NAME: Judy Young
POLITICAL PARTY: Republican
OCCUPATION: Retired educator
CITY OF RESIDENCE: Albuquerque
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE: Very active in community affairs, educator, grant writer, community program developer, mental health counselor, small business promoter
EDUCATION: Master’s from Columbia University, NYC + 1 year toward doctorate
AGE: 74
CAMPAIGN WEBSITE: youngbernco.com
1. What is the top priority in your District and how would you address it as a county commissioner?
My top priority is addressing crime. I will push back hard on crime by: 1. Supporting all law enforcement fully. 2. Engaging all law enforcement to work cooperatively. 3. End drug and criminal sanctuary status by implementing tough MDC policy. 4. Implementing policy to protect the lawful and impose consequences for the unlawful.
2. Under what circumstances, if any, would you support a tax increase? And what types, if any, would you support?
I will not support any increase of taxes. I will cut fat to increase efficiency, and I will limit government spending.
3. What do you think should be the county’s top three capital project priorities?
… I will survey the public, and I will engage public input after this survey is taken. I will transparently publish the results of both the survey and the public input. I will ONLY make the decision of project priorities after adequate complete assessment from public engagement. I will be obligated to my fiduciary oath to represent the people…
4. What, if anything, do you think the county should be doing differently with regard to how it manages and uses the behavioral health tax?
Behavioral health and homeless issues go hand in hand. Campus model of triaging and effectively addressing each category of behavioral health. In addition, advocate for setting up specialized court that can order immediate assessments to be immediately carried out. I will also advocate for terminating the inept practice of enabling the mentally ill to advance to become criminally mentally ill.
5. What kind of metrics do you think the county should monitor to determine if it is spending the behavioral health tax revenue effectively?
The budget of behavioral health should be data driven with monthly assessments of improvement, not numbers of contacts that have been enabled with such in fact detrimental actions such as providing needles. A data driven metric will provide accountability for finances toward outcome (as any business would do).
6. What role, if any, should the county commission play in advising the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office on matters related to public safety?
I believe the commission should listen to the experiences of the on-the-ground law enforcement professionals, to best educate the public on safety issues. I gained a great deal of respect for the jobs sheriffs perform from participating in the Citizens’ Sheriff’s Academy from which I graduated in 2019.
7. What are your ideas for improving conditions for both employees and inmates at the Metropolitan Detention Center?
Programming for inmates with strict oversight and a follow-up release plan is the most important step in reducing recidivism as per my direct experience with the penal system. Employee oversight to prevent drugs and contraband from entering the facility. Treated with highest regard with incentive, counseling and exercise programs available.
8. How would you work to improve the economy in Bernalillo County?
I will never shut down businesses. I will do just the opposite by making government business friendly by lowering taxes, getting rid of red tape, supporting small businesses. Create more jobs and incentivize people to work rather than encouraging people to not work (pay people to work, not stay home!)
9. What specific strategies do you have for reducing homelessness?
Since I have direct experience in working with Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, I know the current homelessness problem can be effectively remediated. Please refer to my publication Campus Model at newmexicosun.com in which I describe how to triage categories of homeless that are transit or local.
10. Would you have voted to certify the county’s 2020 general election results? Why or why not?
I would have to be given a verifiable report before I could make an educated answer regarding Bernalillo County 2020 election specifically.
Personal background
1. Have you or your business, if you are a business owner, ever been the subject of any state or federal tax liens?
No.
2. Have you ever been involved in a personal or business bankruptcy proceeding?
No.
3. Have you ever been arrested for, charged with, or convicted of drunken driving, any misdemeanor or any felony in New Mexico or any other state? If so, explain.
No.
