artdirector@sfreporter.com
Online, Aug. 23: “Mansion Tax Heads to Voters”
Votes Matter
Recently, the city of Santa Fe convened a City Council meeting to allow for more public comment on the 3% “luxury tax” for high end homes. At the same meeting there was a vote scheduled by the Governing Body for eight proposed city charter additions. One of these changes included a provision establishing a new office of Inspector General for the city. Another of these changes was amending the city charter to reduce the signature requirements for referenda.
What many don’t realize is that a City Charter Commission had been convened at the end of 2022. There was little public input, and little public inclusion in more than a dozen meetings of this commission. The results of this commissions were ultimately recommended to the City Council in May; requesting that six items be added to the ballot this November for a vote and to add them to the city charter. It’s important to note that any changes to the city charter require a vote by the citizens in a general election.
One of the most striking of these amendments included setting up/creating an office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) and a Human Rights Commission for the city. This particular amendment jumped out at me for a couple of reasons: 1) The requirements for adding a new office or commission requires forethought and planning. It needs a timeline of implantation, a budget (of course) and a documentation of need. 2) Due diligence is required in working with the group(s) that would be impacted by an OEI and Human Rights Commission and how best to set up these new additions.
Don’t get me wrong! Creating an OEI and setting up a Human Rights Commission isn’t a bad thing for the city, and our organization applauds this potential move. After all, there is still NO resolution after the year-long CHART process, except for the addition of another $100K in the city’s budget for 2024, to fund more CHART process work. Thankfully the Governing Body did not vote to include this specific recommendation on the ballot. If it had, our city would be dealing with a mandated mess with no roadmap to success. And, if the amendment failed, our efforts towards a full-funded, empowered and prepared Human Rights Commission would suffer a devastating setback.
Make no mistake, this amendment could have failed, without the power of a public information campaign to explain the value for our city. Failing to pass this initiative could have placed our community and state two steps back in the fight for equality, inclusion, and shared values. In today’s political environment, a campaign unprepared could become a lightning rod for hate and discord.
I am writing to urge those rightly empowered in our city and the governing body to be more forthright in their processes. Putting a vote to the public on some of these matters requires due diligence, if a successful initiative is to be achieved. Working with stakeholders in the community is required to make these bold changes successful. Perhaps these needed changes can be better managed to fruition without a ballot initiative.
We are better than this! Let’s all work together to make Santa Fe the best city it can be. The Human Rights Alliance is ready willing and able.
Kevin A. Bowen, Executive Director, Human Rights Alliance Santa Fe
Morning Word, Aug. 25: “SFPS Board Reignites Fiestas Debate, Postpones Decision to Monday”
Length of Stay
It doesn’t matter how long a Santa Fe resident has been here, where they’re from or what race or country of birth they are. Their viewpoints are still valid. They still have the right to shape the experience of living in Santa Fe.
Lee Ann Cory, via Facebook
