Mayoral Forum

Posted by Sara Malinowski in Santa Fe

Members of the Santa Fe community were eagerly awaiting each candidate’s perspective. Photo by Luke Montavon

This past Feb. 20, one of the final mayoral forums, PolitiMIX, was hosted by MIX Santa Fe and Hutton Broadcasting at SFUAD’s own Greer Garson Theatre. Candidates Patti Bushee and Javier Gonzalez were present, while Bill Dimas has declined to participate in any forums. The crowd itself was healthy, filling the theatre, and with a large age range in attendees.

Many SFUAD alumni and current students were in the mix, as well as long time residents. Speaking to them before the forum, we asked: “What are you hoping to hear about during this debate?” and “What do you hope to gain tonight?” Topics that came up repeatedly were education, nightlife (with recent bars closing down), transportation and safety policies that welcome more tourists and the youth of Santa Fe, and economic development within job creation. For example:

“I would like to hear about transportation and safety, job creation for young people, living spaces more affordable for single people, better education You see people leave all the time and it’s wasted talent.” —Rebecca Alvarez, Graphic Design Alum, May 2013

“I think they’re gonna regurgitate the stuff they’ve said in old debates, and change platforms based on the fact that it is a younger crowd here.” —Santa Fean John Edwards

“Patti has been around a long time, and I’ve followed her through other elections. I would like to hear from her in this arena, [particularly about] Education, pre-K for myself. Teachers are underpaid, [and] people are burnt out after five years because they don’t get the support they deserve.” —Maggie Boyle, long time Santa Fe Resident

“It will be interesting to see these candidates faced with the adversity and pressures of a debate and its difficult questions; it’s going to be a great preview for how these candidates are as leaders. I would like to hear about how they plan to keep and attract young people; that’s something Santa Fe has historically struggled with. We need to hear about creation and quality of jobs so that we can allow people to invest their lives here.” —Katelyn Peer, Film Alum, Dec. 2013

Community Members take note of candidates Gonzalez and Bushee’s response to each of the MIX Santa Fe-driven questions. Photo by Luke Montavon

The debate itself seemed to circle around many of these ideas, although avoiding it avoided education altogether. Attempts to appeal to a younger crowd by the candidates were evident: they used the terms “that hip factor, ”“hip enough, fast enough, soon enough,” and “more than city different, it’s the place to be.” I was able to speak with candidate Javier Gonzales about the lack of places to go after 9 p.m. (a sore spot for myself, being from New York) and it was surprisingly a cornerstone of the forum.

“We have to make sure everything doesn’t close down by 9 p.m.,” was a common statement, repeated to crowd cheers by both candidates. A large cornerstone for candidate Patti Bushee was making Santa Fe, particularly St. Michael’s Road, into a more bike-friendly, car-friendly area. She often stated that the way we are currently laid out divides our community. Following the debate, SFUAD Junior Nicholas Beckman said, “I was interested to hear about [the candidates] interest in revitalizing St. Michael’s Road. About bike paths, and more local businesses. I’d personally want a pizza place open all night long.”

Although politicians often speak in broad terms, both Bushee and Gonzales had their moments. “It wasn’t that they were grazing over things. When it came to their responses, they either touched on the same idea multiple times, or, if they didn’t touch on it, it was never mentioned at all,” Beckman explained. Both candidates visibly made written notes to themselves throughout the debate as they reworded and revamped their ideas.

Patti Bushee discusses her current and past work in the city during the debate. Photo by Luke Montavon

Bushee worked in specifics, stating 65 percent of Santa Fe are below the poverty line, and spoke of her love of music and the Paolo Soleri Ampitheatre she had fought to keep alive, as well as the many other projects of which she has been part.

Candidate Javier Gonzalez gave his plan for reviving the youth culture in Santa Fe during the mayoral candidate debate Feb. 20. Photo by Luke Montavon

Gonzales was adamant on growing the post-production film industry, on creating a sound hall that seats more than 300 and providing it “government micro-funds”, and stated he hopes by 2020 to reduce the local dropout rates from 44 percent to 15 percent.

The mayoral candidates Patti Bushee and Javier Gonzales toasting for the cameras after the debate. Photo by: Bego Aznar

The debate ended promptly, and by 9 p.m. (the go-to time of the evening), both candidates were sharing a beer and a laugh. For myself, the energy of the room seemed rather sedated, as if everyone, young and old, had heard enough and was ready for their 9 pm catnap. This begs the question: When we demand specifics, how much do we really want to hear?