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Next steps to making ABQ a solar leader Our bill to make Albuquerque a solar leader continues to move forward. R-16-36 was initially written to set a solar standard for City facilities of 25% solar energy by 2025.Since initially filing this bill, we’ve received hundreds of comments with dozens of suggestions for how our city could achieve this solar generation goal, and many more requests to raise the proposed goal to match that of other Sun Belt cities like Austin which set an even more aggressive 55% goal by 2025. Your input showed strong public support for this issue and also highlighted our need for real, Albuquerque-based data and cost estimates before we set our standard. Last week, I requested a fiscal impact analysis be conducted to identify our options and the costs. This report will not only tell us how we get to 25% by 2025 but determine if we can set the bar even higher. Our staff is working to gather experts in city facilities and the solar industry now and we’ll be announcing a public forum soon to give you the chance to bring your own suggestions to the process. This type of public process for an agenda like this is
unique, and it is possible thanks to the input we received from middle
and high school students, homeowners and industry experts who all sent
messages and appeared in person supporting our original plan and
asking for more. We’ll need you all to continue to help, so
please stay tuned!
Let’s talk about Gun Violence (again)  Last month, I was
invited to the White House to explore options for addressing gun
violence that don’t require us to wait on Congress or the State
Legislature to act.Before I could even get home and
start working on this issue, another mass shooting hit home.
Albuquerque’s outpouring of support
for victims and survivors in Orlando reminded me why I love our city.
Then, last night, while I was chairing a council committee meeting, another incident disrupted our lives and brought the issues of gun violence home, again. Quite frankly, I’m tired of this. And
I’m tired of hopes and prayers and I’m ready for action.
Later this week, I’m convening a task
force of community groups – including Moms Demand Action-NM,
Everytown, Crime Stoppers, NM for Gun Safety, public health
organizations, crime prevention groups and community organizers -
working to address gun violence to find solutions we can enact right
here in ABQ this summer.
I want us to come away with a real plan to help us understand gun violence right here in ABQ and what we can do now, without waiting on Congress or Santa Fe to act. If you are interested in following
the progress of my Council Task Force on gun violence, be sure you
follow me on Facebook
where I’ll post updates from our meeting.
Big News for Zuni Road! If you’ve driven down Zuni in the past week or so you’ve no doubt seen the orange cones and work trucks. Wondered why?
I have big news! 5 years after Councilor Garduno
first began the process to restripe and redesign one of Albuquerque’s
most dangerous urban roadways, we are finally getting started.
Zuni has seen more than two dozen
pedestrian and bicycle accidents in the past few years – two fatal
since I took office in December.
No one would design a roadway like
this today, but getting it fixed is a big undertaking. Councilor
Garduno began the process by setting aside a large part of his
council-specific funding for design work and to serve as a match for
federal road funds, but those would not be available until
2018.
After taking office, I asked city
staff to take a new look at the roadway and find a way to use the
money we have now to make the most important improvements today. I’m
happy to report that that is exactly what we are doing now.
I added more council-specific street funds -bringing your City Councilor-directed contributions to $900,000 for this major road project - and County Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins helped with additional matching County roads money to fund the next phase of the project. Road crews are starting the process
to add a center turn lane, curb-side bike lanes, crosswalks and
mid-block crossing stations to provide better roadways for thru
drivers and turn lanes for residents. Pedestrians and bicyclists will
see big improvements right away.
The next phase – in 2018 – will add
sidewalk and intersection improvements to complete the
project.
I’m very proud that we were able to
find a solution to make this work now. Please be patient while road
workers finish this project. They’ll be done in July. Give yourself
– and them – some extra time and extra room in the construction zone
until then.
Read more about this project on my
website.: “Dangerous
roadway to get major facelift with road improvements”
Water Authority Customer Conversations: Water Resources Management Strategy (our plans for our water) Tonight: 6-8pm, Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center, 501 Elizabeth St SE Nob Hill Neighborhood Association: Community review of proposed ABC-Z Zoning and Development Ordinance process and changes Thurs, June 16: 6-830, Monte Vista Christian Church, 3501 Campus Blvd NE Fun Things Happening This Summer in District 6
Also,
be sure to check out the cool splash
pad at the Cesar Chavez Community Center on Louisiana Dr SE. Call
for hours and more information
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Patrick Davis for ABQ · 3926 Simms Ave SE, Albuquerque, NM
87108, United States
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