RONALD STEVAN TRUJILLO

AGE: 49 EDUCATION: 1986 Santa Fe High graduate, attended Santa Fe Community College and New Mexico State University. OCCUPATION: Line Manager, New Mexico Department of Transportation Fleet Management Bureau; Santa Fe city councilor representing District 4.

QUESTIONS:

1. Why are you running for mayor? What distinguishes you from your opponents?

I have a passion for the City of Santa Fe. I have lived here all my life, am raising my family here, and have served as a public servant for the city for the past 12 years. The city is at a crossroads where strong governance and leadership in governance is needed, which distinguishes me from others running for mayor.

2. What is the biggest issue facing city government and how would you address it?

The process of running the city is broken. Process transparency, due diligence and engagement of all stakeholders — the difficult issues facing the city require strong governmental leadership that will address how to govern and solve issues appropriately. Our critical issues cannot be solved with only a business approach, but rather by a combined experience of management and government.

3. How would you encourage more affordable housing in Santa Fe? Do you support development of more rental apartments in town?

Despite a definition of “affordability” as provided in City of Santa Fe Resolution 2015-65, special interest groups still do not seem to agree on what “affordable” housing means. What may be affordable to one resident may not be affordable to another. We must abide by the Resident’s Bill of Rights we passed in 2015 and work toward its implementation.

4. What uses would you support for the city-owned campus of the Santa Fe University of Art and Design, which the school is vacating?

We need to consider many options, such as affordable housing, student housing to include families, community common space, such as gardens, or a centrally located economic development center as potential uses. The SFUAD property is an asset and as such we must apply the appropriate due process to maximize its potential use for the people here in Santa Fe.

5. Do you support the city’s living wage ordinance — which currently sets the minimum wage at $11.09 per hour — and its mandatory annual cost of living increases?

Yes. We need to continue to address affordability in the city. We cannot only focus on affordability of housing by building more homes; we must also focus on providing much-needed sustainable income and benefits to keep residents in Santa Fe and in their homes, thus insuring that our economy stays strong.

6. Did you vote in the May “soda tax” election? If so, did you vote for or against it? Please explain your vote or your opinion of the failed tax proposal.

I was the only leader in city government that voted against this poorly thought out, special interest-generated, failed tax against the people of Santa Fe. This was a perfect example of noblesse oblige, where certain groups assumed the working class needed help with little regard or input from the population that would be directly affected. Not when I’m mayor.

7. Should the city continue to grant a permit and provide police support for the annual Entrada event held on the Plaza that is opposed by Native Americans and others?

Our history is complex and diverse, and the entire history needs to be told without diminishing or disregarding the full story of Santa Fe. Entrada should stay faithful to all our histories and include the true depictions of our past. The city should follow its standard practices of permitting and a police presence, as occurs in all events.

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? No.