(Sidebar)While the Journal managed to expose the Almighty Alcaldes's greenhouse gas, they've been gobbling up stories about Albuquerque's Animal Control fed to them by former Journal reporter and current $70,000 a year Marty Man, Jim Ludwig.
Lest you believe that we are buying into the whole man made global warming political scare movement - we're not. While temperatures may be on the rise, we're not ready to turn over the keys to our economic engine to a bunch of scientists and zealots whose consensus is that man is responsible for rises in global temperatures. Twenty-five years ago a similar group believed that we were headed into another ice age. There's a huuuuge difference between scientific consensus and scientific fact.
(End Sidebar)
(Sidebar)Let's take a look at the first of three stories recently run by Jim Ludwig's former co-workers. In the December 13th story "Good News for Critters" by Dan McKay (Subscription), the administration makes incredible claims that live exits from shelters are up 14% and euthanasia is down 19%. The Eyes have it that while the shelter has made gains, the numbers are no where near 14% and 19%. In fact, the numbers we've seen are live exit increase of 9% ('07 LE 44%/'08 LE 53%) and a euthanasia decrease of 9% ('07 EUTH 56%/'08 EUTH 47%) over the same September - October - November time period.
This is a case where The Almighty Marty took a page from Big Bill's playbook. Hiring a former reporter allows him to shape public opinion by getting favorable stories into the mainstream media and mitigate damaging stories when they occur. It's sheer genius on the part of the politician but MSM consumers have to remember that it creates a cozy if not obvious relationship between the media outlets and the politicians that the former reporters now represent.
(End Sidebar)
What's more interesting is that Chavez and crew are claiming that these gains are due to Marty's creation of a director's level position over at Animal Control. Back in September, The Almighty One fired (or more precisely, reassigned) former Animal Control supervisor Denise Wilcox replacing her with Jeanine Patterson; whose background is nursing not animal husbandry. McKay's article claims that these gains are since September, but in reality the numbers for July and August are almost identical to those from September through November meaning Marty's change had nothing to do with the improvements.
The second story by D'Val Westphal (a bit of a Marty-phite herself) entitled "City's Toasting Animal Welfare Revamp This Year," makes another set of claims that don't seem to hold up to scrutiny.
Four months ago, Mayor Martin Chávez ordered a shakeup of what was then Animal Services. He says when he learned almost 1,500 healthy animals got sick in the shelters this year and ended up being euthanized and disposed of like so much garbage, he had to do something major.Here's the problem... The claim that 1,500 animals that "became sick while in the shelter" is disputed by our Eyes. They claim that only 382 healthy dogs became sick while in the shelter. Now... we know that we didn't mention cats but even if a plague of biblical proportions hit the shelter we have a hard time buying that 1,118 cats or other animals made up the difference.
Moving on to the final PR piece dutifully placed by Jim Ludwig and printed by the Journal "Animal Shelters are Empty".
For the first time in their history, the city of Albuquerque's east- and west-side shelters have no animals available for adoption— all found homes at a weekend event.This according to our Eyes was the most egregious exaggeration of all. Our Eyes tell us that the adopt-a-thon was held December 21st through the 23rd and that a few days after the event 67 dogs and 55 cats were still available before December 24th. Further, the Eyes have it that while the press was treated to visuals of an empty kennel in building A, the animals were moved into the other two kennel buildings in order to create the illusion of an empty kennel for a media eager to see our beloved dogs and cats placed in happy homes.
More than 500 dogs and cats were adopted at Home 4 the Holidays, held Friday, Saturday and Sunday in a parking lot at Cottonwood Mall, said Mike Davis, communications director of Watermelon Mountain Ranch, a no-kill shelter in Rio Rancho that was one of several sponsors.
Frankly, we'd love to see every healthy animal that doesn't pose a danger to society placed in happy homes too. However, it's more important to us that the city and the Chavez administration tell us the truth - regardless of how it affects their political future.
One thing that we are able to confirm is that Animal Control (yes... we know the benevolent Marty calls it Animal Welfare, a marketing move if we've ever seen one) seems to be in chaos. Despite the recent mending of the rift between The Mayer (Councilor Mayer) and the mayor, nothing seems to have substantively improved since The Almighty One took complete control (and credit) of the now Animal Welfare Department. In fact, there are currently a number of law suits filed against the city that seem to indicate that at the very least, things aren't as rosy in the kennels as The Almighty Alcalde would have us believe.
More importantly, it's hard to believe that the administration is telling us anything resembling the truth when it comes to any kind of statistical data. Claims of red light scam-eras reducing accidents - not true. The claim of almost 1,100 APD officers - not true. Claims of the City of Albuquerque reducing its greenhouse gas emissions - not true. Now it seems that our furry friends are being used to make us believe we are not only a greener Albuquerque but a kinder, gentler one as well.
The folks on the 11th floor and the one who leads them are giving us the best argument that we can think of for term limits. The more entrenched mayors are, the more likely they are to bend, break, and/or ignore the rules. Even when they're not taking liberties with legal and ethical standards, they're busy using their own version of fuzzy math; hoping that no one will notice that their claims cannot be supported by hard statistical data. When challenged, they simply claim that was an unintentional error and act like it never happened.
A few things to remember... This is the mayor that brought us the ABQ PAC scandal - yet, we re-elected him. This is the mayor that brought us the evidence room scandal - yet, we re-elected him. This is the mayor that wants to strike down term limits for himself. The question is if he is successful, are we foolish enough to put the reigns of power back in his scandal-covered hands and are we willing to continue to accept his fuzzy math?
32 comments:
You beg the question....Are we ready to re-elect Marty to another term as Mayor? I say YES... I think he has done a great job for our community & will continue to do so in the next term.
Gosh, I wonder where you work? Lemme guess?
NOT!!!! He's outta there! He's cooked his own goose and deserves to lose! He will. Albuquerque has been screwed twice not a third!
Now we know why interim APS Superintendent Sink wants to require summer school for low performing math students (and mayors and bloggers). There is a difference between percentage points and percentage change. Using the Eye's numbers, EUTH decreased by 9 percentage points, a decrease of 19% from 56 to 47%. LE increased by 9 percentage points, an increase of 20% from 44 to 53%. As they say, lies damn lies and statistics.
Like I've said before Marty. You can dress up a turd but it just becomes a pretty turd. Marty assumes (incorrectly) that this information just won't stray too far. Your peers are quite well aware of what is going on here. I'm very sure information finds it's way where it needs to go, I'm sure they are not very happy about being duped by you this morning after the Journal article www.usmayors.org/USCM/home.asp
we do need term limits, tell WINTER to step down from his 3rd term.
Marty & his cronies seem to forget that city employees vote also. And we have family & friends.
His at-will buddies go around blatantly abusing their positions, city vehicles and the time clock.
Marty & his buds treat city employees like shit. They bully, imply that we're stupid, humiliate us if we disagree with the fad of the day, etc, etc. I don't have enough time or space to list all of their their meaness and their lies.
Lets hope for an asteroid to hit if Marty runs again. If he does I'll use every waking, day off, second to campaign against him.
I thought those adoptathon numbers were a sham.
I work close to one of the pounds and can hear the enourmous choir of pups and dogs. After that weekend the song was no different than any other day.
Another sham is the forced implant to track our animals. Wonder who bought stock in that company before the ordiance was put into place, just like the bluetooth???
Recent studies show those implants can cause tumors in dogs. I believe that's why one of my dogs died from a massive brain tumor within 2 years of the implant. I'm now reluctant for one of my pups to have it inserted. She wouldn't leave the yard anyway even with the gate wide open. So now I don't want to take her to the vet for her shot because I'll be forced to have her implanted. Does anyone know if I can refuse it without being fined?
This whole animal thing is a joke. It holds only the responsible pet owners accountable. The irresponsible owners don't take them to the vet anyway. Just another way for the city to make money. Wonder where that money goes? Probably the same place where the scamera money does.
Winter would kick Martys ass in just about everything....! Except drunk driving, wife beating, and lieing to anyone and everyone about everything.
Thank you for getting the truth out there. Any former employees of Animal Services are looked at as having an agenda, so few are willing to talk about it. I don't know where you got your information, but it was good information. And there are other media personnel that have been subsequently hired by Animal Services.
A few post up. You hit my friend, Marty is simple a turd.
Marty has killed his own political future!
I think the short man has done himself in, as it gets worse by the day for him and his lies!
The City or should I say Marty (since he thinks he's the only one that matters) has directed all city diesel vehicles to use bio-fuel.
That would be great if they were designed to use it. There are many problems with it.
- It voids the warranty on new vehicles.
- It's been clogging the fuel filters. What happens is the vehicle shuts down while driving. That includes trucks that respond to emergencies.
- Trucks enroute at high speeds, that shut down, could cause severe injury or death to the occupants. Not to mention the citizens that called 911 for their emergency.
- Employees are no longer aloud to fuel at contracted fueling stations. This means more drive time, mileage and polution (global warming), to get fuel.
Several months ago the media had a story about it. The city made a futile effort to please them and make them go away. The city pumped the tanks. They were suppose to scrub them and put in a better bio diesel. Not all of that was done. It's a shame thousands of $ worth of fleet is being ruined because of Marty's political agenda.
How cute that "green" campaign is. What he needs to do is visit a country, like Spain or Germany, to see what "green" really means. It's not new in those countries they've been "green" for decades. Maybe abq-pac could pay for for the trip. Then we could have another MCLWC, like "the panda".
Your info about the animals is so pathetically inaccurate it's laughable. Just like all of your other patchwork attempts for stories, this just shows how far you are down the totem pole and how out of the loop you are. Get some better information or start calling your website bullonalbuquerque.com instead of the eye. It's always a good laugh to hear "bloggers" like you attacking real journalists just because you are so insecure. Let me guess, the Journal laughed at you, the brass won't promote you, or you were too scared to even try to become a journalist. Keep blogging your nonsense away, we all continue to enjoy the comedy that the eye is!
Animal Control is a joke!
From their record keeping, response to calls, to enforcing of laws. Animals don't have a prayer in this city.
I watch Animal Planet's "Animal Cops" shows ... those cities make Alb. Animal Control officers look like dingbats.
Councilor Sanchez has a great idea for reducing the fines. Lets see if the little one is smart enough to follow Sanchez'lead!
i think the Mayor like the money the red light camera's bring to his budget, he's too greedy now!
I note that the environmental director who made up clean air numbers, who happens to be a close personal friend of Marty's, was not fired. He was simply moved to another department.
Why is it that of all of the things that end politician's careers;
being a liar is not one of them?
the sentenced poor marion jones for lying why not the little mexi-melt chavez and his criminal crew?
Nice rant. I’m not going to debate whether the mayor is the root of all evil and should get a third term or whether Jim Ludwig is the mouthpiece of the evil empire–I don’t believe that’s the case–at least most days. However, a couple of things need to be said about Watermelon Mountain Ranch’s Home 4 the Holidays Adopt-a-thon that tool place the weekend before Christmas.
But before I go on, let’s get the disclosure part out of the way. My name is Mike Davis; I’m the development and communications director for Watermelon Mountain Ranch and I’m quoted in the above blog. I was also a reporter with the Albuquerque Journal. I have never worked for the city or the mayor. Furthermore, I pitched those stories about the event to the Journal, not Jim Ludwig.
The organizations that participated in the event found homes for more than 500 cats and dogs–no small feat when you consider that the average weekend event, according the folks at PetSmart charities who track such things, might see 200 pets go out the door. We emptied our kennels at Watermelon Mountain Ranch–227 pets have new homes. The city shelters did about the same. Rio Rancho Animal control went home empty as did the McKinley County shelter and numerous breed-specific animal rescue organizations. This event was the most successful large-scale, state- wide shelter collaboration to date and will be followed by several others throughout the New Year.
As to the city shelters not having anymore adoptable pets at the end of the event–that was absolutely true. The animals that were left were either being held as per city laws and regulations so that the animal’s owners could reclaim them, or they had to undergo spay or neuter operations. Were animals in there? Yes. Were they adoptable? No. Will they find homes before they are euthanized? We hope so and are working with a network of shelters throughout the country to make that happen. It’s not easy, but it’s a goal worth working towards.
How much of the city’s success can be attributed to the new director Jeanine Patterson, or to Jim Ludwig in his new position? I can’t say for sure, as I don’t work for them or have access to the day-to-day operations of the city shelters. But I can tell you this: for the first time in the history of the city shelters, the administration has actively worked to collaborate with the large nonprofit and other municipal shelters throughout the state, and the thousands of abused, injured, abandoned and unwanted companion animals we deal with on a daily basis are benefiting as they never have before.
I knew a former animal control employee who told me the exact same thing. This was about 6 months ago. Apparently this all started with the confrontation between Denise Wilcox and Marty's PR (spinster) person Debroah James who I would bet you any amount of money that she is an animal horder (cats).
I guess Deborah James did'nt approve of the way certian things were being done at animal control and confronted Denise Wilcox (of course in her extremely rude and condesecending way), It's my understanding that Denise set Deborah straight and told her that she did'nt run animal control. Well about 3 weeks later Denise was reassigned to the assisant director position at municipal developmant. When Denise was in charge the numbers may of been a little exaggerated but they had more validity then the ones their putting out now.
I could guarantee you that Jeanene Patterson,Dr. John Romero,Tom Sullavan and Jim Ludwig have taken the recipe from the scam-era cookbook, added a little more BS and are now serving it to the public.
We know that politicians lie, but the Chavez administration has also added criminal activity along with no accountability to the public and have attained a free pass from the City Council and the media.
Albuquerque we are allowing ourselves to be lead down a path of destruction... We CAN control our direction but we have to want to help ourselves first. The first step to recovery is to admit that we have a problem.
Tell you what, lets take of it next election ! ! ! ! !
To the poster who said that us city employees vote, too is right on the money! Marty has done so much crap to us there's not enuf space to list it all. It's basically this: the only time he does anything is from public outcry. He doesn't give a rat's behind about what we city employees are going thru. Example: the libraries often have failed heating/cooling systems. THe only time anything is done about it is when the public becomes upset.
Like the previous poster said, he has forgotten that we city employees alse vote and have family and friends that vote, too!
Good riddance to bad rubbish!!!!!
Did you see what the Mayor did to his director in the paper today. Talk about a demotion! Marty will throw anybody under the bus that does not perform for him.
Why does he not get rid of the police chief as well, as there seems to be a whole lot of problems and issues there!
Alfredo would have been moved even if he'd given the right numbers. City employees know that the king wanted those numbers and Gil had to produce them. They just happened to get caught and Marty had to save face. He "can't handle the truth".
I applaud Denise for standing up to Debra. That "B" humiliated me in a room full of my peers at one of the "Go Marty" meetings and I stood up to it. When it got back to my director, via Debra, I was told I had to put up with it. I verbally resisted that direction. Well, it wasn't long before I was forced out of my position with that bullying covert retaliation. The only reason I still have a job is because I'm not an at-will employee. Just what does that cat horder have on Marty??
and for "uneedbetterinformants" if what you clain is true then post the numbers. While you're at it find out APD's numbers since they won't release that public information to the media. Also answer the questions that bloggers have posted.
I know where Marty's goofy ideas are coming from. Check out usmayors.org It reads like a bunch of cheeleaders getting ready for a pep rally.
2 posts up: OK, so instead of reprimanding the idiot for fudging numbers in environmental he moves him to cultural services to replace the previous deputy director (who was charged with 2 DUIs and indecent exposure)!! Wow yeah, he really thru Alfredo under the bus! Marty said he went to college with this guy and that the new position would be a good fit! Yeah, good fit if you widen the doors about a foot! You see how big this guy is? SO: the idiot still is an "at-will" employee, retains his high paying job in UNcultural services where apparently any friend of Marty's (whether they be a drunk or tend to flash their weiners in public) can safely stay in the employ of the city.
Wow! This mayor is F'edup BIG TIME.
I agree, let's leave race out of it. Marty is just a plain out dirty politician.
I can't wait to see what the mayor lies about next???????
Im all for leaving race out of it but when did "short" and "fat" become protected classes? Just asking.
Debra has far too many animals to qualify under the "Heart" ordinance. Arent we all limited to 5?
We teach kids in elementary school not to call each other hurtful names. I just think it would be nice if all of us adults could do the same.
Agreed, however there really is a 'short man syndrome' (Napolean syndrome) and adressing that as a way of explaining his horrid behavior of staff may have merit.
So, do ALL short men suffer from this syndrome? Maybe it's just Hispanic men who dare to take the lead, right? I hate it that I'm being forced to stick up for the Mayor, but I just can't stand all the blatantly racist comments posted here.
John Romero doesn't deserve to be included in this trashing. Talk to him. Arrange a meeting with him and find out.
Deborah James has no businessbeing involved in the day to day operations of the shelter. How does a woman employed to service the mayor with her mouth, end up making executive decisions?
Wow, you have to really be looking for insult to equate SHORT with hispanic! Come on and get real... too much "victim thinking" going on in someone's head there.
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