Questions and answers
Oct. 10—Rebecca A. Romero
Age: 37
Occupation: Management analyst
Education: High school/working on associate's degree in business
Family: As a native born and raised in District 4, my family history has ties going back to the 1960s. My grandparents ran the Estrada Room and then opened the Green Onion in the 1970s. I went to elementary school at Nava, middle at De Vargas and Capital High School. I was raised in a single parent household with my brother within District 4. After high school, I went to work in the private sector and now currently working with the state of New Mexico for the past six years. I have the best support system with my family and friends.
Government/political experience: N/A
Community service activities: I am currently an advocate for foster children in CYFD custody for Rio Arriba, Los Alamos and Santa Fe counties. I am the voice of the children who can't have a voice in the court system.
Questions:
1. Why are you running and what skills do you hope to bring, or continue to bring, to the City Council?
Answer: I am running for the City Council to be the voice of District 4. To bring the issues we face in District 4 to the council for resolving. As a district on the south side of town that is easily forgotten, it needs the resources to maintain the district to thrive like other parts of the city. District 4 needs someone to fight and be the voice of the constituents to maintain it and make it a better area for our future. I have several years of budget and financial experience that will help allocate and maintain a sufficient budget for upcoming years.
2. What do you consider the biggest issue facing Santa Fe and how do you intend to address it?
Answer: The biggest issue we face as a city is that our city departments are extremely understaffed in all departments. As a result of this, it has been an issue to maintain the city and keep the city safe. For example, we don't have enough city employees to maintain the right-of-ways to keep the vision of the traffic on our busiest streets visible. We don't have enough police officers to maintain more than eight on a shift to keep the safety of our city a priority. As a member of the City Council, I will work with the departments and council to help bring in the employees with the necessary job requirements and experience that is needed to maintain the needs of Santa Fe. The next issue we have is affordable housing and working with the current council to get housing built. Working with the current council to update and create a better affordable housing plan for our city will be a priority of mine.
3. What is the biggest issue facing your district?
Answer: I believe the biggest issue we face in District 4 is infrastructure and maintenance of the streets and sidewalks for our residents. The maintenance of the three largest parks for the children of District 4; the minimal affordable housing that is nowhere to be found in District 4; and public safety is another one. District 4 has a little bit of everything but is one of the largest districts that is forgotten and needs to be maintained accordingly.
4. In 50 words or fewer, what is your opinion of a.) Alan Webber's term as mayor, and b.) the current City Council?
Answer:
A.) In the current incumbents term, more city positions have been either vacant, threatened to become vacated or filled with in-experience personal which has caused turmoil though all city departments.
B.) This is the first administration that has shown total disregard for the city of Santa Fe in any infrastructure needs. A majority of the current City Council that is up for re-election has failed to provide the needs of all districts, not just the downtown area.
5. How should the city approach development of the Midtown Campus? What are your ideas for the site?
Answer: Working with the current council to help bring in nongovernment jobs to help bring in revenue to the city. For example, help our local business owners have a business that thrives for them and the city. Having locally owned businesses in the Midtown Campus would bring in more tourists to the south side of town and would be a great.
Amanda Chavez
Age: 36
Occupation: Director of special education
Education: Bachelor's degree in general education and special education, master's degree in educational leadership
Family: I'm a mother of two amazing children, a 5-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy. I have a supportive, caring and nurturing partner, Christopher Beaument. I come from a wonderful family; my mother, Tomasita, and father, Eliseo Chavez, are my biggest supporters and are why I have accomplished so much in my life. I have an older brother and sister with who I am very close.
Government/political experience: Santa Fe Planning Commission
Community service activities: I'm a passionate community advocate. I was principal at a local elementary school where I worked to support the school to transition to become a community school. This experience taught me about community outreach and recruiting volunteer advocates. I learned how community organizing around something we care about, like our children's education can be a powerful advocacy tool. I also saw firsthand how rich we are as a city when we pull together.
1. Why are you running and what skills do you hope to bring, or continue to bring, to the City Council?
Answer: I want to help create a Santa Fe where our youth can thrive and working families can prosper. I've been a leader in education that focuses on putting students and what they deserve at the center and heart of all I do and the decisions I make. I strongly believe as a city councilor I can offer experience with a leadership philosophy that keeps the community at the center of every decision. I'm committed to putting Santa Feans, their future, what they need this city government to be for them, at the center of all I do.
2. What do you consider the biggest issue facing Santa Fe and how do you intend to address it?
Recovery after COVID-19: I will work on the City Council to ensure that working families and small businesses are not left behind from recovery aid and funding. I will work with City Hall to secure small-business grants and ensure businesses in District 4 have what they need to open safely. I will work for a government that is ready to welcome a Santa Fe economy that is open and ready for business. I will be a strong advocate of diversifying the Santa Fe economy and providing support for job growth for young people so they can find opportunities and help Santa Fe prosper.
3. What is the biggest issue facing your district?
Affordable Housing: I plan to strongly advocate for development and housing that concentrates on equity, accessibility and affordability across all of Santa Fe's City Council districts. As city councilor, I will provide continued support and advocate to fully invest in the Affordable Housing Trust. Affordable housing is one of my biggest concerns —in part because of how concentrated it is in certain parts of the city.
4. In 50 words or fewer, what is your opinion of a.) Alan Webber's term as mayor, and b.) the current City Council?
Answer: The mayor has responded effectively to safeguard our public health during an unprecedented global pandemic. The City Council is filled with dedicated public servants who strive every day to represent their districts with distinction. Collaboration focused on Santa Fe's common ground from both the mayor and council need drastic improvement.
5. How should the city approach development of the Midtown Campus? What are your ideas for the site?
Answer: Right now St. Elizabeth's is housed in Midtown, we have a resource at the center of our city, and I love this. I feel like we need to bring all of our city resources to the center of our city, including City Hall. I believe the city and its supporting organizations should be housed near each other and central to the community it serves. Where city leaders can be among the people who serve our community, and where community members can have easy access to the individuals that serve them including their leaders.
