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City Hall

A city government blog by Dan McKay

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Candidate: Story Isn’t Misleading

By on Thu, Sep 6, 2007
Visit Joanie Griffin’s campaign Web site, and you’ll find a front-page anecdote about incumbent Martin Heinrich encouraging her to run for City Council. Here’s something she doesn’t mention: Heinrich has actually endorsed one of Griffin’s opponents, Rey Garduño. The site used to have a picture of Heinrich, but Griffin said she took it down because he complained. In an interview last week, Griffin said she isn’t trying to mislead anyone. “It’s a story about why I’m running,” Griffin said. “It doesn’t say he’s endorsing me at all.” Griffin pointed out that she created the site months ago, and Heinrich only recently announced his endorsement of Garduño.

 

 Garduño and Griffin are among four candidates hoping to succeed Heinrich in District 6, which covers much of Nob Hill and the Southeast Heights. Heinrich is running for Congress, rather than council reelection.

 

 Griffin is also getting some attention for having switched her party affiliation in May from Republican to Democrat. District 6 is a left-leaning part of town, though City Council races are nonpartisan.

 

 Griffin said she has been supporting Democratic candidates for the last four years and had intended to change her registration in time for the next primary. She considers herself “fiscally conservative, socially liberal.”

 

 Griffin’s site is joaniegriffinforcitycouncil.com .

 

 DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY RANDY AUTIO

 

has traded an office with a window for a spot in the basement.

 

 Autio was appointed acting city clerk this month after the death of Millie Santillanes.

 

 He has headed the city’s litigation division, which defends City Hall from lawsuits. Autio, 47, may return to the Legal Department after the Oct. 2 election.

 

 City attorneys have fourth-floor offices. The clerk works out of the basement.

 

APPLICATIONS FOR ABSENTEE ballots are in the mail. The clerk’s staff started mailing out them out on Tuesday. Call 768-3030 or visit www.cabq.gov/clerk  for information. Autio intends to mail out absentee ballots as soon as the filled-out applications start trickling back into the office.

 

YARD SIGNS FOR CITY COUNCIL candidates are popping up all over town. But don’t feel left out if your district isn’t on the ballot this year. Voters citywide will take up general-obligation bond proposals and five proposed amendments to the City Charter. The amendments would: Allow the city to move its election date if it falls on a religious holiday. Prohibit the mayor and city councilors from accepting campaign contributions from businesses or city contractors. Allow someone other than the mayor to make appointments to city boards and commissions. Increase councilors’ pay from roughly $10,000 to about $29,600 for new councilors or incumbents who win re-election. Make it more difficult to remove city officials from office through a recall.

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-- Email the reporter at dmckay@abqjournal.com. Call the reporter at 505-823-3566