EUBANK BLVD. IMPROVEMENTS

Click here to download a detailed PDF about Michael Wiener's plan for the Eubank Boulevard Improvements.

PROPERTY TAXES

Property tax revenue, in Bernalillo County, has grown by an average of 7% annually during the past six years! I believe that ever-increasing Property Taxes are an enormous burden to those on fixed incomes and that there must be Tax Predictability - so that no one is "shocked" when they open their tax assessment. I will work hard to be a "watchdog" to control the growth of county government spending and to ensure efficiencies are realized.

The County Commission should convene a Property Tax Taskforce to determine all of the issues that must be addressed and then closely examine each one. Some of the areas that could be considered include: a) shifting some of the burden from Residential to Commercial Properties (in 1991 the burden was shared 62% residential and 38% non-residential and is now 72% residential and only 28% non-residential), b) getting Commercial land in development - on the tax rolls sooner, c) collecting money owed for indigent care from other counties, d) the rising costs of incarceration at our Jail (the MDC) and what measures we can employ to save money/put inmates to work, e) better education/awareness on how a Property Tax bill is determined; so that taxpayers see the process as more "user friendly."

METROPOLITAN DETENTION CENTER (MDC, our County Jail)

The recent news stories that highlighted the fact that more than 1 in 100 adults in our country are behind bars shocked many Americans, but it really should not come as a surprise. Our nation has over a million more prison beds today than it did only twenty years ago.

Our 6 year old, state-of-the-art, Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) sitting on 135 acres on the far West Mesa, looms as a black hole, consuming public funds at an insatiable rate while threatening to spin out of control. Operational costs of the jail have increased by almost 10 percent every year since it opened and operational costs are projected to reach $64 million by next year.

Operation of the MDC was fully-assumed by Bernalillo County in July 2006 after the City of Albuquerque bailed out of operating this controversial facility, after only 4 years. Inmate population is at an all-time high with over 2,700 in a facility designed with just 2,100 beds. Over half of Bernalillo County's general fund budget goes to operate this massive facility (12 acres under roof) and run the Public Safety Division (57% of the General Fund budgeted expenditures). Any responsible politician has to wonder...are we getting our money's worth?

Costs, especially for inmate medical health care, are soaring. Between 2005 and 2008 fiscal years, the amount the MDC spent on medical care and mental health treatment increased from $4.6 million to $9.4 million or 106 percent and will no doubt continue to climb. Presently more than 500 inmates are on psychotropic drugs, 200 are in alcohol treatment and another 125 are in community treatment programs.

It is critical that the county succeeds as it works to collaborate with the judiciary and law enforcement community on jail operations and policies, including establishing realistic misdemeanor arrest procedures to guarantee the wisest use of our limited jail capacity. Public opinion clearly favors tough law enforcement and swift judicial determination but is there the "stomach" to pay the higher taxes that would result, or
can we cut costs and bring about more efficiencies?

Research has proven that by using new technologies and treatment strategies, community corrections programs for selected inmates can cut rates of repeat offenses by 25 percent.

The judicial system must be part of any long-term solution; especially looking at its own contributions to the dilemma and the wisdom of incarcerating nonviolent offenders as a deterrent.

There are two courtrooms at MDC and both are under-utilized. I would work hard to encourage the judiciary to use these courtrooms; saving money in transporting inmates downtown and in delivering swifter justice.

An observation can be made that the county does not have sufficient funding from the Federal Government, especially from the Department of Justice, for the MDC. Federal grants can be pursued as an additional funding source for the County in its effort to increase funding for the ever-increasing MDC operation costs.

Work programs, that would benefit our county, must be implemented. Inmates should be encouraged to work, whether it is in recycling used computer parts, or milking cows in a new dairy, or in assisting the state in processing hunting and fishing licenses or responding to tourism inquiries. All of these programs are running smoothly in other jail/prison settings throughout our nation and can work here!

I am deeply concerned about the cost of food at the MDC.Currently meals are running $1.02 each or $3.06 a day (multiply that by 2,700 inmates). Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Maricopa County, Arizona has managed to cut his food costs to only .21 cents per meal as most of his food is donated by grocery stores and restaurants throughout Arizona; AND he only serves his inmates two meals a day. I realize our
judiciary here (that requires inmate meals be served at 140 degrees as part of the 13 year old McClendon Consent Decree) is far more liberal than that in Arizona, so many of the ideas employed in our neighboring state may not work here; but all cost-saving ideas should be put on the table nonetheless.

I have had the opportunity to tour the MDC and was very impressed with the professionalism of the staff and the leadership of John Dantis, Deputy County Manager for Public Safety and Ron Torres, MDC Director.


Albuquerque/Bernalillo County WATER AUTHORITY

We all should be concerned about the newest local government, The Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Water Authority, created without a public referendum and headed by officials who were never elected to the job of running it.

Some far left members, like Councilor Michael Cadigan, seek to use this new body to pursue their extreme vision of land use planning and ultimately to derail growth while mandating expensive new rooftop rain collection systems, cisterns and other costly requirements. The Water Authority should stick to the basics of running an efficient water utility. Period!

Establishing building codes, specifications and land-use plans are the function of representative government. They must only be set by City Councils and County Commissions not by an unaccountable, unrepresentative panel using sneaky back-door maneuvers.

I will fight the anti-business, anti-development attitude that has developed over the past decade.

We must have quality growth and pro-business policies!


TIDDs (Tax Increment Development District) provides a funding mechanism to finance construction of public infrastructure within the boundaries of the TIDD and for the operation and maintenance of such public infrastructure until dedicated to the County.

I support the use of TIDDs in most instances as long as TIDDs are utilized for the financing of on-site and off-site public infrastructure for economic development or redevelopment that facilitates and supports development and job creation. Public infrastructure financed by a TIDD must: a) enhance the sustainability of the local, regional or statewide economy, b) support the creation of jobs, c) generate tax revenue for the provision of public improvements.

Developers now pay for and build over 85% of all infrastructure and TIDDs are just another method to enable development to proceed without burdening taxpayers in other parts of the county.


VETERANS ISSUES

I fully support the development of a state-recognized Veterans Cemetery in Bernalillo County and the naming of two buildings in honor of Louis Richard Rocco and Raymond G. "Jerry" Murphy - both recently deceased Albuquerque recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor.