Berry caught Red-Handed with his Hand in the Cookie Jar;Some would call this Thievery

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 15, 2013

 

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Contact:           Paul Heh   (505) 459-5545

 

Berry Syphon's 45 Million Dollars from APD and creates a Financial Crisis

 

Before Berry took office in late 2009, there were about 950 sworn officers and detectives in APD. This 950 does not include personnel of the rank of sergeant or higher but only those whose primary duties are to respond and investigate crimes and maintain public safety.
 
Upon taking office, Berry essentially froze or reduced the hourly wages of those officers to where they are now which is $25.18/hour. With 950 officers making $25.18/hour the base personnel budget out of APD’s operating costs would be (and was projected to be) around $50 Million. This does not include overtime expenses. However since Berry took office, the population count of these officers has fallen to about 750 which is where it stands today. Therefore, the base personnel budget for this actual number of officers is about $40 Million. So over three years, by the departure of almost 200 officers and detectives, Berry’s city budget has not had to spend close to $30 Million in APD personnel costs as the actual costs fell below the amounts budgeted because of manning level shortfalls.
 
On July 1, 2010, by contract with the city these officers were supposed to get raises to $28/hour.  This would’ve meant an increase of $5.6 Million/year in personnel costs for those 950 officers as their wages jumped by 11.20%. However, as we know Berry breached that contract despite there being tens of millions of dollars available for discretionary expenses that Berry preferred over contractual obligations. Because Berry did not honor this increase in pay, he again departed from budget forecasts and did not have to spend approximately $16.8 Million over the last three years for this pay increase.
 
Because of Berry’s policies, he has diverted over $45 Million away from the police department. But in doing so he has created a personnel crisis. This has not been an accident, this has been by design and these numbers prove it.
 
APD is understaffed and has all but lost its most seasoned and experienced officers. APD’s recruiting effort is hampered by DOJ’s ongoing scrutiny and investigation into the department and its lack of competitiveness with other departments. And by the officer’s own assertion, morale cannot get any lower.
 
However APD’s budget has continued to grow to where it is today: $153 Million. So even with actual personnel costs plummeting because of a 25% reduction in staffing, the department is rife with expensive boutique projects that look great, but accomplish little –especially when you are the person trying to get an officer to respond to an ongoing crime.
 
Berry’s actions like this are not limited to APD, but include all departments staffed by employees working under collective bargaining agreements. From Fire to Solid Waste, Berry has diverted funds from the very employees that make this city great to outside interests wanting the city’s business. Ironically, while RJ Berry promotes his management of the city as being thrifty and consistent with conservative values, he’s been anything but. The funds I describe here have not been “saved,” they’ve been spent elsewhere and a majority being used to pay outside vendors. That’s where all this money has gone. Under RJ Berry APD, for instance, costs 5.5% more to operate now, than it did under Martin Chavez’s last year but with 25% fewer officers.
 
--Paul Heh

THIEVERY

DIS-HONESTY

NO INTEGRITY

ANTI-UNION

Spinning for Dollars

This upcoming Monday night the city council is set to get its budget back complete with a line item veto from the 11th floor (ABQ Journal - Subscription Required). Mayor Marty is peeved because the council decided to fork over $9 MILLION to the county in order to help support the Metropolitan Detention Center. If the vote goes the way it did on the 21st, the mayor's veto will be overridden.

Unfortunately everyone is trying to play politics with this one. Mayor Marty is all over the media claiming that he's "glad the council voted for my tax cut [emphasis added]. Unfortunately, they missed the point. I want to give a tax cut to Albuquerque families immediately. I don't want the City Council to suck out another $9 million from taxpayers" (ABQ Journal - Subscription Required).

Meanwhile the majority of the council is busy trying to have it both ways (voting for a deferred tax cut while giving $9,000,000 to the county) or trying to save face by being able to claim that they at least voted for a tax cut.

At this point it's all rhetoric. Council President O'Malley came out early and linked the tax cut directly to keeping the 1/8 cent gross receipts tax through July 1, 2008 and fell right into Marty's trap.

You may have heard by now that The Almighty One has shall we say, higher ambitions. Yep, the mayor wants to run again for governor. This tax cut move has been rightly characterized by some of our Eyes as a ploy to make him look like a fiscal conservative. We were suspicious of the move from the very beginning. Since Marty took over, the city has out spent inflation by some $125 MILLION (ABQ Journal - Subscription Required).

(Sidebar)
Remember this is the same Marty who wants to dump $240 MILLION into a 19th century streetcar benefiting a few hundred people along Central. Coincidently, that's about the same amount (ABQ Journal - Subscription Required) that it would take to fix the Paseo Del Norte/I-25 interchange that services tens of thousands of vehicles daily. But we digress...
(End Sidebar)

Right now, the mayor is winning the spin war. He's characterized the council as a bunch of fiscal oafs that want to send $9,000,000 to the county - no strings attached, while the valiant Marty battles to give you back your hard earned cash. Meanwhile his arch rival in the last mayoral election, Brad Winter is being attacked on the radio by a group calling itself the Committee for Responsible Budgets for not cutting taxes (which he did... just not January 1, when the mayor originally proposed).

The result is that the mayor will almost certainly look like the good guy no matter what happens Monday night. The only way that we see for the council to turn the table is for them to readdress the tax cut, moving the effective date to January 1, 2008 and then make the $9,000,000 contribution contingent upon excess city revenue that will hopefully be generated by the tax cut.

We really don't believe that the county should be hitting the city up for cash when their budget is light. After all, city residents are still paying for the jail through an increase in county taxes that was equivalent to a decrease in city taxes. In fact, the county should be taking in more revenue than the city for jail operation due to the increase in tax base.

This budget is not all bad. In fact, Councilor Cadigan shot us an email to point out that there's a 3% pay increase included in this budget for police officers. We just believe that our priorities need to be Police, Fire, Infrastructure, Administrative, Amenities. The Chavez administration has spent an inordinate amount of time and our money building amenities that continue to place an ever increasing burden on the city budget and our wallets.

Money, Money, Money

Money was on the agenda Monday night down at city hall... money for budgets, a little less money from the scam-era system, and money for the county. Money, money, money... in fact $490 MILLION of your hard earned tax money was allocated as part of the city's overall budget plan (ABQ Journal - Subscription Required).

Talking about the city budget or taxes is like watching paint dry (or like trying to sit through a typical City Council meeting without falling asleep or attempting suicide). We bet that you didn't even flinch when you read that the city approved a budget of almost half a billion dollars. Let us say that again... HALF A BILLION DOLLARS! That's your money and that's our money and how it is spent is of tremendous importance to not only our pocketbooks now, but to our future ability to fill those pocket books.

The past six or so years Mayor Almighty with his willing accomplices on the council, have been on a spending spree increasing the city budget by $125 MILLION more (we told you about it here) than can be accounted for by the rate of inflation (ABQ Journal - Subscription Required). The city has been and continues to act as if the party will never end and thus they believe they will always the revenue to support their ambitions and their insatiable appetite for our money.

What have we gotten for all of our taxpayer generosity? A whole lot of shiny new amenities (read as taxpayer responsibilities), a dysfunctional police department, and a trolley on the way. That's right, the council voted to include our mayor's favorite 19th Century Streetcar as part of the Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP).

The move doesn't allocate funding for the trolley, but it makes its inclusion part of our overall transportation plan. I thought that at least the Benton sales... ah, "study" group would at least regale us with how important the trolley was before they included it in the plan. Must be some sort of governmental thing... plan for the need before you determine that you have a need, and if you already have (like more police officers on the street) a need - ignore it.

As for taxes (of all sorts) the council voted to keep the 1/8 cent sales tax in place until July 2008 citing the need to support the county jail with the $9 MILLION expected to come in through the continuance of the tax. We do know that the new jail is struggling to find space for all of the bad guys that are being shipped out to the West side. We do know that a large percentage of those miscreants come from our fair city and that the county often complains that the city isn't carrying its share of the fiscal burden (perhaps it isn't).

However, one hundred percent of those enjoying the hospitality of the county's west side facility are Bernalillo county prisoners; otherwise they'd be locked up in some other county jail. More importantly, whose hare-brained idea was it to give a one-time no strings attached, $9 MILLION bonus to the county? And exactly how does it solve the problem of the inability of the city to get along with the county? Here's an idea... give us back our money before you find another excuse to continue to waste it.

Finally, and at long last, the city council voted last night to move the deck chairs. After careful consideration and much debate, we'll get $50 off the first infraction, and $200 off the second, along with an additional 15 days in which to appeal our conviction (ABQ Journal - Subscription Required). We say conviction because we long ago established that you are guilty until proven innocent under this Kangaroo Camera-Court system.

The only sense came from Councilor Winter who pointed out that moving around the deck chairs does nothing to repair the damage done by due process iceberg. Perhaps the councilors are trying to hurry along the abducted bride syndrome described by Chief Schultz by lowering the fines to make it appear that we can all live without the very foundation of our legal system - due process.

Money, money, money... they'll take more of it (an 1/8th cent for the county and MILLIONs from the Red Light Scam-eras). They'll spend more of it (Almost a HALF BILLION DOLLARS for the city budget). And they'll continue to work on ways to keep every cent of tax revenue (1/4 cent Transportation Infrastructure Tax for the trolley - 1/8th cent sales tax for the jail now and who knows what later).

This is our money folks... and as much as we at Eye on Albuquerque complain about, deride, and make fun of the mayor and council for their spend happy ways; it's everyone's fault that they get away with it. We keep electing them and they keep spending. Why are we surprised?

What's $9.47/per Hour Worth?

For 2012, the Albuquerque Police Department's operating budget was approximately  $154,000,000. Across the street at the Albuquerque Fire Department, they made due with a budget of about $70,000,000. Now we're not saying either department is comparable at all to the other in terms of costs. In fact it makes little sense at all to compare either department except together AFD and APD represent virtually the entire public safety line item on Albuquerque's expense budget.

Together, the two departments cost about $224,000,000.
 

APD however is finding it impossible to retain their finest and most experienced officers, and incoming applicants have all but dried up. Despite what the city's mayor says, our Eyes tell us that there are 853 sworn officers left in the department. Which is down almost 25% from four years ago.  Even with cadet pay of $19/hr, and patrolman pay of over $25/hr, and hiring bonus of $5,000, APD is hard pressed to populate a full academy class.

However, AFD is not having that issue. Their academy classes move forward as they train the city's bravest for endless rescue, fire, and haz-mat calls.

Astonishingly though, given that both departments combined constitute "public safety" and field personnel from both departments assume huge risks to their own safety when they put on their uniforms and go on duty; there is a huge disparity in the pay offered to department personnel.

Where APD cadets earn $19.00/hour, AFD cadets make a mere $9.18/hour. And once the AFD cadets graduate from their academy, they get a whopping 39-cent raise to $9.47/hour. Finally, once AFD personnel complete probationary period they are bumped up to $15.60/hour. In essence they are always at least $10.00 below what their counterparts in the public safety make.
 

We at the Eye believe positions in public safety are a calling and you cannot induce anybody to become a firefighter or police officer merely by pay. It's a profession where duty comes first.

But it has to be sustainable and proportionate. We at the Eye openly wonder whether a first year salary for a firefighter of about $20,000.00 is sufficient given the cost of living in Albuquerque? For a family of three, $20,000.00 is 100% of the federal poverty level. That means this family is eligible for public assistance.
 

Yes, there will be the fringe conservatives out there like Berry who will say "they should be so lucky to have a job" but when it comes to service providers, do we really want our public safety personnel at or near federal poverty levels? What does this say about our mayor and city?

AFD brass promote that the department is fully staffed with 700 uniformed personnel (our Eyes say it is around 670). But given that AFD pay is significantly less than their public safety counterparts at APD, one has to wonder, where the balance of the budget is going. Our Eyes and news reports tell us of aging fleet vehicles, insufficient gear, inadequate gear, and reduced staffing. Unlike APD where they spend millions of dollars into boutique units and operations that result in no increase in safety, money invested in AFD saves lives and reduces damage to property.
 
And yes, we here at the Eye know that AFD is based on a 56 hour work week. Notwithstanding, there still remain a substantial disparity in pay which totals over $500.00 per month. One has to wonder, how much more blood will AFD's chief Breen draw out of his firefighters at $15.60/hour....

Is Rome Burning?

"What's that smell?" More than likely the question that Nero asked when his fiddling was interrupted by the flames licking at his toga. While the Almighty Alcalde may not quite have the flames burning his loafers, there's certainly a large amount of smoke in the air and it's coming from fires burning all over the city.

Our first fire was started some seven or so years ago when the Chavez administration began what can only be called a spending spree.

Budget growth has been substantial since Mayor Martin Chávez took office in 2001. Annual spending is ahead of inflation by $125 million.

-ABQ Journal (Subscription)

That Journal story was from over a year ago. At that time the city was projecting a budget shortfall of $22 MILLION for 2008. Today we found out that that shortfall has grown almost three times to a whopping $65 MILLION (ABQ Journal - Subscription). To put that in perspective last year's budget was some $490 MILLION, $65 MILLION is over 13% of last year's budget.

Worse, even though the mayor and the council knew about a $22 MILLION shortfall, they continued down the road of blowing our tax dollars on $9 MILLION gifts to the county and the inclusion of Trolleys in the city's Transportation Improvement Plan or TIP. Marty was even back in the hunt for a teddy bear (read it here).

Talk about ignoring reality! Of course at the time the Almighty One still had aspirations of becoming governor, then senator, then mayor... You get the idea.

Another smoldering city situation is our increasing problem with property crime. Back in September the Journal did a little statistical analysis and found that Albuquerque was one of the most dangerous places to live in the country (Subscription). But never fear Albuquerque's top cop (that's not an elected official) Ray Schultz feels safe and besides we just report crime too often.

Which brings us to our most dangerous governmental conflagration - the almost total and complete meltdown of Albuquerque's police department. APD is in crisis and if you've spent any time at all reading the comments of various police officers on this site you know this to be true.

A series of moves ranging from 5-8's to a new contract designed to pit officer against officer, the Chavez administration has managed to divide a dysfunctional department against itself. Folks, we already had a crime problem. Marty's move against the department's senior officers has the potential to make an already bad crime situation worse.

Now, don't think for a second that these officers would neglect their duties... they won't. They took an oath to protect the rest of us and they will fulfill that oath regardless of the utter stupidity of the 5th and 11th floors, not to mention the foolishness of the APOA board. However, there are consequences. First, as soon as it is possible for them to do so they will leave - either through retirement or by finding a better department that appreciates experienced law enforcement officers.

More importantly, almost the entire force is busy arguing over a contract that nothing short of poison for APD unity. It's a HUGE distraction for officers whose attentions should be more properly directed at reducing crime. Frankly, we don't blame them. It's hard to focus on your job when you're caught between management and the APOA who have agreed on a contract that will cost you money in just a few short years.

Meanwhile, younger officers are busy trying to hang on to a gain that they probably should have never gotten. In a few years they'll find themselves in the same position as the current senior officers - looking for a department that appreciates them for their experience or trying to hang-on until they reach their retirement. The only problem is they won't be just a couple of years away from retirement - which means today's rookies will never be tomorrow's seasoned APD officers.

We haven't even begun to talk about the other fires burning down at city hall like red light cameras, falsified animal adoption numbers, or inflated "green" statistics. If you're smelling smoke it's because there's a fire. All we need to do now is buy the Almighty Alcalde a fiddle and probably get him some lessons.

Separation of Powers?

Like our Federal Constitution the Albuquerque City Charter contains a separation of powers. The mayor exercises executive authority and the city council is the legislative body that among other things authorizes spending, taxation, and city indebtedness.

From a budget perspective, the mayor's job is to spend the money appropriated by the council for the uses approved by the council. The council's job is to create the legislation authorizing the expenditures and collection of revenue. The charter provides for very specific roles with the idea that each branch would work with the other.

Apparently, the mayor and the council have decided that their opposite coequal branch isn't fit to perform the duties assigned to by the charter and have jumped over the barrier separating the two. The council empowering Council President Brad Winter to purchase land on behalf of the city (ABQ Journal - Subscription) and the mayor signing a budget with specific spending instructions vowing to spend the money how he sees fit (ABQ Journal - Subscription).

We can almost understand the council's frustration with the Chavez administration. The Almighty Alcalde doesn't exactly have a sterling reputation for truth and his attitude toward the council has become increasingly hostile since his election in 2005. His most recent announcement that he intends to spend council appropriations without regard to council approved budget provisions is a direct violation of the city charter and can only lead one place... court.

What's going on here? What happened to separation of powers? Marty's arrogance may have frustrated the council but it doesn't justify their dabbling in executive authority. Likewise, The Almighty Alcalde has a legal obligation to implement the provisions of the council budget that he signed into law.

Who Stands to Gain the Most if Berry is Re-elected? HINT: Not the Citizens

The Albuquerque Journal endorsed Rj Berry in this past Sunday's paper but they left out a few facts which we will bring to light below:

Give Berry the BOOT now not in 4 years to make city even better 

     When Richard Berry took the reins of Albuquerque almost four years ago, the city was not in a good place. It faced:

It was time for Marty Chavez to leave but the City under the Chavez administration was clean, prospering and crime was down every single year he was in office!  Things did not go to hell until Berry took over. 

   A $90 million budget shortfall.

The truth is; this budgets “shortfall” has been over Berry’s entire term which averages to approximately $20 million dollars a year and is mostly Berry’s fault.

   Unemployment that topped 8 percent.

As reported on KOB Channel 4 (read it HERE), the real unemployment rate is around 14.1% when you take into consideration those who have “given up” looking and those who are working part-time low paying jobs. 

   A capital budget that had been raided for 8 mills — tens of millions of dollars a year — to cover operations, salaries and raises.

The Journal wants to talk about raids; Berry has raided the entire City budget to the tune of MILLIONS OF DOLLARS that he and his Republican Councilmen have diverted for the Berry Boutique Projects.  Remember, this is after the voters told Berry NO!  

   A lack of transparency regarding city spending, staffing, contracts and pay.

Let’s talk about transparency. Berry announced that RAY SCHULTZ was retiring and was placed on a consulting contract for another month. The truth: RAY SCHULTZ is STILL a City employee on vacation. Berry lied during the debate and stated, “Ray Schultz was no longer a city employee.”  This is a LIE! 

   Bureaucratic red tape, inequitable impact fees based on location and an over-the-top energy code that bogged down construction projects.

All of those problems still exist and Berry’s “claim to fame” is he was a “construction guy.” At that Berry has killed Albuquerque’s economy; no one is looking to build here… 

   A major traffic interchange well over its design capacity affecting 56 million commutes each year.

Not to worry, Berry is endorsed by the ABQ Journal; anyone wonder why, when he is a dismal failure? Here is the answer: Berry’s big push for the Paseo project with “special access” for the ABQ Journal Center will cause the Journal’s property to DOUBLE OR TRIPLE IN VALUE! This is commonly referred to as “motive and opportunity.” 

   An at-risk homeless population running up huge public safety costs.

Berry forgot; this “homeless population” are PEOPLE!  Real People, with real problems and issues. Berry’s view of the “homeless population” is they are “running up huge public safety costs.” Money spent on our homeless people is money WELL spent.  These people need our help. How heartless and mindless of Berry. 

   And a commitment to education that amounted to little more than before- and after-school care.

Berry has done nothing to improve our educational process. Although, Berry commonly calls upon APS’s Superintendent, Winston Brook, to back his play. Brook makes over $264,000 a year for our students to have one of the worst dropout rates…Thanks Berry for nothing. 

   Berry came to the job with experience as a state legislator in the minority party who had little choice but to build consensus to get things done. It’s a skill that has served the city well as he has tackled each of these challenges in turn.

Served the City well? The Journal means it has served Berry and his SOB’s (Supporters of Berry) well. Berry has several pawns on the City council like: Meyers, Winters, Trudy Jones, Janice Arnold-Jones and Dan Lewis who back his immoral acts and his fleecing of the City of Albuquerque. 

 

  The city addressed more than $160 million in shortfalls during his term, turning in balanced budgets each year. It avoided layoffs in its city workforce, and a recovering local economy added 7,200 jobs from June 2012 to June 2013.

Wow, if Berry added 7,200 jobs what were those 7,000 plus people doing standing in line at Target to apply for 200 minimum wage jobs?  What about the 5,000 plus people who applied at the Downs Racecino for 400 minimum wage jobs? With all the “jobs” Berry claims he created our true unemployment rate shouldn’t be at 14.1%. Or is this all another Berry good Lie? 

   It returned an annual $3 million to the capital budget from operations, with more promised. It won awards for its ABQ View portal that put the city’s business — contracts, salaries, benefits, construction projects, internal audits, political contributions, travel expenses and more — online for its real bosses, the taxpayers.

This hogwash all sounds good but the truth is the 3 million dollars is the money that Berry and the Republican Council have diverted for the Berry Boutique project which the voters voted down. 

 

   It equalized impact fees, instituted a business center to bring information together for new and expanding companies, implemented E-Plan Review and FastTrax to streamline plan review and approval, and set up a “green path” to expedite cutting-edge building projects.

Once again, this all sound really good but the facts do NOT support this rubbish. Has Berry offered the companies who used this baloney and created the “7,000 jobs” Berry claims were created? 

   It built metaphoric bridges with the state and federal governments, leading the way with $50 million for the $93 million rebuild of the literal bridges of the Paseo del Norte/Interstate 25 interchange.

Remember this is your tax dollars paying to double or triple the property values for the Albuquerque Journal Center. This will not create long-term sustainable jobs.  This is nothing more than Government welfare.

   It housed more than 200 of the city’s most vulnerable, chronically homeless, recording an impressive 89 percent retention rate after a year and saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars on calls for police and emergency medical services.

Didn’t Hitler also send what he thought was a menace to the public to be “housed” in certain places?  We all know how that worked out. Let us know when they open one of these housing projects in FOURHILLS where Berry lives. 

   It joined with Sandia High School to offer an International Baccalaureate program, the University of New Mexico on a planning/architecture facility Downtown, private industry to give high school students Running Start for Careers training, Southwest Learning Center on an aeronautics/math/science academy, and Innovate + Educate on a system to get potential employees skilled up to enter the workforce.

This was set up to benefit all of the SOB’s (Supporters of Berry) friends and family.  Honestly, how many regular people really have been given these type of opportunities? Very few if any! 

   Has it been a term without controversy and mistakes? No. Critics especially would say he didn’t move quickly and decisively enough to address problems at APD, which seems sapped by low morale and is the target of a Justice Department probe into use of force. The number of officers is down, but so are crime rates. And Berry supported innovative reforms such as lapel cameras for officers.

Berry allowed APD to be wrecked by Ray Schultz whom is still the Chief of Police according to the City’s Record Custodian. APD was one of the best police departments in the Nation and now APD is facing a TAKE OVER by the Department of Justice. This is all a result of a lack of leadership.

 

 Here is another huge lie Berry keeps telling. Crime is up by over 3,600; of those additional 3,600, 2,000 of those additional crimes this past year were all PROPERTY CRIMES.  Did APD make an additional 3,600 arrests?  The answer is no but we did have an additional 3,600 victims. According to Berry the crime rate is down. But, crime itself is actually up.  All the records prove this including the Journal which showed that crime has steadily increased the past three years Berry has been in office. 

 

   Berry has run the city more like a business than a political machine. His first CAO was a prominent Democrat.

Here is a funny!  Berry does not talk about the newly created position that he created for Trujillo as the Deputy COA.  We are out of money but Berry gives another SOB (Supporter of Berry) a $90,000 a year job to do nothing. Way to go Mr. Trujillo. 

   Overall, his pragmatic fiscal stewardship, his drive to propose game-changing projects and his commitment to be accountable to voters have put the city in a much better place than it was when he took office. He says he loves Albuquerque, has “a passion for the job” and wants a second term to “really improve (the city’s) value.”

Berry is not “pragmatic,” he is problematic. Berry’s boutique projects are not game-changing, they are an attempt to ruin the City’s beautiful Bosque.  Berry has no accountability to the voters; otherwise he would stop lying.  Berry does not love Albuquerque; Berry loves all of his SOB’s (Supporters of Berry) who he has done favors for like Mr. Trujillo’s $90,000 a year job to do nothing and others. Berry does not love Albuquerque half as much as he loves himself.  Berry only wants to stay another four years to make more money for him and all of his SOB’s (Supporters of Berry).

   The Journal recommends voters re-elect Mayor Richard Berry so he can do just that.

The Journal will make a huge profit off of the Paseo deal plus the average $500,000 that the City of Albuquerque pays the Journal.

Berry is a bad choice and has been a dismal failure! It is time for new blood with new and fresh ideas.

 

 

Man, son and friend saves family from Sexual Predator

This is what the story should have been, instead the story from KRQE 13 read, “Alleged prowler left in critical condition.”  Our society has become backwards.  We should be praising the heroic actions of this man and his son and their friend for stopping this sexual predator who was preying upon two young teenage girls.  Is there any doubt this guy is a pervert pedophile? Since when does society go after the good guy for defending his property and his family? What is at issue here?  Is this a vigilante mentality; is this street justice, is it a lack of law enforcement?  We at the Eye call it like it is; where is Berry and all his empty promises to keep us safe?

According to KRQE 13, “Police say two men took matters into their hands when they caught a naked peeping tom spying on girls in the middle of the night. The alleged prowler is now in critical condition after police say they got into a bloody confrontation.” Whoever the spokesperson from the police department was, should keep their mouth shut or just report the facts.  The facts are simple. Two young girls (ages 13 and 15) in the safety of their own home are in their bedroom at 2:30 AM. Some piece of trash monster is outside their bedroom window naked, moaning and groaning.  One of the sons confronts the offender and asks him what he was doing and discovered that a 30 year old man was naked.  This pedophile punched the son in the mouth and fled. The father along with his son and son's friend pursued the offender down the street.

When police arrived the naked sexual predator had been subdued. The offender was then transported to the hospital (excellent job boys!).

Was this a vigilante mentality?  We think not. This father was called upon to defend his home and family.  Was this street justice?  Well, let’s look at it this way; this sexual predator will think twice before he targets another innocent child for his lewd and immoral acts.  Was a lack of law enforcement to blame? This is a slippery slope but the bottom-line is this; where is Berry and all his empty promises to keep Albuquerque safe! The shortage of police officers lies solidly with Berry's failed leadership.

Here are the facts:

Berry has failed to settle the police and fire contracts for the past three and a half years.  Is this supporting public safety?

Berry has encouraged APD NOT to recruit officers.  Have you seen a flood of TV commercials or advertisement signs for APD? Isn’t that what happens when your THREE HUNDRED POLICE OFFICERS SHORT??? What’s the motive? Read the next two lines…

Berry has increased APD’s budget by 10 million dollars as the department has shrunk by over three hundred police officers.  Why you ask?  Read on…

Berry has been skimming 15 million dollars a year from APD and diverting it to his boutique projects. The total amount so far is 45 million dollars. And Albuquerque is still short 300 officers.  Is this supporting public safety?

Berry has now stopped community policing which has resulted in people being more fearful of crime.  Is this supporting public safety?

We have motorcycle gang shoot-outs with over 70 rounds of ammunition fired in our streets and people being murdered.   We here at the Eye have warned you about this a long time ago; this is just the beginning. The rivalry between the Banditos and the Hells Angels is headed for a HUGE turf war centered in Albuquerque.  Anybody watch “Gangland” on TV…Just wait for the Albuquerque episodes…

We have sexual predators preying on our children and what is Berry doing? Skimming money from APD’s budget to fund his Fruffy-Pinky Projects. The same project the citizens of Albuquerque have repeatedly told Berry NO!  What a pitiful excuse for a human being knowingly skimming money to fund his boutique projects and cutting public safety and placing the public in more danger. Berry claims he balanced the budget without cutting services. Isn’t the loss of 300 Police Officers a cut in service? Is it not having a rescue squad for the most impoverished neighbor in Albuquerque a cut in service? If Berry’s mouth is open; he is lying.

Here are two videos on Berry…You are the judge with your Vote! You decide as to whether Berry is in the wrong:

 CLICK (HERE) TO VIEW.

Click (HERE) to view.

BERRY IS A FAILED DISPICABLE LIAR; does anyone see a pattern of lie after lie after watching these two videos? We need our city services restored. We need our police officers back  as well as other basic services.

FACTS DON'T LIE BUT BERRY DOES!

WHO LIES; BERRY LIES...

Getting in on the Scam-eras

Tuesday Governor Bill Richardson announced that he's got a hankerin' for some scam-era cash (ABQ Tribune). We figured that it would only be a matter of time before Santa Fe got into the act and tapped the new revenue stream that the Almighty Alcalde has created. With oil and gas tax revenue dwindling and state roads crumbling due to the Rail Runner raid on the state's road fund, we guess it was only a matter of time before Big Bill and company succumbed to the scam-era tax temptation.

Gov. Bill Richardson has added Albuquerque's controversial red-light camera program to the agenda of state legislators, with an eye on using some of its revenue for DWI prevention.

-ABQ Tribune

During last year's legislative session we were hopeful that Governor Bill would sign legislation that stripped the city of its prize "excess revenue" cash cow. After all, Marty said last year that he would have to end the scam-eras if the state got hold of his red light booty.

Senate Bill 780, unanimously approved by the Senate last week, would require the city to give the state $74 for every citation issued by the traffic camera program.
"This bill is a program killer," Chávez said. "This is very unfortunate. The state's largest city comes up with an innovative program to improve public safety, and the legislators just see green."

- ABQ Journal (Subscription)

It's amazing how a year and two failed attempts at higher officer have changed The Almighty One. Now it seems that the city and Mayor Marty are ready to share and in a courageous statement made by Marty's political, uh... police chief, Marty embraced the Guv's idea.

"The mayor would welcome the opportunity, as of course would the Albuquerque Police Department, to work with the governor and the Governor's Office to utilize this excess revenue for traffic awareness and enforcement on a statewide level," Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz said Monday.

- ABQ Tribune

Note the repeat of the phrase "excess revenue," known to the rest of us as profit. The scam has raked in over $5 MILLION in pure profit thus far. Marty has already used part of its largess to balance the city budget and Bill is moving to get his share just like Bill's neighboring gubernatorial colleague and Sandia High School graduate, Janet Napolitano.

Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano says the deployment of new photo radar or other speed enforcement technology on state highways is all about public safety. But her proposed state budget counts on the anticipated speeding fines to help erase a projected revenue shortfall.

- Breitbart.com (Hat tip Eye Reader)

We had that AP story emailed to us over the weekend and couldn't believe our Eyes. Governor Napolitano came right out and nearly screamed "it's all about the money!" At least the Arizona Scammer-In-Chief is being honest about her desire to balance the state budget on the backs of scammed drivers. Our own Governor is trying to pass off the state's monetary pursuit as a philanthropic venture benefiting DWI prevention programs.

It's a new twist on a "sin tax." Eventually, we can sell prepaid scam-era indulgences to people who don't drive so well or just want to be careless for a week or two. Perhaps we can encourage participation by giving bulk discounts - buy a pack of ten and get one free. Just think - we'll all be able to sleep better knowing that we've already paid for something that we haven't done yet since we haven't got a chance to prove that we didn't do it in the first place.

In the final analysis, Governor Richardson is doing nothing to address the program's underlying injustices; he's merely providing yet another justification for continuing it. The scam was bad enough already with a mere 20 fixed locations and a couple of scam-vans participating. Just think if the state gets into the act spreading a couple hundred scam-era locations and ten or twenty scam-vans across the state. Public safety? Rrrrright.

ALBUQUERQUE ETHICS PLAN PETITION

You can find the petition at NMVoice.org

ALBUQUERQUE ETHICS PLAN PETITION


Without Integrity Nothing Works*

New Mexico's state auditor Tim Keller's Risk Review - City of Albuquerque's Purchases of Body-Worn Cameras from TASER International, Inc. has been an eye opener to Albuquerque's citizens.

Office of the Internal Audit Director, Debra D. Yoshimura's Taser International Body-Worn Camera Procurements Special Audit is also worth analyzing.

There is no better opportunity than NOW to address the lack of ethics in Albuquerque's government based on these two reports.

Ethics is an area of study that deals with ideas about what is good and bad behavior, dealing with what is morally right or wrong. People who are considered ethical are good, decent, honest, honorable, moral and virtuous. This also is connected to a transparent, accountable and open government.

Albuquerque's budget is directly connected to the City's 8 goals. This is a very advanced system that connects every penny spent to the goals of our city. Unfortunately, it is not effectively utilized as it is intended by its design and has room for improvement.

Goal 8 is "GOVERNMENT EXCELLENCE & EFFECTIVENESS. Government is ethical, transparent, and responsive to its citizens. Every element of government contributes effectively to meeting public needs."

Goal 8's first Desired Community Conditions (DCC), the measurement to evaluate these goals, is "All city employees and officials behave ethically."

We are aware that the Indicators Progress Commission (IPC) had considered removing this DCC in 2014. Fortunately they decided to keep this Desired Community Condition. However, it is only there on paper as there is no measurement assigned to this DCC, and therefore, no budgeted dollars assigned to it.

If ethics had been a priority in Albuquerque and enforced, we believe that our tax dollars would be spent less on the results of reactive, ineffective leadership by having lawyers defend the city's actions and more on proactive, EXCELLENT AND EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT.

We understand that many times the city employees are no more than pawns, sometimes being ordered to perform their responsibilities in an unethical way or risk retaliation.

Therefore, we are asking that the Albuquerque City Council include in the budget for July 2015 through June 2016 sufficient funds to incorporate and implement "All city employees and officials behave ethically" by funding an Ethics Plan as follows:

1) All government employees and contractors be required to take an annual ethics training course which will include not only what is in the existing Albuquerque 2009 Ethics Code, and the New Mexico's Government Conduct Act, but also the importance of holding each employee accountable to do their day-to-day tasks ethically and honestly.

2) Since each employee will be held accountable for their day-to-day duties to be handled ethically and honestly, an EFFECTIVE open-door policy which allows any employee to address any concern they have with an effective and independent ethics commission/board is necessary. Funding and independence for this commission is imperative to ensure that each employee has confidence that they will be free to do their job ethically and honestly without fear of retaliation. We are also aware that the city has reduced the workforce by 14%, so there should be funds available. Additionally, this will ultimately be a cost saver and improve Albuquerque's reputation, a hidden cost which is the ultimate price paid.

DO YOU WANT THE ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL TO INCORPORATE ETHICS TRAINING AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE FY16 BUDGET?

Sign the Petition

or email your petition to nmvoice@hotmail.com.

Come to the City Council's next meeting to show your support!

If you can't attend, watch it live or on the archived webcast.

Ethics: The Heart of Public Service Course, $19.95

International City/County Management Association University - ICMA ETHICS 101 Online E-Course $59.00

GLOBAL ETHICS FORUM 2015 discusses the importance of Responsible Leadership whereas ALL actions are rooted in Values Systems

U.S. Office of Government Ethics Education Resources

California DOJ Office of the Attorney General Ethics Training Courses

NIH Ethics Training

Miami-Dade County Ethics Training

New Jersey State Ethics Commission Online Training

North Carolina Required Ethics for Local Government Officials

City of Chicago Ethics Training

Chicago's Police Department Directive

* NIH Introduction to Government Ethics: Without Integrity Nothing Works

 

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Councilor Sanchez Makes Right Choices

During Monday night’s City Council meeting, according to the Albuquerque Journal (see here), Councilor Brad Winter proposed to “shift approximately $3 million from the operating budget to capital programs.” This was contrary to a proposal by Councilor Sanchez. The proposal sponsored by Sanchez “would have left the $3 million in the operating budget to fill vacant jobs in understaffed departments and provide small pay raises to employees. Supporters said it would help city workers who endured pay cuts last summer.” Councilor O’Malley stated, "All these departments have been cut to the bone." The Journal stated that “O’Malley and other critics said the city doesn't have enough money to operate the capital projects it builds now, so constructing more projects doesn't make sense.”

"We have so many projects to do and very little money to do them," Winter said. Let’s look at the track record for APS where Brad Winter is the Operations Executive. APS is over $30 million dollars in the red. If Winter wants to run the City the way APS is run; he will need to pull out his pocketbook and write a check. APS appears to be grossly mismanaged and to bring this type of philosophy to the City is wrong and clearly a conflict of interest. Winter was accused of carrying out Berry’s marching orders. Berry wants to put a boardwalk by the Rio Grande. "We have to make sure we invest in our future," Councilor Harris said. "We have to make sure we keep Albuquerque special."

Mayor Berry, Councilor Winter and others need to realize a few simple facts. A “Board Walk” along the Rio Grande is foolish. If people cannot put gas in their cars, buy groceries, or diapers for their children, they will definitely not be able to afford to go to the “Board Walk” to help keep Albuquerque special.

Part of Councilor Ken Sanchez’s’ budget proposal was to eliminate the money that funds the Public Safety Director’s position. The position is currently held by Darren White. White has stained Albuquerque and has created one debacle after another. Barry made a campaign promise to eliminate the position stating that it was un-needed. No one from City hall can tell us exactly what White does other than pull down a huge salary.

If the City would require White to have an x-ray, the results would most likely look like the following:




The Eye is sure that Councilor Winter’s result would be the same.

All Joking aside (that was a joke, right?); our City leaders need to conduct themselves accordingly and do what is “right.” Save the politics for the leaders who have a personal agenda. Do what is right for City employees and for the City of Albuquerque itself

Kudos to Councilors; Sanchez, O’Malley, Garduño, and Benton for doing what is right. Shame on Councilors; Winter, Harris, Lewis, Cook and Jones for playing dirty.

Eye On Your Money - The Reasoning of a Child

"A baby is an alimentary canal with a loud voice at one end and no responsibility at the other. " - Ronald Reagan

There's no better description of what Albuquerque's city government has become. On one end we have the loud voice of the mayor and the council telling us that we need, need, need. On the other we are constantly dumped on by having to pay for the consequences of that insatiable desire.

Trolleys, arenas, even decorative pots... We are told that we need these things. We as voters often approve the shiny new toy because like an envious teenager, we are told that all the other kids our size have them. Today we have a perfect example of both ends of the governmental baby. Amazingly enough the justification for the need and the consequences are both the same.

Mayor Chavez made his State of the City address yesterday at the NAIOP luncheon. In it he reportedly referred to the recent defeat of his Desire Named Streetcar and noted that he lost by just one vote. Well the mayor is back on track pushing to get this thing out of the station. (We apologize for the overuse of the ridiculous railroad metaphors, but they're no more ridiculous than the project itself.) The justification used... other cities our size have one and if we want to be like everyone else we should have one too!

The other end of the governmental baby made its presence known earlier in the morning. According to the Albuquerque Journal we will all be paying more for parking at the airport if city officials have their way. Read the Journal report here. (Subscription Required) The move would raise an estimated $1.7 million according to airport spokesman Daniel Jiron. Surprise, surprise the justification given for increasing parking fees... other cities our size charge more than we do! Blogger Mario Burgos nails this one when he notes:

"Mr. Jiron is not saying we need additional revenue to cover costs. Instead, he is saying that he just wants to bump up the costs because other municipalities charge more. Would somebody please explain to the goofballs what it means to have a competitive advantage?"

At first glance there doesn't seem to be any real justification for the additional revenue. But once you start taking a look at both ends of the baby you'll find that the city needs all the money it can get if it is to continue to spend like teenagers set loose with their parents no limit credit card. $270 million for a train, $10 million just for the land for an arena, and budget shortfalls, all require cash. Unfortunately, we're the ones they send the bill to. $3.5 million from red light cameras, $1.7 million from increased parking rates, alarm permit fees, extensions of taxes that are set to expire, are all indications that the city is doing all it can to increase the flow of money into its coffers and out of our pockets.

There's no doubt that the city baby is active and dumping on us with no sense of responsibility whatsoever.

----- UPDATE -----

Last night we were a bit bleary eyed and were unable to find the recent journal article that announces the city's budget shortfall. In the bright light of the morning, The Eye spotted the remembered journal article about the predicted $22 million budget shortfall for 2008. The article points out that the city's spending is $125 million ahead of inflation since Mayor Chavez took office. You can read about it here. (Subscription Required). Is it really any wonder that the city is squeezing revenue from every possible source?