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Albuquerque’s mayoral candidates have turned their attention to higher education in the city.
Incumbent Richard Berry said he worked with UNM officials during his first term to help college students. And he said he aims to continue his efforts in a possible second term.
“Under my leadership, the city of Albuquerque has partnered with the University on key programs,” he said. “The University of New Mexico is a very special place to me. It’s where I graduated … It’s also where I met my beautiful wife, Maria Medina.”
Berry, who graduated from Anderson School of Management with a bachelor’s degree in finance and administration, said his office partnered with the School of Architecture and Planning to establish the ABQ UNM CityLab, a Downtown facility that opened in 2012 that allows UNM students to work on projects with the city.
He said he was also required to “work very closely” with UNM President Robert Frank and with the regents for Innovate ABQ, a research and entrepreneurial business hub that is set to be built in Downtown.
UNM plays a large role in economic development in the city, Berry said.
“For every gain of 1 percent in our population who have a college degree, it is estimated that our city will benefit by over half a billion dollars per year in economic prosperity,” he said. “That’s an impressive statistic, and that is why I will continue to work with UNM to ensure that our partnerships are making a real difference.”
Berry said in the future, he aims to work with state officials to ensure the sustainability of the Lottery Scholarship. He said he also aims to create more jobs for students in the city.
“The creation of more high-paying jobs after graduation is also a key factor in students’ ability to pay for college,” he said. “Through Innovate ABQ and other UNM-city partnerships, we are creating these opportunities right now.”
Mayoral challenger Paul Heh said he thinks Innovate ABQ “provides a lot of specific, finely tuned opportunities for invention and entrepreneurship.” But he said that for further positive outcomes, UNM and the city should have a “brick-and-mortar synergy.”
Still, Heh said that under Berry’s administration, college graduates continued to leave the city after finishing college. Heh said if elected, he would work to keep college graduates in the city by providing more jobs.
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“I think UNM does a great job in producing fine students,” Heh said. “But we need to keep our brightest here and to do that we need opportunities that entice them to stay. I want to have unparalleled network relationships between my administration and UNM.”
Heh said he will also work to improve the quality of education in high schools in Albuquerque.
“High schools are a disaster in general because they are doing a poor job fulfilling their mission,” he said. “The low and nonimproving graduation rates are evidence of this statement. CNM, UNM seem to be great … but what I see and keep finding confirmed is that there are few if any opportunities keeping graduates of those schools here in Albuquerque.”
According to Albuquerque Public Schools’ website, Albuquerque high schools have a four-year graduation rate of 70.1 percent.
And his experience as a police officer will be advantageous to his higher education plans, Heh said.
“With over thirty years first-hand experience as a police officer, I intimately know that people with higher education are not only less likely to get into trouble, but they will be assets to the community,” he said.
But the third and final mayoral candidate, Pete Dinelli, said he aims to rival Berry’s plan with his ENERGIZE ABQ plan.
Dinelli said through ENERGIZE ABQ, there will be an additional 20,000 jobs for students in Albuquerque. He said his plan will also include “educational prosperity zones” that would put emphasis on higher education in the city.
Dinelli said he promises to be a “strong advocate for our area’s higher education institutions with both the Legislature and our federal delegation.” He said he will provide more resources for students to help them pay for college.
“I will also ensure that city hall has the most responsive and efficient constituent service center possible to assist students in accessing information about grants, scholarships and other financial assistance tools,” he said. “I love our community and want to see each and every child succeed and be able to have productive careers right here at home.”
And in order to prevent a “brain-drain” in the city, Dinelli said he aims to attract more businesses to Albuquerque.
“In order to keep future generations here at home we must support local innovators as well as attract new, high-tech industry to create permanent jobs with a future,” he said. “I was born and raised here, have raised my family here and want my kids to have the same opportunities to stay here, grow and raise their own families.”
Dinelli said Berry has failed the city’s students by not creating enough jobs during his term.
“To finally reach our potential and create permanent jobs with a future in Albuquerque, our mayors must be willing to roll up their sleeves,” he said. “Instead of putting forth any plan whatsoever to recover our economy and get peoazzaple working again, our Republican mayor only offers stale political rhetoric and failed policies that don’t create jobs.”
According to am August report by the Albuquerque Journal, the city added 8,800 jobs since July 2012, which accounts for a 1.1 percent increase in job creation in the city. Albuquerque’s unemployment rate is at 6.9 percent.
Early voting for the mayoral election will start Wednesday.
