Latest news with #AlanWebber
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Should Santa Fe roll back 'strong mayor' powers? Voters will get some say
Two-term Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber has given the city's voter-approved 'strong mayor' system its first test of more than seven years since he stepped into office in March 2018. The 'hybrid' form of municipal government voters OK'd in 2014 — in which the mayor is the presiding officer on the governing body, as well as the city's top executive — has drawn some criticism from members of the community and city councilors alike, who contend it is a flawed system because it shifts the balance of power too heavily in the mayor's favor. Previously, the mayor had a part-time job and could cast a vote on the City Council only to break a tie. Is it time to walk back some of those mayoral powers? Proposed ballot questions would let voters decide in November. 'I don't think any of us believe the current power structure is working,' District 4 City Councilor Jamie Cassutt told fellow councilors on the Quality of Life Committee during a meeting Wednesday. But the council so far has split on which potential changes to the city charter would be the right fix for the system, including whether to roll back the mayor's authority when it comes to hiring and firing three key members of the administration: the city manager, city clerk and city attorney. The issue has emerged two years after the city convened a Charter Review Commission to review the charter and propose changes, a process required every 10 years. The City Council approved two ballot questions at a special meeting in August 2023 out of eight proposed by the commission after what many called a rushed process. One proposal that would have limited the mayor to voting on a measure only in the event of a tie was postponed at the commission's request because the panel had run out of time to consider the matter, according to District 2 Councilor Michael Garcia, who sponsored the resolution. Webber said at the time any process for revisiting the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches of city government should come as part of a more comprehensive process. 'We really ought to do that comprehensively, and we ought to take it in real careful ways to assess whether the current structure and assignment of responsibilities and roles works or ... if it could be made to work even better,' he said at the special meeting. The series of ballot questions voters approved in 2014, dramatically altering the mayor's role, came with a warning from one member of the Charter Review Commission that had convened a year earlier. Steven Farber wrote in a 'minority report' in July 2013: 'This deeply flawed proposal radically restructures City of Santa Fe government. It is no exaggeration to state that the potential for an autocrat, an autocratic form of government, and political patronage are made possible through the proposed consolidation of such enormous power in the office of the mayor.' Farber called the proposal 'complex, convoluted and controversial,' and warned it would leave the roles of the mayor and the city manager 'completely ambiguous and confusing,' The New Mexican reported. Hiring, firing authority Discussions on the proposed ballot questions have been lengthy at recent meetings, with councilors appearing divided on how much power the sitting mayor should have and whether the proposed amendments would serve as an effective check on the current balance of power. Late last month, the City Council voted 5-4 to reject a motion to put a question on the Nov. 4 ballot asking voters whether the mayor should need the council's consent to fire the city manager, city clerk or city attorney — except within the first 180 days of a new mayor's term. By a 6-3 vote at the same meeting, councilors approved a ballot question asking voters to approve a change allowing six councilors — a supermajority — to suspend or remove the city clerk, city attorney or city manager. The final proposal was amended from the initial legislation, which would have required only a simple majority of five councilors to vote for the move. Both measures were sponsored by District 3 Councilors Pilar Faulkner and Lee Garcia and District 4 Councilor Amanda Chavez. Under the current city charter, a simple majority of councilors can vote to fire or suspend the city manager, though, there has not yet been much appetite to make such a move. A proposal in 2023 to suspend former City Manager John Blair for three days was favored by only three councilors: Michael Garcia, Lee Garcia and then-District 3 Councilor Chris Rivera. The sanction was proposed after Blair had withheld a state letter from councilors alerting the city it could not access state legislative capital outlay for infrastructure projects until it had submitted past due financial audits. Limiting mayor's vote Another proposed ballot question, sponsored by Faulkner, District 1 Councilor Alma Castro and Michael Garcia, was introduced at the council's July 30 meeting. Like the halted resolution in 2023, it would limit the mayor to voting on legislation only to break a tie of the eight-member council. It is scheduled for a final vote at Wednesday's City Council meeting. At committee meetings last week, Cassutt and the outgoing District 2 Councilor, Carol Romero-Wirth — who had served on the Charter Review Commission that successfully proposed the full-time hybrid role for the mayor in 2013 — voted against the charter change giving the mayor only a tie-breaking vote. They argued it would reduce transparency. If the mayor doesn't vote on controversial issues, he or she could 'be everything to everyone,' Cassutt said. Michael Garcia said he doesn't see that as a concern. 'The president doesn't vote; the governor doesn't vote,' he said, noting the people in those positions have plenty of ways to make their views known. 'It's just an argument I see major flaws to.' Castro said she views the legislation as part of an ongoing process of making the city's governance structure 'less political' and noted if the proposal makes it to the ballot, the final decision will be up to the voters. 'If folks feel that the way the structure is working currently [is effective], they are welcome to vote against this ballot measure,' she said. Correction: This story has been amended to reflect the following correction: An earlier version included the wrong district numbers for a current councilor and former councilor. Former Councilor Chris Rivera represented District 3, while outgoing Councilor Carol Romero-Wirth represents District 2. The error was made in editing. Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Southern city finally dethroned as best in the US by offbeat Southwest metro
Santa Fe is hot in more ways than one. The New Mexico city ranked as the best US city in the 2025 Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards, unseating former champ, Charleston, South Carolina. Santa Fe landed in the number one spot among readers' 15 favorite cities. Additionally, Santa Fe scored as the number 19 city on readers' list of their 25 favorite cities in the world. Santa Fe is the only US city featured on the list of winning international destinations this year. 'Readers raved about the inventive New Mexican cuisine and the destination's natural beauty. Sitting at 7,000 feet, Santa Fe is at the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range and enjoys over 300 days of sunshine per year,' Travel + Leisure senior editor, Elizabeth Cantrell, said in a statement. 'We're number 1! This award belongs to all of Santa Fe,' said Santa Fe Mayor, Alan Webber, in a statement. 'People who visit our city feel the hospitality and magic of Santa Fe. It's in the history, culture, art, food and architecture of our community, from the air we breathe to the mountains that surround us.' He added: 'Most important, it's in the people. Our hospitality industry and tourism team are great ambassadors for Santa Fe. So, let's toast Santa Fe: We're number 1 — it's official.' Randy Randall, TOURISM Santa Fe Executive Director, said to be singled out as the top city destination in the entire country is an 'extraordinary achievement.' 'This honor is indeed gratifying and recognizes not only the uniqueness of The City Different, but it also underscores the diligent and hard work of our hospitality partners, who welcome and care for our visitors on a daily basis,' he said. A few Santa Fe resorts also appeared on lists of best hotels and spas. Bishop's Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection, took the number 2 spot on the list of top resorts in the west and Ten Thousand Waves was number 15 on the list of best domestic US spas. Travel + Leisure also compiled a list of the '5 Favorite Santa Fe Hotels of 2025,' highlighting The Inn of the Five Graces, Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado Santa Fe, La Fonda on the Plaza, Hotel Santa Fe The Hacienda and Spa and Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi. 'I love the mix of cultures and I think that's what's interesting,' said local Sotheby's realtor Katherine Blagden. 'You have all the Pueblo people and the Native American flavor as well as Spanish land grant families going back 500 years. And then you've got the Anglos so you kind of have a cultural mix.' Blagden adds that Santa Fe is also a cultural hub. 'It's world class culture, art, opera, the desert, coral chamber music,' she told the Daily Mail. 'The food is also amazing, there's restaurants all over town. There are a lot of neat art festivals, like the folk art festival. There are Spanish crafts like straw appliqué on crosses and tin work and jewelry.' Meanwhile, Charleston fell to third place on the list, after 12 straight years of being named Travel + Leisure's top US travel destination. Voters had long praised the Holy City's historic charm and Southern hospitality, calling it 'quaint and charming.' Rounding out the rest of the list in order were New Orleans, Louisiana, Charleston, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, Alexandria, Virginia, Honolulu, Hawaii and Greenville, South Carolina. The bottom half of the list included New York, Asheville, North Carolina, Chicago, Illinois, Taos, New Mexico, San Antonio, Texas, Nashville, Tennessee, Boston, Massachusetts and Aspen, Colorado. If Santa Fe is too pricey, a number of spots across the US have been named as affordable vacation spots. The Outer Banks, a line of islands off the coast of the US state of North Carolina, famous for open-sea beaches, state parks and shipwreck diving sites, costs around $177 per day, which means a week-long stay would cost approximately $1,237. Helen, Georgia, was also named as an affordable vacation destination. Costing an average of just $1,297 weekly per person, this southern town is known for its Bavarian architecture and 'authentic German fare.' The town is known for it's river tubing, biking, and wine tastings at nearby wineries. Other destinations included on the list were Sedona, Arizona, and Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mysterious poll on Santa Fe mayoral race finds large majority of voters undecided
The takeaways of a new poll on the Santa Fe mayor's race exclaim there is 'deep voter dissatisfaction' with Mayor Alan Webber and the City Council, noting a '70% disapproval rating' and 'over 45% of respondents saying the city is on the 'wrong track.' ' Pollsters found the 'election is wide open, with no candidate breaking 15% support in initial polling and a staggering 57% of voters undecided.' Lower in the 'Polling Memo,' released earlier this week, the undecided rate was listed as 58% and Councilor Michael Garcia — the leader of the pack — had seized support from 15%. He was followed closely by former Councilor Ron Trujillo, with 13%. Tarin Nix, deputy commissioner of public affairs for the State Land Office, secured 5%. The dismal support for the remaining candidates drops to low single digits. However, the combined numbers for 'undecided' voters and all seven candidates — including County Commissioner Justin Greene, who just joined the race Wednesday — accounted for 101.5% of those surveyed. The new poll, concluding the mayoral race is 'highly fluid and ready for a fresh candidate,' is shrouded in mystery. It's unclear who commissioned the survey, who conducted it and who released the results. The memo states it was conducted May 31 through June 4 and was completed by 508 people who 'organically matched the expected voter composition and demographics.' 'Likely voters were solicited via email and text messages,' according to the memo. Some voters appeared to receive links to the SurveyMonkey poll as early as May 30, when The New Mexican reported on a 14-question survey that stated at the bottom, 'Paid for by Friends of Joe Geller.' The results of the poll were provided to The New Mexican by Nix, who said her campaign was not behind it. She did not disclose the names of those who presented her with the results. The memo states it was from 'Palm Media/Friends of JG.' Nix said 'Friends of JG' is a political action committee based in Florida. A business with the name 'Palm Media' could not be found in New Mexico, and out-of-state companies with the name could be reached for comment. An online filing on the website for VR Systems Inc. — which provides election software and hardware — lists Palm Media LLC in Miami as a contributor to the political committee 'Friends of Joe Geller.' But a committee with the name 'Friends of JG' or 'Friends of Joe Geller' could not be found in the Florida Division of Elections database or the Political Committee Index of the New Mexico Secretary of State's Office. A Miami-Dade County candidate named Joe Geller who served in the Florida state House for years was elected in a school board race in 2024. Bottom four contenders The mayor's race poll was conducted as rumors emerged indicating Greene was considering a run for mayor, but neither Greene nor his campaign had anything to do with the poll, according to spokesperson Sergio Mata-Cisneros. The results of the poll place Greene fifth, with support from 2.5% of respondents. His campaign wasn't discouraged by his poor showing. 'Justin announced his campaign today, calling for change and fresh leadership — and this poll shows that's exactly what Santa Feans are looking for,' Mata-Cisneros wrote in an email to The New Mexican. Leading candidate Garcia said in a statement, 'Our campaign has always been rooted in addressing the needs of our community, and it's why we've already qualified for the ballot.' Former Councilor JoAnne Vigil Coppler received support from 4% of respondents. Letitia Montoya — whose name is misspelled in the memo — and former city Finance Director Oscar Rodriguez, who is now the chief financial officer for the New Mexico Finance Authority, both received support from 2%. Vigil Coppler, who has worked in the real estate industry, and Trujillo, a staff manager with the state Department of Transportation, have both run for mayor in previous races. Montoya, a retired financial executive, has also run for county clerk. No ranked-choice winner? Voters casting ballots in the mayor's race will get to rank the candidates under the city's ranked choice voting system, also known as an 'instant runoff.' Survey participants, too, were asked to rank the candidates. 'Even in ranked-choice simulations, no candidate earns dominant support across the board,' the memo states. 'Voters appear split, with no consensus on a leading figure.' The memo offers no explanation for simulations that failed to identify a winning candidate. In the city's system, ballots would be tallied in multiple rounds — dropping the candidates with the fewest votes and counting those voters' second, third and even fourth or fifth choices — until one candidate has more than 50% of the votes. A ranked-choice election with no winner is unlikely — the last two candidates would have to secure an equal number of votes in a final round. The poll also asked participants which issues were most important to them. The top concerns: crime and public safety, housing affordability, traffic and infrastructure, and homelessness. 'With more than half of voters undecided and deep dissatisfaction with current leadership,' the memo states, 'the 2025 Santa Fe mayoral race is highly fluid. This presents a rare opportunity for a fresh candidate with a clear, solutions-oriented platform focused on crime, housing, and traffic/infrastructure to emerge as a contender.' Cynthia Miller of The New Mexican contributed to this report.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Santa Fe looks to new pallet community for homeless; public calls for new lease for Pete's Place
SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – The City of Santa Fe is looking to build more pallet communities to help get the homeless off the streets. However, the future of a well-known shelter may be in jeopardy. Wednesday's city council meeting focused on the homeless epidemic facing the city. One of the initiatives brought up was a proposal from Mayor Alan Webber to build a new micro-community to house up to 50 individuals living on the streets. Story continues below Entertainment: First-of-its-kind indoor pickleball facility coming to northeast Albuquerque Community: Albuquerque church leaning on faith after 2 members killed by their son Environment: What should New Mexicans do if they come across a raccoon? 'In the past, we have seen that these micro-communities are very well managed. They have 24/7 oversight and security, along with wraparound services and hygiene facilities. They work very, very well in cities across the country, and the one here at Christ Lutheran has been very successful as a pilot,' the mayor stated in an interview on Tuesday. The proposed micro-community would be located near Rodeo Road and Cerillos Road, modeled after the one at Christ Lutheran Church, which currently houses 10 people. Mayor Webber has emphasized the city's efforts to combat homelessness since joining Built for Zero in 2019—a national movement aimed at ensuring that no one is left without housing. However, there are growing concerns about the possibility of ending the current lease for 'Pete's Place,' a well-known shelter in Santa Fe that provides food, medical care, and other essential services. The shelter's lease with the city is set to expire in October. During the meeting, members of the public urged the city council to save Pete's Place, with many speaking to save it and provide it with more funding to either expand or find a different, larger location. The council then went into an executive session to discuss Pete's Place, but did not provide the nature of what was discussed in the executive session. Mayor Webber mentioned that the city is actively looking for more properties that could be used for micro-communities. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Santa Fe mayor speaks on city's efforts to address homelessness
SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber is touting the success he's seeing in addressing homelessness. Mayor Webber said a microcommunity was established at Christ Lutheran church, and houses 10 people. On-site, there are hygiene stations, individual rooms, and 24-hour staffing. 'When we no longer talk about the homeless because there is no such thing as the homeless. There's individuals, each of whom has a different story, a different need, a different reason for being unhoused, and we need to treat everyone as an individual, so they get the kind of option for a Officials speak on wildfire that damaged Fort Stanton Historic Sit In 2019, Santa Fe joined a coalition called Built for Zero, which is a national movement where city officials try to build enough housing for their homeless population so that zero people are left without homes. A unique way they continue to address homelessness is by learning the names and history of the city's homeless population. 'When you know their names, you work with them individually to get the solution that fits their needs,' said Mayor Webber. The city is looking for more properties to implement microcommunities. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
