The City Council has wrapped up our last meeting of the year and Christopher and I are getting ready to head out to spread a little New Mexico Christmas cheer with family out-of-state.  

But before we go I want to give you a quick wrap up of all the projects and programs I've been working to finish before the end of year: 


City Councilor, Merchants Partner to Add 100 New (Free!) Parking Spaces to Nob Hill
If you haven't finished your holiday shopping, doing it in Nob Hill just got a lot easier!

It's taken almost six months to do, but my new partnership w Nob Hill Main Street just brought 100 new (free) parking spaces to Nob Hill.  Neighbors know that busy times in Nob Hill can mean limited parking in nearby neighborhoods for residents and no merchant wants to lose a customer because they can't find parking.

Earlier this year, I asked merchants if they'd be willing to lease unneeded parking spaces on their property to the city. I included a $50,000 grant to NH Main St. in the City's budget to fund the project and this week Main Street opened those first lots.  

These new spaces are in addition to extra spaces added to Silver Ave and Monte Vista Blvd thanks to new back-in parking configurations added in the past few months.

• KOB TV: City Creates More Parking Spaces in Nob Hill
• See the map: City, Merchants Partner to Announce 100 New Parking Spaces for Retail in Nob Hill

A new bill to prevent a new backlog of rape kits in ABQ
After State Auditor Tim Keller identified more than 3,000 untested rape kits in APD labs, it became clear that we need a new process to prioritize these investigations. While we work to obtain grants and state funding to test our own backlog, let's be sure we never end up here again.

KOAT-TV:  Davis' bill would be the first mandated procedure for APD to handle sexual assault kits. He says the new rules will prevent future backlogs from building up. “It costs us a lot of money to go back and test old kits and in some cases they're more than a decade old and there's a very little chance we're going to get good justice for victims doing it that way,” Davis said." 

By the Auditors numbers, the kits in Albuquerque's crime lab could lead to hundreds of solved crimes. “It's incredibly important to victims, to the community's safety, to the offenders that are doing this. there's a sense of we need accountability that this is not acceptable,” Monahan said.

Watch online: ABQ City Council tries to handle rape kit backlog problem

POLITICO: "Albuquerque's Solar Grab"
A few weeks ago, POLITICO came to see how we are accomplishing what others aren't': "On a typically sunny day in December, Albuquerque City Council member Pat Davis climbs a ladder to the roof of Fire Station 5.... Scanning his surroundings, Davis offers a preview of the city’s future that uses the sun for more than just promotional material."

A tax credit for solar development, enacted in 2006, expired this year. Martinez, a two-term Republican governor, pocket-vetoed a renewal of the credit in April 2015 without explanation. After another bill to renew it stalled in the Legislature this past winter, the activist group Environment New Mexico turned to Davis, newly elected to Albuquerque’s City Council. “[They] came and said, ‘We’re looking for local organizing opportunities, things we can get done in cities that we can’t get done in Congress or the [state] Legislature,’” Davis said.

Read the full article at Politico.com

Ensuring an independent, transparent investigation of APD evidence tampering allegations

Recent allegations by a former APD records custodian that officials in the police department edited lapel and body camera videos of officer-involved shootings could have big implications for our DOJ reform process and for other cases across the department.  

That's why I wrote a new resolution establishing an oversight team - including the City's Inspector General (recommended by our Police Oversight Board) and City Council staff -  for that investigation.  That resolution passed Monday night and the process to appoint an independent investigator is underway.

This ensures that if APD receives a clean bill of health, we can all trust in that finding.  And if problems are uncovered, this team includes everyone with a role to address it promptly.  We are expecting this process to begin quickly.

Read more: 

• APD investigating allegations of doctored videos | Albuquerque Journal
• City Councilor Pat Davis Requests APD Halt Internal Investigation ...

Christopher and I have been making the rounds in Nob Hill and our International District picking up last minute gifts at Talin Market, Chocolate Dude, Toad Road, Izzy Martin and Urban Outfitters.

Last week, we spent a great night out with the Off Broadway family attending The Dolls' performance of Jack & the Beanstalk at the NHCC and the AuxDog theatre just finished a successful run of their holiday production, "The Real Nut" and they provided free tickets to neighborhood school children!

The holiday market at our neighborhood Humble Coffee was a big success (Christopher and I found a few last minute things there - thanks Humble!)

If you are still looking for a few ways to celebrate the holidays in ABQ, don't forget The River of Lights which benefits the BioPark Society and runs through Dec. 30 (closed 12/24 & 12/25) at the ABQ BioPark. (We went last weekend and had a great time - just bundle up!)



Finally - Nick Tellos and his team at Ragin' Shrimp are open again!  After losing two weeks of business for the Carlisle fire, help Nick and his staff recover and finish the year strong by eating there this week or next!  Welcome back Nick!

Finally, I want to wrap up our first year as your City Councilor by extending a huge THANK YOU to Sean Foran and all of our City Council staff who work so hard to make this important work become reality!  

-- Pat