Albuquerque's seven mayoral candidates outlined their stances on economic development and the environment during a forum Wednesday at the UNM Continuing Education Center.
About 100 people packed the small conference room for the forum, which was organized by growth watchdog 1000 Friends of New Mexico. The group sponsors statewide forums, conferences and development project analysis in support of what it calls "smart growth."
During 10 minute opening statements, each candidate was supposed to give a brief overview of his plan to balance economic growth with environmental issues, though most strayed from the subject.
Incumbent mayor Jim Baca was the only candidate who said he didn't support the extension of Paseo Del Norte Boulevard through the Petroglyph National Monument, saying it would increase urban sprawl and benefit only out-of-state developers.
"It's symbolic of everything we should not do," he said. "Extending the city west all the way to the Rio Puerco is a recipe for disaster."
Candidate James Lewis agreed with Baca's call for restraint, citing his experience in dealing with unplanned growth as a Rio Rancho city administrator. He stressed the importance of redevelopment in the core of the city.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
"We have to have planned growth," he said.
Candidate Martin Chavez, who was mayor of Albuquerque before Baca, disagreed, calling the organizers "1000 Friends of Jim Baca." He said the group was marginalizing itself as an "anti-growth" organization.
Chavez said the city would have to accept the fact that growth west of the Rio Grande is underway, and will continue. Residents' children accounted for about 60 percent of the city's growth last year and 82 percent of it occurred west of the river, he said.
After asking for a show of hands from those in the crowd who were born in Albuquerque, Chavez said he welcomed those who didn't raise their hands - the majority of participants.
"For all it's problems, people are moving here - the quality of life is high," Chavez said. "We have to talk realistically about growth. I don't think the environment should have to compete with the economy."
Candidate Rick Homans said economic development would help the environment by providing the city with more money to create preserves.
"You can't invest in parks, open space and museums unless you have the resources," he said.
Forum organizers collected audience questions at the start of the event, and a moderator directed them to the candidates.
The question of how each candidate would reconcile West Side growth with water shortages in the area drew a variety of responses.
Homans, Lewis and candidate Bob Schwartz said they supported a regional approach to the West Side water issue - creating small, local sewage treatment plants and assessing the effects of water use on surrounding communities.
Homans said his plan to remove non-native plants from the Bosque would increase the availability of water in the Rio Grande. Schwartz agreed, but said he would support the use of convict labor instead of city money to remove the Russian olives and salt cedar trees from the area.
Baca said the Rio Grande ecosystem should be the first concern before the city starts thinking about using river water to feed West Side development. He called the dwindling silvery minnow population a "canary in a coalmine."
"I know this city will lose its soul if that river dries up," he said.
Candidate Mike McEntee said the city did what was necessary to save the water supply.
"We just need to stay the course," he said.
Another question dealt with the importance of adequate public transportation.
Several of the candidates cited a lack of state and federal funding as the cause for the insufficiency of the city's public transportation system.
"The Legislature is shifting from rural representation," Chavez said. "We need to get in there and flex our muscles to get that money."
Chavez added that a regional transit authority could be founded to help create funding and spread the costs.
Responding to the suggestion by some candidates that the city revisit studies of a proposed commuter train system, candidate Alan Armijo said the bus system needs to be improved to better serve what he called the "working poor" first.
"We can't get people on busses, so how will we get them on light rail?" he said.
