Before we get going please note that Joe Diaz has just issued a flash flood warning for New Mexico political news. We'll do our best to not get stuck in a roaring arroyo as we wade through this unusual summer event, so off we go. . .
Soccer fans tend to be younger thus presumably lean Democratic and are not a high voting group. Bringing them into the mayoral election to back a stadium bond is seen as a boost for Keller. On the other hand, the prospect of an expensive downtown stadium could wake up conservative voters who will come out to vote against the plan and perhaps vote for Gonzales.
Opponents of the downtown stadium point out that ABQ voters rejected one at a 2001 special election. It was sold as a means of "revitalizing" the battered area when Mayor Jim Baca pushed the concept. Instead voters approved a $10 million bond to renovate ABQ Isotopes Park, a decision that has stood the test of time.
As much as they are popular today, the future for NM United could be iffy, if the history of other minor league sports franchises here are any indication. Only one has lasted of the many tried, that being the minor league Isotopes who were preceded by the popular ABQ Dukes.
DOUBTING DOWNTOWN
Putting a stadium downtown, however, would have negligible impact on the down and out downtown which is ensnared in crime, homelessness and has a reputation as a place to stay away from, argues former City Councilor Greg Payne:
"Downtown revitalization" should consist of cleaning up the area, get people living there and make it safe. How about doing that before building a stadium of 10 to 12 thousand that will not even come close to paying for itself? I've been watching these downtown schemes since the 70's. If we are going to have a stadium, why not put it at the sports complex on University where you already have the baseball stadium, the UNM football stadium and the basketball Pit?
Or another possibility. End governmental tribalism and reach an accord to tear down the aged Tingley Coliseum on the state fairgrounds and build a new multipurpose arena that could host large concerts, soccer, other sports teams and the many NM Expo events. Besides being a showcase for the entire state, Santa Fe could put up a much larger share of the financing of that venture than for a downtown stadium.
The city council in August must approve the $50 million bond issue for it to make the Nov. 2 ballot which also for the first time features ABQ School Board elections that will also spike Democratic turnout. The total stadium cost is put at about $70 million.
The bond would not raise taxes but it would reduce bonding capacity for other vital infrastructure projects such as roads.
United NM has brought much joy to the city in its short time but asking voter approval of a $50 million bond issue just three months from now looks like a rush job, if not an outright political ploy by the incumbent mayor.
ABQ BONDING
While a dedicated soccer stadium could be a White Elephant in the city's future, the current state of city budgetary affairs is solid, according to the latest bond ratings.
The city has earned an Aa3 general obligation (GO) and gross receipt tax (GRT) rating from Moody’s Investors Services—a positive outlook. . . Obligations rated Aa3 are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
The bond rating may be obscure to some, but many voters in city elections tilt toward the affluent and are quite aware of their importance. For Keller that's another reason he is in the driver's seat so far in his bid for a second term.
MAYOR 2021
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| Eddy Aragon |
The clerk denied Gonzales $661,000 in public financing because of forgeries involving those $5 donations from individual voters that his campaign was required to collect. The sheriff's campaign has admitted there was forgery of signatures. Keller has qualified for the public cash.
Also, we've learned that Megan McMillan, a top campaign aide to Gonzales and who the Keller camp asserts was a key player in forging signatures, has left the campaign. Whether she has lawyered up is a matter of speculation.
Then there's radio talker Eddy Aragon, who earlier started a mayoral campaign but then abandoned it, now announcing that he's launching a last minute effort to qualify for the Nov. 2 mayoral ballot. Aragon points out that for the first time there is no Republican choice for mayor and more importantly there is no conservative. So Aragon is trying to collect the required 3,000 petition signatures by the August 10 deadline to make the ballot. Fat chance, says veteran field consultant Steve Cabiedes:
Eddy will need a large and expensive field operation to get 3,000 good signatures. To get there he will need to collect 4,000 or more. He must have paid staff to get the job done in such short order. Volunteers won't cut it.
So it appears the mayoral derby will stay a two man duel, but we'll keep you posted in case Eddy surprises.
HITTING HECTOR
Balderas' handling of a now-settled case involving a large solar company is raising concerns. Democratic Rep. Daymon Ely is asking State Auditor Brian Colón, who is a friend of Balderas, to investigate why the attorney general agreed to seal all documents in the case against Vivint Solar Inc. The lawmaker also wants to know why Balderas didn't pursue any specific restitution for thousands of customers as part of the settlement reached last fall. Balderas also is facing a separate ethics complaint in a multibillion-dollar utility merger case that will affect half a million customers in New Mexico.
Hector's explanation for sealing the documents in the solar case is on the linked news story.
And Mariel Nasani of the progressive New Energy Economy comes with this:
I’m filing an application for a subpoena at the Public Regulation Commission (PRC) to take the deposition of attorney Marcus Rael at the Avangrid/Iberdrola/PNM merger hearing. On the same day you wrote your blog about Rael's dealings in this matter, we updated our complaint to the State Ethics Commission, the Disciplinary Board of NM, and the State Auditor. It discusses that Rael was both the attorney for the AG, the People of the State of New Mexico, and Iberdrola. Whose interest was he representing? Additionally, Marcus Rael was the attorney representing Bernalillo County while Marcus Rael was also representing Iberdrola. Again, was he representing the interests of the people of Bernalillo County or Iberdrola? When you see the terrible merger stipulation you see that the people are getting screwed.
That's a tricky referral for State Auditor Brian Colón, arguably Balderas' best friend who worked for the Robles, Anaya & Rael firm for 12 years. Ethics experts could have fun with this one. The full complaint against the AG over his contracting with Rael and that is now on Colón's desk is here.
Colón's office says they “always contemplate any and all potential conflicts of interest and proceed accordingly and consistently with professional standards” but refused to say whether Colón or an outside auditor would investigate the complaint.
Meanwhile, a California environmental publication--Capital & Main--has dived in to the controversy over Balderas and Rael with the headline:
New Mexico Attorney General Faces Fraud, Corruption Allegations Amid Power Company Merger
Civic and environmental groups accuse AG Hector Balderas of improper dealings with a lawyer and longtime friend.
And a correction on Hector's political history. We blogged that he was "appointed" State Auditor in 2006 by Gov. Richardson. Actually, he was nominated by the state Dems to replace Auditor Jeff Armijo on the November ballot. Armijo had resigned amid a sex abuse scandal involving two women. Balderas went on to get elected in '06 and re-elected auditor in 2010. We covered all of that ad nauseam back in '06 but what stuck with us this month was that Richardson had cleared the field for Balderas and the Dem Party Central Committee went along. But that was not an "appointment." Here's a bunch of our coverage from back in '06 on the then sensational scandal that brought Balderas to statewide prominence.
Balderas and Colón once plotted to take over the highest rungs of power in La Politica. Now it's a game of survival for the duo with Colón's hopes of winning the '22 Dem nomination for attorney general hanging by a thread and Balderas hoping to escape more serious damage before his term ends next year.
Whew! The flash flood warning for La Politica has now expired. Please stay tuned to this station for further developments.
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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2021
(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2021