Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • 58

The Opinion Page runs Wednesdays. Write us at West flnininn Side Journal P.O. Drawer II lllllllllll 1' i Albuquerque, NM, 87103 1 WMIIIIWII West Side Journal Wednesday; May 22,2002 4 EDITORIALS UUIIIIUH Candidate Endorsements rpoijT est too I Other voices Borrowing N6t Solution to Budget Shortfall Inasmuch as there are only five, not enough to override a veto, snouia tne mayor cnoose to exercise this prerogative, the cards are against them. But carrying on as they have, they may soon find that their constituents aren't so happy with power plays and exaggerated self-importance. Weaver is president of the West Side Coalition of Neighborhood Associations and of the Paradise Hills Civic Association.

HOUSE DISTRICT 23, DEMOCRAT: Jim Southard cut his political teeth as an advance man in ex-Gov. Bruce King's 1978 race. He honed business skills as he earned a master's in business administration and started a financial planning practice. And in the course of tailoring plans to meet clients' future goals and current budgets, Southard learned a more prosaic skill: how to listen. "I will learn people's concerns.

I will do what I have to do in business: listen." "I talk to seniors on fixed incomes. I know the problem" of stretching a static income to meet rising tax bills, Southard said. He advocates relief on taxes on essentials like food, offset by increases in taxes on nonessentials like liquor and tobacco. Southard doesn't like what he hears from the Roundhouse too much static. "You don't need to be confrontational to get things done," he said.

"I can help bring civility to the process." The Journal endorses Jim Southard in the Democratic primary for the House District 23 seat. HOUSE DISTRICT 23, REPUBLICAN: Eric A. Youngberg has a master's degree in accounting and a law degree, but his extracurricular studies in Washington may be of the most interest to voters. Youngberg had a ringside seat on the legislative process as an intern for U.S. Sen.

Pete Domenici on the Senate Budget Committee. As indicated by his varied college studies, Youngberg values education. Accordingly, he lists improving public schools as his top priority. He advocates providing incentives for teaching excellence and tracking student performance through testing. As a businessman, the economic climate is also a high priority.

Youngberg favors eliminating the gross receipts tax on medical services, medicine and food and reducing the personal income tax rate. Republican voters in House District 23 should nominate Eric A. Youngberg. HOUSE DISTRICT 29, REPUBLICAN: Thomas A. Anderson got his finger on the pulse of this West Side district managing the successful 2000 campaign of Rep.

Bill Fuller. He's dealt with community issues as a member of the Paradise Hills Civic Association. Retired after a career in the U.S. Navy and a stint in the securities business, Anderson is sensitive to the problems of what he calls "seasoned citizens." Instead of taxing elderly homeowners on fixed incomes out onto the street, the Legislature should adopt an idea of Fuller's, deferring property taxes until death and the sale of the property, Anderson said. He's also sensitive to younger constituents, and was instrumental in developing the skateboard park in Paradise Hills.

Children and their parents should have more options in education, he said, including more vocational courses. New charter school startups should be encouraged and cut loose from school district supervision. The Journal endorses Thomas A. Anderson in the District 29 Republican primary. The winner of this primary will face Democrat JoAnn B.

Anders in the general election. HOUSE DISTRICT 44, REPUBLICAN: Albuquerque native Jane Powdrell-Culbert has lived a life of experience that prepares her admirably for legislative service. Born and raised in the South Broadway neighborhood, Powdrell-Culbert earned a bachelor's degree and did graduate work in public administration. She landed a job that was a precursor of community policing, acting as liaison and intermediary between community groups and the Albuquerque Police Department. She later served as executive director' of the New MexicqCommission on the Status of Women.

When her husband was transferred to Virginia, she took a job presenting the National Rifle Association's Eddie Eagle gun safety program. "I've been in every kind of elementary school you can imagine," Powdrell-Culbert said. She favors changes to improve classroom control by teachers. "We can't expect teachers to teach with the lack of discipline in the schools," she said. She returned to Albuquerque in 1997.

She was appointed to the state parole Board in 1999, a position she would relinquish if elected to the Legislature. The Journal recommends the nomination of Jane Powdrell-Culbert in District 44. The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Mara H. Min-wegen in the general election. never been city policy, yet that's what these five councilors seem bent on doing set anewone.

Borrowing can't conceal the budget deficit. As most readers know, the city is in a situation where its revenue intake (gros3 receipts taxes, property taxes, fees, etc) is projected to be less than the total outlays by some $13.2 million. Borrowing only balances the cash flow, it doesnt balance the. budget Inasmuch as loans are loans and not revenue per se and have to be paid back, the budget is still in arrears unless cuts are made. Because this involves a few layoffs, a minor blip' in the overall employment level, this council thinks it has all of the answers.

But does it? There is little difference in what these budget busters are saying than what budget busters in Washington, D.C., have long claimed: that there is less red ink at the federal level when Social Security trust funds are considered. Decades ago, Social Security was off-budget, meaning its surpluses couldn't be counted against the red ink, and red ink had to be reported as red ink. West-Siders showed strong support for the mayor's plan at a recent Cibola High School public hearing. Furthermore, layoffs didn't deter feelings about the plan when Councilor Cadigan described it for the West Side Coalition of Neighborhood Associations, but Cadigan nonetheless went along with fellow liberal big spenders belonging to Chavez-bashing Albuquerque Interfaith and union labor. So is it asking too much or expecting too much for these councilors to show some common-sense financial sawy? That's what people expected when they elected a new couri-cil in October.

Council candidates swore during their election campaigns that they would restore civility between the council and the Mayor's Office, yet there's little evidence that they will follow through on those promises. Some of them seem intent on undermining Chavez, who was elected by far greater numbers than they to restore fiscal integrity to the city's budgeting process and who committed himself to be accountable to the city's taxpayers. Cutting the Mayor's Office by another, $100,000 because the mayor "won't play along with them, after Chavez voluntarily cut it by the same amount (IS percent), should be proof that the argumet over the budget is a thinly disguised, ham-handed grab for power. By Lawrence D. Weaver Borrowing to finance the city's budget shortfall what's wrong with the Albuquerque City Council? Doesn't the concept of fiscal responsibility have any meaning anymore? For weeks, two councilors, Eric Griego and Hess Yntema, have hogged the headlines in stories' covering their-power plays and threats of lawsuits against (Mayor Martin) Chavez if he vetoes the budget plan they contrived.

Joined by Miguel G6mez, Vince Griego and Michael Cadigan, the five adopted their own creative plan Monday. It is this author's view that there is scant difference in the city's borrowing from the state, to finance its operations, than an overextended spendthrift taking out yet another credit card to pay of a stack pf unpaid bills. The five councilors have set a bad example when it comes to fiscal responsibility and accountability. Apparently none was concerned with the prudence of city government living within its means. Just because the budget rock hit the hard place is no excuse for borrowing from the state to cover funding shortfalls.

This has Letters policy Albuquerque Journal welcomes letters from Its readers expressing opinions on current events. Letters must include the full name and signature of author, address and tele- phone number for verification. Only name and city will be published. Editors reserve the right to edit, delete incorrect Information or condense any letter. Address: Albuquerque Journal P.O.

Drawer Albuquerque 87103. LETTERS buildings and that since 9-11 that part of the street has been closed due to the heightened security." Even the airports have changed the level of security and the FAA building off Paseo del Norte has also. Come on guys, open the road to us peons who aren't concerned about terrorist activity on Silver between Fourth and Fifth. John D. Fishel juquerque Sliver Not Place For Terrorism I QUERIED THE MAYOR'S OFFICE about why Silver between Fourth and Fifth was closed and is now being used as a basketball court.

This street was paid for with taxpayer dollars and should be available to all of us. Richard Kennedy, assistant to the mayor, responded by informing me "It is my understanding that the FBI ice is located in those 1.