***image8***SFR's picks for the March 7 city elections.
Unsure where to vote? Call the Santa Fe City Clerk: 955-6520/955-6521
www.santafenm.gov/cityclerks.
Or stop by our office at
132 East Marcy St. We've got the list of polling spots at our front desk.
In looking back at the major issues that have engrossed Santa Fe over the last four years, we also find a list that has divided the city: water, Wal-Mart, the living wage, for example. The theme for this endorsement issue, A Tale of Two Cities, is a nod to the ongoing polarization that tends to infuse civic discourse: native versus newcomer; neighborhoods versus developers; south side versus east side, for example.
Such polemics are a losing proposition but also contain some truths. This is a city where both natives and newcomers live, with huge income gaps, with million-dollar mansions and views on one end of town and sprawling affordable housing, traffic and chain stores on the other.
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Finding new ways to talk about these issues and address them will be crucial for the next mayor and Council. In the coming four years, many of the issues that have echoed for decades will come to fruition: The civic center, downtown development, south-side growth, water planning, economic development, affordable housing-all of these perennial favorite topics are on the brink of real action.
The next group of city leaders needs to balance the different views and needs of the city and work to create a new vision that preserves the best of Santa Fe's historic and natural beauty while moving the city into its future.
In choosing our picks we opted for fresh voices and those candidates whose understanding of the issues sounded open to making the difficult compromises any Santa Fe policy maker will face.
As part of our decision-making, we had all the candidates in for group interviews with their opponents (except in the case of District 4 as Carol Robertson Lopez had a scheduling misfire and came in separately). In addition to hour-long group interviews, all the candidates-except for mayoral candidate David Schutz-participated in our Pop Quiz series. We also attended forums, read all the candidates' literature and other groups' surveys and queried several of the usual and unusual suspects to find out their views on the races.
We attempt, here, to explain our choices and give as much context to the races as possible. In the end, we believe endorsements, like voting, have the element of a crapshoot. After all, when we endorsed outgoing District 1 Councilor David Pfeffer four years ago, we thought we were getting a very different candidate than the one we ended up with.
But that's the funny thing about candidates. Sometimes they change over time. Like people. Like cities.
CITY COUNCIL
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District 1
SFR Pick:
Chris Calvert
Stats:
US Postal Service letter carrier; master's degree in public policy from UC Berkeley; serves on the city's water conservation committee; former Air Force pilot
Claim to Fame:
Calvert's evenhanded campaign emphasized managed growth and water conservation.
The District:
District 1 includes the Plaza, the Railyard, Agua Fria west of St. Francis Drive as well as Casa Solano and West Alameda neighborhoods. This seat is open as David Pfeffer is not seeking re-election. Its other seat is represented by Patti Bushee
Quotable:
"If I could accomplish anything I would try to bring back the Santa Fe River. It's woefully neglected and could be a unifying force in the city, creating social interaction for residents, an asset for tourists, for all of us."
If he had to sing karaoke tonight:
something by the Grateful Dead
The Race:
Calvert's opponents in District 1 are Santa Fe Planning Commissioner Eric Lujan (who ran for the other seat in this district four years ago) and Sandra Aguilar, who is running as a write-in candidate. All three were well-versed on the issues and Aguilar, in particular, was eloquent. However we found Calvert to be the most balanced in his views of Santa Fe's environmental and economic future and believe he would bring to the Council a fresh set of eyes and ears.
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District 2
SFR Pick:
Marilyn Bane
Stats:
Retired business executive
Claim to Fame:
Bane is an executive committee member of Santa Fe's Coalition to Limit Big Box Stores.
The District:
District 2 includes the southeast sector, many of Santa Fe's historic neighborhoods, the Capitol district and Arroyo Chamiso. Its other representative is Karen Heldmeyer.
Quotable:
"March 8 will get here and I'm going to be getting up March 8 and be able to look in the mirror and that's a very important thing. In running for office for the first time, you ask yourself, 'Who am I and am I going to lose this in the process or am I going to stay who I am?' At some point you have to say, 'This is who I am.'"
If she had to sing karaoke tonight:
"First of all I wouldn't sing. I lost vocal chords in a watermelon race. I can't carry a tune."
The Race:
Incumbent Rebecca Wurzburger should be commended for her work with Santa Fe's arts and culture economic development plans. However, Bane's political outsiderism, combined with her independent streak (both she and Wurzburger acknowledge that Bane refused advice telling her to run a more negative campaign against Wurzburger) would serve a Council that tends to factionalize. We believe Bane will bring a higher level of responsiveness to the active neighborhoods of District 2, a needed concern for the historic preservation issues of the area and yet another new voice to the Council.
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District 3
SFR Pick:
Carmichael Dominguez
Stats:
Santa Fe school board vice president; City Planning Commission vice chairman; president, Zona Del Sol
Claim to Fame:
Dominguez has pledged to leave the school board if elected to the Council and to emphasize co-operation between the city, schools and other government entities.
The District:
Often referred to as the city's west-side district, District 3 includes commercial and business neighborhoods between Cerrillos Road and Agua Fria Road, as well as other neighborhoods on the other side of Cerrillos Road stretching up to Airport Road. This seat belonged to David Coss. The other seat in the district is held by Miguel Chavez.
Quotable:
"I think to be an effective leader for District 3, you've got to recognize that in many ways District 3 is a tale of two cities. You've got that part of District 3 that is well established and deep-rooted and has a certain level of amenities and you have another part of District 3 which has very few amenities and has a different demographic. You've got a lot of young families, you've got poverty in that part of District 3 and you've got to be able to recognize the differences to articulate the needs of the people in the district."
If he had to sing karaoke tonight:
"My Way" by Frank Sinatra
The Race:
District 3 will lose David Coss as a city councilor in this election and, unfortunately, we don't think any of the candidates fill his shoes. Former mayor Louis Montaño seems woefully out of step with current civic issues, and his responses to topics such as immigration, affordable housing and Wal-Mart struck us as both uninformed and regressive. Candidate Anna Hansen has the environmental credentials but seemed less on point when it came to the economic and social realities of many of District 3's residents.
Dominguez, our pick, comes with baggage. His campaign manager four years ago was linked to a last-minute attack ad on incumbent councilors and Dominguez' name still inspires mistrust among pundits we talked to as we parsed through this race.
However, of all the candidates, Dominguez displayed the most informed views on issues ranging from affordable housing to the living wage. He was articulate and responsive and fellow school board members describe him as someone who works to understand both sides of the issue. Dominguez lives in Tierra Contenta; he is a young and active community member who is part of one of the city's fastest-growing family neighborhoods. We believe Dominguez has the smarts and wherewithal to work independently on the Council if he chooses to do so.
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District 4
SFR Pick:
Ronald Trujillo
Stats:
board member and coach for AABC Baseball; member of Los Caballeros de Vargas and Kearny Elementary PTC
Claim to Fame:
Trujillo has emphasized he will push for Astroturf in city parks.
The District:
District 4 includes Santa Fe's south side: Cerrillos Road, Rodeo, Siringo and Bellamah neighborhoods.
Quotable:
"I consider being inexperienced is probably a good thing. I think people are tired of little girl, little boy politics; they want real ideas, fresh ideas. What I lack in experience I make up for in ideas. I'm young and I'm a go-getter. I'm going to be accessible to my constituents. I know what they are going through. I'm going through the same thing."
If he had to sang karaoke tonight:
Van Halen, "Beautiful Girls" or Elvis, "My Way"
The Race:
Even given the advantages all incumbents have, Carol Robertson Lopez is, without question, much more knowledgeable than Trujillo and he could have done more to prepare for this race. However, Trujillo also demonstrates commitment to his district and a willingness to think about solutions. Long before he decided to run, Trujillo kept a notebook with him to jot down ideas of ways to fix problems in his neighborhood. He is a young state worker living on Santa Fe's south side trying to raise a family. We believe Trujillo has what it takes to represent a constituency that often feels ignored by government. And we believe the Council needs new energy.
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MAYOR
SFR Pick:
David Coss
Stats:
city councilor, District 3; former city manager; former city public works director; retired from the State Land Office
Claim to Fame:
Coss' connection to unions and supporters of the living wage tends to be the work for which he is most known, but Coss has been actively involved with numerous issues, including affordable housing and water planning. In his mayoral campaign Coss also has made a point of emphasizing the need to address rape and violence in the community.
Quotable:
[If you could implement a program from another city, what would you do?] "I would look to other cities and leadership in regards to more local energy and energy sustainability. I've been asked a lot in the campaign 'can you give credits to solar power or wind?' We can't right now because we don't have a way of generating energy ourselves. I would look to a city like Austin that develops a significant amount of energy the city uses."
If he had to sing karaoke tonight
: "Born To be Wild" by Steppenwolf
The Race:
It was difficult at times not to think of the mayoral race as a Tale of Two Davids. Builder David Schutz ran a strong campaign that emphasized sustainability and the need for development based on smart-growth principles, conservation and renewable-energy sources. Schutz also is correct that blanket vilification of "developers" is a problematic and frequently unfair refrain in civic discourse. However, the potential for conflicts of interest with a mayor who is an active partner in proposed development is troubling. Even more troubling to us was Schutz' refusal to respond when we reported on his involvement with a proposed development in La Cienega and residents' concern [Outtakes, Jan. 18:
]. Schutz also declined to answer questions in SFR's Pop Quiz series. The prospect of a mayor who would be inaccessible or nonresponsive to the media does not sit well with us. For the last eight years, Mayor Larry Delgado has been increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to contact for comment on any number of issues. Santa Feans deserve to have public servants who prioritize answering all questions about public matters and decision-making. David Coss is not an official who becomes suddenly available when running for office. Throughout the years, regardless of his position, he has always made it a point of responding to questions and issues in a non-defensive and thoughtful manner. His broad base of support leads us to believe in his promise to create a city that is less divided.
As a whole, the mayoral candidates provided a strong field of Santa Feans who all brought something to the race. Karen Walker's methodical approach to civic issues has made her an asset to City Hall over the years and her emphasis on water-always a top issue in city elections-was well thought out. Finally, there was Donado Coviello, known formerly as John Coventry and informally as "Cove." Some dismissed Coviello's candidacy as little more than theater; others characterized his as an unviable campaign. While we don't think Coviello is the right person to lead this city, we do believe every person whose name appears on a ballot deserves to be treated in the same way by all newspapers or institutions providing election coverage or debate. It is not for us to decide whether a candidate is electable. Only one group of Santa Feans can make that call: the voters.
So have at it.
Is Santa Fe A Tale of Two Cities?
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"If it's referring to the socio-economic divide, then yes I agree Santa Fe is a tale of two cities. You have a significant divide between wealthy and poor, and there's very little solid middle class. Sometimes that conflict breaks out along ethnic lines, and the only thing we can do about it is to use the wealth and resources in our community-not only financial but also in terms of culture and family values-so that we can enable people to get some of that opportunity afforded to one portion of our community. And that's why the school board is so important and why education is such a big part of it. Lots of people can get onto that track of success, get those resources, through education. This is also an issue we have to talk openly about and not be scared that someone's going to jump down our throats when we discuss it. My biggest fear is that we won't talk about it, that we'll fail to address the issues of extremes in our community. And everyone loses when that happens."
-Marcy Litzenberg, Santa Fe Public Schools Board member, District 2
"Putting on my legislative hat for a minute, let me just say that the Santa Fe delegation to the House who represent different parts of town work very cohesively together, and even though I represent what's often seen as a wealthier side of town and Eldorado on the east side, I've tried to work with Rep. [Jim] Trujillo in particular to make sure state funding is spread throughout the city. One example of that is I'm one of the reps that funded the south side library. So on the state level, I don't think there's that sort of divergent kind of position or posturing.
As a community member, I think there's no question you can feel the tension. I think there's an unfortunate polarization-newcomers versus old Santa Feans-and I think that's very unfortunate. What makes Santa Fe special is our history, our culture and our diversity. I think what's hard is when folks move here for one specific reason, it takes a while for them to become acclimated and understand what makes Santa Fe so different and so special."
-State Rep. Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe
"I think it's more complex than two cities. I think there are serious divisions between local, indigenous Hispanic populations and the Mexican or Central American immigrants, which I think is challenging and unnecessary. And, clearly, there are class distinctions between the newly arrived Anglos for the most part and local government workers and the majority of the local working population. What can be done about it? I don't know. I've been proposing stronger measures for affordable housing, but I think some sort of facilitation process would also be useful. I don't think the press has been particularly helpful. The press sort of inflames the passion against the people of Las Campanas, and that's sad. I think a lot of those people are quite community-minded and could bring a lot of valuable resources to the table to help solve some of these problems. But they are alienated and marginalized."
-Owen Lopez, executive director of the McCune Foundation
"I suppose in the sense of people who are engaged in the political system and people who are not. The roundtable had a couple of forums and one was pretty well attended but I rarely see hardworking parents with children, small children, and the rest of the community that we work with frequently involved in political issues."
-Sharron Welsh, executive director of Santa Fe Community Housing Trust
"The first line of the book begins with, 'It was the best of times and the worst of times.' To compare downtown and the south side with that sort of outlook is hardly relevant, I think. The Dickens book is about relationships between two groups of people, and I think Santa Fe is much larger than that. Our county extends to the north with District 1 and far south to Eldorado. It would be impossible to exclude or divide or pretend those areas don't exist. So when you ask me 'Is Santa Fe a tale of two cities?' I don't believe it can just be divided into two districts. This place is about community and the strong family ties that keep us united. And, at the same time, it is about welcoming newcomers. Personally, the beauty of Santa Fe is in its surroundings. I feel lucky to live and serve here, and at the end of the day it is up to us, the policy makers, and the residents, to make sure the system works together."
-Santa Fe County Clerk Valerie Espinoza
"I think there is some of that. I don't know if that is 100 percent accurate, but I think we gotta keep working to bring the city together as one. We gotta be one. That's why you'll always hear me talking about 'Hey, come down and enjoy the Plaza, it's your Plaza.' That's why we brought music to the Plaza in the summer, which Angie and I go down to and we enjoy. I'm not saying I don't want to see our visitors enjoying it, that's great, but I want the people who live here to come here and enjoy the Plaza. You're always working at that. I worked to bring people together. I don't want people to say, 'I live on this side of Santa Fe,' I want people to say, 'I live in Santa Fe.' That's what I want."
-Mayor Larry Delgado
