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By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Albuquerque struggles to get things done because it suffers from a “scarcity mindset” he intends to change Mayor Tim Keller said Saturday as he outlined his priorities for his historic third term as mayor of the state’s largest city.
Speaking from the Route 66 Visitor Center, Keller outlined three goals for his historic third term: changing city policies to favor abundance, building “civic muscle” to get things done and restoring a sense of safety in public spaces. Burqueños could see changes to how the city uses vacant land, issues building permits and opens public spaces in a shift from what he called a “scarcity mindset” toward growth and opportunity.
Photo by Roberto E. Rosales for the Paper Credit: The Paper
Keller’s first address of his third term focused less on a list of accomplishments and more on why Albuquerque continues to struggle with public safety, housing, economic opportunity and government bureaucracy. He said the city’s history has built deep community resilience but also a “scarcity mindset.” His “Abundance Agenda” includes a new online program listing nearly 200 city-owned properties that could be used for housing, businesses, gardens, parks and recreation, depending on location and zoning. The city also plans to offer vacant buildings to certified child care providers, expand evening and weekend rentals of community facilities and let residents share excess home-grown produce and eggs at the city’s four Health and Social Service Centers.
Keller also proposed a “yes first” policy that would allow thousands of building projects to begin before inspections are complete. He said the city will expand violence intervention programs in high schools and use caseworkers to help people move from the streets into shelters.
The city’s written remarks also included a proposal Keller did not mention in his live speech. He called for an “honest conversation” about whether Albuquerque and Bernalillo County would be better served by a unified government. Uniting has arisen periodically in local government discussions. He skipped the pitch on stage, focusing instead on having neighboring governments support each other.
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