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Wednesday, October 22, 2025Billionaires Come To Aid Of Four APS School Board Candidates; Influx Of Cash Brings Debate Over School Vouchers to Fore; Netflix Co-Founder Plays A Part; Opposition Waning?
Those questions arise with the news of a major influx of money into the campaign coffers of four of the candidates from a PAC funded by two billionaires promoting national education changes. The education and political establishment here has for years drawn a line in the sand over vouchers that would allow parents to use taxpayer money to send their kids to private schools. But continued abysmal public school ratings--after an historic and massive investment of oil boom money to improve them--has led us and others to change positions and advocate for a limited voucher program as part of the solution so urgently needed. The out of state PAC donations--around $300,000--appear to be the largest ever for an APS school board election and went to candidates that have received strong local business support. The board is currently controlled by a moderate pro-business faction holding four seats and union-friendly board members in the other three. But power could switch back to the union/teacher faction depending on the election results thus the influx of funds into the races. School vouchers are primarily a state issue so the impact of the election is more in a psychological vein. Board members getting that pro-voucher money may feel more emboldened to advocate for them should they win their races. That in turn could influence state government. Vouchers have received little attention from the current Board. Finance reports show the action fund has funneled money to four candidates — more than $15,000 to APD board president Danielle Gonzales in District 3, about $17,300 to board vice president Courtney Jackson in District 7, $13,000 to David Ams in District 6 and more than $5,800 to Joshua Martinez in District 5. . . The PAC also hired a Washington, D.C.-based media firm to produce $98,000 in so-called “independent expenditure” ads supporting those candidates. An additional $30,000 went to local polling. THE NETFLIX FACTOR
Netflix has been a major contributor to the ABQ economy by making the city a center for their film and TV productions. They have also advanced film education and jobs. CNM is establishing a NM Film Academy at the Rail Yards made possible by the large industry presence here. APS says student enrollment has dropped below 66,000 with an annual budget of $2.25 billion. Enrollment peaked at 97,000 in 2021. Stagnant population growth--especially among school age children--has been the reason along with the growth of charter schools and other alternatives. The interest from the billionaires in the APS Board comes amid a continuing wave of depressing news over the lack of progress at APS with its many minority students: Underserved eighth grade students in Albuquerque Public Schools are not hitting the goals the Board of Education set for them in math proficiency, according to a report released last week. The board also received a report that showed mixed results in early literacy goals, specifically the number of first and second graders reading proficiently. However, that report found that some students were hitting their goals. The first, second and eighth graders monitored in each report are “Yazzie-Martinez students,” defined by the 2018 landmark ruling that determined New Mexico was not providing its underserved students with an adequate education. School vouchers have been seen as an existential threat to public school funding and Arizona's over use of them is often used as an example. But a limited and well-defined program for ABQ and New Mexico parents could be gaining momentum as those once-in-a-lifetime dollars flowing from oil did not move the needle. Teachers' union opposition to vouchers remains adamant but the APS school board candidates receiving the PAC money are not rejecting it, perhaps a sign that vouchers may no longer be as much of a political lightning rod and could capture some momentum in ABQ and at the Roundhouse. APS BOARD RACES More on those four seats up for election to the seven member APS board:
The Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce endorsed Gonzales, Jackson, Ams, and Martinez. The Albuquerque Teachers Federation endorsed Betzen, Bowman, and Wood-Hegne. The union did not endorse a candidate for District 5.
LABEL CHALLENGED  I do want to push back on being labeled a “progressive Democrat.” Labels box candidates in unfairly. I’m a Democrat who works in national security, and public safety is core to who I am--not just as the spouse of a law enforcement official, but through my work every day. I have support from Democrats, Independents, and Republicans who appreciate that I’m mission-driven and focused on better representation for the Westside. Allen is married to BernCo Sheriff John Allen. Her political consultant is Neri Holguin who mainly handles progressive Dem candidates. This is the Home of New Mexico Politics. |
  
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