New Mexico in Focus; 1107; District 3 and 5 ABQ City Council Candidates and Race and Equality

FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO InFOCUS PROVIDED BY THE MCCUNE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU. >> THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO InFOCUS, HOW FAITH LEADERS ARE COMING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS RACIAL INEQUALITY. >> PEOPLE'S FAITH, PEOPLE'S SPIRITUALITY HELPS THEM FIND COMMON GROUND IN ORDER TO WORK TOGETHER ACROSS THOSE REALLY DIFFICULT LINES OF RACE SOMETIMES. >> AND, WE BEGIN OUR COVERAGE OF THE ALBUQUERQUE NEW MEXICO InFOCUS STARTS >> WELCOME TO NEW MEXICO InFOCUS. LATER THIS HOUR, THE LINE WILL DISCUSS A JUDGE'S RULING THAT OVERTURNED TEN OF GOVERNOR MARTINEZ'S VETOES. THEY'LL ALSO LOOK AT THE LOCAL RESPONSE TO THE RECENT VIOLENCE IN CHARLOTTESVILLE. LET'S GO NOW TO THE LINE. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION APPROVED NEW MEXICO'S PLAN FOR ADOPTING EDUCATION REFORM STANDARDS UNDER THE EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT,

OR ESSA. NOW, WHILE THE 160-PAGE PLAN INDEPENDENT PANEL OF EDUCATORS, AT LEAST ONE TEACHERS UNION AND SOME STATE LAWMAKERS ARE CRITICIZING IT. THERE'S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT HERE WITH THIS WEEK'S LINE OPINION PANELISTS. SANCHEZ-RIV?. SHE'S AN ATTORNEY AT CUDDY & McCARTHY, LLP. MERRITT ALLEN OF VOX OPTIMA, LLC IS HERE. FORMER STATE SENATOR DIANE SNYDER IS WITH US. AND HARRY VAN BUREN, PROFESSOR AT UNM'S ANDERSON SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT IS HERE, AS WELL. THANKS FOR JOININGS US EVERYBODY. NOW, HARRY, START US OFF HERE. THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS OF NEW MEXICO TOLD THE SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN THAT THE PLAN FOLLOWS 'FAILED POLICIES THAT THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WAS ALREADY DOING UNDER FORMER SECRETARY SKANDERA.' WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT POSITION, FIRST OFF? >> WELL, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH REGARD TO ON THE ONE HAND, WE SHOULDN'T BE TERRIBLY SURPRISED IF THEY'RE MAKING THAT SORT OF ARGUMENT, BUT IT REALLY FEELS TO ME LIKE THE STATE DISCUSSION OF

EDUCATION IS STUCK. THERE'S A LOT OF FOCUS ON -- IF WE THINK ABOUT THREE THINGS, WE'VE GOT SOCIAL DETERMINACE OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, SO SORT OF THE BROADER ENVIRONMENT, PARENTAL DETERMINACE, AND THEN SCHOOL DETERMINACE. IT FEELS LIKE A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION HAS BEEN ON SCHOOL DETERMINACE, AND I THINK THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT. THERE IS NOT ALL THAT MUCH DISCUSSION OF THE OTHER TWO, WHAT IS IT THE PARENTS ARE DOING, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE BROADER COMMUNITY. AND SO I THINK THE REAL DANGER IS, WE HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OF INCREASE IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AND PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF STUDENT READINESS FOR COLLEGE OR WORK OR OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME TO SEE, GIVEN THE RESEARCH THAT'S BEEN DONE IN THIS AREA, HOW ANYTHING RELATED TO WHAT THE STATE IS DOING IS GOING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE. >> GOOD POINT THERE. WE'LL PROBABLY CIRCLE BACK TO THAT IN A QUICK SECOND. THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE I WANT TO TOUCH ON, AS WELL. MERRITT, THE IDEA OF GIVING THE STATES A LOT OF CONTROL HERE, IT SOUNDS GREAT ON PAPER, AND OBVIOUSLY THE FEDS HAVE SIGNED OFF ON OUR DEAL AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY

LIKE IT, TOO, BUT FOR THE CRITICS, WHAT'S YOUR SENSE OF WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, THAT THE STATE, IN ESSENCE, CAN ALMOST HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, IF ONE IS TO BELIEVE THE CRITICS HERE. >> PREPARING FOR THIS TOPIC, I REALIZED I NEEDED TO CROWD OUT OF THE SILVER CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR 30 YEARS NOW AND I DON'T HAVE CHILDREN. SO I REACHED OUT TO SOME TEACHERS THAT I HAD GONE TO SCHOOL WITH IN SILVER CITY AND IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING SPEAKING WITH A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AND AN 8th GRADE TEACHER. THOSE ARE TWO MAJOR STEPPING POINTS. YOU'RE GETTING READY FOR 1st GRADE, FOR READING, AND YOU'RE GETTING READY FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND CAREERS. SO THOSE ARE KEY POINTS. BOTH OF THEM ARE KIND OF ON BOARD WITH COMMON CORE, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT, IS COMMON CORE. IT STARTED WITH THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION, THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION CARRIED IT ON, AND WE STILL HAVE IT. SO IT'S HOW WE IMPLEMENT COMMON CORE. AND THE FRUSTRATION IS THE REQUIREMENT -- OR THE CRITICS SEE IT AS THE REQUIREMENT TO GET ALL KIDS TO THE BASELINE IN A SINGLE YEAR WHEN THEY HAVE NO CONTROL ON THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THE CHILDREN HAVE COME

FROM. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT BEING PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN KINDERGARTEN AND IN 8th GRADE. SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR TOOLS, FOR INTERVENTION FROM THE STATE FOR THEIR DISTRICTS SO THAT KIDS CAN GET, AS IS OFTEN SAID, A HEAD START. THEY ALSO NOTED THAT SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT KEEP SOME CHILDREN FROM PROGRESSING HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TEACHER. YOU NEED A SOCIAL WORKER. YOU NEED SOME SORT OF INTERVENTION THAT A TEACHER CAN'T FIX. SO I THINK EVERYONE WANTS THIS TO WORK, EVERYONE WANTS THE BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS, BUT GETTING FROM A TO Z, THERE ARE A LOT OF LETTERS IN BETWEEN THAT WE'RE SKIPPING. >> THAT'S A GOOD POINT THERE. DIANE, AGAIN, WHERE THE CRITICS ARE COMING FROM HERE, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WHAT'S LAID OUT IN THIS PLAN IS IF A SCHOOL IS FAILING, THE STATE CAN TAKE SOME FAIRLY DRAMATIC STEPS HERE, ONE OF THEM TURNING IT INTO A CHARTER SCHOOL, ANOTHER ONE BEING THAT THEY CAN IN ESSENCE WALK IN AND WIPE OUT THE ADMINISTRATION THAT'S IN

PLACE NOW AND BASICALLY TAKE OVER THE ENTIRE SCHOOL. BUT THERE'S NOT REALLY A SENSE OF HOW ONE WOULD FIX THAT IF THAT WAS TO BE THE CASE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WE NEED A LITTLE MORE DETAIL HERE, DON'T WE, ON HOW THIS WOULD WORK. >> WE CERTAINLY NEED MORE THINK ABOUT IT IS, YOU FIRST HAVE TO HAVE A DREAM. YOU FIRST HAVE TO HAVE A GOAL. AND THEN YOU FIGURE OUT HOW YOU GET THERE. >> RIGHT. >> AND RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T SEEM TO BE ALL ON THE SAME GOAL. OR WE MAY BE ON THE SAME, OR WANT THE SAME GOAL, BUT WE'RE SO TANGLED UP IN THE PROCESS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO REACH THAT GOAL, AND THERE'S SO MUCH DYSFUNCTION AMONG EVERY GROUP. MY FATHER SERVED ON THE SCHOOL BOARD IN MY HOME TOWN, IN MY SCHOOL DISTRICT. I'M RELUCTANT TO SAY YOU TAKE AWAY LOCAL CONTROL. BUT I LOOK AT IT, AND WE HAVE IN NEW MEXICO 87 SCHOOL DISTRICTS. 87 WITH 33 COUNTIES.

HOW CAN WE POSSIBLY FUND AND TAKE CARE OF ALL OF THOSE SCHOOLS. I'D LIKE TO SEE PART OF THE PLAN INCLUDE THAT WE WOULD HAVE, LIKE WE DO TELE-MEDICINE, THAT WE HAVE EDUCATION, THAT IF YOU'VE GOT A FABULOUS HISTORY TEACHER IN ALBUQUERQUE, THAT RURAL AREAS INSTEAD OF HAVING A SOMEWHAT GOOD TEACHER IN THE AREA, THAT YOUR SCHOOL BOARDS COULD BE JOINT SCHOOL BOARDS FOR SEVERAL, WE COULD COMBINE. BUT THAT'S A POLITICAL BATTLE THAT'S NOT POPULAR. SO MAYBE BY HAVING THIS PLAN, WE CAN LEGITIMIZE, AND THERE'S SOMEBODY TO BLAME FOR DOING IT, BUT WE COULD REACH THE POINT OF REDUCING THAT NUMBER OF 87 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, COMBINING SOME OF THEM FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE STUDENT. NOT THE SCOOT BOARD, BUT THE

STUDENT. AND I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT FROM THAT APPROACH. >> THAT'S A GOOD POINT THERE, ABSOLUTELY. INTERESTINGLY, LAURA, A SMALL VICTORY I WOULD THINK FOR THE MARTINEZ ADMINISTRATION IN THAT THEY WON PRAISE FOR THEIR A THROUGH F GRADING SYSTEM FOR SCHOOLS. THAT'S BEEN A HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL THING HERE FOR YEARS, BUT IT'S GOT THE IMPRIMATUR NOW OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYING, IT'S NOT A BAD WAY TO GO. BUT THAT'S A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THIS GRADING SYSTEM NOW FOR YEARS. >> AND THAT CERTAINLY WASN'T INVENTED BY THEM. IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY IMPORTED INTO NEW MEXICO. AND IT CERTAINLY CAUSED A LOT OF CONSTERNATION FROM A LOT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS. AND THE OTHER THING IS, IT'S AN A THROUGH F, BUT IF A SCHOOL GETS A FAILING GRADE, GETS AN F, YOU CAN APPLY FOR A WAIVER AND GET PUSHED UP TO ONE OF THE HIGHER GRADES. IF THAT WERE THE CASE FOR STUDENTS, THAT IF YOU GOT AN F YOU COULD SORT OF WAIVER YOUR WAY UP TO A HIGHER GRADE, THEN WHAT'S THE POINT OF HAVING AN F. AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE CRITICISMS OF THAT GRADING SYSTEM. BUT I THINK THE BIGGER PICTURE IS, ESSA WAS ADOPTED

IN DECEMBER OF 2015, SO IT'S ACTUALLY AN OBAMA ERA CHANGE, AND IT WENT FROM NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND TO ESSA. SO THAT WAS A BIG SHIFT, BECAUSE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND HAD SOME VERY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS, TESTING REQUIREMENTS. IT WAS VERY MUCH FOCUSED ON WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS REQUIRING. AND SO THE STATE ESSENTIALLY IMPLEMENTED WHAT WAS IN THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND. ESSA SIGNALS A LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR THE LOCAL LOCALITY, SO ESSENTIALLY THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. IDEALLY THE STATE WOULD HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY TO IMPLEMENT ALL THESE REQUIREMENTS. THE PROBLEM IS THAT HERE IN NEW MEXICO, WE'VE SEEN THE PED AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND TEACHERS BE AT LOGGERHEADS CONSTANTLY, AND SO FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS OF THIS ADMINISTRATION, YOU'VE REALLY SEEN A HAMMER APPROACH WHERE MORE OF A SCALPEL APPROACH IS WHAT WOULD BE USEFUL UNDER ESSA. AND ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS THAT YOU HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK WHAT SOME OF THE DISCUSSION HAS BEEN, AND THE TAKEOVER OF A SCHOOL I THINK IS AN OVERREACH OF PED, EVEN THOUGH IT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION -- AND I'M NOT SURPRISED THAT DeVOS AND THIS

ADMINISTRATION APPROVED IT AND SAID, YEAH, THIS LOOKS GREAT. ESSENTIALLY, THEY WOULD TAKE OVER A SCHOOL. HOW WOULD THEY DO THAT WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE TEACHERS AT PED? MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE NOT HAD CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE. OUR PREVIOUS SECRETARY DIDN'T HAVE CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE OF THAT SORT. I MEAN, HOW WOULD THAT WORK, IMPLEMENTING WISE? SO I THINK THERE'S SOME REAL DETAILS THAT ARE A PROBLEM FOR THAT, AND I THINK IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND WHAT DIANE WAS SUGGESTING -- I SHOULD CAVEAT WITH, OUR LAW FIRM REPRESENTS SOMETHING LIKE 75 TO 80 PERCENT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE. SO WE'RE WELL AWARE OF SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT HAPPEN AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVEL, AND IT WOULD BE ALMOST AN IMPOSSIBILITY TO GET THEM TO AGREE TO CEDE CONTROL OF THEIR AREA TO JOIN FORCES WITH ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT, BECAUSE IT IS SO LOCALIZED AND THERE ARE LOCAL ELECTIONS AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE THEIR OWN VERY STRONG FEELINGS, EVEN WITHIN A CITY. I THINK OF WEST LAS VEGAS AND THE CITY OF LAS VEGAS, THOSE TWO, THEY HAVE A SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE THINGS ARE SPLIT. AND HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE WE HAVE ONE, BUT IT'S HUGE. SO I THINK THERE'S JUST A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE WAY THAT ESSA PLAN HAS FILTERED DOWN.

>> WE'RE GOING TO TRACK THIS ONE CLOSELY. THIS COULD BE VERY INTERESTING FOR NEW MEXICO AS THIS PLAYS ALONG. NOW, HERE AT NEW MEXICO InFOCUS WE RECENTLY ASKED ALBUQUERQUE RESIDENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO RANK THEIR TOPIC ISSUES FOR THE CITY COUNCIL RACES THIS YEAR. CRIME IS ALMOST ALWAYS FIRST, CERTAINLY, FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE FUTURE OF THE ALBUQUERQUE RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT. CORRESPONDENT MEGAN KAMERICK IS SITTING DOWN WITH CANDIDATES IN EACH OF THE RACES THIS MONTH AND ASKING HOW THEY WOULD APPROACH THESE CONCERNS IF THEY WERE ELECTED TO THE COUNCIL. THIS WEEK, WE'LL HEAR PART OF HER INTERVIEWS WITH CANDIDATES IN DISTRICT 3 AND DISTRICT 5. THE FULL INTERVIEWS ARE ONLINE AT >> THE CANDIDATES IN DISTRICT 3 THIS YEAR ARE INCUMBENT KLARISSA PENA, AND CHRIS SEDILLO. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. WORKING ON CITY COUNCIL REQUIRES A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND DELIBERATION ON IMPORTANT ISSUES, AND WE THOUGHT THIS FORMAT WOULD BE A GREAT WAY FOR ALBUQUERQUE RESIDENTS TO GET TO KNOW YOU BOTH AS WE DISCUSS SOME OF COMING UP IN THE RACE, FOR RESIDENTS.

I'LL START WITH YOU, KLARISSA. LET'S START WITH CRIME. THE TECH FIRM LAVU SENT A LETTER TO THE MAYOR AND THE GOVERNOR THIS YEAR THREATENING TO LEAVE DOWNTOWN IF ACTION WASN'T TAKEN TO ADDRESS CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS, AND IT'S NOT THE FIRST COMPANY THAT HAS COMPLAINED OR THREATENED TO LEAVE. WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD BE YOUR ROLE IN THE CITY COUNCIL IN ADDRESSING THE HIGH CRIME RATE THROUGHOUT THE CITY? >> WELL, I THINK WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR IN TERMS OF TRYING TO ADDRESS THE HIGH COMING IN AND ALL THE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE WORKED ON IS REALLY WORKING WITH THE SOUTHWEST AREA COMMAND. UNFORTUNATELY, SINCE I'M NOT THE MAYOR, IT'S REALLY HAVING A SAY IN TERMS OF THE ENTIRE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. THERE'S THINGS WE CAN DO ON A POLICY LEVEL, LIKE ENSURE WE HAVE MORE OFFICERS, ENSURE WE'RE COMPETITIVE, A BUNCH OF THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT FOR ME ON A LOCAL LEVEL, WHAT I HAVE TO DO IS REALLY CONCENTRATE AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE ON THE AREA THAT I REPRESENT. SO EVEN BEFORE I WAS A CITY COUNCILOR, I WORKED REALLY

CLOSELY WITH THE SOUTHWEST AREA COMMAND, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, TO REALLY KIND OF DO A COMMUNITY POLICING MODEL THAT I THINK HAS WORKED OVER THE YEARS. SO IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CRIME STATS IN OUR AREA, I HATE TO SAY THAT WE'RE DOING BETTER THAN OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY, BUT WE KEEP TRACK OF THAT ON A MONTHLY BASIS, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH THE COALITIONS OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS. SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS, ONCE YOU SEE A SPIKE IN CRIME THROUGH THEIR DATA SOURCES, THEY ACTUALLY FIND A COMPREHENSIVE WAY ON HOW TO TACKLE WHERE THOSE PEAK AREAS ARE, AND THEN THEY DO IT THROUGH A COMMUNITY POLICING MODEL, KIND OF TACKLE THAT, WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORS TO KIND OF ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE NEEDS. IT'S BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL. I'M LOOKING AT THE CRIME STATS FOR THE SOUTHWEST AREA AND ALL THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, AND OUR CRIME IS ACTUALLY LOWER THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US. IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH. AND FOR ME, I THINK THAT WE

HAVE A MUCH LARGER ISSUE IN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. WE CAN INCARCERATE LOTS OF FOLKS, IF THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO, BUT REALLY, THERE'S AN UNDERLYING ISSUE. WE HAVE AN EPIDEMIC OF DRUG ADDICTION IN OUR COMMUNITY AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. SO I THINK AS A CITY WE HAVE TO WORK COLLECTIVELY TO START WITH THOSE UNTIL WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LARGER PICTURE. >> WE'LL GET TO THOSE OTHER ISSUES LATER ON IN OUR DISCUSSION. BUT CHRIS, WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ROLE IN REDUCING CRIME IN THE CITY? >> I BELIEVE MY ROLE AS A CITY COUNCILOR TO ADDRESS THE CRIME ISSUE IN ALBUQUERQUE WOULD BE GOING TO THE ROOT CAUSE. MAINLY, HOMELESSNESS, DRUG ADDICTION. OR POVERTY INFLUENCES CRIME, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. >> BUT DO YOU THINK THAT THOSE ISSUES WILL BE KEY TO REDUCING OUR CRIME RATE? >> CORRECT. THE PROPERTY CRIME HAS INCREASED IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS 23%, AND THAT'S IN THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL THIS MORNING. VEHICLE THEFT HAS INCREASED OVER 47% OVER THE LAST FOUR

YEARS. SO THIS IS TREMENDOUS, AND ONE OF THE REASONS I'M RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL. I BELIEVE MY EXPERIENCE IN THE MILITARY FOR 26 YEARS AND ALSO ATTENDING NEW MEXICO STATE POLICE ACADEMY, ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T GRADUATE, I BRING SOME NEW PERSPECTIVES. AND I BELIEVE ATTACKING THE -- OR NOT ATTACKING, BUT LOOKING AT THE LEADERSHIP AT APD, TO IMPROVE IT, BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO TO A NEW POLICE OFFICER, IF YOU HAVE LOW MORALE, IT'S HARD TO RECRUIT QUALITY INDIVIDUALS TO GO TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHEN THE MORALE AND THE LEADERSHIP IS NOT THERE. >> WELL, THAT'S A GREAT INTRO INTO MY NEXT QUESTION. WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM JOANNE ON FACEBOOK. SHE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIME AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. HOW WOULD YOU IMPROVE BOTH? BECAUSE YOU TOUCHED ON POVERTY AND CRIME. >> WELL, AS FAR AS CRIME AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHILE

WORKING TO GET THE CRIME DOWN, ONCE WE'VE WORKED ON THE ISSUE WITH CRIME AND WORKING TO LOWER THE CRIME RATE, I BELIEVE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WILL BEGIN TO POUR INTO ALBUQUERQUE. MOST PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO START BUSINESSES HERE BECAUSE THEY HEAR THE NEWS, IT'S A DAILY THING WHERE CRIME IS HAPPENING HERE DAILY, VEHICLE THEFTS IS THE HIGHEST IN THE NATION. BY TAKING CARE OF THE CRIME ISSUE FIRST, I BELIEVE IT WILL HELP INCREASE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE UNSER CROSSING THAT HAS NOT BEEN DEVELOPED. IT'S BEEN THERE OVER FOUR YEARS, AND IT'S SITTING THERE PAVED, ALL THE LANDSCAPING DONE, AND IT'S BEEN SITTING THERE FOR OVER FOUR YEARS. AND THE SAME THING WITH DRUG ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH, WE SPEND -- THE TAXPAYERS, AFTER THE JAMES BOYD SHOOTING, APPROVED A TAX INCREASE FOR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND TWO YEARS LATER

MENTAL HEALTH PROMISES ARE STILL UNKEPT. THE MONEY THAT THE TAXPAYERS APPROVED FOR IT STILL HASN'T BEEN SEEN YET, AND THAT'S A BIG ISSUE, I THINK. AS A CITY COUNCILOR, I WOULD WORK DILIGENTLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT MONEY THAT'S BEEN APPROVED ALREADY GETS PUT TO THOSE AREAS THAT THE TAXPAYERS APPROVED FOR. >> WE KNOW THAT ALBUQUERQUE NEEDS A COMPLEX APPROACH TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE'VE TOUCHED ON HERE. THE CITY HAS A LOT OF OPTIONS. WE COULD ATTRACT NEW EMPLOYERS, WE COULD SUPPORT EXISTING EMPLOYERS, ENCOURAGE ENTREPRENEURSHIP. WHICH OF THESE EFFORTS WOULD BE AT THE TOP OF YOUR LIST AS A CITY COUNCILOR? >> MINE WOULD BE BRINGING INDUSTRY, OR BUILDING LIKE GOOGLE, FACEBOOK. >> SO ATTRACT PEOPLE? >> ATTRACT BUSINESSES THAT WILL PAY GOOD-PAYING JOBS. ONE OF MY IDEAS WOULD BE FOR THE SANTOLINA, I FEEL IT'S A IT WOULD LEAD TO SPRAWL. I THINK ADDING WHAT IS

CALLED A SOLAR FARM THERE, THAT WOULD PROVIDE THE ELECTRICITY AND THE POWER FOR ALBUQUERQUE, AND BE INDEPENDENT FROM PNM. THAT WOULD BE A GREAT BENEFIT FOR THE CITY TO BRING OR OWN POWER. WE HAVE THE MOST SUN, 300 DAYS A YEAR OF SUN, AND CREATING OUR OWN ELECTRICITY HERE ON THE WEST SIDE OF ALBUQUERQUE AND BRINGING MORE JOBS TO THE WEST SIDE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IMPROVEMENT. >> KLARISSA, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'VE GOT FOR THESE KIND OF OPTIONS? >> I THINK YOU HAVE TO KIND OF WORK AT ALL OF THEM. MR. SEDILLO MENTIONED IF WE'RE LOOKING AT A GOOGLE, ESPECIALLY ON THE WEST SIDE OF ALBUQUERQUE, AND TRYING TO CREATE THAT JOB BALANCE SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO CROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE THE SPACE, AND WE WOULD REALLY HAVE TO KIND OF PREPARE OURSELVES IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT TYPE OF EMPLOYER. BUT FOR ME, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO, IN ADDITION TO TRYING TO ENCOURAGE EMPLOYERS TO COME TO THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE, WE HAVE -- I DON'T KNOW THAT

TOO MANY PEOPLE REALIZE THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE MILLENNIALS IN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE AND WHERE THEY LIVE AND WHAT THEY NEED, AND THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CATER TO THE MILLENNIALS, MOST OF THE MILLENNIALS IN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE LIVE IN THE SOUTHWEST AREA OF ALBUQUERQUE. AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT ENTREPRENEURS AND YOUNG START-UPS THAT COME OUT OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE, MOST ENTREPRENEURIALS COME OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF ALBUQUERQUE. SO I REALLY THINK THAT WE HAVE TO CREATE, KIND OF LIKE WITH THIS VISITORS CENTER, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS CREATE A PLACE TO BE ABLE TO INCUBATE SOME OF THESE SMALLER BUSINESSES THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THE AREA. SOMETIMES I THINK THERE MAY BE A LANGUAGE BARRIER, BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE SMALL BUSINESSES ARE HISPANIC BUSINESSES. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO WORK HARD TO ENSURE THAT WE DO THAT, BECAUSE SOMETIMES I THINK WHEN WE DON'T REALIZE AND WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK AROUND IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS AND A LOT OF GOOD PRODUCTS OUT >> THE CANDIDATES IN THE DISTRICT 5 RACE FOR THE ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL ARE ROBERT ARAGON, CYNTHIA

BORREGO, AND CATHERINE TRUJILLO. THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US, MEGAN. >> WORKING ON CITY COUNCIL AND DELIBERATIONS ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSUES, SO WE THINK THIS FORMAT IS A GREAT WAY FOR ALBUQUERQUE RESIDENTS TO GET TO KNOW YOU BETTER AS WE DISCUSS SOME OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES FACING THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS RIGHT NOW. WE KNOW THAT ALBUQUERQUE NEEDS A COMPLEX APPROACH TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THE CITY HAS A LOT OF OPTIONS. WE CAN ATTRACT NEW EMPLOYERS, WE CAN SUPPORT EXISTING EMPLOYERS THAT ARE HERE, WE CAN ENCOURAGE ENTREPRENEURSHIP. WHICH OF THESE WOULD BE AT THE TOP OF YOUR LIST? >> ALL THREE OF THEM. >> YOU HAVE TO PRIORITIZE. >> I'M NOT BEING FACETIOUS, BUT THE FIRST ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IS TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF BUSINESS FOLKS. TAX AND WHAT IT'S DOING TO NEW MEXICO. I WAS RATHER INTIMATELY INVOLVED WITH THE TESLA DISCUSSIONS THROUGH THE SECRETARY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY SAID, ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS WE HAVE, IS OVERBEARING GOVERNMENT BY

CITY PLANNERS. >> THAT'S WHAT TESLA SAID? >> NO, OVERBURDENSOME REGULATIONS IS WHAT THEY SAID, CRIME, LACK OF EDUCATION, A BACKWARDS TAX SYSTEM. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT IN ITS TOTALITY, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE SITTING ON THE CITY COUNCIL UNDERSTAND THAT, NOT GOING IN AND THINKING THAT GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. GOVERNMENT IS NOT GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE, IN FACT, THIS IS A GOVERNMENT CREATED PROBLEM, AND YOU CAN'T EXPECT THE VERY PEOPLE WHO CREATED THAT PROBLEM TO FIX IT. GET OUT OF THE WAY, LET THESE FOLKS DO WHAT THEY DO BEST, STOP THE OLD BURDENSOME REGULATIONS, HAVE A TAX SYSTEM THAT MAKES SENSE, AND EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM THAT IS PRODUCING GRADUATES WHO CAN GO AND WORK. THEN WE TAKE CARE OF THE ECONOMIC PICTURE AS WELL AS ADDRESSING THIS DEBACLE WHICH IS A.R.T. >> CYNTHIA? >> THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I DISAGREE THAT POOR CITY PLANNING IS THE REASON FOR A.R.T. THE ENTIRE TRANSIT SYSTEM, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO

BE, AS A CITY, BE MORE PROACTIVE, BECAUSE WE'VE GONE FROM BEING A SMALL TOWN TO BEING A CITY. >> YOU MEAN IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? >> IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I THINK THERE WERE GOOD INTENTIONS FOR A.R.T. IT WASN'T ALL IN THE PLANNING REALM. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM AND THE WAY IT'S DEVELOPED, YOU HAVE A STOP AT WINROCK/CORONADO, YOU HAVE A DOWNTOWN STOP, YOU HAVE A STOP AT CENTRAL AND UNSER, YOU HAVE A STOP AT CIBOLA, OR THE NORTHWEST MESA, THAT'S SUPPOSED TO LOOP BACK, AND THAT'S THE COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM FOR TRANSIT. THAT IS AN AREA THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON AS A CITY, BECAUSE IF WE WANT TO BUILD OUR POPULATION, AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE REGRESSING, UNFORTUNATELY, WE NEED TO THINK 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 YEARS INTO THE FUTURE. >> IN ADDITION TO TRANSIT, WHAT DO YOU THINK IN TERMS OF WHAT WE SHOULD PRIORITIZE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? >> IN TERMS OF TRANSIT?

>> NO, OVERALL. SHOULD WE BE SEEKING TO RECRUIT? >> OH, FOR THE ECONOMY? >> YES. SHOULD WE TRY TO RECRUIT BIG EMPLOYERS FROM OUTSIDE THE STATE? >> WE HAVE SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY IN ALBUQUERQUE, AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE SORT OF LIKE THE STEPCHILD BECAUSE WE'RE HEARING ONLY THE NEGATIVE, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO START FOCUSING ON OUR POSITIVES. WE HAVE DOUBLE EAGLE AIRPORT ON THE WEST SIDE, WE HAVE PLENTY OF LAND ON THE WEST SIDE THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED. WE HAVE AREAS, OPPORTUNITIES FOR FREE TRADE ZONES. WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOREIGN TRADE ZONES. WE HAVE INDUSTRIAL REVENUE BONDS. I MEAN, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE COORDINATED. WE HAVE OUR LABS. WE HAVE THE BASE. I MEAN, WE HAVE OUR UNIVERSITY. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT WE COULD BE LOOKING AT. BUT WE ALSO NEED TO SET UP OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM SO THAT IT'S EFFECTIVE. >> CATHERINE, WHAT DO YOU THINK IN TERMS OF, TALKING ABOUT LEVERAGING OUR STRENGTHS, WHAT SHOULD WE FOCUS ON RIGHT NOW IN TERMS

OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? >> WITH ALL THE ISSUES THAT ALBUQUERQUE IS FACING, WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO HAVE TO APPROACH TO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO. SO IT'S NOT ALWAYS A ONE-ALL/FIX-ALL. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE. DEVELOPING OUR WORKFORCE IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THEM. IN-FILL IS ANOTHER. >> IN-FILL DEVELOPMENT? >> YES, IN-FILL DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE A LOT OF EMPTY BUILDINGS, AND WE NEED TO START GROWING OUR LOCAL EMPLOYERS AND START MOVING THEM INTO SOME OF THESE BIGGER BUILDINGS THAT ARE VACANT. IN TERMS OF THAT, WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE NOT SEEING SO MUCH OF THAT GROW. WE HAVE SO MUCH IN ALBUQUERQUE, AND RIGHT NOW, AS A BUSINESS CONSULTANT AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, THAT'S WHAT I SEE EVERY DAY. WITH THE EMPLOYERS, THEY'RE COMPLAINING, I DON'T HAVE THE WORKFORCE THAT I NEED. THE WORKFORCE IS SAYING, I CAN'T FIND THE JOBS THAT I NEED. SO SOMETHING IS GOING HAND-IN-HAND, AND WE'RE MISSING THE POINT ON BEING ABLE TO EDUCATE. THEN WE LOOK AT THE STATE LEVEL, THE LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIP GOING DOWN FROM 90% TO 60%, AND WE HAVE TO

BE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS TO CONTINUE TO GET AN EDUCATION, WHETHER THAT BE COLLEGE OR TRADE, OR EVEN APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING. AND ALBUQUERQUE, WITH THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP, HAS THE CAPACITY TO REALLY START LEVERAGING THAT. WE CAN START BRINGING IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FOLKS AND LENDERS AND INVESTORS DOWN TO THE CITY TO START INCORPORATING AND SEEING WHAT ALBUQUERQUE HAS TO OFFER. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR BACKGROUND IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WOULD BRING TO YOUR ROLE AS A CITY COUNCILOR? >> I THINK IT WOULD HAVE A LOT OF POSSIBILITY AND ECONOMY TEN YEARS FROM NOW. LIKE CYNTHIA WAS SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT NOT JUST BEING REACTIVE, BUT BEING PROACTIVE, AND WHAT IS THE CITY THAT ALBUQUERQUE NEEDS TO BUILD, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO PRIORITIZE ON. HEALTH CARE WAS A BOOMING INDUSTRY THAT DID NOT FAIL IN THE RECESSION. THAT WAS A CONTINUATION. AND WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF STUDENTS GO IN AND OUT OF DIFFERENT HEALTH CARE DEPARTMENTS, OBTAINING CERTIFICATIONS AND GETTING THESE REALLY GREAT HIGH-WAGE JOBS, AND WE CAN START TO

INCREASE THAT. BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE ABLE TO PULL THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE WORKFORCE THAT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THAT TECHNOLOGY. EVEN WITH THE LABS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE INTERNSHIPS, WHICH ARE GREAT, BUT WE STILL NEED THOSE STUDENTS TO STEP FORWARD TO RETAIN THAT POSITION OVER THERE SO THEY DON'T LEAVE. I MEAN, ALBUQUERQUE NEEDS TO OFFER MORE, NOT ONLY FOR MILLENNIALS, BUT FOR OTHER GENERATIONS, AS WELL. >> WHAT INITIATIVES OR POLICY CHANGES WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE IN TERMS OF HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE STAY HERE, OR COME BACK HERE WHO HAVE LEFT? >> WELL, ALBUQUERQUE HAS A VERY DISTINCTIVE CULTURE, AND TO SEE THAT CULTURE, TO LOWER CRIME, TO MAKE THE EDUCATION SYSTEM SOMETHING MORE FLUID, AND TO OFFER INCENTIVES AND TO LOOK AT OUR CITY BUDGET AND START PROMOTING INTO EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT, SUMMER PROGRAMS, YOUTH PROGRAMS, AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED. IT'S THAT COMMUNITY SUPPORT THAT WE CAN START BUILDING GENERATION BY GENERATION, AND START IMPROVING THE CURRENT ECONOMY THAT WE HAVE HERE, PROMOTING STUDENTS AND SAYING, YOU CAN GRADUATE, IT

DOESN'T MATTER, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE OBSTACLES HOLD, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SEE MY SON GO TO SCHOOL TO GRADUATE ONLY FOR HIM TO SEE THE NEWS AND HOW POOR OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM IS, HOW HIGH OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS, HOW HIGH OUR CRIME RATE IS, TO SAY, WHY SHOULD I GRADUATE? THAT'S THE LAST THING I WANT TO HEAR. WITH STUDENTS SAYING, IT'S TOO HARD TO GRADUATE, I DON'T WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL, WE NEED TO CREATE SOME SORT OF INCENTIVE FOR THIS NEXT GENERATION TO COME IN AND SAY, THIS IS MY CITY AND I WANT THIS JOB. AND IF ALBUQUERQUE IS GOING TO START BEING A COMPETITIVE CITY INTERNATIONALLY, WE NEED TO START IMPROVING THAT ECONOMY, AND THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS HOLDING US BACK. >> ROBERT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE TO STAY HERE OR COME BACK HERE? >> WELL, IT'S A MULTI-FACETED QUESTION, I AGREE. FINISHING UP HER RESIDENCY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, ONE OF THE FEW MILLENNIALS THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO COME BACK. >> MEDICAL RESIDENCY? >> A DENTAL MEDICAL RESIDENCY. SHE'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE FEW WITH THAT DISTINCTION. I'M REAL HAPPY ABOUT THAT. BUT TALKING TO HER PEERS, THEY TALK ABOUT NOT COMING

BACK TO NEW MEXICO, PEOPLE WHO WERE EDUCATED HERE. I KNOW YOU WENT TO SCHOOL WITH SOME OF THEM AT HOPE. WE HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE EDUCATED HERE AND ARE LEAVING. IF YOU LOOK AT WHO HAS LEFT NEW MEXICO SINCE 2000, SINCE 2001, I BELIEVE THE NUMBERS SHOW, 2% OF THE MILLENNIALS ARE LEAVING, BUT EVEN MORE PROFOUND THAN THAT, ABOUT 50% OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE FOUR-YEAR DEGREES ARE LEAVING THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO. AT THAT RATE, IT'S A DEATH SPIRAL. SO LET ME SUGGEST A COUPLE OF THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, OUR BEST ASSET IN NEW MEXICO ARE NEW MEXICANS. WE ARE OUR BEST ASSET. BUT WE HAVE TO START THINKING ABOUT THE ECONOMY, NOT ONLY TODAY, ABOUT TOMORROW. WHAT'S GOING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. WE HAVE TO BECOME COMPETITIVE. AGAIN, I CAN'T OVEREMPHASIZE THIS: A, WE NEED TO REDUCE CRIME. COMPANIES ARE NOT COMING TO NEW MEXICO BECAUSE OF CRIME, FIRST AND FOREMOST. THEY SAY THAT. SECOND IS OUR TAX OVERBURDENSOME RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT KEEP FOLKS FROM COMING AND STAYING HERE IN TERMS OF EMPLOYERS. SO WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT,

AND THE BEST WAY TO ADDRESS THAT IS, AGAIN, LET'S FULLY FUND APD THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO. THAT TAKES CARE OF THAT BAND-AID. NEXT, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH. WE HAVE OVERBURDENSOME TAX REGULATIONS HERE IN THE CITY, COUNTY, STATE. WE HAVE TO WORK IN CONCERT WITH PEOPLE LIKE SENATOR SMITH AND REPRESENTATIVE HARPER WHO WANTED TO TALK -- >> ABOUT CHANGING THE TAX CODE. >> EXACTLY, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO BRING IN THE NEW JOBS, ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEED. THAT'S HOW WE KEEP OUR YOUNG PEOPLE HERE. >> CYNTHIA, HOW DO WE KEEP OUR YOUNG PEOPLE HERE? >> WELL, YOU ASKED A QUESTION THAT HAS REALLY BEEN ON MY MIND LATELY, ESPECIALLY IN LIEU OF THE ARTICLES THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN LATELY ABOUT THE MILLENNIALS LEAVING AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE GRADUATING FROM OUR UNIVERSITIES. I THINK IT STARTS AT AN EARLY YOUNG AGE. I HAVE A DEGREE IN EDUCATION, I WAS GOING TO BE A TEACHER, AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO STARTING BUILDING

WITH OUR STUDENTS. BEYOND THAT, I THINK WE NEED TO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES, AND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES COME FROM PROVIDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE. AND IF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT THERE, THEN THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE LOST. >> INFRASTRUCTURE IN TERMS OF EMPLOYERS? >> INFRASTRUCTURE IN TERMS OF OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, IN TERMS OF OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM, IN TERMS OF UTILIZING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES. I MEAN, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES HERE WITH WIND AND SOLAR, FOR EXAMPLE. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES WITH OUR ZONING CODES, WHICH IS BEING REVIEWED CURRENTLY. AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, I BELIEVE EITHER TONIGHT OR TOMORROW NIGHT, I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY -- >> TOMORROW. >> TOMORROW NIGHT, IT'S BEING REVIEWED BY THE LUPS, AND THAT'S AN ARM OF THE CITY COUNCIL, AND THAT IS ADDRESSING REDUCING SOME OF THE REGULATIONS. BECAUSE I DO AGREE WITH MR. ARAGON --

>> IT'S ROBERT, CYNTHIA, PLEASE. >> I DO AGREE THAT THERE ARE SOME REGULATIONS THAT COULD BE LESSENED, AND WE NEED TO PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO BUSINESSES THAT ARE INTERESTED, LIKE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS, LIKE THE FILM INDUSTRY, TO ATTRACT THOSE JOBS. AND WE NEED HIGH-END PAYING JOBS. WE DON'T NEED COOKS -- I MEAN, WE NEED THOSE, TOO, BUT WE NEED TO ALSO OFFER PEOPLE THAT ARE GRADUATING FROM THE UNIVERSITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAY IN NEW MEXICO AND NOT LEAVE, NOT GO TO DENVER, NOT GO TO PHOENIX. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE WAYS. I THINK SMART GROWTH, I MEAN, WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW SMART GROWTH EFFECTS OUR CITY, BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE A DESTINATION. WE DON'T NEED TO BE A PASS-THROUGH CITY. >> DO YOU MEAN, IN TERMS OF SMART GROWTH, SHE BROUGHT UP IN-FILL DEVELOPMENT, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? >> IN-FILL IS VERY IMPORTANT. I WORKED WITH IN-FILL FOR

MANY YEARS. I WAS THE REDEVELOPMENT OFFICIAL FOR THE CITY. SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH HOW IN-FILL WORKS. IN-FILL IS ONE OF THE AREAS. WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WITH OUR WATER, BECAUSE WE CAN ONLY PROVIDE SO MUCH WATER. AND WE ARE A STATE THAT HAS TO BE VERY AWARE OF HOW WE USE OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE SMART ABOUT IT. TECHNOLOGY, TELECOMMUNICATIONS. THAT'S ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE ON THE WEST SIDE IN OUR DISTRICT. PEOPLE TRAVEL TO WORK, AND WE NEED TO PROVIDE THOSE JOBS ON THE WEST SIDES. >> WE JUST HEARD PART OF MEGAN KAMERICK'S INTERVIEWS WITH ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES IN DISTRICTS 3 AND 5. THE FULL INTERVIEWS ARE UP ON OUR WEBSITE, NewMexicoInFocus.org. NOW, WELCOME BACK TO THE LINE. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE SARAH SINGLETON RECENTLY RULED THAT GOVERNOR MARTINEZ DID NOT FOLLOW PROPER PROCEDURES IN VETOING TEN BILLS FROM THIS YEAR'S 60-DAY LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND SHE MAGGIE TOULOUSE-OLIVER TO PUT THOSE BILLS INTO LAW ONCE THE FINAL PAPERWORK IS

SUBMITTED. THE GOVERNOR'S LAWYER IS EXPECTED TO APPEAL THE RULING AND HAS ASKED JUDGE SINGLETON FOR A STAY TO PREVENT THOSE BILLS FROM BECOMING LAW IN THE MEANTIME. BUT IF THE JUDGE DOESN'T GRANT THAT STAY, THE BILLS WILL TAKE EFFECT BEFORE AN APPEAL CAN BE HEARD, LAURA SANCHEZ-RIV?. LET'S TAKE IT BACK HERE. HOW DID WE GET TO THIS PLACE IN THE FIRST PLACE? WHAT HAPPENED HERE THAT IT, IN FACT, ENDED UP GOING TO COURT AND NOW WE HAVE THIS DECISION? WHAT DID THE GOVERNOR DO OR NOT DO, I GUESS? >> WELL, DURING THE COURSE OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, NUMBER OF BILLS, AND IN DOING SO DIDN'T FOLLOW WHAT WAS IN THE CONSTITUTION IN TERMS OF A PROCESS FOR THAT. AND THAT INCLUDED, IN A FAIR NUMBER OF THEM, NOT PROVIDING A VETO MESSAGE. SO ESSENTIALLY JUST A VETO WITHOUT AN EXPLANATION OF WHY IT WAS VETOED, AND THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES THAT THERE BE SOME EXPLANATION. >> EVEN JUST A LINE WOULD HAVE SUFFICED. >> YES, SOMETHING THAT EXPLAINED WHY IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHE'S WILLING TO SIGN INTO LAW.

AND THAT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE THE LEGISLATURE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THOSE SHORTCOMINGS IN ORDER TO TRY TO GET THE BILL PASSED AND GET IN FRONT OF HER SOMETHING THAT'S MUCH MORE AMENABLE TO HER SIGNATURE. BUT THEY DIDN'T DO THAT. SHE SIMPLY JUST VETOED. AND SO THAT CAUSED A LOT OF LAWYERS AND PEOPLE IN THE LEGISLATURE TO BE UP IN ARMS ABOUT IT AND CHALLENGE THIS DECISION TO VETO IT, TAKE IT TO THE DISTRICT COURT, AND THEN THE DISTRICT COURT AGREED AND SAID, YES, THIS WAS INSUFFICIENT IN TERMS OF WHAT SHE DID WITH HER VETOES. FOR SOME OF THEM, SHE DIDN'T TO A VETO MESSAGE. FOR OTHERS, SHE DIDN'T FOLLOW THE PROCESS, THE TIMING OF IT WAS NOT CORRECT. SO IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SAME FOR BOTH. BUT ESSENTIALLY, ABOUT TEN BILLS ARE NOW POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE SIGNED INTO LAW, OR BECOME LAW, I SHOULD SAY. SO IT'S AN OVERRULE OF HER VETO BY THE JUDICIARY, WHICH CONSTITUTIONALLY IN TERMS OF JUST OUR THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT IS VERY INTERESTING, THAT THIS IS HOW THESE PARTICULAR LAWS WILL BE SIGNED IN. NOW, THE QUESTION IS, ARE THEY GOING TO BE CHALLENGED, AND THE SPECULATION I THINK

IS THAT THEY WILL BE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW YET WHETHER THAT WILL HAPPEN PRIOR TO THEM ACTUALLY BEING CHAPTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE. >> EXACTLY RIGHT. INTERESTINGLY, DIANE, TWO HEMP BILLS WERE PART OF THAT SITUATION, FOR RESEARCH, AND TO ALLOW FARMERS TO GROW FOR RESEARCH. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THIS ONE FOR A LONG TIME. GETTING AWAY FROM THE MECHANICS OF WHAT LAURA JUST EXPLAINED, WHO WINS HERE IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS? IS IT NOT JUST THE HEMP FOLKS, BUT IS IT BETTER FOR THE WHOLE PROCESS THAT THERE WAS A WIN HERE FOR THESE FOLKS? >> I'M NOT SURE THAT IT'S A WIN FOR THE PROCESS, BUT I APPEARS, AND I HAVEN'T DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON IT, BUT IT APPEARS THAT IT WOULD HAVE SOME VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND TO PEOPLE. AND AS I RECALL, THESE BILLS WERE FAIRLY TIGHTLY CONSTRUCTED SO THAT YOU HAD TO GET APPROVALS IN THE SAME PROCESS OF MEDICAL CANNABIS. YOU HAVE TO BE APPROVED TO

DO SOMETHING LIKE SELL OR PRODUCE THE PRODUCT. THE SAME THING WITH THIS. IT'S LIMITED TO GROWING FOR RESEARCH. THE RESEARCH WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE, AS I RECALL, THROUGH NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY, A VERY SOLID REPUTABLE ORGANIZATION DOING THE RESEARCH. SO I THINK THAT FOR US TO PRETEND THAT WE SHOULDN'T LOOK AT FUTURE OPTIONS, WHATEVER THEY MIGHT BE, I THINK THERE IS SOME MISCONCEPTION OUT THERE ABOUT HEMP, AND I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE MENTIONED MARIJUANA IN THE SAME CONVERSATION, BUT THERE IS A MISCONCEPTION ABOUT WHAT IT'S USED FOR. SO I THINK THAT -- I JUST DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND. AND I THINK HAD THERE BEEN A MESSAGE ON WHY THERE WAS AN OBJECTION, THEN I KNOW THE SPONSORS, THEY WOULD HAVE WORKED WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ON THIS. I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT

SOMETHING FOR THE FUTURE, AND IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM THAT BAD TO ME. SO A VETO MESSAGE WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTRAORDINARILY HELPFUL. >> ANOTHER ONE, HARRY, WHEN I THINK ABOUT DIANE'S POINT ABOUT THE MESSAGE WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL, WAS AT THE TIME THE VETO OF RECONFIGURING OUR COMPUTER SCIENCE AND MATH AND SCIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. THERE WAS NOT A WHOLE LOT OF PUSHBACK ON THIS, AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO FIND OUT WHY THE GOVERNOR WAS OPPOSED TO THIS. >> WHEN THAT VETO CAME OUT, IT WAS JUST REALLY, REALLY STANDARDS THAT ARE WELL ATTESTED TO, LOTS OF OTHER STATES HAVE ADOPTED THEM. THERE'S BEEN A CONCERN ABOUT EDUCATION IN S.T.E.M. UNM HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK IN THIS AREA, AND NEW MEXICO STATE. SO THE LACK OF A MESSAGE, THEN, FROM THE GOVERNOR THEN BECOMES REALLY PUZZLING. WHY IS SHE DOING THIS? THIS FEELS LIKE A MOM AND APPLE PIE SORT OF THING. >> MERRITT, PICK UP ON THAT, AGAIN, AS WELL, THE IDEA OF A MESSAGE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHY SOMEONE SAYS NO TO SOMETHING, SO WE HAVE SOME CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THE ADMINISTRATION IS COMING

FROM. >> PARTICULARLY SINCE THIS IS THE ADMINISTRATION OF TRANSPARENCY. >> THE MOST IN HISTORY, APPARENTLY. >> YES, WE HAVE A SUNSHINE PORTAL. MARKED THIS ADMINISTRATION FROM THE BEGINNING IS WHAT I WOULD TERM AT BEST A DISINTEREST IN THE LEGISLATURE. CONNECTION WITH THE CAUCUS AND THIS ADMINISTRATION. SO IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME. WHAT DID SURPRISE ME AT FIRST IS, I DIDN'T THINK YOU COULD SUE OVER A VETO. SO NOW, HAVE WE CREATED JUST ONE MORE STEP IN OUR LEGISLATIVE PROCESS? WE GO BACK AND FORTH, WE GET IT THROUGH THE HOUSE, WE GET IT THROUGH THE SENATE, IT GOES TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, THE GOVERNOR MAY OR MAY NOT VETO IT, AND THEN IT GOES TO COURT? IT'S A TEMPORARY LEGISLATURE, WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS. >> YOU KNOW, MARY KAY PAPEN HAS COME OUT AND SAID THEY SHOULD NOT APPEAL, BUT LAURA, INTERESTINGLY, THE ADMINISTRATION SAYS THEY ARE ON SAFE CONSTITUTIONAL GRINDS HERE, THAT, IN FACT,

THIS IS HOW THEY INTERPRETED IT, AND NOW WE HAVE SOME PUSHBACK FROM THE COURTS. SHOULD THEY, IN FACT, APPEAL, OR JUST MOVE ON HERE? >> I THINK THEY SHOULD JUST MOVE ON. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ACTUAL MERITS OF THE BILLS, AND I THINK ONE OF THE ISSUES WE NEED TO -- YOU KNOW, THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS THAT THIS WASN'T ABOUT THE MERITS OF THE BILLS, AND THAT WAS PART OF THE PROBLEM IN TERMS OF WHY THERE WAS NO VETO MESSAGE. I MEAN, THE SCUTTLEBUTT AT THE TIME WAS THAT SHE WAS VETOING EVERYTHING THAT WAS A SENATE BILL. AS YOU SEE, MOST OF THESE ARE SENATE BILLS. THERE WERE TWO BILLS IN PARTICULAR THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN THAT HAD TO DO WITH -- THAT HAD COME BASICALLY WITH SUPPORT FROM A LOT OF THE COUNTY TREASURERS AROUND THE STATE, THAT BASICALLY REQUIRED SOMETHING VERY EASY, IT WAS JUST A REPORTING. ANY TIME THERE WAS GOING TO BE A BOND OR ANY KIND OF PUBLIC FINANCE, WHEN A TAX INCREMENT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, OR ANOTHER DISTRICT WAS FORMED, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, WHEN THESE TWO DISTRICTS WOULD BE FORMED, THE COUNTY TREASURER WOULD BE INFORMED OF THAT. THE OTHER ONE DEALS WITH COLLECTION OF TAXES. IT MAKES SENSE. IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL. THE ISSUE WAS THAT THESE WERE SUPPORTED, THESE WERE SPONSORED BY DEMOCRATS, OR BY IN THAT CASE DEMOCRATIC

SENATORS, AND THE ISSUE WAS THAT SHE WAS VETOING DEMOCRATIC SENATOR BILLS. SO IT GOES BACK TO HOW MUCH ARE YOU GOING TO PLAY POLITICS WITH THESE ISSUES RATHER THAN LOOK AT THE MERITS OF THE ACTUAL BILL, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU KIND OF HAVE TO -- I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE PLAINTIFFS IN THIS CASE CAME DOWN ON. LET'S CALL YOU OUT ON THIS, BECAUSE REALLY YOU'RE PLAYING POLITICS AND YOU DIDN'T ACTUALLY GIVE A LEGITIMATE REASON FOR WHY YOU WERE VETOING, BECAUSE IF YOU HAD, YOU WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND ONE. YOU WERE REALLY DOING IT BECAUSE OF POLITICAL ISSUES. THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE CALLING HER ON. WITH THAT BEING SAID, THOUGH, IF THEY PUSH FORWARD WITH A CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE STILL, I THINK THEY WILL BE ON VERY THIN ICE ON THE WHOLE THING. >> DIANE, PICK UP ON THAT, AS WELL, THE IDEA THAT PERHAPS IT WAS DONE ON PURPOSE. YOU NEVER KNOW. THERE ARE CERTAIN KINDS OF OMISSIONS, IF YOU GET MY DRIFT HERE, THAT ARE SO OBVIOUS. >> I'M BUMFUZZLED BY THIS WHOLE PROCESS, BECAUSE TO ME THE CONSTITUTION IS VERY CLEAR. NOW, LET ME SAY RIGHT UP FRONT, I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY, SO I DON'T KNOW THE LEGAL, BUT AS A CITIZEN, I CAN READ

THE CONSTITUTION, AND AS A FORMER LEGISLATOR, I UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS. I WAS TRYING TO THINK BACK, AND I CHECKED WITH SOME OF MY FORMER COLLEAGUES, THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED IN ANYBODY'S MEMORY, NOT TO SAY THAT IT MAY NOT HAVE AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. SO IT'S LIKE THE PROCESS IS VERY, VERY CLEAR. SO, WHAT'S THE REAL REASON THIS WAS DONE? >> THAT'S RIGHT. THIS IS NOT HER FIRST GO-ROUND SIGNING OR VETOING BILLS. >> NO, AND THE GOVERNOR AND HER STAFF, THEY'RE SMART, TALENTED PEOPLE. THEY KNOW WHAT IT SAYS. SO I'M SITTING HERE AS A CITIZEN AND FORMER LEGISLATOR GOING, HMM, SOMETHING SMELLS. >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> SO, I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. >> I THINK THAT'S THE OVERALL, RIGHT THERE. THAT'S VERY INTERESTING. WE'LL HAVE TO SEE HOW IT GOES, BUT APPARENTLY PRECEDENT HAS BEEN SET. THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE. IN ALBUQUERQUE, FAITH

LEADERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS GATHERED THIS WEEK TO RESPOND TO THE VIOLENT MARCH ORGANIZED BY SO-CALLED ALT-RIGHT GROUPS IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA. THERE'S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT IN THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL RESPONSE TO MARCHES AND RALLIES THAT PROMOTE HATE. WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING IN DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS IN NEW MEXICO IN THE COMING MONTHS. PRODUCER SARAH GUSTAVUS SAT DOWN THIS WEEK WITH RICHARD WOOD, PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY AT UNM AND A FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE SOUTHWEST INSTITUTE ON RELIGION, CULTURE AND SOCIETY, TO GET A BROADER VIEW OF FAITH-BASED ORGANIZING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND HOW FAITH GROUPS ARE RESPONDING TO CURRENT ISSUES AROUND >> RICHARD, THANKS SO MUCH FOR STOPPING BY THIS WEEK. >> GOOD MORNING. GREAT TO BE HERE. >> YOUR PAST RESEARCH LEADERS ABOUT THEIR WORK. WHAT ARE SOME COMMON ISSUES AND COMMON GROUND THAT YOU FOUND OF LEADERS OF DIFFERENT FAITHS AROUND RACE AND EQUITY? >> SO, THE KIND OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT I STUDY AROUND THE COUNTRY AND IN NEW MEXICO WORK ACROSS RACIAL ETHNIC LINES, WORK WITH IMMIGRANTS, WORK WITH GROUPS, BUT ALSO WORK ACROSS DIFFERENT FAITH TRADITIONS. SO THESE ARE EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS, CATHOLICS, JEWS,

MUSLIMS, BUDDHISTS, A WHOLE BRUNCH OF FAITH TRADITIONS. AND I THINK THE REAL COMMON GROUND IS, DO WE PASSIONATELY CARE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, THE DIVISIONS AND THE POLARIZATION, BUT ALSO HOW HARD IT IS FOR AMERICANS TO REALLY TALK AND WORK TOGETHER ACROSS RACIAL LINES SOMETIMES. AND WHAT I LOOK AT IS THE WAY THAT RELIGIOUS COMMITMENT, PEOPLE'S FAITH, PEOPLE'S SPIRITUALITY, HELPS THEM FIND COMMON GROUND IN ORDER TO WORK TOGETHER ACROSS THOSE REALLY DIFFICULT LINES OF RACE SOMETIMES. >> IT GIVES THEM A PLACE TO START, BUT IT'S STILL REALLY CHALLENGING WORK. >> IT'S STILL REALLY CHALLENGES WORK, AND I THINK THAT HAS TO DO WITH, WE THOUGHT WE'D SOLVED THE RACISM PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTRY WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE DISCOVERING IS HOW DEEPLY AMERICAN CULTURE HAS MADE WHITENESS A WAY OF DIVIDING PEOPLE. SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING WRONG WITH WHITE PEOPLE, IT'S THE WAY WE'VE CONSTRUCTED WHITENESS SO THAT WE USE

WHITENESS TO DIVIDE POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS WHITE FOLKS FROM POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS AFRICAN-AMERICANS, LATINOS, AMERICAN INDIANS, AND ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS, INSTEAD OF THOSE FOLKS COMING TOGETHER TO BUILD A BETTER AMERICA. AND PART OF THE CURRENT MOMENT IS COMING TO TERMS WITH WHITENESS IN AMERICA, I THINK. >> DO YOU THINK FAITH LEADERS ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO START THAT CONVERSATION IN A WAY THAT POLITICIANS AND OTHER GROUPS CAN'T? >> UNIQUELY MIGHT BE TOO STRONG, IN THAT THERE'S SOME REALLY GREAT SECULAR GROUPS DOING WORK LIKE THIS AS WELL, BUT, YEAH, ESPECIALLY POSITIONED TO DO THIS BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT SHARED FAITH COMMITMENTS, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE DIFFERENT TRADITIONS, MOST OF THE TRADITIONS SAY, AND YET WE WORSHIP THE SAME GOD, AND THAT DOES HELP PEOPLE COME TOGETHER. AND SOMETIMES IT HELPS THEM FIND THE COURAGE TO TAKE ON HARD ISSUES AND CONFRONT THE DIFFICULTIES WE FACE IN SOCIETY. >> DO YOU SEE THESE MOVEMENTS CHANGING OVER TIME? IS THERE SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT 2017, DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS YEAR? >> I SEE THE MOVEMENTS CHANGING AND I THINK 2017 IS DIFFERENT.

IT'S NOT THAT THE REAL STRONG WHITE SUPREMACY MOVEMENT IS NEW. THAT'S BEEN BURIED IN AMERICAN CULTURE, SOMETIMES DEEP UNDERGROUND, SOMETIMES VERY PROMINENT, ALL THROUGH OUR HISTORY. WHAT'S NEW IS THOSE MOVEMENTS CAN CLAIM, AND I WANT TO SAY THIS CAREFULLY, CAN CLAIM AN ALLY IN THE WHITE HOUSE RIGHT NOW. AND THEY DO CLAIM THAT. AND THE BURDEN IS ON THE PRESIDENT TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM THAT. WHEN HE HAS REFUSED TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM THAT, THAT'S CREATED THIS PERCEPTION THAT WHITE SUPREMACY IS OKAY, AND THAT'S CREATED A WHOLE LOT OF PASSION AND ANGER AND FEAR AMONG THE KIND OF PEOPLE I STUDY. BUT IT HAS ALSO CREATED A LOT OF INTEREST IN COMING TOGETHER, SO THAT'S NEW. THE OTHER PIECE I THINK THAT'S NEW IS A RECOGNITION THAT YOU CAN'T DEAL WITH POVERTY IN AMERICA UNLESS YOU HELP PEOPLE COME TO TERMS, NOT JUST WITH RACISM, BUT WITH WHITENESS AND WHITE IDENTITY, AS WELL AS BLACK IDENTITY, LATINO IDENTITY. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE

WAY WHITENESS IS BEING USED THAT GETS IN THE WAY OF ALL AMERICANS COMING TOGETHER, AND WE'RE DISCOVERING WE'VE GOT TO COME TO TERMS WITH THAT. SO IT'S A HARD TIME, BUT IT'S ALSO AN ENORMOUSLY EXCITING TIME FOR ME. IF WE GET THIS RIGHT, I THINK AMERICAN DEMOCRACY HAS A WHOLE MORE OPEN FUTURE AND A PROMISING FUTURE THAN WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST. >> AND, OF COURSE, IT'S A VERY UNIQUE CONVERSATION HERE IN NEW MEXICO. WE HAVE A DIFFERENT HISTORY, DIFFERENT IDENTITIES. WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT ORGANIZING AROUND FAITH AND THESE ISSUES HERE IN NEW MEXICO RIGHT NOW? >> SO, THERE'S A LOT OF IT GOING ON, SOME OF IT VERY EXPLICITLY FAITH-BASED. IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO, A GROUP CALLED NEW MEXICO CAFe, COMMUNITIES IN WORKING TOGETHER WITH IMMIGRANTS AND CITIZENS, WORKING TOGETHER WITH HISPANICS AND AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND WHITES AND AMERICAN INDIANS, REALLY BRING BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER ACROSS THOSE LINES. IN ALBUQUERQUE, A GROUP CALLED ALBUQUERQUE INTERFAITH, THE SOUTHWEST ORGANIZING PROJECT, OLE, RED

NATION, THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT GROUPS WORKING TO DO THIS KIND OF SERVICE TO AMERICAN SOCIETY, BRINGING NEW MEXICANS TOGETHER ACROSS THESE LINES. AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, THAT'S NOT BRINGING JUST AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND LATINOS AND NATIVE AMERICANS TOGETHER, LOTS OF WHITE FOLKS ENGAGED IN THIS, WHITE FOLKS COMMITTED TO CONSTRUCTING A BROADER, MORE INCLUSIVE SENSE TO WHAT IT MEANS TO BE NUEVO MEXICANO WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AMERICAN. IT'S AN EXCITING TIME. >> AND SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW? WE WANT TO HAVE LOTS OF FOLKS ON THIS SHOW IN THE COMING MONTHS TO TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES. WHAT WOULD YOU LEAVE US WITH AS SOME IDEAS OF THINGS TO BE THINKING ABOUT? >> SO, I WOULD ENCOURAGE FOLKS OUT THERE TO BE THINKING ABOUT, WHAT DOES THEIR FAITH, THEIR PEOPLE'S FAITH, HOW DOES THEIR FAITH ASK THEM TO STEP INTO THIS MOMENT WITH SOME COURAGE, WITH SOME WILLINGNESS TO TALK TO PEOPLE WHO AREN'T LIKE THEM. I WOULD ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR CONGREGATIONS, AND IN SOME OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS I JUST MENTIONED.

THERE WAS A BRAND NEW EVENT THIS WEEK IN ALBUQUERQUE, A GROUP CALLED THE POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN CAME TO ALBUQUERQUE, PACKED A BIG CHURCH IN TOWN TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN COME TOGETHER, AND ADDRESS THE POLARIZATION, COME TOGETHER AND REALLY EMBRACE EACH OTHER IN SOME NEW WAYS AND CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY, AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING TO PAY ATTENTION TO. >> RICHARD WOOD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GETTING US STARTED HERE. HOPE TO HAVE YOU BACK AGAIN TO TALK MORE ABOUT THESE ISSUES. >> GREAT TO BE A PART OF THIS SHOW. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. >> WE'RE BACK TO THE LINE OPINION PANEL TO CARRY ON THIS DISCUSSION AND LOOK FURTHER INTO THE LOCAL RESPONSE TO THE EVENT IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA. ALBUQUERQUE, SANTA FE AND OTHER PARTS OF NEW MEXICO HELD RALLIES THIS WEEK IN PROTEST AGAINST RACISM AND HATRED. THE STATE'S POLITICAL LEADERS AND MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES RELEASED STATEMENTS DENOUNCING THE RECENT VIOLENCE, AND GOVERNOR MARTINEZ ASKED NEW MEXICANS TO CONDEMN 'THE WHITE SUPREMACISTS RESPONSIBLE FOR GOOD ON GOVERNOR MARTINEZ THERE. DIANE, HARD QUESTION, NO EASY ANSWERS. HOW DO WE FIGHT HATRED? HOW DO WE FIGHT SOMETHING THIS ENORMOUS GIVEN THE

IMAGES WE'VE ALL SEEN NOW OF THE SIZE OF THOSE RALLIES IN CHARLOTTESVILLE? >> THE THING THAT I THINK WE'RE FORGETTING IS CHARLOTTESVILLE IS NOT THE EXISTED, OR THAT THE KLAN EXISTED, OR THAT PEOPLE ARE PROTESTING AND FIGHTING AGAINST IT. I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DEEPER PROBLEM. I BELIEVE VERY MUCH IN CIVIL RESISTANCE. I SUPPORT THE FIRST AMENDMENT COMPLETELY. AND I THINK THAT IF YOU WANT TO DO A DEMONSTRATION OF YOUR BELIEFS, YOU SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO SO, NO MATTER HOW DISTASTEFUL THEY MAY BE. BECAUSE MY CONCERN IS IF WE DON'T LET THE PEOPLE DEMONSTRATE PEACEFULLY THAT WE DISAGREE WITH, THE NEXT TIME SOMEBODY ELSE IS IN CHARGE, IT MIGHT BE US THAT DON'T GET TO DEMONSTRATE.

SO I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. I WOULD RATHER HAVE -- I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, EVERYBODY HAS TO COMMIT TO CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE. THEN WE START LOOKING AT WHY THE HATE EXISTS. AND NOBODY KNOWS. MAYBE YOU'RE A KLAN MEMBER BECAUSE YOUR FATHER AND YOUR GRANDFATHER WERE, YOU WERE REARED TO BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS THE RIGHT WAY. >> AND THESE THINGS ARE TAUGHT, AS PRESIDENT OBAMA SAID. >> YOU HAVE TO BE TAUGHT TO HATE PEOPLE. YOU DON'T GET BORN HATING SOMEONE. AND SO I THINK IT STARTS WITH OUR CHILDREN, AND I HATE TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK, MORE WORK TO THE TEACHERS, BUT WE NEED TO BE EDUCATING AT A VERY YOUNG AGE THAT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IS APPROPRIATE, BUT THAT INDIVIDUALLY -- MY MOTHER USED TO SAY, YOU'RE NOT BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE. YOU'RE NOT WORSE THAN ANYBODY ELSE, BUT YOU'RE NOT BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE, AND YOU HAVE TO RESPECT. I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT COMES

DOWN TO. >> GOOD POINT THERE. LOCALLY, MERRITT ALLEN, WE'VE HAD SOME REACTIONS HERE THAT HAVE BEEN REALLY QUITE PUZZLING. THE DONA ANA COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIR, MR. JIMENEZ, OF COURSE INFAMOUSLY TWEETED, OR PUT ON A FACEBOOK POST THAT DAY, SAYING THE ALT-LEFT, WHATEVER THAT IS, DESERVED EVERYTHING THAT THEY GOT. AND HE HAS NOW SINCE RESIGNED. BUT THAT SENTIMENT IS OUT THERE, ISN'T IT? IT'S NOT JUST A CHARLOTTESVILLE THING OR SOMETHING FROM BACK EAST, IT'S ALL AROUND US IN THIS WORLD RIGHT NOW. >> I THINK THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ON THE LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL HAS A AWFUL, AWFUL PEOPLE HAVE SOMEHOW DECIDED THEY HAVE A HOME WITH REPUBLICANS, AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHY THAT IS AND ABSOLUTELY REPUDIATE IT. AND I HAVE COME UP WITH A QUICK THREE QUESTION LITMUS TEST. WE LOVE LITMUS TESTS IN POLITICS. OKAY, LET'S START WITH THE NAZIS. ARE NAZIS CONSERVATIVE? OKAY, QUESTION ONE, ARE NAZIS CHRISTIAN? THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY

IMPORTANT TO ME, AND I THINK THIS COUNTRY IS FOUNDED FOR ALL RELIGIONS. BUT FOR A LOT OF CONSERVATIVES, THIS IS A BIG DEAL, ARE NAZIS CHRISTIAN. NO, BECAUSE HERE IS THE PROBLEM. JESUS WAS JEWISH. SO THEY ARE COMPLETELY REPUDIATING CHRISTIANITY. THEY'RE ATHEISTS OR THEY'RE PAGANS. OKAY, NEXT ONE. ARE NEO-NAZIS PRO LIFE? ONLY FOR WHITE PEOPLE. SO, NO. THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. IF YOU'RE A REAL STRAIGHT PRO-LIFER, THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK. MOST IMPORTANTLY TO ME, ARE NEO-NAZIS GOING TO LOWER MY TAXES? NO. I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT FOR NON-ARYAN TAXPAYERS UNDER A NAZI REGIME, THE MINIMUM TAX LEVEL WOULD BE 100% OF ALL INCOME AND ASSETS. SO THESE ARE NOT OUR PEOPLE, THEY'RE NOT CONSERVATIVES, AND LET'S BE VERY CLEAR WHAT CONSERVATISM IS, WHAT SMALL GOVERNMENT IS, WHAT OUR VALUES ARE, AND MAKE SURE THAT THESE REVOLTING CRIMINAL ELEMENTS HAVE NO HOME. >> EXACTLY RIGHT. >> THEY'RE CLAIMING US, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. >> YES. >> THAT'S RIGHT. HARRY, AS WE SIT HERE AND TAPE HERE IN THIS PART OF THE WEEK, WE'VE GOT TWO INTERESTING SIDE ISSUES AS

WELL, ONE OF THEM BEING, THE ACLU HAS TRADITIONALLY DEFENDED FREE SPEECH, AS DIANE MENTIONED, GOING BACK TO THE SKOKIE CASE WAY BACK IN ILLINOIS, BUT FOR A LOT OF CURRENT ACLU MEMBERS, THIS TOOK THEM BY SURPRISE. IT'S A VERY INTERESTING PUSH BACK OUT THERE, THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT -- I'M NOT DEFENDING THE ALT-RIGHT, BY ANY STRETCH HERE, BUT JUST THE IDEA TO PEACEFULLY PROTEST NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BIT IF YOU WOULD. >> IT REALLY SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISING TO ACLU MEMBERS THIS STANCE, AND I THOUGHT THE ACLU OF VIRGINIA HAD A VERY GOOD STATEMENT IN THE AFTERMATH OF WHAT HAPPENED IN CHARLOTTESVILLE. ROMERO, THE HEAD OF THE ACLU NATIONALLY, HAD I THOUGHT A REALLY EXCELLENT STATEMENT. THE CHALLENGE I THINK IN THE CURRENT POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT IS TO STAND FOR PRINCIPLES THAT APPLY ACROSS THE BOARD, AND THE ACLU MADE IT VERY CLEAR IN ITS TWEETING IN THE AFTERMATH OF WHAT HAPPENED THERE, BUT THEN ALSO IN ITS PUBLIC STATEMENTS, WE OPPOSE EVERYTHING THESE GROUPS STAND FOR, BUT THE BROADER PRINCIPLE OF FREE SPEECH IS ONE THAT WE HAVE TO UPHOLD

ABSOLUTELY. >> THAT'S RIGHT, INTERESTING. PICK UP ON THAT, AS WELL, LAURA, BECAUSE AGAIN, TO DIANE'S POINT, IF SOMEONE IS HAVING THEIR FREE SPEECH MUTED, IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE'S TURN DOWN THE ROAD, NO MATTER HOW DISTASTEFUL THAT MIGHT BE. AND IT'S A DIFFICULT SELL IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, BUT WE HAVE OTHER ISSUES TO WORRY ABOUT WITH THESE ALT-RIGHT PEOPLE. >> IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT PLACE TO OCCUPY, AND I WAS JUST READING A POST FROM A ATTORNEY AT ACLU, AND SHE STRUGGLES WITH THIS DECISION, EVEN INTERNALLY. I WOULD SUSPECT THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ACLU ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE THIS INTERNAL STRUGGLE, WHERE YOU'RE REPULSED BY WHAT THESE PEOPLE STAND FOR, BUT THE BIGGER ISSUE IS THAT 1st AMENDMENT RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. BUT I THINK THIS DEMONSTRATES A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION. I THINK DIANE SAID, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS KIND OF WHITE SUPREMACY HAS BEEN ON DISPLAY. BUT I THINK WHAT WAS UNIQUE ABOUT CHARLOTTESVILLE IS THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THAT I CAN REMEMBER WHERE THEY WERE SO BRAZEN ABOUT THEIR IDENTITY. THEY DON'T CARE ANYMORE ABOUT BEING OPEN ABOUT WHO THEY ARE. IT USED TO BE THE KKK HAD HOODS FOR A REASON.

APPARENTLY NOW IT'S JUST IN VOGUE TO -- >> AND IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS A BUNCH OF OLD GUYS, THESE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM THE CRADLE. >> THE DRIVER WHO STRUCK THE WOMAN WHO DIED, HE WAS 20. WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS KID'S UPBRINGING THAT'S CAUSING HIM TO DO THIS? SO I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGER ISSUE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK HAS COME BACK FOR US HERE IN NEW MEXICO IS WE'RE NOT IMMUNE TO IT. CLEARLY WE'RE NOT IMMUNE, AND I THINK THE TROUBLING PART FOR ME ABOUT THIS ADMINISTRATION, AND I THINK YOU SEE THAT WITH THE DOUBLE SPEAK OF THE PRESIDENT ON THE ONE HAND, YOU KNOW, BEING OFF THE CUFF AND CLAIMING THAT THERE'S RESPONSIBILITY ON BOTH SIDES, AND THEN BEING SCRIPTED, AND THEN GOING BACK OFF THE CUFF, I THINK IN BOTH OF THOSE SITUATIONS IT SHOWS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE PERSUADED BY THIS ELEMENT OF THE ALT-RIGHT, THE WHITE SUPREMACY AND THESE KIND OF NOTIONS, THEY FEEL EMBOLDENED BECAUSE OF THIS PRESIDENT. AND GIVEN THAT DAVID DUKE IS PRAISING HIM FOR HIS WORDS, IT JUST MAKES PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE RIGHT, AND SO THEY BASICALLY COME OUT AGAINST AND SAY WHAT THEY

SAY. >> THAT'S RIGHT. LET ME HOLD YOU GUYS THERE. THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THE SHOW. BUT WE'RE GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT THIS ON THE WEB ON NewMexicoInFocus.org. PLEASE JOIN US THERE FOR >> I'M GENE GRANT. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR NEW MEXICO InFOCUS. AND AS ALWAYS, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT TO STAY INFORMED AND ENGAGED. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK,