ALERT: Concerns Raised About Proposed ABQ Clean Elections Regulations

From Common Cause NM:
Albuquerque- Common Cause New Mexico is raising concerns about recently released by the Albuquerque City Clerk for the upcoming 2007 municipal election. The regulations were developed to administer the "Open and Ethical Elections" charter amendment that was approved by Albuquerque voters in 2005.

At stake is the proper functioning of the public funding provisions of the new law, according to Matt Brix, Executive Director of Common Cause.

"Albuquerque voters passed the Open and Ethical Elections Referendum by an overwhelming 70% margin back in October 2005, making us the first city in the country to pass a clean elections measure by popular referendum," says Brix.  "Over a year has passed and the 2007 municipal election cycle is already underway.  Making sure we get these regulations right has become an urgent task, if the new system is to run smoothly as the voters intended."

The Albuquerque City Clerk is holding a hearing to receive public comment on the new regulations this Monday, February 26, at 3 PM in the City Council Chambers.

"There has been a good faith effort to prepare these regulations for public review," says Brix, "but several critical areas need fixing and Monday's hearing is the public's final opportunity to fix these problems."

Common Cause has identified a number of problem areas in the new regulations, such as:

• Inconsistencies with the reporting requirements for seed money contributions and regular campaign contributions. The City left out disclosure of a contributor's business and occupation in the reporting requirement for seed money contributors.
• Rules that define what independent versus coordinated expenditures are.
• Vague language that could delay by weeks matching funds to a candidate whose opponent exceeds the voluntary limit on expenditures.

Editor's Note: Those concerned about the proper implementation of the Albuquerque Open and Ethical Elections amendment are urged to attend Monday's hearing. You can also send your comments to the Albuquerque City Clerk and urge her to respond appropriately to the concerns raised by Common Cause:

Millie U. Santillanes, City Clerk
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1293; Albuquerque, NM 87103
Physical Address: City-County Bldg., One Civic Plaza, 11th Fl.
Phone: (505) 768-3030; Fax: (505) 768-2845
Email: msantillanes@cabq.gov