans. I will strongly advocate for investments in education, public safety, and healthcare, laying the foundation for a successful and sustainable future. Additionally, I believe in nurturing and enhancing the values of character, respect, and commitment, as they are essential in creating the kind of thriving community we desire.

 I firmly believe that by working together in a mutually respectful business, political, and social environment, we can provide the greatest gift of leadership to the citizens of our state. It would be an immense honor for me to be given the opportunity to serve as one of those leaders. Thank you once again for considering my application. I am available at your convenience for any further discussions or to provide any additional information you may require. I look forward to the possibility of serving our community as a state representative.

SOFIA SANCHEZ

Sofia Sanchez is a 13th-generation New Mexican and seasoned public servant, born and raised in HD 25 by a family of labor workers and public servants. She currently resides in the district in the house she bought from her grandparents with her family and 4 dogs.

 With a rich background in public service and a deep commitment to her community, Sofia has dedicated her career to working on behalf of the people of New Mexico. From her early years in the City of Albuquerque Mayor’s Office, Sofia gained invaluable experience in coordinating volunteer efforts and supporting community engagement.

 Sofia then transitioned to the legislative branch to have a greater impact on policy making as Deputy District Director in Rep. Deb Haaland’s office. Currently, Sofia serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff & District Director for Rep. Melanie Stansbury, working tirelessly to craft legislation that addresses the pressing issues of our time.

Her platform centers around supporting working people, investing in our educational system, environmental stewardship, and social justice. She plans to incorporate her professional experiences to build on the existing work to strengthen our behavioral health infrastructure and create stronger gun safety laws. She remains a steadfast advocate for women and their right to make their own healthcare decisions, and will stand with the LGBTQIA community and their priorities. Sofia seeks to amplify the voices of her community and champion policies that uplift every resident of District 25.

 She has the endorsement of outgoing State Representative for House District 25 Christine Trujillo.