Home › News › Local Politics
Albuquerque City Council District 4's issues: crime, schools and playtime
Time to vote
Early, in-person voting for the Oct. 2 municipal election began Wednesday. The city has set up four early voting locations:
• The City Clerk's Office in the basement of City Hall.
• The city's Records Center, 604 Menaul Blvd. N.W.
• Ladera Shopping Center, Sequoia Road and Coors Boulevard Northwest
• Albuquerque Public Schools offices, 6400 Uptown Blvd. N.E.
The ballot
Voters in four city districts will choose their city councilor, a fifth district could choose to oust theirs, while all city residents will pick from a host of resolutions and bond issues. Here's what's on the ballot:
Council District 2: Debbie O'Malley (incumbent), Katherine Martinez.
Council District 4: Brad Winter (incumbent), Paulette de'Pascal.
Council District 6: Rey Garduño, Joan Griffin, Blair Kaufman, Kevin Wilson.
Council District 8: Trudy Jones (unopposed).
Council District 9: Voters will receive a separate ballot to decide whether to recall or retain Councilor Don Harris.
Bond issues:There are 10 bond issues on the ballot, including $45 million for street improvements, $12 million for public safety, and nearly $38 million for parks and recreation.
City Charter amendments: There are five propositions, including one to raise the pay for City Councilors and another to prevent city officials from taking contributions from contractors with city business.
RELATED STORIES
More Local Politics
- Red lights, cameras, action: Albuquerque program back on, but so is feud
- New Mexico hopefuls for U.S. Senate tout experience at debate
- Reports: Personal funds help some New Mexico congressional candidates
MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES
-
ABQTrib.com to remain available
08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008 -
Congressman is indicted
08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008 -
Series of attacks target Green Zone
08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008 -
Iran is defying U.N., agency says
08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008 -
Waterboarding approval probed
08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008
TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*
- Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
- Is Rome Burning?
- Ominous Skies
- The Road to Invalidation
- Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”
*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.
STORY TOOLS
SHARE THIS STORY [?]
It's time to discuss the issues facing City Council District 4.
Because so far, the race to fill the far Northeast Heights district's City Council seat has focused more on messy politics.
City Councilor Brad Winter, an Albuquerque Public Schools administrator and former mayoral candidate, is challenged by political newcomer Paulette de'Pascal in an effort to earn his third consecutive term on the council.
Thus far, though, the race has seen more publicity over a flier mailed to voters recently by de'Pascal accusing Winter of digging up her divorce papers and pushing them to the media and bloggers. Winter denies the claims.
Beyond the politics, though, both Winter and de'Pascal say they hope to give District 4 an independent voice on the council.
Winter, 55, is leaning heavily on his experience as the council's longest-tenured member. The former council president and the school district's current director of facilities and operations highlights his work in drafting the La Cueva Sector Plan as showing his ability to work with the community on major issues.
To showcase his role as a hawk for the district, he talks about his opposition to Mayor Martin Chavez's plan for a streetcar, a service he said is beneficial more to Downtown than his district.
"I take that (neighborhood) message and make sure it's heard," Winter said. "That's my job."
Winter also said he hopes to get extra money to increase the police presence on the busy Montgomery Boulevard corridor to enforce speeding.
De'Pascal, 48, is a Brooklyn, N.Y.-born business, marketing and political consultant. She said the city's new public campaign-financing program was a motivating factor in declaring her candidacy.
She said she would use her position on the council to work with APS in improving schools.
"We've got to get them out of portable buildings," she said.
Saying she would be a "grass-roots, independent councilor," she aims to refrain from the acrimony that has enveloped the current council's relationship with Chavez.
"I would also seek to limit the time spent by councilors in bickering with administration and city employees, as well as personal grandstanding at the expense of citizens who attend council meetings to provide feedback and their opinions," de'Pascal wrote to The Tribune.
Public safety also ranks high with de'Pascal, who said she would like to see the pay of city fire cadets rise to match those of police cadets. She also wants to address property crime in the district, she said.
"It's amazing the stories I hear every day about property crime," she said.
That's an issue that resonates with at least one neighborhood association.
"Our windows have been shot out of our cars," said Irene Minke, a member of the District 4 Coalition representing her Academy Acres North Neighborhood Association. "The president of our association e-mailed our members and couldn't believe the responses for blown-out windows."
The district includes the tony neighborhoods near La Cueva High School, the bustling Montgomery Boulevard corridor and the growing area along Paseo del Norte.
Neighborhood leaders there expressed concerns over typical growth-related issues - property crimes, neighborhood eyesores like cell phone towers, and the ever-pressing need for a community center.
Longtime plans for the North Domingo Baca Park are expected to be realized soon, officials said, and will include a dog park, multi-generational center, a skate park and other features.
"We're finally, gradually beginning to see things happening," said Joe Yardumian, secretary for the Nor Este Neighborhood Association. "We'll have our community center, which everybody is looking forward to."
