Former City Official Eyes Mayoral Office

Dinelli, a Democrat, outlined a “three-count indictment” of Mayor Richard Berry’s administration and held up two pages of economic statistics as if they were a court exhibit. The coming campaign, he said, will focus on public safety, economic development and ending “outrageous” out-of-court settlements.

Dinelli’s mayoral bid comes three years after he retired as Albuquerque’s chief public safety officer, following Berry’s defeat of Martin Chávez, Dinelli’s old boss. Berry is a Republican.

“I feel my time has come,” Dinelli told supporters gathered outside his home, north of the state fairgrounds. “When we left, Albuquerque was in fantastic shape. You can’t say that today.”

Dinelli is a former city councilor, prosecutor, workers’ compensation judge and deputy city attorney. Under Chávez, Dinelli’s duties included directing the “Safe City Strike Force,” which shuts down crime-ridden buildings and sues graffiti vandals.

On Sunday, he said he would restore public confidence in the Albuquerque Police Department, which is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for use of force.

Dinelli said the city has fewer officers today than when he left City Hall. He described Albuquerque’s public safety situation as a “complete meltdown” and “crisis.”

The DOJ investigation reflects poorly on Berry’s leadership, Dinelli said, adding that he would remove the police and fire chiefs.

“Now, in Albuquerque, we’re embarrassed,” he said. “This is very serious. … I am looking at a complete reorganization of both departments.”

Berry, for his part, has said his administration will cooperate with the DOJ and that he has enacted reforms suggested by experts.

Dinelli vowed to work on boosting economic development in the city, and he contrasted Albuquerque’s sluggish economy with signs of recovery elsewhere. He said he would bring his aggressiveness to recruiting new industry.

Finally, Dinelli said he would end the “outrageous settlements” the city has doled out when sued.

That last point may be personal.

Under Berry, the city agreed last year to a $1.7 million settlement to a class-action suit centering on the work of the Safe City Strike Force, which Dinelli had headed. The settlement came after a federal judge ruled that the city had engaged in overzealous enforcement of its nuisance abatement ordinance, resulting in the eviction of some residents without a hearing beforehand.

U.S. District Judge James O. Browning found the city had failed to show sufficient evidence about whether the code violations in the challenged cases demonstrated an immediate danger to the lives and safety of the occupants — enough to turn people out of their homes without a warrant.

Berry’s top administrator said at the time of the settlement that it would protect city taxpayers from damages, which were to be determined at trial.

Dinelli, meanwhile, said at the time that he was prepared to go to trial to defend the city, and Chávez, the former mayor, said flatly that the case should never have been settled and that the strike force helped fight crime.

On Sunday, Dinelli didn’t mention the case by name but said the current administration had sometimes “failed to defend” the city against frivolous lawsuits.

“I will end the practice of these outrageous settlements,” he said.

Municipal elections are technically nonpartisan, meaning party affiliation doesn’t appear on the ballot. There are no primary elections to winnow the field, though the top two candidates in the regular October election may compete in a runoff election the following month, depending on the percentage of the vote they get.

Berry hasn’t announced whether he will seek re-election, though many expect him to. Other potential candidates include several Democrats — U.S. Department of Agriculture executive Terry Brunner, former Lt. Gov. Diane Denish and City Councilor Ken Sanchez.

Republicans Paul Heh, a retired police sergeant, and Steve Smothermon, pastor at Legacy Church, say they’ve been encouraged to run and will consider it.

Dinelli said he will seek public financing for his campaign.

Dinelli, 60, said he was born and raised in Albuquerque and has Hispanic heritage.

“I hope I reflect Albuquerque and reflect New Mexico,” he said. “My roots run very deep.”
— This article appeared on page A1 of the Albuquerque Journal