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The status quo ruled the day Tuesday as Albuquerque kept its mayor seated on the 11th floor and all bonds on the ballot passed.
Re-elected Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry said the bonds’ passage is very advantageous for the city. He said he thanks voters for effecting the total approval.
“That’s good news for a couple of reasons,” he said. “First of all, it creates jobs in the city. The zoo and critical infrastructure improvements, these are all things that improve our daily lives. For the citizens of Albuquerque to make that investment, it’s really important for the future.”
The passage of the bonds allots money to 10 sectors of development in the city. These include developments regarding public transportation, community centers, parks and the city’s zoo.
Berry said he expects to use bonds to support ABQ The Plan, his economic development strategy for the city. He said that through this he aims to develop more bike paths around Albuquerque.
He also said he aims to proceed with renovations of the city’s Route 66, which he says will help Albuquerque neighborhoods economically.
Jerry Evans, an Albuquerque resident and a supporter of Berry, said he voted for the passage of all bonds because Albuquerque needs them desperately.
Evans said the city should use bonds to renovate streets, which “are in bad shape.”
“I think they would set priorities and get the worst things first and work down,” he said. “I fully support Berry because he has done a good job.”
Evangeline Donkersley, an Albuquerque resident who was a supporter of mayoral challenger Pete Dinelli, said she voted for all of the bonds. She said that as a growing city, Albuquerque needs the bonds for further development.
“We’re only a hundred years old,” she said. “Considering that we came from a very poor state, we’re doing alright. If they’re all approved, good for Albuquerque and good for the voters.”
Donkersley said she thinks the city should use the bonds to enhance its public transportation and its sewers. She said she also hopes the city will use them to improve living conditions for senior citizens.
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Still, Albuquerque is a “meticulously clean” city, Donkersley said. And she said she is optimistic that the bonds will help its growth.
“We live in a growing city,” she said. “I can tell you about the Northeast Heights, and it makes me really proud to live in Albuquerque. I think people in Albuquerque are aware of the same things that I am.”
