FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO  FOCUS PROVIDED BY THE MCCUNE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION AND  VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

Gene: THIS WEEK ON NEW  MEXICO IN FOCUS, A POTENTIAL PNM MERGER COMES WITH A  PROMISE OF RENEWABLE FUTURE.

WHAT DO WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT  THE UTILITY'S NEW PARTNER?

Andrews: IF I AM IN NEW  MEXICO I WANT TO ASK AVINGRID, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GUARANTEE  THAT YOU UNDERSTAND OUR SPECIFIC ENERGY NEEDS.

Gene: PLUS MAKING THE CASE FOR AND AGAINST THE NEW  DOWNTOWN ALBUQUERQUE MULTI-USE STADIUM WHICH WOULD BE HOME TO  THE NEW MEXICO UNITED SOCCER TEAM.

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS STARTS NOW.

THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK, I AM YOUR HOST GENE  GRANT.

WE HAVE INVITED A GROUP OF FOUR INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE THEIR  CASE FOR AND AGAINST THE STADIUM PROPOSALS AND WE WILL  SPRINKLE THOSE OPINIONS THROUGHOUT THE SHOW THIS WEEK.

THE LINE OPINION PANEL WILL ALSO DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL  RETURN OF DOUBLE DIPPING FOR RETIRED POLICE OFFICERS, AS A  WAY TO COMBAT THE STATE'S ONGOING CRIME WAVE AND THE  PANEL DISCUSSES WHAT SAFETY CHANGES MAY BE IN STORE FOR  THE FILM INDUSTRY AFTER A TRAGIC SHOOTING ON THE SET OF  THE FILM, RUSH, INVOLVING ACTOR ALEC BALDWIN.

BUT WE START TONIGHT WITH SOME LAST THOUGHTS AND PREDICTIONS  FROM THE LINE AHEAD OF TUESDAY'S TRIP TO THE POLLS.

WE ARE JUST FOUR DAYS AWAY FROM GLUEING YOUR EYES TO  PHONES AND TELEVISIONS WAITING FOR THE RESULTS IN NEXT WEEK'S  ELECTIONS.

TWO MAYORAL SEATS IN THE  STATE'S TWO LARGEST CITIES, EDUCATION FUNDING AND A  DIVISIVE STADIUM BOND PROPOSAL ARE ALL UP FOR A VOTE.

LET'S BRING IN THE LINE THIS WEEK STARTING WITH REGULAR TOM  GARRITY OF THE GARRITY GROUP PUBLIC RELATIONS.

WE ALSO WELCOME BACK TO THE ZOOM ROUND TABLE, FORMER STATE  SENATOR ERIC GRIEGO.

ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE ERIC.

AND JOINING US AGAIN THIS WEEK IS REBECCA LATHAM, SHE IS CEO  GIRL SCOUTS OF NEW MEXICO AND FORMER HEAD OF THE NEW MEXICO  TOURISM DEPARTMENT UNDER GOVERNOR SUSANA MARTINEZ.

WELCOME TO YOU ALL.

THE ALBUQUERQUE MAYOR'S RACE  HAS CAPTURED A LOT OF HEADLINES IN THE LAST COUPLE  OF WEEKS, INCLUDING RECENT POLLING OF THE ALBUQUERQUE  JOURNAL THAT SHOWS INCUMBENT MAYOR TIM KELLER WITH A  SIZEABLE LEAD OVER CHALLENGERS, BERNALILLO COUNTY  SHERIFF, MANNY GONZALES, AND TALK RADIO HOST, EDDY ARAGON.

WITH MORE THAN 50% OF THE VOTE, DO KELLER'S CHALLENGERS  HAVE A CHANCE TO TAKE OUT A BIG ENOUGH CHUNK TO FORCE A  RUNOFF?

ERIC, LET ME START WITH YOU ON  THAT QUESTION.

IS THAT ACTUALLY GOING TO BE  HAPPENING HERE?

WE HAVE FOUR DAYS TO GO.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS POSSIBLE FOR THE CHALLENGERS?

Eric: WELL, I THINK IF KELLER'S FOLKS SHOW UP, HE IS  IN GOOD SHAPE.

I MEAN SADLY THE RACE HAS  TAKEN SOME PRETTY DARK TURNS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT NOT JUST THE POLLING THAT WE SAW  FROM THE JOURNAL BUT THE KIND OF ENDORSEMENT THAT YOU REALLY  SEE SOME PRETTY HEAVY HITTERS RALLYING AROUND THE MAYOR,  INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR AND ATTORNEY GENERAL BALDERAS, SO  IT IS CLEAR THEY ARE TRYING TO SEND A CLEAR SIGNAL THAT HE IS  THE DEMOCRAT, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A NONPARTISAN RACE.

I THINK MANNY GONZALES, HIS DESCENT INTO THE GUTTER ON  PERSONAL STUFF HAS JUST REALLY TANKED ANY CHANCE HE HAD OF  FORCING A RUNOFF.

I THINK HIS STRATEGY WAS TO  TRY TO TAKE THE MAYOR DOWN A NOTCH AND TRY TO GET IN A  RUNOFF WITH HIM AND THEN A HAIL MARY EFFORT TO WIN IN A  RUNOFF.

I THINK HE REALLY BLEW IT AND  AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK MOST FOLKS JUST WANT TO SEE A  CREDIBLE, COMPETENT PERSON RUNNING THE OFFICE AND GIVEN  HOW THIS CAMPAIGN HAS GONE, WHETHER YOU LOVE KELLER OR  NOT, I THINK IT HAS BEEN CLEAR THAT IF YOU CAN'T RUN -- IF  YOU CAN'T RUN A CREDIBLE CAMPAIGN, AS BOTH MANNY AND  ARAGON HAVE SHOWN THAT NEITHER ONE HAS RUN THAT STRONG OF A  CAMPAIGN, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO RUN A MAJOR AMERICAN CITY?

SO, I THINK KELLER IS IN GOOD SHAPE.

HIS PEOPLE HAVE TO SHOW UP.

I HOPE PEOPLE DON'T THINK IT  IS KIND OF OVER BECAUSE THERE COULD STILL BE A RUNOFF IF  KELLER'S FOLKS DON'T SHOW UP.

Gene: REBECCA, OF COURSE,  SENATOR MENTIONED MR. GONZALES' UNSUBSTANTIATED  ACCUSATIONS AGAINST MAYOR KELLER DURING THAT KOB DEBATE.

HIS LAST DITCH EFFORT TO TIGHTEN THE GAP.

FOLLOW-UP IF YOU WOULD ABOUT WHAT ERIC JUST MENTIONED.

WHAT IS HE GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS IN THE LAST LESS THAN A  WEEK TO GO HERE?

Rebecca: I AM STILL  SCRATCHING MY HEAD ABOUT THAT TACTIC.

I THINK THAT THE SHERIFF'S BETTER APPROACH WOULD HAVE  BEEN TO TRY AND DISMANTLE THE REPUTATION OF ARAGON.

YOU KNOW, WE CAN NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE ABILITY OF A  THIRD PERSON TO JUST COMPLETELY SHAKE EVERYTHING UP  AND RUIN ANY ACTUAL CHANCE FOR CHANGE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE THING, TWO THINGS THAT THE CITY OF  ALBUQUERQUE CAN AGREE ON IS WE NEED TO FIND A SOLUTION TO OUR  UNHOUSED POPULATION AND WE NEED TO FIND A SOLUTION TO OUR  CRIME.

IF WE ALL AGREE ON THE MAJOR  ISSUES, WHY CAN'T WE AGREE ON, YOU KNOW, HOW TO FIX THEM?

I JUST KEEP LOOKING AT EDDY AND THINKING, YOU KNOW,  SOMETIMES WHEN YOU WANT CHANGE IT MEANS YOU HAVE GOT TO  DISCREETLY GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY AND HIS BEING IN THE RACE  REALLY, TO ME, AS A VOTER, SHOWED HE WAS PUTTING HIS  PRIDE OVER ACTUAL PROGRESS BECAUSE IF YOU WANT CHANGE,  YOU HAVE GOT TO ACTUALLY STRATEGICALLY LOOK AT THE BEST  WAY TO GET THERE.

FRANKLY, I THINK MANNY  PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE TRIED TO DISMANTLE THAT APPROACH AND  TRIED TO SWAY SOME OF THOSE LIKELY EDDY VOTERS BACK OVER  TO HIM THEN TRY AND DAMAGE THE MAYOR'S CREDIBILITY OVER  UNSUBSTANTIATED CLAIMS.

Gene: INTERESTING POINT.

AND TOM I GOT TO GET YOU IN ON THIS AND I WANT TO SWING NORTH  OF SANTA FE IN A SECOND.

BUT FOR EDDY ARAGON AND  MR. GONZALES, PICK UP WHERE REBECCA WAS.

THAT IS ACTUALLY FASCINATING.

DID HE BLOW THE MOMENT,  MEANING THE SHERIFF, BY NOT GOING OFF THE THIRD PARTY,  THIRD PERSON?

Tom: IN A THREE-HORSE RACE,  WHICH I'LL JUST USE THAT ANALOGY FOR THE PURPOSES OF  OUR CONVERSATION TODAY, BOTH ERIC AND REBECCA BRING UP  SOLID POINTS.

I THINK THAT MANNY AND EDDY'S  APPROACH, MR. ARAGON AND MR. GONZALES' APPROACH, HAVE  BEEN OFF BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN GOING FOR, YOU KNOW, THE  HEAD ON OF TRYING TO DE-THROWN AN INCUMBENT MAYOR, WHICH IS  DIFFICULT.

CLEARLY HE IS VERY POPULAR.

WHETHER PEOPLE AGREE OR DON'T, PEOPLE LIKE HIM OTHER THAN THE  OTHER TWO.

SO, I THINK THERE IS A LOT  THAT WAS LOST IN ALL THE DEBATES BY MR. ARAGON AND  MR. GONZALES, TO NOT TAKE EACH OTHER DOWN, TO TRY AND BUILD  MORE OF A BASE TO FORCE A RUNOFF.

NOW, BECAUSE OF MR. GONZALES' COMMENTS DURING THE LAST  DEBATE WHICH I THINK THE PUBLIC SENTIMENT IS ACTUALLY  REFLECTED IN THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL POLLING.

YOU KNOW, IT DOES NOT SHAPE UP WELL FOR EITHER OF THE TWO  NONINCUMBENTS.

Gene: NOW, LET'S TURN TO  SANTA FE, THE ALREADY EXTRAORDINARY FUND RAISING GAP  BETWEEN THE THREE CANDIDATES IS GROWING EVEN WIDER.

YOU MIGHT HAVE READ ABOUT THIS.

INCUMBENT ALAN WEBBER HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN 440,000  ACCORDING TO LATEST FINANCE REPORT FROM THE CITY CLERK'S  OFFICE.

THAT DWARFS THE LESS THAN 100  GRAND RAISED BY JOANNE VIGIL COPPER AND LESS THAN 20,000  TAKEN IN BY ALEXIS MARTINEZ JOHNSON.

THAT IS A BIG GAP.

DOES MONEY MAKE OR BREAK THIS  RACE AND IF IT DOES MAKE IT, THAT DOESN'T FEEL VERY SANTA  FE, YOU KNOW, THAT IDEA THAT YOU CAN STEAMROLL EVERYBODY  WITH A TON OF DOUGH.

WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF THIS  ONE?

Eric:   SANTA FE HAD A PUBLIC FINANCING SYSTEM THAT REALLY  DIDN'T WORK OUT TOO WELL.

IT WAS MODELED ON THE  ALBUQUERQUE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE THAT ACTUALLY MAYOR  KELLER IS USING PRETTY EFFECTIVELY.

ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT WORKED, THE VOTERS CHANGED IT  TO ALLOW FOR A MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN  PUBLIC FINANCE.

IF YOU BELIEVE WE HAVE TO TAKE  SOME OF THE BIG MONEY, SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT MONEY AND  SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY OUT OF LOCAL ELECTIONS YOU HAVE  ALTERNATIVES.

IN ALBUQUERQUE THERE IS AN  ALTERNATIVE.

YOU KNOW THE MAYOR, YOU KNOW,  600,000 PLUS IN PUBLIC FUNDING DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE A BUNCH OF  CALLS TO PEOPLE WHO WANT BUSINESS WITH THE CITY.

BUT IN SANTA FE, UNFORTUNATELY, THEY COULDN'T  EVER FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE SYSTEM TO WORK AND TO BE  SUBSTANTIAL ENOUGH TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO RUN CREDIBLY, SO,  ALAN WEBBER IS A LONG-TIME NATIONALLY KNOWN COMPANY  FOUNDER, A BUSINESS GUY BUT ALSO VERY PROGRESSIVE, LIKE  THE ELECTORATE IN SANTA FE.

SO, YES, HE RAISED A LOT OF  MONEY.

I ALSO THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE  JUST SEE HIM AS NOT UNLIKE THE KELLER RACE, AS THE MOST  COMPETENT PERSON IN THE RACE.

THEY MAY NOT LOVE HIM, THEY  MAY THINK HE HAS MADE A COUPLE OF MISTAKES, BUT OVERALL HE  COMES ACROSS AND HE HAS GOVERNED AS A PRETTY  PROGRESSIVE, THOUGHTFUL GUY AND HE HAS BENEFITED FROM THE  SAME THING KELLER IS WHICH BOTH OF HIS OPPONENTS ARE NOT  RUNNING GREAT RACES AND NEITHER SEEMS TO HAVE A CLEAR  MESSAGE OTHER THAN I AM NOT THE INCUMBENT, RIGHT.

ALEXIS MARTINEZ JOHNSON THIS IS HER THIRD OR FOURTH TIME  RUNNING AND NOT A VERY EFFECTIVE CAMPAIGN AND THE  MAIN OPPONENT FROM THE COUNCIL IS JOANNE COPPLER VIGIL REALLY  IS ALL OVER THE BOARD.

SHE OPPOSED MASK MANDATES AND  THEN SHE HAS REALLY KIND OF FOUGHT SOME BASIC REAL ESTATE  REFORM AS A REALTOR.

SO, I THINK BOTH KELLER AND  WEBBER SHARE A COMMON THREAD WHICH IS THEY ARE PROGRESSIVE,  THEY ARE COMPETENT AND THEY ARE RUNNING AGAINST REALLY BAD  CANDIDATES.

Gene: GOOD POINT THERE.

GOT TO GET INTO THE STADIUM BONDS HERE.

THE MEASURE HAS BECOME THE MOST TALKED ABOUT PROPOSAL ON  ANY BALLOT AROUND THE STATE.

A RECENT POLL FROM THE JOURNAL  SHOWS THAT MORE THAN HALF OF VOTERS ARE OPPOSED.

ONLY ABOUT 37% ARE IN FAVOR.

WHAT IS ESPECIALLY INTERESTING  IS NEARLY EVERYONE HAS MADE UP THEIR MIND WITH 3% SAYING, IT  DEPENDS.

AND 4% SAYING THEY ARE  UNDECIDED.

TOM, DID THE CITY FUMBLE THIS  AND HOW SOON BEFORE THEY TAKE ANOTHER CRACK AT GETTING A  STADIUM SOME OTHER WAYS IF THE VOTERS DO TURN IT DOWN?

Tom: IT IS CLEAR THAT EVERYBODY THOUGHT THERE WAS  GOING TO BE A BANDWAGON AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE MORE OF A RED  FLYER AS FAR AS THE NEW MEXICO UNITED TEAM.

A VERY GOOD TEAM, A WELL RUN FRANCHISE.

THE TIMING JUST I DON'T THINK WAS RIGHT AND THAT IS WHAT  REFLECTED, I THINK, IN THE POLLING NUMBERS WE ARE SEEING  IN THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL.

THE QUESTION IS WHAT HAPPENS  ON ELECTION DAY?

IT ALL DEPENDS WHO SHOWS UP.

I THINK IN ADDITION TO MAYOR KELLER'S REELECTION THAT THE  CITY COUNCIL AND PROBABLY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WILL END UP  FINDING ANOTHER WAY TO FUND THE NEW MEXICO UNITED STADIUM  AND HOPEFULLY WHEN THAT IS DONE, YOU KNOW, IT IS  SOMETHING THAT TAKES ALL COMMUNITIES INTO  CONSIDERATION.

Gene: REBECCA, THE UNITED  FOLKS, I THINK THEY ARE JUST UNDER A MILLION DOLLARS IN  THEIR PARTICULAR BUCKET OF MONEY TO SPEND AROUND THE  MARKET.

37% AFTER 850,000 PLUS, JUST  WHAT DIDN'T CONNECT HERE?

SOMETHING DIDN'T QUITE  CONNECT.

Rebecca: I WAS SPEAKING TO  SOMEONE EARLIER ABOUT THIS AND I ASKED THAT VERY QUESTION,  LIKE, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU'RE NOT -- YOU KNOW -- THAT IS  DRIVING YOUR OPPOSITION TO THIS AND THE STATEMENT WAS  THAT THE SPECIFIC FIGURE 280 FULL-TIME JOBS AND THE  QUESTION OF IS THAT REALISTIC?

AND TO THE PERSON WHO I WAS  SPEAKING WITH, THEY SAID, IF I CAN'T TRUST THAT PARTICULAR  STATEMENT, 280 FULL-TIME JOBS, BECAUSE I THINK SOMEWHERE I  READ THAT THE AVERAGE PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAM  EMPLOYED 75 PEOPLE.

SO, 280 FULL-TIME YEAR-ROUND  JOBS.

SO THE PERSON SAID IF I CAN'T  TRUST THAT FIGURE, I DON'T TRUST ANY OF IT.

ALL OF IT SEEMS SHADY BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE  GOING TO COME UP WITH THOSE 280 JOBS.

OVERALL, THOUGH, REGARDLESS OF HOW THIS GOES, I THINK IT IS  REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY, NO.

1, REALIZE IF  THIS DOESN'T PASS NOW OR DOESN'T HAPPEN NOW, THAT  DOESN'T MEAN IT IS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

IT JUST MEANS THIS ISN'T THE RIGHT TIME FOR THE COMMUNITY.

THE OTHER THING WE NEED TO REALIZE, THERE IS, IF WE DON'T  SUPPORT UNITED, THEY WILL LEAVE.

I THINK WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF SUPPORTING THAT  ORGANIZATION.

EVERYTHING THAT UNITED HAS  DONE FOR ALBUQUERQUE AND FOR NEW MEXICO HAS BEEN AMAZING.

I MEAN LIKE I DON'T EVEN LIKE SOCCER AND I HAVE GOT NEW  MEXICO UNITED APPAREL AND STICKERS AND POSTERS IN MY  HOUSE, SO, WHAT THEY BRING TO US AS A COMMUNITY IS SO GOOD.

WE HAVE GOT TO CONTINUE TO NURTURE THAT AND GROW THAT AND  GET IT TO A POINT WHERE IF THE STADIUM DOESN'T HAPPEN NOW,  HOW DO WE GET IT THAT IT IS MORE ORGANIC AND THAT  EVERYBODY FEELS BETTER ABOUT IT.

Eric: REAL QUICK.

WE ARE JUST SHORT ON TIME.

50% OF THE FOLKS ALSO ARE NOT CRAZY ABOUT THE LOCATIONS  PARTICULARLY BARELAS.

DID WE MESS THAT UP BY  NARROWING IT TO TWO LOCATIONS?

Eric: I DON'T THINK THAT  FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS CARRIED OUT VERY WELL.

I THINK IT IS THE SAME  PROBLEM, I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH REBECCA ON THIS, THEY TOOK  THIS VERY MUCH JOB CONSTRUCTION FOCUS.

I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE RIGHT MESSAGE.

THEIR BRAND HAS BEEN BRINGING US TOGETHER.

WE HAVE HUGE CRIME PROBLEMS.

I THINK IF THEY LEANED INTO  THAT WE ARE UNITED, THIS IS A WAY FOR US TO COME TOGETHER,  THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD A SHOT.

IN ANY YEAR, A 50 MILLION  DOLLAR BOND FOR A PRIVATE PUBLICALLY-OWNED BUT PRIVATELY  RUN STADIUM IS A TOUGH ACT BUT I THINK THEY MADE A BAD CALL  WHEN THEY DECIDED TO TRY TO GET THE REPUBLICAN  CONSERVATIVE VOTERS WHO ARE NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THIS KIND  OF BOND ANYWAY, AND THEY REALLY SHOULD HAVE MADE A PLAY  FOR THE YOUNGER FOLKS FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE ON THE FENCE,  PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO LIVE IN BARELAS WHO SAY, WELL, IT  DEPENDS, IF YOU'RE REALLY WILLING TO BRING THE COMMUNITY  INTO THIS AND YOU REALLY WANT TO SORT OF MAKE CHANGES TO THE  COMMUNITY LEVEL AND BRING US TOGETHER, THEN I AM OPEN TO  THE IDEA.

IF THE PLAY IS TO FANS ONLY,  TO SORT OF BUSINESS FOLKS ONLY, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE  ONLY, THAT ISN'T A MESSAGE.

I GOT A TON OF THOSE MAILERS  AND THEY WERE NOT CONVINCING.

Gene: YEAH.

IT WAS A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN INSTEAD OF A HEARTS AND MIND  CAMPAIGN.

Eric: EXACTLY.

Gene: BE SURE TO JOIN US HERE AT NEW MEXICO PBS FOR  ELECTION NIGHT ANALYSIS AND WE'LL CATCH BACK UP WITH THE  LINE IN LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES WITH THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE  TRAGEDY INVOLVING ALEC BALDWIN ON THE SET RUST.

BUT FIRST, MORE ON THAT PROPOSAL TO BUILD A NEW SOCCER  STADIUM IN ALBUQUERQUE WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT.

THROUGHOUT TODAY'S SHOW WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM COMMUNITY  LEADERS AND ORGANIZERS WITH FIRSTHAND PERSPECTIVE.

FIRST WE REACHED OUT TO THE TEAM AT THE CENTER OF THIS,  NEW MEXICO UNITED, TO SEE HOW IT PLANS ON ACCOMPLISHING THE  ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY GOALS REBECCA MENTIONED,  IT SAYS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH A NEW STADIUM.

THEY PUT US IN TOUCH WITH A YOUNG WOMAN WHO IS A PART OF  THIS INITIATIVE EARLY ON AND SEES IT AS A WAY TO MOVE THE  CITY FORWARD.

Nava: MY NAME IS CINDY  NAVA.

I AM A FORMER DACA RECIPIENT,  A LONG-TIME ORGANIZER AND POLICY ADVOCATE, A SMALL  BUSINESS OWNER AND A NEW U.S.  CITIZEN AS OF FEBRUARY 22 OF THIS YEAR.

MY LIVED EXPERIENCES HAVE SHAPED MY WORK AND THE LENS I  SEE LIFE THROUGH.

I CAME TO NEW MEXICO WHEN I  WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD FROM CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO.

GROWING UP AS AN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT WAS BY NO MEANS AN  EASY TASK, HOWEVER, I ALWAYS FELT LUCKY TO LIVE IN A STATE  LIKE NEW MEXICO WHICH ALLOWED ME TO BREAK MANY OF THE  BARRIERS THAT I WAS FACED WITH.

WE ARE ALL SHAPED BY OUR UPBRINGING AND I AM NO  DIFFERENT.

MY PROGRESSIVE VALUES RUN  DEEP, BORNE OUT OF LIVING IN THE INJUSTICES ROOTED SO  DEEPLY IN U.S. IMMIGRATION POLICIES.

AS SOMEONE WHO HAS ADVOCATED FOR ISSUES THAT AFFECT OUR  COMMUNITIES EACH AND EVERYDAY, I SPEAK FROM A PLACE OF LIVED  EXPERIENCE THAT HAS LED WITH ADVOCACY FOR CHANGE THAT  SUPPORTS AND BENEFITS OUR COMMUNITIES AS A WHOLE.

I BELIEVE THE STADIUM BOND DESERVES OUR SUPPORT ON  NOVEMBER 2.

NEW MEXICO UNITED DOES THINGS  DIFFERENTLY AND THE STADIUM BOND FOLLOWED THE SAME PATH.

LAST YEAR, I MET WITH UNITED ABOUT HOSTING A CITIZENSHIP  EVENT AT A MATCH TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE  GROUNDBREAKING WORK AND CONTRIBUTIONS THAT IMMIGRANTS  MAKE EACH AND EVERY DAY ACROSS OUR STATE.

THIS MONTH, THAT IDEA BECAME A REALITY.

AND I HAD THE PLEASURE OF PARTICIPATING IN THAT  CEREMONY, WELCOMING 15 NEW AMERICANS ON THE FIELD DURING  A UNITED GAME.

THIS, ON THE SHOULDERS OF  GAMES WHERE NEW MEXICO UNITED CELEBRATED AND PROMOTED BLACK  LIVES MATTER AND PRIDE.

THIS ACTION TO ME WAS MORE  THAN A STATEMENT.

IT WAS THE ENACTMENT OF A  CONVERSATION WE HAD TURNED INTO ACTION WITH A BROADER  PURPOSE OF REPRESENTATION AND INCLUSION THAT OPENS AND  EXPANDS OPPORTUNITIES TO BE INNOVATIVE IF GIVEN THE  OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS STADIUM A REALITY.

AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN ALBUQUERQUE, SURROUNDED BY  SOCCER DIEHARDS AND ONE WHO HAS SEEN THE DEEP IMPACT OF  UNITED PLAYING A FOUNDATIONAL ROLE IN BRINGING TOGETHER OUR  DIVERSE AND MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITIES UNDER THE PREMISE  OF SOMOS UNIDOS, THERE IS AN INTANGIBLE QUALITY  TO.

THE STADIUM WILL BRING  EXTENSIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CREATIVE AND CULTURALLY  COMPETENT ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITIES THAT ARE NOT  ALWAYS BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.

COMMUNITIES SUCH AS THE ONES I  GREW UP IN AND DEEPLY UNDERSTAND.

IT WILL CREATE AN AFFORDABLE FAMILY ACTIVITY WHERE WE CAN  GATHER, HAVE FUN, CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS AND GRADUATIONS AND  THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO REIMAGINE AND REDEFINE WHAT  THE STADIUM COULD BE AND WHAT IT COULD BRING TO OUR STATE.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND ITS MULTI-USE ABILITIES, TO SERVE  OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS THAT  PROVIDE RESOURCES, FOOD DRIVES, OPEN PARK ACCESS,  BLOOD DRIVES, CITIZENSHIP CEREMONIES, HEALTH FAIRS AND  SO MUCH MORE.

Andrews: WHEN PEOPLE ARE  TALKING ABOUT AVINGRID, THEY ARE USUALLY TALKING ABOUT IT  THROUGH PERSPECTIVE OF THE CORRIDOR, HOW THIS COMPANY  DOESN'T CARE ABOUT ITS MAIN CUSTOMERS BECAUSE THEY ARE  SUCH A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THEIR EARNINGS OVERALL.

NO GUARANTEES THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE YOUR BEST INTEREST IN  MIND WHEN IT COMES TO THIS.

Gene: NEW MEXICO IS  CURRENTLY IN THE NATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY  SPOTLIGHT BUT FOR A TRAGIC REASON YOU KNOW  ABOUT.

IT WAS A WEEK AGO WE LEARNED  THAT ACTOR ALEC BALDWIN HAD ACCIDENTALLY SHOT AND KILLED A  CINEMATOGRAPHER ON THE SET OF HIS NEW FILM RUST.

SHOOTING AT THE BONANZA CREEK RANCH OF SANTA FE, OF COURSE.

THE DIRECTOR WAS ALSO INJURED BUT HE IS RECOVERING.

IN THE DAYS SINCE THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF REPORTING ON THE  SAFETY AND WORK CONDITIONS ON SET AND JUST YESTERDAY WE GOT  AN UPDATE ON THE INVESTIGATION FROM THE SANTA FE COUNTY  SHERIFF'S OFFICE AMONG OTHER THINGS.

INVESTIGATORS HAVE ESTABLISHED  A LIVE ROUND WAS FIRED FROM THE PROP GUN AND CRIMINAL  CHARGES ARE STILL A POSSIBILITY IN THIS CASE.

REBECCA, STILL WAITING TO HEAR IF BELOW THE LINE FILMMAKERS  WILL RATIFY A NEW AGREEMENT OVER WORKPLACE CONDITIONS  AFTER A NEAR STRIKE TWO WEEKS AGO.

BUT, THIS TRAGEDY REALLY HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE ISSUES  WRAPPED UP IN THOSE NEGOTIATIONS.

THE QUESTION HAS TO BE ASKED, ARE FILM SETS IN NEW MEXICO  GOING TO BE FUNDAMENTALLY SAFER, CAN THEY BE  FUNDAMENTALLY SAFER?

IF NOT, WHY?

WHY NOT?

Rebecca: WELL, I THINK WE  HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT MAKING THIS A NEW MEXICO ISSUE  VERSUS MAKING THIS A FILM INDUSTRY STANDARD.

THE FILM INDUSTRY ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO ADOPT MORE SAFETY  STANDARDS BECAUSE THIS IS THE MOST HORRIFIC TRAGEDY.

WHAT WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT IS IF WE MAKE THIS A NEW  MEXICO ISSUE, ONCE THE GOVERNOR GETS INVOLVED, ONCE  THE LEGISLATURE GETS INVOLVED, IF WE MAKE IT ANY HARDER TO  SHOOT IN NEW MEXICO ARE WE BITING THE HAND THAT FEEDS US?

I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, HORRIBLE ACCIDENTS, THIS IS  DEFINITELY SOMEONE WAS NEGLIGENT HERE.

MULTIPLE PEOPLE APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN NEGLIGENT.

I JUST DON'T THINK THIS CAN BE SOMETHING THAT WE STAND UP  FIRST AND SAY, LIKE, WELL, THIS IS WHAT NEW MEXICO IS  GOING TO DO.

I DO FEEL LIKE THE GOVERNOR  SAID IF THE FILM INDUSTRY DOESN'T DO SOMETHING WE WILL  GET INVOLVED BUT AT THIS POINT I STILL WOULD SAY, LIKE, LET'S  HOLD OFF A LITTLE BIT AND SEE HOW THE INDUSTRY WORKS IT OUT  AMONG THEMSELVES.

Gene: TOM, WE NOW KNOW THAT  LIVE ROUNDS WERE ALL OVER THIS SET AND THIS SEEMS  UNFATHOMABLE IN SO MANY WAYS.

INVESTIGATORS ARE TRYING TO  ESTABLISH IN FACT IF THOSE GUNS WERE USED FOR TARGET  SHOOT DURING DOWN TIME.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY DID FROM  WHAT WE ARE GLEANING.

WHAT SORTS OF SAFETY CHANGES,  YOU KNOW, CAN COME OUT OF THIS INDUSTRY WIDE AS REBECCA WAS  SAYING?

IS THERE ANYTHING THE INDUSTRY  CAN DO VERSUS THE POLITICAL SIDE?

Tom: THERE IS A LOT OF LEEWAY GIVEN TO THE FILM  INDUSTRY BECAUSE A LOT OF US WE JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT  THE INDUSTRY IS ALL ABOUT.

WE PAY OUR ADMISSION TO GO SEE  THE MOVIE, WE ARE ENTERTAINED, WE THINK IT IS PRETTY COOL  WHEN THE STARS COME INTO TOWN AND STUFF BUT AS FAR AS  ACTUALLY HOW A MOVIE IS PRODUCED, I THINK WE HAVE ALL  LEARNED A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE ROLE OF AN ARMORER,  ABOUT THE ROLE OF CINEMATOGRAPHER AND HOPEFULLY  WE SHOULD HAVE LEARNED MORE ABOUT IT UNDER DIFFERENT  CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT NOW THESE ARE THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE  HAVE AND I THINK THE INDUSTRY, IT IS REALLY ON THE INDUSTRY  TO SAY, OKAY, HOW ARE WE GOING TO FIX THIS?

HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE SURE THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T COME  IN, WHETHER IT IS CALIFORNIA, NEW MEXICO OR GEORGIA, YOU  KNOW, THE INDUSTRY REALLY HAS TO DECIDE HOW THEY ARE GOING  TO CHANGE THINGS.

IF THEY DON'T, THEN THAT IS  WHERE WE WILL START TO SEE, I AM SURE, DIFFERENT STATES  COMING UP WITH DIFFERENT STANDARDS OF WHICH, AS REBECCA  INDICATED, COULD HAVE REALLY DEVASTATING EFFECTS ON AN  INDUSTRY THAT GENERATED $525 MILLION IN NEW MEXICO'S  ECONOMY DURING 2019.

Gene: EVEN MORE, BY THE  WAY.

IT BUMPED UP TO 630 MILLION  LAST YEAR.

Tom: IT IS A HUGE INDUSTRY  AND IT IS A TREMENDOUS TRAGEDY.

UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF WHERE IT HAPPENED, NEW MEXICO AND  HOW NEW MEXICO HANDLES THIS IS NOW UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT.

SO, I THINK THAT THE GOVERNOR DID A GOOD JOB OF DEFLECTING  IT, SAYING, HEY, WE ARE GOING TO LOOK TO THE INDUSTRY FIRST  SO THAT WAY THE STATE DOESN'T TAKE THE HIT.

THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED ANYWHERE.

Gene: TOM, I AM GOING TO STAY WITH YOU ON THIS.

YOU MENTIONED THE PRESS DEAL THAT IS UP THERE.

IT IS UNBELIEVABLE THE AMOUNT OF CAMERAS AT THE SANTA FE  SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND FOR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY UP THERE  TO HEAR THEM SPEAK.

HOW ARE WE DOING ON THAT  FRONT?

ARE WE PRESENTING OURSELVES WELL IN NEW MEXICO ON THIS  INTERNATIONAL MOMENT THAT IS VERY STRESSFUL AND VERY  DIFFICULT?

Tom: IT IS VERY DIFFICULT  TO SAY WHAT THAT DEFINITION OF WELL IS.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE SUBJECT MATTER, YOU KNOW, THE  SHERIFF'S OFFICE, DA, EVERYBODY IS GOING THROUGH AN  INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS AND SO WHAT I LIKE ABOUT WHAT I AM  SEEING IS THEY ARE HAVING REGULAR UPDATES TO THE MEDIA,  YOU KNOW, THEY ARE NOT CUTTING ANY SIDE DEALS.

YOU ARE NOT SEEING ANY INVESTIGATORS OR ANYBODY FROM  THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE KIND OF LEAKING INFORMATION OUT.

THE STATE HAS BEEN VERY QUIET.

ANYTHING THAT HAS POSSIBLY  BEEN LEAKING OUT HAS BEEN LEAKING OUT FROM THE CAST AND  CREW OF THE SHOW RUST.

SO, NEW MEXICO AS A WHOLE I  WOULD HAVE TO SAY IS DOING AS WELL AS IT CAN RIGHT NOW WITH  THE MEDIA RESPONSE JUST BY FOLLOWING -- BLOCKING AND  TACKLING, TAKING CARE OF THINGS, HAVING REGULAR BRIEFS,  ANSWERING QUESTIONS DIRECTLY, LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT THAT  PROCESS IS.

Gene: HEY, ERIC, WE HAVE  HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE INCLUDING RECENTLY IN A  FACEBOOK LIVE I DID WITH LOCAL UNION MEMBERS THAT PRODUCTIONS  BRING IN CREW FROM ALL OVER AND CALL THEM LOCAL.

ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT THE SITUATION PUTTING A DARK  SHADOW OVER THE LOCAL FILM WORKFORCE, YOU KNOW.

AS REBECCA MENTIONED, THE ARMORER IS FROM OUT OF STATE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THE AD IS FROM OUT OF STATE BUT EVERYONE IS  ASSUMING EVERYONE INVOLVED IS FROM NEW MEXICO.

YOU SEE WHERE I AM GOING?

IT IS A DIFFICULTY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Eric: WELL, I HAVEN'T HEARD  THAT NEW MEXICO CREWS ARE A BUNCH OF YAHOOS BUT I WANT TO  GET BACK TO BOTH WHAT REBECCA AND TOM SAID.

LOOK, WE BUILT THIS INDUSTRY FROM SCRATCH WITH PUBLIC  DOLLARS.

LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.

THERE IS HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN INVESTMENT IN  THIS INDUSTRY THAT WE BUILT FROM SCRATCH.

SO, I THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL THAT IN ADDITION TO  SUPPORTING INDUSTRY TO MAKING SURE IT IS SAFE, WORKPLACES  ARE SAFE, IT IS INCUMBENT ON US TO SAY, LOOK, WE ARE GOING  TO CONTINUE TO MAKE NEW MEXICO A HOSPITABLE PLACE FOR FILM  AND WE ARE GOING EXPECT THESE FOLKS GETTING THESE MASSIVE  SUBSIDIES ARE ADHERING TO THE HIGHEST STANDARD FOR THEIR  WORKFORCE.

I ACTUALLY THINK IT IS A  MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR POLITICAL LEADERS TO SAY,  WELL, LET'S NOT DO ANYTHING TO SCARE THEM OFF, BECAUSE, YOU  KNOW, OF THE 2 OR 300 MILLION WE INVESTED SO FAR IS NOT  WORTH IT.

SO, I THINK THIS IS A MOMENT  FOR NOT JUST NEW MEXICO CREWS BECAUSE WE HAVE ALSO WORKED  HARD TO BUILD NEW MEXICO CREWS.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH CREWS BEFORE.

WE INVESTED A TON OF MONEY AT CNM AND OTHER PLACES TO BUILD  THAT SO WE HAVE A REPUTATION NOW FOR HAVING SOME PRETTY  SOLID CREWS.

I DON'T THINK THAT IS GOING TO  SPILL OVER ON TO THE INDIVIDUAL NEW MEXICANS.

I THINK IT IS REALLY GOING TO BE, HONESTLY, ABOUT THE  PRODUCTION.

ARE YOU GOING TO DO A BETTER  JOB OF MAKING SURE THESE PRODUCTIONS ARE SAFE,  INCLUDING FOLKS LIKE ALEC BALDWIN WHO IS THE PRODUCER OF  THIS SHOW.

I THINK EVEN THOUGH HE DOESN'T  HAVE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, THAT IT IS NOT HIS FAULT WHAT  HAPPENED WITH THE GUN, BUT HE IS IN CHARGE THE ALL OVERALL  PRODUCTION AND THE FOLKS IN CHARGE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB  OF HOLDING EVERYBODY ACCOUNTABLE, INCLUDING WHO  THEY HIRE, INCLUDING HOW WEAPONS ARE HANDLED ON THE  SET, INCLUDING HOW THEY VET PEOPLE.

THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS THAT WENT WRONG IN THIS PARTICULAR  CASE.

Gene: GOOD POINTS THERE.

REBECCA, DO YOU THINK THIS INVESTIGATION, ESPECIALLY,  WILL IMPACT THE RATIFICATION FOR THAT NEW AGREEMENT I  MENTIONED EARLIER WITH THE BELOW THE LINE FILMMAKERS.

MIGHT THIS SITUATION PUT THAT IN JEOPARDY?

Rebecca: I AM NOT VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS  AND HOW THOSE WORKERS -- I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE  SITUATION BUT I WOULD SAY THIS  CERTAINLY JUST MAKES THEIR POINT.

IF THEY ARE CONCERNED OR, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT ON  THIS PARTICULAR SET ABOUT THE CONCERN OVER SAFETY AND THE  CORNERS BEING CUT AND HOW THESE WORKERS WALKED OFF THE  SET BECAUSE THEY NEEDED TO MAKE THEIR POINT VERY CLEAR TO  BE SAFE.

WE ALL KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU  CAN, THERE IS THAT TRIANGLE, IT CAN BE FAST AND CHEAP BUT  IT WON'T BE GOOD.

IT CAN BE GOOD AND FAST BUT IT  WON'T BE CHEAP.

THEY WERE TRYING TO MAKE  SOMETHING FAST AND CHEAP AND THEN THE CENTERS AREN'T GOOD.

SO I THINK THIS REALLY KIND OF PLAYS TO THAT POINT.

WE ALL HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF PROTECTING THIS PUBLIC  INDUSTRY, THIS PUBLIC INVESTMENT.

WE HAVE GOT TO PROTECT IT AND THEN REALLY JUST HEAR THOSE  CONCERNS AND THEN DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO HELP FIND A GOOD  COMPROMISE.

Gene: WE'LL HAVE MORE ON  THE FALLOUT FROM THE TRAGEDY ON THE RUST SET ON OUR  FACEBOOK PAGE INCLUDING A DISCUSSION ON LIABILITIES AND  ACCOUNTABILITY WITH UNM PROFESSOR SHERRI BURR.

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO GIVE THAT A WATCH IF YOU HAVEN'T  ALREADY.

NOW TO OUR SECOND SPEAKER  TONIGHT ON THE ALBUQUERQUE STADIUM BOND MEASURE.

THE ISSUE HAS BROUGHT ABOUT SOME STRONG OPINIONS AND FOR  PEOPLE LIVING IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THE STADIUM COULD BECOME  BUILT, IT IS PERSONAL.

A GROUP OF THOSE CONCERNED  CITIZENS CAME TOGETHER TO FORM STOP THE STADIUM CAMPAIGN.

THEIR INTENTIONS ARE SELF EXPLANATORY CENTERED AROUND  THE FEAR A NEW STADIUM COULD TURN THEIR HOME INTO A PLACE  THEY NO LONGER RECOGNIZE.

Malczynski: HI, I AM  RAMONA MALCZYNSKI.

I GREW UP IN ALBUQUERQUE AND I  AM A GRADUATE STUDENT AND TEACHER ASSISTANT AT THE  UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO.

ON SATURDAY I VOTED AGAINST  THE STADIUM BONDS AND I URGE ALL ALBUQUERQUE VOTERS TO DO  THE SAME.

MILLIONAIRE TEAM OWNERS AND  DEVELOPERS WOULD PROFIT FROM THE PROPOSED STADIUM AND THE  PUBLIC WOULD GET DECADES OF DEBT.

MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN ALBUQUERQUE THINK WE HAVE  OTHER PRIORITIES.

ON ONE SIDE ARE MILLIONAIRES  SPENDING HUGE SUMS OF MONEY TO TRICK THE PUBLIC WITH  ADVERTISING.

ON THE OTHER SIDE ARE  VOLUNTEERS, WORKING CLASS RESIDENTS LIKE ME FIGHTING  GENTRIFICATION.

THIS IS DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH.

SO FAR, TEAM OWNERS HAVE SPENT NEARLY ONE MILLION DOLLARS ON  ADS TO TRICK US.

THEY SPENT 330,000 IN JUST 10  DAYS IN OCTOBER.

SELLING THE STADIUM AS A TOOL  FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL REVITALIZATION, HOWEVER,  VIRTUALLY ALL STUDIES OF THE IMPACTS OF PUBLIC FUNDED  STADIUMS SHOW THAT STADIUMS HAVE LITTLE TO NO POSITIVE  IMPACT ON LOCAL ECONOMIES.

ON THE OTHER HAND, STADIUMS  DRASTICALLY INCREASE RENT AND PROPERTY TAXES, NOT JUST IN  THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS BUT IN THE ENTIRE CITY.

SPORTS STADIUMS LIKE THESE ARE A TOOL FOR GENTRIFICATION,  PUSHING OUT LONG-TERM, WORKING CLASS RESIDENTS SO REAL ESTATE  DEVELOPERS AND TEAM OWNERS CAN PROFIT.

WE DO NOT WANT THAT TO HAPPEN IN ALBUQUERQUE'S HISTORIC  NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE KNOW THAT THE WAY TO  IMPROVE OUR CITY IS THROUGH MORE FUNDING FOR EDUCATION,  AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES THAT WOULD  ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, CHILD WELFARE, HUNGER AND CRIMES OF  POVERTY AT THEIR ROOTS.

NO MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT ON A  SPORTS STADIUM WHEN ANY ALBUQUERQUE RESIDENT FACES  POVERTY, HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS.

WE NEED THOSE 50 MILLION-DOLLARS SPENT ON  HELPING OUR NEIGHBORS NOW, NOT TIED UP IN BUILDING A STADIUM.

PLUS, WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE ANYONE PUSHED OUT OF THEIR  HOMES.

WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WILL  HAPPEN BECAUSE THERE IS A STATE-WIDE PROHIBITION ON  LOCAL RENT CONTROL AND THOUSANDS ARE FACING EVICTIONS  DUE TO THE ECONOMIC CRISIS CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC.

DESPITE THE LIES OF THOSE BEHIND THE STADIUM PROPOSAL  EVEN A COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT DOES NOT PROTECT  ALBUQUERQUE RESIDENTS FROM GENTRIFICATION.

THE CITIES CBA LAWYER JULIAN GROSS STATED IN A VIRTUAL TOWN  HALL THAT CBA'S DO NOT STOP GENTRIFICATION AND  DISPLACEMENT.

IN ADDITION OUR TAX DOLLARS  WOULD BE USED TO PAY THIS 50 MILLION LOAN BUT WHILE THE  CITY WOULD OWN THE STADIUM, THE BINDING LETTERS INTENT  BETWEEN THE CITY AND NEW MEXICO UNITED STATES THAT THE  TEAM WOULD OWN AND CONTROL ALL REVENUES FROM THE STADIUM AND  PAY A FRACTION OF THAT IN RENT.

FINALLY, THE MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS IN ALBUQUERQUE'S  HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS DO NOT WANT THE STADIUM.

THEY DO NOT WANT INCREASED HOUSING COST, TRAFFIC AND  OUTSIDE DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL TRANSFORM NEIGHBORHOODS  FOREVER.

NO MATTER WHERE THE STADIUM  WOULD BE BUILT, THOUGH, WE KNOW THAT IT IS AN ATTEMPT TO  BEGIN TO CHANGE ALBUQUERQUE INTO A CITY FOR THE WEALTHY  AND ELITE.

THIS STADIUM WILL NOT BENEFIT  WORKING PEOPLE AND IS A STEP IN THE DIRECTION OF LOSING  COMMUNITIES THAT DEFINE THE CITY WE LOVE.

ALBUQUERQUE VOTE AGAINST THE STADIUM BONDS.

Rebecca: WE ARE ON TRACK TO LOSE 200 OFFICERS THIS YEAR.

SO OUR ATTRITION RATE IS HIGHER THAN OUR GRADUATION  RATE GETTING FOLKS INTO THE ACADEMY.

IT IS NOT A MONEY ISSUE.

THEY ARE NOT RETIRING BECAUSE  OF MONEY SO BY OFFERING THEM MORE MONEY TO COME BACK, THAT  IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING.

Laura: I AM LAURA PASKUS.

NEW MEXICANS ARE FACING SOME  POTENTIALLY BIG CHANGES WHEN IT COMES TO OUR ELECTRICAL  UTILITY.

THAT IS BECAUSE THERE IS A  MERGER BEING WORKED OUT BETWEEN PNM RESOURCES AND  AVINGRID, THE U.S. SUBSIDIARY OF A SPANISH POWER COMPANY.

HOW THAT WILL PLAY OUT AND WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES MIGHT BE  REMAIN TO BE SEEN.

BUT I CHECKED IN RECENTLY WITH  CAITLIN ANDREWS A REPORTER FOR THE BANGOR DAILY NEWS.

AVINGRID HAS BEEN IN MAINE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE AND THE  COMPANY HAS NOT BEEN WITHOUT CONTROVERSY.

HERE IN NEW MEXICO THERE IS A PLANNED MULTI BILLION DOLLAR  MERGER BETWEEN PNM RESOURCES AND AVINGRID.

PNM HAS OPERATED AS A MONOPOLY THE STATE'S ELECTRICAL  UTILITIES FOR DECADES AND AVINGRID IS A U.S. BASED  SUBSIDIARY OF A SPANISH POWER COMPANY.

THIS IS ALL STILL PLAYING OUT HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

IN MAINE IN 2008 AVINGRID BOUGHT CENTRAL MAINE POWER.

WHEN THE COMPANY WAS COMING TO MAINE WHAT ARE SOME OF THE  THINGS THAT THEY PROMISED AND WHAT HAVE PEOPLE SEEN HAPPEN  OVER THE PAST 14 YEARS?

Andrews: I SHOULD SAY TO  START THE WAY IT ACTUALLY CAME ABOUT, WAS IBERDROLA BOUGHT  ENERGY EAST WHICH CENTRAL MAINE POWER WHICH WAS A  SUBSIDIARY 2008 AND THEN IN 2015 IBERDROLA BOUGHT THIS  OTHER COMPANY CALLED UIL HOLDINGS.

THEY MERGED THEM TOGETHER AND CREATED AVINGRID.

SO, AVINGRID WAS BIRTHED IN 2015 AND CMP ENDED UP BEING  SOMETHING UNDERNEATH THAT.

I BELIEVE THE IDEA OF MERGING  THEM TOGETHER WOULD CREATE MORE RELIABILITY, CREATE MORE  DEPENDABLE CUSTOMER SERVICES AND IT WOULD CREATE A STRONGER  UTILITY ALTOGETHER.

SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT  HAVE COME UP SINCE THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN MAKE THE  ARGUMENT, WELL, AT LEAST THE STATE FOUND VERY RECENTLY  COULD HAVE STRONG FROM THE AVINGRID MERGER.

THEY RELEASED A AUDIT THAT HAS BEEN THREE YEARS IN THE MAKING  WITH LIBERTY CONSULTING GROUP THIS YEAR THAT FOUND AVINGRID  ITSELF IS NOT A BAD COMPANY BUT IT HAS STRUGGLED SINCE THE  MERGER TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE, LARGELY  BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN CUTTING OR LIMITING SOME OF ITS RESOURCES  TO MEETS ITS EARNINGS EXPECTATIONS.

THE CHALLENGES IT CREATED THAT HAPPENED FROM THAT WAS THAT IT  CREATED STAFFING FLUCTUATIONS, WITH STAFF SOMETIMES BEING CUT  AND SOMETIMES RESTORED, WHICH CREATED AN UNEVEN EXPECTATION  OF CUSTOMER SERVICE RELIABILITY.

THAT INVESTIGATION REALLY SPRANG OUT OF A SCANDAL THAT  CAME OUT IN OCTOBER OF 2017 WHEN THERE WAS A LOCAL STORM  WHERE SOME PEOPLE LOST POWER FOR AT LEAST A WEEK AND  RECEIVED HIGH BILLS AFTERWARDS.

WHICH, LATER LED TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION IN MAINE  FINDING THAT CMP NEEDED TO ACCOMMODATE ITS CUSTOMERS FOR  BILLING THEM WHEN THEY EXPERIENCE HIGH OUTAGES.

Laura: RECENTLY REPRESENTATIVE SETH BERRY, A  MAINE LAWMAKER, HE WROTE AN OP ED THAT WAS CIRCULATED PRETTY  WIDELY HERE IN NEW MEXICO WARNING THE STATE AGAINST THE  MERGER.

IS THE COMPANY THIS UNPOPULAR  IN MAINE?

Andrews: CERTAINLY, I THINK ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT  AVINGRID IS REALLY A REFLECTION OF CMP.

THAT IS A LOCAL UTILITY, ONE MORE PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH.

YOU SEE AVINGRID COMING UP IN THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE  NEW ENGLAND CLEAN ENERGY CONNECT WHICH IS A HYDROPOWER  CORRIDOR THAT IS GOING TO BRING HYDROPOWER ELECTRICITY  DOWN THROUGH MAINE INTO MASSACHUSETTS AND ALSO INTO  THE REGIONAL GRID BUT IT IS HAPPENING TO FULFILL A BIG  MASSACHUSETTS ATTEMPT TO FILL ITS RENEWABLE ENERGY GOALS.

SO, WHEN PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT AVINGRID, THEY ARE  USUALLY TALKING ABOUT IT THROUGH THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE  CORRIDOR ABOUT HOW THIS COMPANY DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE  MAINE CUSTOMERS BECAUSE THEY ARE SUCH A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF  EARNINGS OVERALL.

THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THEY ARE  GOING TO HAVE YOUR BEST INTERESTS IN MIND WHEN IT  COMES TO THIS.

Laura: SO, ONE OF THE  THINGS THAT REPRESENTATIVE BERRY WROTE ABOUT IN HIS SORT  OF WARNING TO NEW MEXICANS, HE MENTIONED THAT THERE IS A BILL  THAT THE MAINE LEGISLATURE PASSED TO REVOKE AVINGRID'S  MONOPOLY AND REPLACE CENTRAL MAINE CENTRAL POWER WITH A  NONPROFIT CONSUMER-OWNED UTILITY.

HE ALSO WROTE THAT THE BILL IS SUPPORTED BY 75% OF MAINERS  AND THAT IF IT BECAME LAW, IT WOULD SAVE RATE PAYORS NINE  BILLION DOLLARS IN THE FIRST 30 YEARS AND ACCELERATE THIS  STATE'S TRANSITION TO RENEWABLE ENERGY.

BASED ON YOUR REPORTING, IS THIS ACCURATE INFORMATION?

IS THIS AN ACCURATE ASSESSMENT?

Andrews: WELL, I CAN'T QUITE SPEAK TO HOW, I GUESS,  WIDESPREAD FAVORABILITY IS FOR THE CONCEPT OF CONSUMER-OWNED  UTILITIES.

I ACTUALLY WOULD SAY THAT I  DON'T KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD KNOW WHAT IT  WOULD DO BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE WAS A STUDY THAT CAME  OUT THAT IF A CONSUMER-OWNED UTILITY HAPPENED WHICH IN  MAINE THE CONCEPT HERE IS THAT IT WOULD CREATE A NONPROFIT  THAT WOULD THEN GO TO BOND IN ORDER TO BUY OUT CMP AND  VERSANT POWER WHICH ARE THE TWO BIGGEST UTILITY COMPANIES  IN THE STATE.

THERE IS A LOT OF QUESTIONS  ABOUT WHETHER THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SELL.

THERE IS ACTUALLY A COMPETING REFERENDUM TRYING TO STOP  THAT, BUT THERE WAS A STUDY THAT CAME OUT THAT INITIALLY  RATES WOULD INCREASE FOR THE FIRST FEW YEARS BUT THEN  EVENTUALLY THE CUSTOMERS WOULD SEE POSSIBLE RATE DECREASES  OVER TIME.

Laura: HERE IN NEW MEXICO,  PNM RESOURCES IS LIKE A POLITICAL POWERHOUSE.

YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF INFLUENCE IN THE  LEGISLATURE AND OVER STATE GOVERNMENT.

I AM CURIOUS IN TERMS OF POLITICAL INFLUENCE KIND OF  WHAT THE SITUATION IS WITH CMP  AND AVINGRID IN MAINE?

Andrews: WELL, CERTAINLY,  CMP AND AVINGRID HAVE NOT BEEN SHY ABOUT FLEXING SOME  POLITICAL MONEY AROUND THIS REFERENDUM.

THE REFERENDUM SPENDING ALTOGETHER IS BETWEEN THIS ONE  AND FIRST ONE THAT WAS STRUCK DOWN FOR CONSTITUTIONAL  PURPOSES IS OVER 62 MILLION AND WITHIN THIS QUARTER ALONE,  AVINGRID SPENT 8.7 MILLION TO CLEAN ENERGY MATTERS.

THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF SPENDING ON LIKE ADS AND  MAILERS AND YOU CAN MAKE ARGUMENT ABOUT HOW USEFUL  THOSE CAN BE IN A POLITICAL SEASON BUT IT IS CERTAINLY  WAYS THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO FLEX THEIR POLITICAL FORCES.

THEY HAVE VERY POWERFUL INFLUENCE IN AUGUSTA.

THEY HAVE SOME OF THE MOST HIGH PAID LOBBYING FIRMS THAT  WORK TO DEFEAT THE CONSUMER-OWNED UTILITY BILL.

I CANNOT SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO SOME OF THE OTHER BILLS BUT  THAT ONE THEY WERE DEFINITELY HAVING SOME PRESENCE ON.

Laura: I AM CURIOUS, WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU THINK THAT  PEOPLE SHOULD BE ASKING AVINGRID RIGHT NOW TO HOLD THE  COMPANY ACCOUNTABLE IF THE MERGER GOES THROUGH AND INTO  THE FUTURE?

Andrews: ONE OF THE THINGS  THAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME IS THAT AUDIT LIBERTY CONSULTING  GROUP WHEN THEY REALLY EXPLAINED HOW   BIG AVINGRID IS, YOU KNOW.

IT SAID THAT ITS FORCE, WHICH MEANS WORKFORCE, HAS RECEIVED  35,000 COMPARED TO CMT WHICH HAS JUST OVER 900 PEOPLE.

MADE A NOTE THAT SAYING THAT MAINE COMPRISES ABOUT 20% OF  U.S. UTILITIES OPERATIONS BUT JUST 2% OF OVERALL UTILITY  CUSTOMERS.

IF I AM IN NEW MEXICO, I WOULD  ASK AVINGRID, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GUARANTEE THAT YOU  UNDERSTAND OUR SPECIFIC ENERGY NEEDS, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR  UTILITY NEEDS ARE.

WHO ARE YOU GOING TO WORK  WITH, YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS AN UNSATISFACTORY CUSTOMER  SERVICE, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TRY TO DO TO MAKE THAT BETTER,  HOW WELL IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT NEW MEXICO CUSTOMERS  NEED?

Laura: WELL, CAITLIN  ANDERSON, I REALLY APPRECIATED READING YOUR COVERAGE OF  UTILITY IN MAINE AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING ON NEW  MEXICO FOCUS TODAY.

THANKS.

Andrews: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

Greene: WITH SO MANY  DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES ON THE STADIUM BONDS ISSUE, SOME CITY  COUNCILORS HAVE HAD TO SHIFT THEIR POSITIONS AFTER HEARING  FROM THE PEOPLE THEY REPRESENT.

ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCILOR BROOK BASSAN JOINS US NOW TO  EXPLAIN THE DECISION VOTERS WILL MAKE AND HOW HER STANCE  HAS CHANGED AFTER HER CONSTITUENTS MADE THEIR  OPINIONS KNOWN.

Bassan: MY NAME IS BROOK  BASSAN AND I AM AN ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCILOR FOR DISTRICT 4  NEAR THE NORTHEAST HEIGHTS.

I AGREED TO CO-SPONSOR THE  LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWED VOTERS TO DECIDE IF THEY WOULD  LIKE TO SEE THE CITY USE 50 MILLION DOLLARS OF GROSS  RECEIPTS TAX REVENUE BONDS TO HELP BUILD A SOCCER STADIUM IN  ALBUQUERQUE.

THE STADIUM WOULD BE HOME TO  NEW MEXICO UNITED AND POTENTIAL HOME FOR OTHER TEAMS  DOWN THE LINE.

IT IS SAID IT WOULD REVITALIZE  ALBUQUERQUE AND OFFER A PLACE FOR FAMILIES AND RESIDENTS TO  GATHER IN SUPPORT OF A TEAM WHOSE GOAL IS GREATER THAN  JUST A GAME.

UNITED REPRESENTS IDEALS OF  SUPPORT, KINDNESS, SPORTSMANSHIP OF ALL LEVELS  AND A TRUE UNITY OF ALL PEOPLE.

SURPRISINGLY CONSTITUENTS WERE VERY VOCAL OF THEIR LACK OF  SUPPORT ABOUT PLACING THIS QUESTION ON THE BALLOT.

A MASSIVE MAJORITY OF PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS EXPRESSED  CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WAS BEING PROPOSED.

NOT ONLY DID PEOPLE INDICATE THEY WERE OPPOSED TO BUILDING  A MOSTLY PUBLICALLY FINANCED STADIUM BUT PRECISE IN  COMMUNICATING THEY DIDN'T EVEN WANT IT TO BE A VOTE FOR THEM  TO CHOOSE.

I THOUGHT SOMETHING THE SIZE  OF A 50 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT WOULD BE BEST VOTED ON BY THE  PUBLIC.

MOST OF MY CONSTITUENTS TOLD  ME THEY ELECTED ME TO MAKE THIS DECISION FOR THEM.

FOR THAT REASON, I ENDED UP VOTING AGAINST PLACING THE  QUESTION ON THE BALLOT.

IT ENDED UP PASSING THE CITY  COUNCIL ON 7-2 VOTE.

THERE ARE PROS AND CONS TO  BUILDING A NEW SOCCER STADIUM.

ON ONE HAND IT WOULD  REVITALIZE PART OF THE CITY, OFFER JOBS, ECONOMIC BUSINESS  SUPPORT AND ECONOMIC STIMULATION AND SOMEWHERE FOR  YOUTH AND FAMILIES TO ENGAGE IN A POSITIVE ACTIVITY  TOGETHER.

IT WOULD BE FUN, ENERGIC AND  INVIGORATING AND IT WILL NOT RAISE TAXES.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IT MIGHT GENTRIFY NEIGHBORHOODS.

THE JOB MAY ONLY BE TEMPORARY OR SEASONAL AND ATTENDANCE  MIGHT NOT FILL THE REQUESTED AMOUNT OF SEATING AS GAMES AT  THEIR CURRENT LOCATION ARE RARELY FULL.

THIS MAY LEAD TO LESS REVENUE THAN PLANNED, DESIRED OR  NECESSARY FOR SUSTAINABILITY.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, THERE ARE  MANY OTHER PROJECTS THROUGHOUT ALL OF ALBUQUERQUE THAT ARE  CURRENTLY PLANNED OR BEING BUILT IN PHASES DUE TO A LACK  OF FUNDING.

REFINANCING OF THESE BONDS  COULD BE USED INSTEAD TO FINISH MANY OF THESE IN THE  PIPELINE.

ALSO, THE OVERWHELMING  PRIORITY OF OUR CITY IS CLEARLY A CONCERN ABOUT THE  REDUCTION OF CRIME AND WHAT TO DO TO HELP THE UNHOUSED.

HOW MIGHT A NEW STADIUM ASSIST WITH THIS?

SO, NOW IT IS IN THE HANDS OF VOTERS TO DECIDE WHAT IS IN  THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE OVERALL COMMUNITY.

EARLY VOTING IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AND ELECTION DAY IS  NOVEMBER 2.

VOTER REGISTRATION CAN OCCUR  AT MOST, IF NOT ALL, VOTING SITES.

AMONG MANY OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ON THE BALLOT,  EVERYONE AGE 18 AND ABOVE IN ALBUQUERQUE SHOULD GO VOTE TO  DECIDE IF BUILDING A NEW SOCCER STADIUM IS A PRIORITY  FOR THEM.

Gene:   COULD NEW MEXICO RETURN TO THE WORLD OF DOUBLE  DIPPING TO COMBAT THE ONGOING CRIME CRISIS?

RETIRED OFFICER AND CURRENT STATE REPRESENTATIVE BILL REHM  HOPES SO.

HE SAYS HE IS WORKING ON  LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ALLOW RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT  OFFICERS TO RETURN TO THE WORKFORCE WHILE STILL  COLLECTING PENSION BENEFITS AS WELL.

HENCE THE TERM DOUBLE DIPPING.

ERIC, THERE WOULD BE  CONDITIONS UNDER MR. REHM'S PROPOSAL INCLUDING A SIX-MONTH  WAITING PERIOD BEFORE THE OFFICERS CAN RETURN TO THE  WORKFORCE.

AND INCENTIVES TO HOLD OFF ON  COLLECTING PENSION WHILE RETURNING TO WORK.

WE KNOW THAT CRIME IS A CONCERN STATE-WIDE, BUT IS  THIS THE SOLUTION IN YOUR MIND, UNDERSTANDING I KNOW YOU  ARE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME AROUND WHEN  WE GOT RID OF DOUBLE DIPPING.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE HERE?

Eric: BAD IDEA.

LET ME TELL YOU THE THREE  THINGS THAT WE COULD DO.

THE CITY IS ALREADY DOING.

APD IS OFFERING $10,000 SIGN-ON BONUSES FOR NEW  OFFICERS.

YOU WANT TO GET SOME NEW FOLKS  WHO AREN'T STEEPED IN THE DYSFUNCTIONAL CULTURE OF APD  AND A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM A REASON TO  JOIN UP.

I THINK IT IS LIKE TEACHERS,  PART OF THE REAL DIFFERENCE IF THEY HAVE A FAMILY, RIGHT?

THE SECOND THING IS BOTH SANTA FE AND ALBUQUERQUE ARE DOING  COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENTS.

ALBUQUERQUE IS REALLY GETTING  OFF THE GROUND, TO REALLY TAKE SOME OF THE DEMAND FOR POLICE  TIME, FOR PERSON HOURS OF POLICE, ON THESE MENTAL HEALTH  AND ADDICTION AND SORT OF LIKE THESE KIND OF CALLS THAT  REALLY COULD BE TAKEN BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN A UNIFORMED  OFFICERS.

THAT IS THE SECOND THING WE  SHOULD DOUBLE DOWN ON FOR THE CITY AND THEN THE THIRD THING  WHICH I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT, WE HAVEN'T TALK  ABOUT A LOT ABOUT THERE ARE FOLKS WHO HAVE THIS GREAT IDEA  OF STARTING TO, WHETHER IT IS A CHARTER SCHOOL OR SOME KIND  OF TRAINING SCHOOL, TO CHANGE THE CULTURE AND START GETTING  YOUNGER KIDS INTERESTED IN BECOMING, ENTERING PUBLIC  SAFETY FROM A MUCH MORE HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT?

NOT JUST THE KIDS WHO ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A POLICE OFFICER  AND HAVE A GUN BUT THE FOLKS WHO ARE THINKING, DO I DO  TEACHING, DO I DO MILITARY.

LIKE GIVE THEM A REASON AND  PLACE WHERE THEY CAN LEARN COMMUNITY SKILLS, SOCIAL WORK  BUT ALSO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ALSO ETHICS AND ALL THESE  OTHER THINGS THAT YOU COULD LEARN SO YOU CREATE A  PIPELINE.

IF YOU DO THOSE THREE THINGS,  BONUSES, SIGN-ON BONUSES, EXPANDING DEPARTMENTS TO TAKE  SOME OF THE WORKLOAD OFF THE OFFICERS AND THEN IF WE START  TO CREATE A PIPELINE, I THINK THAT IS I THE MUCH BETTER  SOLUTION THAN ASKING OLD TIMERS TO COME BACK AND, HEY,  WE'LL MAKE IT WORTH YOUR WHILE, YOU CAN COLLECT THIS  PENSION AND THEN YOU'RE BOUNCING A LOT OF YOUNG  PEOPLE.

IT IS DEMORALIZING FOR THE  DEPARTMENT AND I DON'T THINK IT CHANGES THE CULTURE OF  THESE DEPARTMENTS.

THE PROBLEM IS, AND I SAY THIS  AS AN OLD GUY, THESE OLD TIMERS, YOU KNOW, WE ARE KIND  OF SET IN OUR WAYS IF WE WERE SOCIALIZED IN ONE OF THOSE OLD  DEPARTMENTS WHERE IT WAS PERHAPS NOT THE MOST  PROGRESSIVE WAY TO DO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THAT IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO GET IF WE BRING THESE OLD  TIMERS BACK.

Gene: I APPRECIATE THAT SO  MUCH.

IT WAS MY VERY FIRST THOUGHT.

I MEAN, THE OLDER GUYS COMING BACK IN, TELLING THESE YOUNGER  GUYS HOW AND WHAT SHOULD BE DONE, ALL THAT KIND OF THING,  IT IS JUST HOW PEOPLE ARE.

REBECCA, JUST A QUICK QUESTION  ON THIS AND ANOTHER THING GOING BACK TO DOUBLE DIPPING.

IS THIS A WHITE FLAG?

LIKE ERIC SAID, THERE IS A LOT  OF THINGS WE CAN DO.

WHY DO WE HAVE TO TAKE THIS  GIANT LEAP BACK TO PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING A DIFFERENT LIFE,  BASICALLY, AT THIS POINT?

Rebecca: WELL, IF YOU WOULD  HAVE ASKED ME HOW I FELT ABOUT DOUBLE DIPPING PROBABLY A  MONTH AGO I WOULD HAVE SAID WE ARE AT THE POINT WHERE, LIKE,  ANY MEANS NECESSARY, BY ALL MEANS NECESSARY, LET'S GET  MORE COPS.

I AM A HUGE FAN OF OUR POLICE.

I AM SAD TO READ IN THE JOURNAL THAT MOST OF US ARE  FANS AND WE DO FEEL LIKE THEY ARE DOING A GOOD JOB.

WHETHER WE FELL SAFE OR NOT SAFE, NO MATTER WHO IT IS WE  ARE VOTING FOR, PEOPLE SEEM TO BE GENERALLY ALIGNED THAT OUR  POLICE ARE DOING A GOOD JOB.

THE THING IS THAT THEY ARE  NOT -- I THINK WE WILL COME CLOSE TO 200 OFFICERS WHO  LEAVE THE FORCE THIS YEAR FROM APD AND I DO WANT TO  REITERATE, THIS IS AN ALBUQUERQUE ISSUE.

NEW MEXICO IS NOT UNDERSTAFFED IN POLICING.

NO OTHER FORCE.

THIS IS AN ALBUQUERQUE ISSUE.

BUT, WE ARE ON TRACK TO LOSE CLOSE TO 200 OFFICERS THIS  YEAR, SO, OUR ATTRITION RATE IS HIGHER THAN OUR GRADUATION  RATE GETTING FOLKS INTO THE ACADEMY.

IT IS NOT A MONEY ISSUE.

THEY ARE NOT RETIRING BECAUSE  OF MONEY.

SO BY OFFERING THEM MORE MONEY  TO COME BACK, THAT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING.

IF WE PASS THIS LEGISLATION, WE WILL ALL WALK AWAY AND PAT  OURSELVES ON THE BACK AND SAY, GOOD JOB, ALBUQUERQUE, BUT IT  IS NOT GOING MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

ALSO BRINGING THEM BACK, THEY DON'T COME BACK AS BEAT COPS.

THEY RETIRE AND THEY WANT TO COME BACK INTO WHAT THEY WERE  DOING AND MAKE MORE MONEY TO DO IT.

NOT THAT THEY DON'T DESERVE SOME MORE MONEY, IT IS THAT  NOW WE ARE DISTANCING PROVIDING YOUNGER OFFICERS  BECAUSE YOU'RE LIMITING THEIR CAREER PATH.

YOU ARE LIMITING WHERE THEY CAN GO.

I RESPECT REPRESENTATIVE REHM FOR THROWING SOMETHING OUT  THERE, BUT, REALLY, BECAUSE THIS IS AN ALBUQUERQUE ISSUE,  I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO TAKE IT TO THE LEGISLATURE.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT IS CAUSING THE CULTURE AT THE  CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE TO MAKE THEM WANT TO RETIRE SO SOON.

Gene: THE GOVERNOR WON'T SAY WHETHER OR NOT SHE  SUPPORTS THIS IDEA AND SHE HAS CONTROL OVER WHAT ISSUES CAN  BE ADDED TO THE CALL, OF COURSE, DURING THIS 30 DAYS  COMING UP.

DO YOU THINK THIS MEASURE WILL  MAKE HER CALL?

Tom: IT HAS POTENTIAL.

FROM AN OPTICS PERSPECTIVE IT HAS A LOT OF CURB APPEAL.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL GET A LOT OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT  PUBLIC SAFETY AND SPECIFICALLY IN ALBUQUERQUE.

SO, I THINK IT DOES HAVE A LOT OF CURB APPEAL.

WHETHER OR NOT IT MAKES CALL IS A WHOLE OTHER ISSUE.

PLAYING OFF WHAT I HEARD BOTH REBECCA AND ERIC SAYING, IF  PEOPLE WANT TO RETURN TO THE FORCE, LET'S PROVIDE A MEANS  FOR THEM TO RETURN TO THE FORCE BECAUSE GRANTED, WILL  THEY WANT TO RETURN IS THE WHOLE OTHER ISSUE, BECAUSE IF  THEY HAVE ALREADY RETIRED EARLY FROM SOMETHING OVER A  PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUE, NOT A MONEY ISSUE, WHAT HAS CHANGED  PHILOSOPHICALLY THAT WILL GET THEM TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT,  MAYBE I WILL RETURN TO THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT,  MAYBE I WILL RETURN TO X, OR Y  OR Z.

OR THE THING IS I LIKE IT  BECAUSE IT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INSTITUTIONAL  KNOWLEDGE TO COME BACK INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

YOU KNOW, WITH A LOT OF NEW RECRUITS, A LOT OF NEW  OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, WHICH ARE ALL VERY WELL TRAINED, I THINK  THAT SOMETIMES HAVING SOMEBODY WHO HAS THAT INSTITUTIONAL  KNOWLEDGE COME BACK AND SHARE INSIGHTS, I THINK THAT IS A  GOOD THING.

BUT HAVING A PROCESS, I DON'T  THINK WE ARE HURT AS A RESULT OF HAVING A PROCESS TO PROVIDE  A PATHWAY TO ALLOW SOME OF THE OFFICERS WHO WANT TO RETURN,  TO RETURN.

Gene: ERIC, THE POLICE  UNION SPOKESPERSON HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE HAS COME OUT  AGAINST THE PLAN SAYING RETIRED OFFICERS RE-ENTER  WORKFORCE AT HIGHER LEVELS, AS REBECCA MENTIONED, THEREFORE  STUNTING THE CAREER PROGRESS OF YOUNGER OFFICERS BUT  SUPPORTERS SAY THE IDEA, WITHOUT A MOVE LIKE THIS, WILL  HAVE TO GO OUT OF STATE EVEN MORE TO FIND MORE OFFICERS TO  FILL POSITIONS.

THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE  ABOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT TOM MENTIONED WON'T BE HAD WITH  PEOPLE COMING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE, WHERE THE POLICE UNION IS COMING  FROM?

Eric: NO, BUT I GENERALLY  HAVE A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING WHERE SHAUN SEAN WILLOUGHBY IS  COMING FROM MOST OF THE TIME BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT I AGREE  WITH HIM, WHICH IS RARE, THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE SOME  OPPORTUNITIES.

THIS IS A TOUGH JOB, RIGHT?

ESPECIALLY WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON, SO, IF WE WANT TO  GET OUR BEST AND BRIGHTEST, WE WANT PEOPLE TO MAKE THIS A  CAREER DECISION, THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR  FAMILIES AND FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A CAREER PATH.

I THINK I MIGHT JUST AGREE WITH SHAUN WILLOUGHBY ABOUT  WHETHER THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THE REFORMS THEY ARE  TALKING ABOUT, SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED AND HOW THEY  SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.

HE WOULD LIKE THEM TO GO AWAY.

I THINK WE NEED TO CHANGE THE CULTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT.

BUT IF WE USE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN A LOT  OF NEW FOLKS, DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, YOUNGER FOLKS,  THERE IS PLENTY OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN ALBUQUERQUE AND  AROUND THE STATE WHO WOULD LOVE TO BE IN A VERY SORT OF  ENLIGHTENED POLICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY CAN REALLY HELP THE  COMMUNITY.

THAT IS WHY MOST PEOPLE GO  INTO IT.

THE PEOPLE WHO GO INTO IT TO  SHOOT FOLKS ARE THE PEOPLE WHO CREATE THE BAD REPUTATION FOR  MOST OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, RIGHT?

YOU WANT TO MINIMIZE THE INCENTIVE FOR THOSE FOLKS AND  YOU WANT THE FOLKS WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT THE MILITARY,  THINKING ABOUT TEACHING, ABOUT MAYBE SOCIAL WORK, MAYBE  THINKING ABOUT LIKE, WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP MY COMMUNITY, AND  I AM FROM HERE AND I WANT TO DO THAT IN MY COMMUNITY.

HOW DO WE MAKE THIS A REALLY GOOD DECISION FOR THEM AND  THAT IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT, NOT ABOUT  BRINGING BACK OLD TIMERS, NOT ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE FROM OUT  OF STATE.

I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY  TO REALLY REBUILD THE DEPARTMENT IN A WAY THAT WILL  HELP US OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE HAD FOR,  FRANKLY, A GENERATION.

Gene: THANK YOU ALL FOR  YOUR RESEARCH AND THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS.

THIS WEEK, BE SURE TO LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT ANY  OF THE TOPICS T HE LINE COVERED THIS WEEK ON FACEBOOK,  TWITTER OR INSTAGRAM PAGES.

FINALLY TONIGHT, ALBUQUERQUE  CITY COUNCILOR CYNTHIA BORREGO SHARES HER THOUGHTS ON THE  STADIUM BONDS PROPOSAL SAYING IT IS IN THE HANDS OF THE  VOTERS, AS IT SHOULD BE.

Borrego: GOOD EVENING.

I AM CYNTHIA BORREGO.

I AM THE CITY COUNCIL  PRESIDENT.

I AM ALSO THE CITY COUNCILOR  FOR THE NORTHWEST MESA, DISTRICT 5.

THIS EVENING I AM HERE TO TALK WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT  WHAT IS ON THE BALLOT FOR THE PROPOSED STADIUM.

WHAT IS ON THE BALLOT IS BASICALLY AN INITIATIVE AS TO  WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY MOVES FORWARD ON 50 MILLION-DOLLARS  OF BOND MONEY TO BUILD -- TO INVEST AND BUILD THE STADIUM.

THERE WOULD, OF COURSE, BE A MATCH FROM THE DEVELOPER IF  THAT DOES PASS.

THE BOND FUNDING IS BASICALLY  GROSS RECEIPTS TAX BOND FUNDS AND THOSE ARE SLATED TO BUILD  CAPITAL PROJECTS.

SO, IF THE STADIUM INITIATIVE  IS VOTED DOWN, THEN WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH OTHER TYPES  OF CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT.

IF IT IS VOTED UP, THEN THE  CITY WOULD PROCEED TO LOOK AT WHERE THE STADIUM IS BEST  SUITED AND THERE WAS A STUDY DONE BY THE CITY.

THE CITY IDENTIFIED IN THAT STUDY THREE DIFFERENT AREAS  THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY LOCATED IN THE DOWNTOWN BUT I THINK IT  IS IMPORTANT AS A CITY PLANNER THAT WE HAVE ALL INITIATIVES  ON THE TABLE AND THAT WE LOOK AT ALL AREAS.

THAT WOULD INCLUDE TRAFFIC, PARKING, ACCESS, YOU KNOW,  SOCIOECONOMIC ISSUES AND FRAGILITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP AN EYE ON THIS  REFERENDUM AND DETERMINE  WHETHER OR NOT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH IT OR NOT AND MY  PARTICULAR STANCE ON THIS, BECAUSE I WAS ASKED THE  QUESTION, IS DO I SUPPORT A STADIUM.

I THINK IN THE LONG-TERM AS A CITY PLANNER THIS POSITIONS  ALBUQUERQUE IN PROBABLY A REALLY GOOD PLACE BUT IT IS UP  TO THE VOTERS.

Gene: EARLY VOTING  CONTINUES THROUGH SATURDAY AND ELECTION DAY IS OF COURSE NEXT  TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2.

A REMINDER THAT YOU CAN TAKE  ADVANTAGE OF SAME DAY VOTER REGISTRATION ONLY IN THE EARLY  VOTING PERIOD SO DON'T EXPECT TO WALK UP NEXT TUESDAY WITH  THE IDEA YOU CAN REGISTER AND CAST YOUR BALLOT.

HOWEVER YOU TAKE PART IN THE PROCESS, ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU  TO GET OUT THERE AND MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD.

WE ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TO BID FAREWELL TO SENIOR  PRODUCER MATT GRUBS WHO IS OFF TO HIS NEXT ADVENTURE.

WE ARE SAD TO SEE HIM GO, BUT GLAD HE WILL BE IMPACTING  JOURNALISM IN HIS NEW ROLE AT KOBTV.

MATT HAS BEEN A VALUABLE MEMBER OF THE TEAM FOR THE  LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

WE WILL MISS HIS THOUGHTFUL  APPROACH TO COVERING STORIES SO IMPACTFUL TO THE ENTIRE  STATE.

WE KNOW YOU JOIN US IN WISHING  HIM WELL.

SO, UNTIL NEXT TIME, THANKS  FOR STAYING INFORMED AND ENGAGED.

SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK, IN FOCUS.