I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
One of incumbent mayor Marty Chavez’s recent statements on the stump for reelection is that Albuquerque has secured its water future through the San Juan-Chama diversion project.
He has also said he’s “unabashedly” pro-growth and that he sees development in the Albuquerque metropolitan area extending to the Rio Puerco.
Meanwhile, Albuquerque mayoral candidate Richard Romero released a statement this morning saying the claim about water is great “political spin,” but not based in reality. “No Mayor can honestly claim that our water future is secure,” he said:
Not long ago, the metro-area aquifer was described as a bountiful water supply the size of Lake Superior. This turned out to be a wrong and reckless claim, triggering water consumption at a rate beyond our ability to survive long into the future.
While the Mayor continues to push for aggressive expansion to the far reaches of the Rio Puerco, our neighbors-Rio Rancho, Los Lunas-are growing as well. Rising demand on our shared water supply means we will be facing many challenges in the years ahead. …
As Mayor, I will tell citizens the truth-that we don’t have unlimited amounts of water, we need to focus on conservation once again, and we cannot secure our water supply independent of our neighbors. … No Mayor can honestly claim that “our water future is secure. …
The Independent followed up with Romero, to ask more specifically for his perspectives on new development on the city’s Westside. He said he doesn’t think the city should “sprawl” to the Rio Puerco, although it’s hard for the city to control what happens in the unincorporated areas.
He noted that climate change makes the future of water in the West uncertain. “God forbid that the Colorado River dries up,” he said.
“No one really talks about water much in these campaigns,” he continued, “but I remember years back when Pete Domenici was speaking at an event, he said that we had enough water for moderate growth. I agree with that.”
Romero also weighed in on the issue of tax increment development districts, or TIDDs, saying he is against the TIDD request from SunCal Corporation for a development project on the far Westside.
“I’m against the SunCal TIDD,” he said. “It encourages that development, because it socializes the risk — while the gain is private. I do support tax increment districts for redevelopment of older parts of town.”
Romero noted that the city’s existing neighborhoods need an infusion of capital, including the northeast heights.
“It’s not just the south valley or the southeast heights,” he said. “The northeast heights is older, and getting a little rough around the edges. It needs upkeep.”
UPDATE: Martin Chavez’s campaign responded to this blog. You can see it here.
