District 8 council race: Analyst vs. incumbent

A three-term incumbent who calls herself a “voice of fiscal responsibility” in local government and a political newcomer challenging the status quo are squaring off for the District 8 seat on the Albuquerque City Council.

Trudy Jones, a former commercial real estate broker who has represented the far Northeast Heights district since 2007, is facing her first challenger in eight years in Maurreen Skowran. Skowran, a data analyst with University of New Mexico Geospatial and Population Studies, is seeking public office for the first time.

Jones and Skowran come to the race with some similar objectives — like improving public safety — but with decidedly different perspectives.

Jones, a Republican, says the city could reduce crime by “eliminating the sanctuary city policy” for undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes. Skowran, a Democrat, supports a new public health

policy that would use peer supporters to help those with the “highest risk of behaving violently” as they pursue education, addiction treatment and employment.

“Crime is really out of control, and I think we need some new solutions,” Skowran said, adding that the “Cure Violence” model she proposes has shown success in other cities around the U.S. and could attract grant funding.

The city has been boosting budgets for police and fire, in part because of a 2018 gross receipts tax increase co-sponsored by Jones, approved by the City Council and signed by Mayor Tim Keller.

Jones voted to require that at least 60% of the tax increase revenue go to public safety but now says she would prefer even stricter guidelines because she is uncomfortable with how some proceeds are spent. She declined to provide specifics, but Jones has at times publicly clashed with Keller’s administration and accuses the Democratic mayor of reckless spending.

“I ran for office the first time to make the city better, and one of the No. 1 things you have to do to make the city better is use the taxpayers’ money wisely,” said Jones, who specifically cites as problematic a councilapproved $250,000 appropriation earlier this year to support asylum-seekers coming through Albuquerque.

“I am as empathetic as anyone for people in need, but our tax money should go to support our citizens and our needy first,” she said.

Skowran, however, said she does not object to the $250,000 allocation. She said it made more sense than not offering help and potentially leaving the migrants — who were being dropped off in Albuquerque by federal officials — to fend for themselves on the Albuquerque streets.

Having spent 12 years in the Marine Corps and now working as a data analyst, Skowran said she thinks she would bring a different type of leadership and thinking to the council.

“I think I’d take an analytical approach and research issues,” she said. “I wouldn’t necessarily take the first thing that comes to mind or sounds good.”