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Thursday, October 30, 2025Final Blows Exchanged In Passionate Battle Over Education And ABQ School Board; Gonzales-Betzen Contest Key To Control Of Board, Plus: Oops! City Clerk Mea Culpa For Leaving Arts Center Measure Off Ballot Pictured at the left is one of the lasts blasts against retired APS teacher Rebecca Betzen, fired off by the NewMexicoKidsCan PAC who are supporting ABQ Public School Board President Danielle Gonzales for a second term. As seen in the other flyer, Betzen is delivering mail hits of her own. The District 3 election is the most crucial of the four ABQ school board contests on the Tuesday ballot. If Gonzales, 46, a former teacher now involved in nonprofit education policy, wins it means a pro business faction will likely retain control of the seven member board.  The district's main areas inlude the ABQ North Valley, Los Ranchos, Corrales and NW ABQ near Balloon Fiesta Park. Los Ranchos. The race has become nationalized with the contribution of $300,000 from two billionaires coming into the campaign coffers of the pro business candidates via the NMKIDSCAN PAC. The billionaires are ardent advocates for school vouchers--the use of taxpayer dollars to pay tuition for students at private schools that they and their parents choose. None of the pro-business candidates are in support of vouchers and that has muddied the waters for Gonzales as she fights to keep her seat. While Gonzales is accuse of being in bed with the billionaires, Betzen is on the defense over the big dollars she is collecting from teacher unions. While Gonzales at mid-October reported receiving $15,000 from the billionaire funded PAC, Betzen chalked up donations of at least $15,000 from the ABQ teachers Federation including a $10,000 in-kind donation for mailers. BEYOND THE MONEY So both sides can be said to be compromised by special interests. But voters are known to put aside the money maze when assessing candidates. A writer on social media is an example:
Albuquerque schools and NM are right on the edge of a big leap forward in improving overall test scores. Teacher union candidates somehow oppose all of the reforms Gonzales and (board member) Courtney Jackson have brought in. Scores are up! Graduation rates are up! And yet ATF wants to replace the Board members and the philosophy they have brought in! I don’t care if a donor from out of state gives to a candidate; I want my kids school to be great and get them ready for college. When not attacking the big money politics in the race, Betzen has been going local with this: The APS Board gave themselves failing grades for the past two years on a test they chose themselves. As a teacher for 27 years, I know that D and F scores mean you are failing." That refers to the board's own strategic plan metrics, where APS scored low in areas like student achievement and equity. RACE DATA Gonzales was elected in 2021 in a close race, getting 42 percent to 38 percent for the second place finisher in the four way race.followed by two other candidates. The closeness of that race made it the prime target for the teacher groups to try to flip the board back in their favor. In the overall money race as seen in the Oct. 14 state reports, Gonzales had raised $73,000 and spent $36,000, leaving $33,000 for the final stretch. Betzen, 55, had raised $46,000 and had $28,000 for the final stretch. The passion play comes to an end Tuesday night and we'll be there to report the outcome starting at 6:30 p/m. on KANW 89.1 FM and kanw.org.
The Office of the City Clerk said that it had inadvertently left a measure meant to clear the way for a Downtown performing arts center off of election ballots, throwing a wrench into the broader effort and setting off a scramble to figure out when and how voters might ultimately decide the matter. The clerk's office said that it took responsibility for the mistake, which it chalked up to a clerical error. "We're reviewing our procedures to prevent future errors and exploring all options to ensure voters can weigh in on this matter as soon as possible," the statement said. City Councilor Joaquín Baca, who sponsored the legislation to put the question on the ballot, said he was "extremely disappointed" to learn of the mistake, which he discovered late last week. "I hadn't voted yet and nobody else noticed," he said. "I spent a few days calming down for sure." When and how the mistake might be rectified is an ongoing topic of conversation.. More on the error here. KOB-TV interviewed the six mayoral candidates for six minutes each. The sitdowns cover the major issues in compact form. REVIEW THEM
Bernalillo County Clerk Michelle Kavanaugh and City Clerk Ethan Watson have partnered to help voters understand the general obligation (G.O.) bond questions on the 2025 ballot. The initiative, called “Know the Bonds,” features short videos highlighting key bond questions and the projects they fund. The videos focus on topics including public safety, parks and recreation, museums and cultural facilities, and community resources such as housing, health, and animal welfare. Voters can also review the 2025 General Obligation Bond Program which provides a full overview of all G.O. bond purposes and projects on the ballot.“It’s essential that voters understand what’s on their ballots and how these measures impact daily life,” says Clerk Kavanaugh. “These bonds represent local investments that strengthen our neighborhoods and help our community thrive.” ABQ voters will decide $180 million in bond issues which are detailed at that Bond Progam link. We don't endorse candidates but we do urge your support for the bond issues which also address street repairs, flood control and other infrastructure needs. DROP IT
Santa Fe County Clerk Katharine Clark reminds voters that absentee ballots must be received by the Clerk’s Office no later than 7 PM on Election Night, Tuesday, November 4, to be counted. “At this stage, voters should not rely on the mail to deliver their ballots on time,” said Clerk Clark. “Instead, drop your completed absentee ballot in one of our secure drop boxes or bring it to any open polling location. Dropping it off ensures your vote arrives safely and on time.” BernCo Clerk Kavanaugh also recommends that absentee ballots now be dropped off at early voting locations and not mailed with E Day right around the corner. DISTRICT ONE UPDATE In the first draft of the Wednesday monster blog on the ABQ city council races we omitted the candidacy of Republican Joshua Taylor Neal in District One on the city's westside and called it a three way race. There are four candidates running and if none gets 50 percent of the vote a runoff election will be held. Also, we added to our Wednesday report that Daniel Leiva in District 1 qualified for public financing for his campaign. This is the Home of New Mexico Politics. |
  
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