Alma Castro

Age: 35

Party affiliation: Democrat

Educational background: Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio, 2010 — Bachelor of Arts, double majored in comparative American studies and politics: globalization and nation; Santa Fe Rotary Exchange Student, Brazil; 2006, Santa Fe High School; 2005, Idyllwild Arts Academy

Occupation: Administrative director

Political experience: Issue-based organizing

Relevant life experience: Cafe Castro, administrative director, 2019-present; Santa Fe Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 40 under 40 honoree, 2023; member/chair, city of Santa Fe Arts Commission, 2020-23; violin/vocals, Mariachi Sirenas, Chicago, 2017-19; cohort member, Cultivate

Have you ever been charged or convicted of a crime, including drunken driving? :No

Have you ever filed for bankruptcy or been involved in a bankruptcy proceeding, either personally or in business? :No

Have you ever been the subject of liens for unpaid taxes? :No

Land use and zoning issues have become contentious as the city faces the competing goals of addressing a housing crisis and preserving neighborhood character. How do you believe this balance could be achieved as the city begins a long-overdue overhaul of its development codes?

As we move forward with the new master plan, we must look at developing enough workforce housing and supplement high rent costs for struggling families. We must create an affordable path to homeownership and pay livable wages to sustain those loans. With sensitivity to local aesthetics, we need denser housing with more walkable neighborhoods. I resist the idea that affordable, green, more dense housing is not attainable while keeping the neighborhood’s character.

The city has struggled for years to submit timely financial audits to the state. Do you believe the Finance Department is on the right track to rectify this, and are there other actions the city should take to ensure timely audits in the future?

The late release of the 2021 audit gives me pause about our financial department consistently failing to meet deadlines. New technology, as well as more regulation and oversight, are welcome improvement, yet we need checks and balances. In business, not meeting benchmarks results in rectification. We need real consequences for mismanagement and corruption. An Office of Inspector General to create stronger accountability measures is key in rebuilding confidence in the city’s effectiveness.

What are your thoughts on how the city carries out basic services?

While I am grateful for all the work city employees do, I think we are falling short. Our workers are doing the best they can with the resources they are given, but we need to invest more in maintenance staff and facilities. Wastewater in particular needs to be addressed with an updated treatment plant. Our parks staff needs more hands to care for the 170 miles of trails that are quickly expanding.

It’s been nearly three years since the Plaza obelisk was toppled. How do you believe the council should move forward?

Given recent events, it is clear that the City Council needs to move to address feelings around the box. It’s clear that it has become a flashpoint for very divisive rhetoric from all sides and pretending nothing is happening only allows resentment and hurt to fester.

The council should lead by having open discussions about what to do with input from the whole community. Most santafesinos would love to have a place to dance without obstruction.

Do you support a ballot question that would impose a tax on the sales of high-end homes to create revenue for affordable housing initiatives, and what other solutions do you see for a housing crisis?

Yes. It is a simple way of creating dependable revenue for affordable housing. We should prioritize mixeduse housing, combining residential units with commercial space and allow for more food and amenities accessible to all. We can also reevaluate our tax streams and work with state lawmakers to make room for renters’ rights and affordable housing. We need to support the creating of alternative dueling units and use city land and resources as equitably as possible.

Brian Gutierrez

Age: 52

Party affiliation: Democrat

Educational background: Some college

Occupation: Self-employed businessman

Political experience: Ran for City Council District 1 in 2021

Relevant life experience: Husband; father; self-employed for 26 years; member, city of Santa Fe Charter Review Commission, 2013; member and chair, city of Santa Fe Planning Commission

Have you ever been charged or convicted of a crime, including drunken driving? :No

Have you ever filed for bankruptcy or been involved in a bankruptcy proceeding, either personally or in business? :No

Have you ever been the subject of liens for unpaid taxes? :No

Land use and zoning issues have become contentious as the city faces the competing goals of addressing a housing crisis and preserving neighborhood character. How do you believe this balance could be achieved as the city begins a long-overdue overhaul of its development codes?

Santa Fe has overlay protections in certain areas. Laws should be changed prior to development if these protections no longer apply. The city should NOT disregard these overlay protections. Older neighborhoods may benefit from infill. In the process of updating its development codes attention must be given to infrastructure available in the area. Look at surrounding areas for harmonious transitions. Example: Why place a mixed-use zoning in an area without city sewer services?

The city has struggled for years to submit timely financial audits to the state. Do you believe the Finance Department is on the right track to rectify this, and are there other actions the city should take to ensure timely audits in the future?

No. Santa Fe is paying millions of dollars to an outside firm for help with completion of the audits. All accounting and a complete audit should be completed prior to starting an audit for another year. Nobody starts reading a book from the middle. If qualified personnel are not applying to fill positions, reach out to retired professional personnel to help. (On contract.) We must bring it up to date and complete all missing audits.

What are your thoughts on how the city carries out basic services?

Basic services need help. Wastewater out of compliance! [The Municipal Recreation Sports Complex], Country Club, the landfill and others rely heavily on effluent which has been out of compliance. Water lines are very old in parts of the city and leaking. Roadways unmaintained; parks overgrown and unmanicured. The Santa Fe Police Department is short 25 officers. The most basic services are owed to the citizens of this city. This would be my priority as an elected official.

It’s been nearly three years since the Plaza obelisk was toppled. How do you believe the council should move forward?

Google “Santa Fe Plaza” and the first photo is the Soldiers’ Monument. The monument is one of history. We must learn from history or face the possibility of the same mistakes being repeated. The City Council should rebuild the obelisk in the very same location it has stood for over 150 years. Times change but history doesn’t. Think of the rebuilding as you would a remodel of your home. Update the exterior but leave the structure.

Do you support a ballot question that would impose a tax on the sales of high-end homes to create revenue for affordable housing initiatives, and what other solutions do you see for a housing crisis?

I support this tax. A priority for me would be workforce housing. The city can collaborate with Santa Fe County, Santa Fe Public Schools and the New Mexico School for the Deaf to do a workforce housing initiative. New Mexico School for the Deaf has many acres of property in Tierra Contenta. The city and public schools have unused or underused properties that can be developed for workforce housing. All these properties are in areas with infrastructure.

Katherine Rivera

Age: 61

Party affiliation:

Independent

Educational background: Bachelor of Science, business administration

Occupation: Business office manager

Political experience: none

Relevant life experience: 33 years as an operations project manager with a Fortune 250 corporation

Have you ever been charged or convicted of a crime, including drunken driving?: Yes

If yes, please explain: 38 years ago, at the age of 23, I pleaded no contest to a DUI in Texas.

Have you ever filed for bankruptcy or been involved in a bankruptcy proceeding, either personally or in business? :No

Have you ever been the subject of liens for unpaid taxes?: Yes

If yes, please explain: Unfortunately, my name is a common name among many others throughout North and South America. A lien was filed under my Social Security number but for someone with a different spelling of my name. The lien was released after providing necessary documents to the Internal Revenue Service. I have enhanced my identity theft protection as a result.

Land use and zoning issues have become contentious as the city faces the competing goals of addressing a housing crisis and preserving neighborhood character. How do you believe this balance could be achieved as the city begins a long-overdue overhaul of its development codes?

1. The city has failed to codify some of its earlier decisions. As we overhaul the codes, Santa Fe should first reconfirm what it wants to protect and codify that decision, so it is clear to all. 2. It will take more than new development to tackle the housing crisis. Preserving neighborhood and Santa Fe character will require investment in infill and funding for repair and renovation within existing neighborhoods for existing residents. Community engagement is key.

The city has struggled for years to submit timely financial audits to the state. Do you believe the Finance Department is on the right track to rectify this, and are there other actions the city should take to ensure timely audits in the future?

Hard to tell given limited evidence. Corporations have much higher stakes and suffer harder consequences if they can’t deliver audits. An expectation of excellence should be the tone from the top. I would expect, at a minimum, that internal audits, regular monitoring and early warning systems are embedded into day-to-day business processes so that the annual completion becomes more routine. A compliance mindset and an integrated culture of integrity are keys to success.

What are your thoughts on how the city carries out basic services?

The impression is that this entire category has been neglected. Citizens remain vocal about the need for better deliverables in all these areas. Santa Fe’s water future flows through the treatment plant and that requires significant investment. I would prefer to see money spent on infrastructure needs over projects like CHART and [diversity, equity and inclusion]. Public safety is Santa Fe’s largest daily issue. Attention to infrastructure and addressing crime must be the new budget evidenced priority!

It’s been nearly three years since the Plaza obelisk was toppled. How do you believe the council should move forward?

Santa Fe should set the standard for historic preservation and respect for traditional customs. I would like to see the Soldiers’ Monument rebuilt. My first choice would be to have it rebuilt at its original site. We all have ancestors. I believe an alignment can be reached with the All Pueblo Council of Governors regarding respect in remembering and honoring ancestors. Once aligned, our preservation laws should be strengthened for stricter penalties on destruction or removal of any memorials.

Do you support a ballot question that would impose a tax on the sales of high-end homes to create revenue for affordable housing initiatives, and what other solutions do you see for a housing crisis?

I believe this tax is a way to start permanent funding that does not take away from the city’s general fund. Additional national and state sources to fund affordable housing initiatives should be explored. Given the growing threat of water shortage in the Southwest, I do not believe Santa Fe can build its way out of this crisis. We should start thinking about investments into commuter transit options for the commuting labor force long term.

Geno Zamora

Age: 54

Party affiliation: Democrat

Educational background: University of Arizona

College of Law, Juris Doctorate; Georgetown University School of Business, bachelor’s in business administration; Harvard University Graduate School of Education’s National Institute for Urban School Leaders; St. Michael’s High School; E.J Martinez Elementary School

Occupation: Attorney and partner at Ortiz & Zamora Law Firm

Political experience: Ran for state attorney general; senior adviser, Obama’s New Mexico for Change Campaign; Assistant Attorney General, Tom Udall; chief legal counsel, Gov. Bill Richardson; city attorney, Santa Fe; general counsel, New Mexico Economic Development Department; general counsel, Santa Fe Public Schools

Relevant life experience: I served four years as city attorney. Born and raised here, I’m an attorney like my father, brother and sister, and co-own my law firm focused on civil rights, labor, education and open government. I was raised to serve the people of my community.

Have you ever been charged or convicted of a crime, including drunken driving? :No

Have you ever filed for bankruptcy or been involved in a bankruptcy proceeding, either personally or in business? :No

Have you ever been the subject of liens for unpaid taxes? :No

Land use and zoning issues have become contentious as the city faces the competing goals of addressing a housing crisis and preserving neighborhood character. How do you believe this balance could be achieved as the city begins a long-overdue overhaul of its development codes?

Santa Fe should be the city where everyone belongs. We need middle- and low-income housing for all generations of Santa Feans to live here. Infill housing needs to be designed in a way that fits the character of each neighborhood. New developments should be part of an updated city master plan with integrated housing for all income levels. Leadership needs to flow from the governing body for development that preserves the character of Santa Fe.

The city has struggled for years to submit timely financial audits to the state. Do you believe the Finance Department is on the right track to rectify this, and are there other actions the city should take to ensure timely audits in the future?

For years, the Finance Department was off track, but necessary changes have been made getting the department toward the right track. To complete audits on time, the city must have proper staffing levels through recruiting, retaining and properly compensating skilled financial staff. It will take the city several more months to repair the financial reporting damage that occurred over several years, but the necessary steps have started and are turning this financial aircraft carrier around.

What are your thoughts on how the city carries out basic services?

The city needs to empower employees to be masters of basic services. As a city councilor, my job will be to ensure that the basic services departments have the staffing, training, equipment and compensation they need to perform their duties at the highest level. City leadership needs advanced facilities and infrastructure master planning to be proactive and reactive — and no longer be surprised when facilities past their usable lifespan break down.

It’s been nearly three years since the Plaza obelisk was toppled. How do you believe the council should move forward?

The governing body needs to make a decision, no more overstudying and wringing our hands. The monument should be restored as a true veterans’ monument, recognizing all lives lost including Native American lives, and be relocated to the veterans’ cemetery where my father is buried. The Plaza should be returned to a traditional Northern New Mexico plaza with a gazebo as its focal point. Finally, we must focus on issues that unite us, not divide us.

Do you support a ballot question that would impose a tax on the sales of high-end homes to create revenue for affordable housing initiatives, and what other solutions do you see for a housing crisis?

I support the excise tax as one tool for increasing our inventory of affordable housing and for building a Santa Fe where everyone belongs. Excise tax proceeds can be multiplied with matching grants for workforce housing for our first responders, teachers, health care workers, trades workers and local graduates — to live, work and raise their families here. We also need to explore other areas including the 599 corridor for a diverse inventory of housing.