The Swuppets: Community Gardeners

In this latest episode, The Swuppets start working in community gardens! The garden featured is SWOP's Project Feed the Hood, in City Council District 6. View the amazing video below and check out El Grito for more information.

Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Meeting in District 6

The next Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Meeting will be held Tuesday, June 8th at 3pm and will be in Council District 6 at the Highland Pool Conference Room (400 Jackson SE).

City Councilor Rey Garduño will be speaking with Board about Parks and Recreations issues in Council District 6. Public Comment will be taken if you would like to voice your concerns over any Parks and Recreation issues in District 6. Below is the agenda;

METROPOLITAN PARKS & RECREATION

ADVISORY BOARD MEETING

Tuesday, June 8, 2010, 3:00 to 5:00 PM

Highland Pool

400 Jackson SE

****************************** BOARD MEMBERS *****************************

Jerry Worrall, Chairman; Richard L. Rivas, Vice-Chairman;

Robert W. Day, Becky Lee,

STAFF: Barbara Baca, PRD-Director; Christina Sandoval, Senior Planner, PRD; Jane Trujillo, Board Secretary.

AGENDA

1. Call to Order, Jerry Worrall, Chairman

· Approval of today’s Agenda as distributed via email

· Approval of May 2010 Minutes as distributed via email

· Introduction of Visitors and Guests

· Announcements pertaining to MPRAB related issues

2. General Testimony (Sign-in is required and time may be limited)

· City Councilor District 6 Rey Garduño

· Public Testimony

3. Reports

· District 6 Report – Becky Lee & Julian Moya, District 6 Policy Analyst

· Parks and Recreation Department Report (Director Barbara Baca is out of town. Christina Sandoval will report.)

· BFPB Representative for MPRAB – Bill Nordin

· Sub-committee reports – Committee Chairmen or their designees

· Members’ Roundtable – Report on P&R issues in their area (limit 2 min)

4. Unfinished Business – Board Members for District 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and two At Large

· Carmen Garcia, District 7

· Bill Kraemer, District 4

· Jim Green, District 8

5. New Business

6. Adjourn meeting

Video Series on Health Care Reform

Below are great videos, from SWOPblogger, that have great interviews regarding the Health Care debate (or lack of debate).

The interviews were conducted by a dear friend and contsituent, Aurea out of SWOP. Aurea interviewed fellow District 6 constituents Karen Cathey and Enrique Cardiel, APS School Board Member Lorenzo Garcia, New Mexico State Representative for District 13 Eleanor Chavez, and myself, Albuquerque City Councilor for District 6 Rey Garduño.

Watch and join the debate by commenting here or on SWOPblogger.

INternational District

Thank you to everyone who came to the Town Hall on Saturday and participated in the important discussion about our community.

Below are links to some media coverage. We must assure that these are the last references to WZ;

KRQE
NM Independent
Duke City Fix
Dan McKay, ABQ Journal blog

Town Hall Meeting This Saturday

Governor Releases Possible Uses for EXPO

Last month, Governor Richardson held a community meeting and received ideas about redeveloping EXPO NM. Below is an article from the New Mexico Independent, where some broad themes are listed, with some of them coming from the District 6 Coalition idea proposal.

Governor to create "21st Century showcase"

By Denise Tessier 09/08/2008

As the New Mexico State Fair kicked off on Friday, the governor's office released a number of broad ideas for use of the EXPO New Mexico fairgrounds year-round, promising the state "will move forward to turn EXPO into a 21st century showcase."
The governor received written comments on EXPO's future and also heard directly from individuals, neighborhood associations and groups at a hearing he hosted in Albuquerque last month.
“After reaching out to the community and potential private partners, it is clear that there is overwhelming support to redevelop the existing property,” Gov. Bill Richardson said in a statement from his office today.
The information was sought in light of the Downs of Albuquerque's decision to move its racing operations to Moriarty. The next step will be to issue a Request for Proposals, which will give interested parties an opportunity to develop a concrete plan for EXPO.
The statement issued by the governor's office summarized these six broad themes for use of the property, which will be part of the Request for Proposals:

Keeping the State Fair at the current location and improving the existing
infrastructure. Other ideas include building apartments on site, restaurants and
an urban market.

Creating job opportunities and economic development by building
commercial, retail, workforce training facilities or even an Alternative Energy
Expo Center.

Developing a year-round family recreation center, such as a
cultural theme park or an athletic complex. Ideas included an Old Western Theme
Park, Asian Cultural Center, Deaf Culture Club or a Dubai of the Southwest.

Creating a world class equestrian center for horse shows, rodeos, dirt biking
and family-centered livestock events.

Designing a community green space including a growers market and a public garden. One idea called it a "Lean Innovation Green Business & Entertainment Center"

Building a multipurpose event center or grandstand for concerts, sporting events and conventions. One proposal suggested bringing a professional soccer team to the state

.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition in District 6

In case you missed it, Ty Pennington and his crew rolled through Albuquerque's Trumbull Village last month and created some excitement here locally and nationally, as the revitalization has caught some national attention. Here is a link to a great article, check it out:

Muninetguide.com

We'll keep you posted on the airdate for the episode.

The Weekly Alibi Endorses Rey! Can we get any more endorsements?

District 6

The Alibi Endorses: Rey Garduño

District 6 is lucky. It has a track record of excellent councilors. Hess Yntema, one of Albuquerque’s all-time favorites, filled the seat for more than a decade. When he left four years ago, the position was filled by “movie star Martin” Heinrich, who has come to be another city favorite. Heinrich has garnered such a large fan base in his district and in Albuquerque that he’s decided to pull a “Heinrich maneuver” (you have no idea how long we’ve been waiting to use that term) and run for Congressional District One against incumbent Heather Wilson. That little move leaves his Council seat wide open, and now several outstanding candidates have entered the ring to take his place.
Like we said, District 6 is lucky. District 9 doesn’t even get a choice as to who its next councilor is because only one person is running. The other districts at least have races, but they still don’t compare to District 6, which has four savvy, knowledgeable and articulate candidates willing to work full-time for a relatively thankless job at less than $10,000 a year. All four would make good councilors. Three would be excellent—but, forced to choose, we did come out with a favorite, who we think would be best of all.
Rey Garduño has been living in District 6 in the same house for 33 years. During that time, he’s owned two local businesses and worked with a host of organizations (Common Cause New Mexico, CNM, the Spina Bifada Association, the Kiwanis Club, the Hispano Chamber of Commerce, the SouthWest Organizing Project, All Faiths Receiving Homes, more than 20 years working with APS and UNM Hospitals, etc.), exemplifying a long history of social activism. In fact, when we were going through archived issues for our anniversary a couple weeks ago, we found a picture of Garduño getting his eyes washed out after being sprayed with mace at the infamous 2003 peace march.
Garduño has a string of progressive ideas he’d like to see implemented in his district and in the city. He wants to revitalize some of the area’s more blighted neighborhoods, such as East Trumbull and La Mesa. But he wants to do so in a way that takes residents’ desires into account instead of pushing some cookie-cutter solution on the problem. He wants to explore practical ways of expanding our transportation service, such as with an excellent idea to use small, fuel-efficient, van-like buses (“collectivos”) that can go through neighborhoods where normal buses can’t. That, in addition to expanding arterial bus routes, could gradually increase ridership numbers until the city is ready for light rail and trolleys. Other cities like Portland have followed a similar model.
Garduño was also the only candidate who recognized that certain developments shouldn’t be allowed to build if we don’t have the water to support them. As he said, “We can’t promise water to anyone who wants it.” Garduño is focused on using what we have as wisely and efficiently as possible without relying on outside and unreliable sources of water to save us. Yet Garduño is by no means anti-development and believes in investing in smart projects, such as infill and redevelopment.
He has made a couple of mistakes in his past. He’s been criticized for using his UNM e-mail address to send out a campaign-related letter. He admits that, in hindsight, he shouldn’t have used it. But in his defense, he’s allowed personal use of the address for life as a retired UNM employee. Ultimately, the whole ordeal was a misunderstanding. He’s also gotten a lot of flack for not stating on his Albuquerque Journal questionnaire that he had been charged with shoplifting nearly 20 years ago. After hearing his explanation, the incident sounds innocent enough. He was at a department store picking up a few things before closing and, on his way out the door, stopped to look at a cell phone. He says he walked out the door without realizing he was still holding it. For the mistake he had to take three courses in petty larceny, which he thought would expunge the citation from his record. This is why he didn’t claim the event on his questionnaire. Still, Garduño takes full responsibility for his actions. We can’t really ask anything more of him.

Trib Covers Candidate Forum. Rey: "We Need to Grow Smart, Not Out."

Joseph Crumb: Candidates, I'm a little hot about this asphalt

By Joseph CrumbThursday, September 20, 2007

Twice a day, my dog, Lucky, and I walk along Carlisle Boulevard north toward Burton Park, in the Kirtland Corners neighborhood north of Nob Hill and Ridgecrest.

The neighborhood association might be dormant, but the neighborhood clearly is not.
The center of activity is Michael Thomas Coffee at Carlisle and Anderson and the Source next door. At the coffee shop you can get a cup of coffee from beans roasted on site or down a shot of wheat grass juice, if that be your morning elixir.

The Source is an adobe building with sunflowers galore. It looks like a van Gogh.
Lucky's ears always perk up as we approach. He makes a left at the patio and sticks his nose in the small courtyard.

The Source offers holistic health services like massage, acupuncture and kinesiology. It also is host to yoga classes, art shows and music performances. There are Wednesday potlucks (Lucky's favorite), Freaky Fridays (dancing madness), Hippie Church on Sunday mornings (at 10-ish) and workshops on topics like building sustainable communities.

On a recent Sunday afternoon, The Source had a forum for the four City Council candidates running for the District 6 seat being vacated by Martin Heinrich.
In Albuquerque, local elections pop up early - Oct. 2 this year - and the campaign signs sprouted sometime in August.

Joanie Griffin has the most signs. She is a New York City native and a local business owner (Griffin and Associates, a marketing firm, and It's Just Lunch, a dating service).

Rey Garduno, a longtime community activist and business owner, has been endorsed by Heinrich, former City Councilor Eric Griego, and current Councilors Isaac Benton, Debbie O'Malley and Michael Cadigan.

Blair Kaufman is an elementary school principal and a vice chairman of the CNM Governing Board.
Kevin Wilson, the sole Republican in the nonpartisan race, has been a Nob Hill business owner since 1988.
So why spend a Sunday afternoon at a political forum?
After all, it was the NFL's opening weekend, and my beloved but hapless Buffalo Bills were playing the Denver Broncos on TV.

First, let me tell you that Lucky and my cat, Alice, and I spent a good part of this summer splayed out around my hotbox apartment, broiling. During Lucky's early walks, the morning cool vanished by 9. In the evening darkness the mercury barely budged, hovering around 90 degrees for hours.

So I had questions to ask the council candidates: Are those enormous developments planned for Mesa del Sol and the Atrisco land grant property locked in? Are they really going to pour all that heat-absorbing concrete and asphalt and roast us all alive? Will Albuquerque become another Phoenix?

I waited until the Broncos had dispatched the Bills on a last-second field goal and then dashed down to the Source and waited my turn to speak.
"You know, it's been an awfully hot summer," I began.
Well, there must have been a hint of surprise or naivet‚ in my voice because everybody laughed at me.

Turns out, my questions were on the minds of many.
Wilson believes that with land prices skyrocketing, growth on Albuquerque's outskirts is inevitable. But developments can be planned without creating "vast oceans of hot asphalt," he said.

Griffin said Mesa del Sol could become "our shining star of development," a national model of building green.

Garduno urged an end to sprawl growth. He said SunCal hopes to build 100,000 units on 50,000 acres, with 16,000 homes in the first phase. "We need to grow smart, not out. We can't promise water that we don't have," he said.

Later Kaufman echoed those sentiments. "We're a desert. We're a desert city. We cannot keep growing. The water will run out."

ABQ Journal will be doing an online forum!

Calling all Supporters! Please participate in this First Ever Online Forum!


Chat Online With District 6 Hopefuls

Want the candidates to answer your questions for a change?
Here's your chance. All four City Council candidates in District 6 have agreed to participate in an online chat with Journal readers.
The chat starts at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, but you can leave questions for them any time by visiting abqjournal.com.
Journal staff writer Dan McKay will moderate the chat.
District 6 covers much of the Southeast Heights. Incumbent Martin Heinrich isn't seeking re-election.
Campaigning for the seat are Rey Garduño, Joanie Griffin, Blair Kaufman and Kevin Wilson.

http://www.abqjournal.com/

Rey is going strong on Campaign Trail

Candidates canvass for public funding

By Peter Rice (Contact)
Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Signing up to be among the first publicly financed City Council candidates in the history of Albuquerque comes with a time-consuming chore: explaining just what the new system is all about.

That's what Rey Garduño discovered Monday as he took a break from ringing doorbells.

"It's not a matter of selling it. It's a matter of explaining what it is," he said.

Garduño, who is running for the District 6 seat now occupied by Martin Heinrich, is one of eight candidates trying to prove to voters they're worthy of a publicly funded campaign war chest.

Under the financing system that debuts this year, candidates are charged with gathering $5 contributions from 1 percent of the registered voters in their respective districts. That works out to about 300 contributions, depending on the district.

If candidates can pull it off, the city will give them campaign funding equal to $1 for every registered voter in their respective districts, or about $30,000.

And the clock is ticking. Candidates have a month - May 1-31 - to gather the donations, but some filed the initial paperwork as late as May 10.

Garduño is going door to door soliciting the donations and estimates that five minutes elapse by the time he introduces himself, gives a thumbnail sketch of the brand-new financing system, records the donation, and hands over a receipt.

"Seven minutes, if they need a little bit of background talk," he said. "It's still a process of people having some trepidation."

And while Garduño seems happy to spend the time explaining the city's new system, fellow District 6 candidate Joan Griffin wishes something could be done to help the education along.

"Somehow, we need to educate the public about how this works," she said. "People have no clue what this is, and people think it's a fund-raiser."

The donations go into a special city election fund, and not to the candidates themselves. The city also chips in to the fund. From there, the campaign money is disbursed to whomever qualifies.

Griffin estimated that she's halfway to the 271 signatures she needs. Garduño said he would turn in between 110 and 120 to the Office of the City Clerk today.

While the candidates report that people are receptive to the idea once they know the facts, coming up with the $5 can sometimes prove a big hurdle.

"I'm finding that in the poorer neighborhoods - like mine - it's actually a great disadvantage," said Feroza Jussawalla, who is also running for the District 6 seat, that represents the Southeast Heights.

When asking one potential constituent for a donation, "they said look at my roof," Jussawalla said. It was starting to cave in.

Other voters seem to be distracted by the other bits of political news swirling around the nation.

"Everyone is preoccupied with the presidentials," said Paulette déPascal, who is running for a seat held by incumbent Councilor Brad Winter.

Overall, the process of collecting signatures is proving to be a difficult and time-consuming affair. Joseph García, who was running in District 6, said it was a factor in his recent decision to drop out of the race.

"The process looks really tedious in terms of the public finance situation," he said. "The way this is set up is not fostering greater participation."

Rey Highlighted in Democracy for New Mexico

Rey Garduño Seeks Public Funding for ABQ District 6 City Council Race

Long-time community activist, public information specialist and small businessman Rey Garduño (right) has decided to pursue public funding for his campaign to replace Martin Heinrich on the Albuquerque City Council in District 6 in the Southeast Heights. Heinrich has plans to run for Congress in CD1 against Repub incumbent Heather Wilson and will resign his seat on the Council when his terms ends. City Council elections are set for even numbered districts this coming November.

Garduño currently serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Common Cause NM. He's also a member of the Board of the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP), and operates Rey Garduño Photography. He retired in 2005 from his post as head of marketing for UNM Hospitals, and he was a Public Affairs Representative at Carrie Tingley Hospital for nine years. Click to see his extensive resume detailing 25 years of professional experience in managing staff and resources, as well as his many years of service to the community on various boards and professional organizations. Rey has also worked hard in support of various initiatives including passage of minimum wage and clean elections legislation, the Better New Mexico campaign and ethics reform.

Like Debbie O'Malley, who's running for reelection to her North Valley City Council seat in District 2, Garduño is currently in the process of collecting signatures and $5 donations from registered voters in his district so that he can qualify for public funding. He has to gather more than 250 before the May 31 deadline. If you live in District 6 and would like to sign up, you can contact him at 266-4424 or reygarduno@gmail.com. He's also looking for people to help collect the signatures and donations. You don't need to be a resident of District 6 to help out.

Other reported candidates for the District 6 seat include UNM graduate student Joe Garcia, who is president of the Graduate and Professional Student Association, and Joan Griffin, who owns a local ad agency and operates a dating service franchise. Griffin served as Mayor Marty Chavez's press person during his 2005 reelection campaign.

Read more

The Clean Campaign Begins

City Council hopefuls try public financing
Decreases look of corruption, advocates say

By Peter Rice
Saturday, May 5, 2007

Four City Council candidates are taking on the role of political guinea pigs, pursuing public financing in the debut year of the program.

Public financing of political campaigns requires some extra legwork of candidates, but advocates say it decreases both the perception of and actual corruption, and promotes greater faith in the electoral process.

Incumbent Councilor Debbie O'Malley was the first to sign up in recent weeks, followed late Friday afternoon by Katherine Martinez, who is also running for the District 2 seat that covers the North Valley.

In District 6, which covers the Southeast Heights, Joan Griffin and Rey Garduño are starting the process of landing public funds.

Thus far, the participation only involves two of the four council seats open this fall. Incumbents Brad Winter and Craig Loy (who hasn't committed to running again) said they wouldn't use the program.

But former City Councilor Eric Griego, who originally sponsored the measure, is tickled by the results anyway.

"Even if one candidate uses it, I think it's great," he said, adding that he was especially happy to see O'Malley, who is in a position to raise plenty of private money, on board.

Public-finance candidates must jump through some hoops to get their money. By the end of this month, they have to collect $5 donations from 1 percent of the registered voters in their districts. They also must collect signatures from 2 percent of the registered voters, though the same is required of all candidates.

Advocates of the system say it will help candidates avoid conflicts of interest, either real or perceived. It also works to even things out, said Martinez, who by day works for the Home Builders Association of Central New Mexico. She is going up against a high-profile incumbent, O'Malley, but she will do it with an equal warchest.

"We're already starting off with the exact same amount of money," she said. "I think that's important."

Don't expect the infant program to function without a hitch. It's not clear, for example, just how much the program will cost from year to year. That depends on how many candidates use it. Also, if other candidates raise more than the publicly financed candidates, then the city will try to match it, but only if money is available.

Right now, the city's campaign fund stands at $450,000. If all four candidates qualified, that would cost the fund $117,400.

Assistant City Clerk Kelli Fulgenzi also points to this potentially sticky situation: If a candidate gets the required $5 donations, then he or she will receive the campaign funds. But if they then fail to collect enough signatures, "you have to give the money back," she said.

That puts the city in the awkward position of collecting money that may have already been spent.

"Compared to not having a system I think that's a reasonable price to pay," Griego said. "We should expect that there are things that we have to overcome."

But one person's glad tidings is another's harbinger of a big fat bill.

"It could become very expensive for the taxpayers of Albuquerque," Loy said.

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on council candidates who want public funding. They can sign up for a few more weeks, but they must assemble their $5 contributions by May 31.

"I think you may get a few more," Griego said.