Candidates submitted these written responses, some edited for length, to a questionnaire:

What is the biggest crime issue facing the city?

Stefanie Beninato: Burglaries, which I think are the tip of the iceberg for drugs and gangs.

Rebecca Wurzburger: Santa Fe, like many other cities, has been sadly faced with a rise in burglaries due to national economic conditions. I know from my own experience of having one's home violated and irreplaceable family treasures stolen that this threat is real to all Santa Feans. We need to enhance our Neighborhood Watch programs to augment our police force. On a positive note, violent crime and all other crime has been reduced in every neighborhood.

Is the motorist cell phone ban adequately enforced?

Beninato: No — not especially when you see city public safety staff and other city staff violating this ban. I think if we are going to keep this law on the books then personnel need to be devoted to the task — or perhaps more appropriately — use the red light cameras. I believe we should remove the laws that are not being enforced.

Wurzburger: No.


Would you do anything to get more police on the streets?

Beninato: Is that a trick question? Getting an adequate ratio of police to citizens, providing the necessary training and promoting police community work that would be focused on neighborhood safety, drug education, and alternatives to gangs would be one of my priorities.

Wurzburger: I will continue to vote for more police officers on the streets as I have for the past eight years. I will continue to vote against using budget cuts in public safety to balance the budget. I will continue to oppose the expansion of annexation into Phase 2 and 3 until resources are available to hire an adequate number of fire and police officers. I will work hard to develop a community-supported financial plan for expanded funding of public safety.

What do you consider basic city services? Rate Santa Fe's performance at these tasks.

Beninato: Water, sewer, gas, safety, public transportation (motorized resources and roads) but also sidewalks, pedestrian and bike trails/paths sidewalks. I think that the basic level of city services is at least fair if not good but that there are gaps depending on which service and which part of town.

Public safety is understaffed. Meeting one quarter of one's self-imposed quota for recruiting police is not something to cheer about. Having a police/citizen ratio that is less than one quarter of the low end of the acceptable national average gives us an indication of how far lacking Santa Fe is in this essential area. I would suggest more lateral recruitment for these positions and incentives for public safety workers and other city workers for career development, whether it is something basic like learning better English to getting a master's in public administration.

I see two big problems: Maintenance and replacement of existing infrastructure; and development of infrastructure into newly developing or annexed areas. Unless the city can obtain grants for infrastructure development, say in an alternative energy community, then those who profit from the development should bear part of the cost above and beyond what the community bears through the city and county's shares. ... I think the city needs to promote use of public transportation by making the buses more user friendly for hospitality industry employees and others with early morning or late evening jobs. Perhaps using jitney/Santa Fe Pickup type buses for more routes. The city could benefit greatly from bike and pedestrian friendly routes from the Guadalupe/Railyard area to the Plaza area routes that are promoted through the Santa Fe Visitor and Convention Center.

Wurzburger: As for any city, basic services are clearly public safety, water and sewer, and solid waste collection. However, city services which directly link to creating the revenue stream for funding basic services cannot be discounted as a priority in the budgeting process, including the Convention and Visitors Bureau, economic development, Arts Commission and historic preservation activities that support programs which draw tourists to Santa Fe. My rating of city services is: I have seen major long-term improvements and thoughtful strategic plans developed in the following services during my eight-year tenure as councilor: Public safety, water and sewage. In addition, the near-completion of the Buckman Diversion project is a major accomplishment toward our future water sustainability. Although Solid Waste has progressed with automation and the beginning of a recycling program, this department continues to face critical service issues as every day over seven staff members do not show up for work (a total of 1,889 person-days last year). This must change.


Are the city's fees for water, trash and recreation fair? Are its taxes?

Beninato: I think generally that city fees are below the national norm.

Myself, I feel burdened by the gross receipts tax, and I have experienced first hand some of the inanities of the water rate scale: The city policy to charge more for sewer when one uses no water so that one using no water (or sewer) pays more than one using within the minimum acceptable level. It makes no sense and does not encourage water conservation. ... I would like to see more gradations for water use and incentives for conservation below the 10,000-gallon level. The new trash structure, too, I see as burdensome and more expensive to administer than the revenue it will generate. I believe the city would do well to charge based on number of new containers, and that if someone requests one or is routinely leaving trash on the street or overflowing the container, one is issued and the resident is charged. However, I would have to know more to see what I would suggest that would generate revenue to cover costs but be done efficiently. The attempt to privatize the (Genoveva Chavez Community Center) has been an ongoing problem. The building process itself was burdened with mistakes, as are other city buildings. However, the Chavez center is being run under one model and the other centers using a different model. The policies and passes are not interchangeable among the Chavez center and the other city recreational centers. I would like to see that change.

Wurzburger: The current fee structures for water, trash and sewer are fair and were based on lengthy consideration of issues of equity and covering actual costs of the service. I would like to see recreation fees modified to be consistent across centers and to assure that anyone who cannot pay (especially our youth) can use the facilities. Unfortunately this will have to wait until our economy improves.

Should the city find ways to get new revenue? If yes, how?

Beninato: Of course. The city has relied for too long on government and tourism to fuel its coffers. ...

The city could generate more revenue to cover costs of inspections by a fairer method of assessing building permit fees, such as a square-foot basis; diversification of the economy to include sustainable jobs such as in the alternative energy fields and movies. ... There is more that can be done to increase the gross receipts tax revenue, including some type of system that ties licenses and/or permits to payment of all applicable taxes (property and gross receipts tax); more careful monitoring of reporting income from crafts fairs, etc. Promote eco-tourism and family adventure tourism. The city could also promote the Guadalupe/Railyard area more vigorously. ... New sources should include industries that are geared toward sustainable energy, economy and community — and more toward creating a renewable product and market — such as the production of solar cells and other technologies that would serve green building and living, workshops on green technology and sustainable communities.

Wurzburger: The options for increasing revenues are strictly restricted by state law, which has led to our dependence upon the very volatile gross receipts tax. Primary "new" ways for enhancing our gross receipts tax through building on our strengths include:

a) The untapped, ever-increasing, multi-billion dollar international tourism markets; b) Enhancing support for small business entrepreneurs; c) The opportunity provided by the College of Santa Fe, which expects 4,000 students over the next four years; d) The new film-related job opportunities associated with Santa Fe Studios; e) Work/live/spend locally! (We lose over $300 million a year to surrounding communities because over 60 percent of Santa Feans who work here do not live here and do not spend their salaries here).

Is the city doing enough to conserve energy itself and encourage the practice among builders and businesses?

Beninato: I still see the city wasting water by watering late into the morning and the water often winds up on benches, sidewalks and streets. More conservation of lights by getting more energy efficient low-wattage bulbs for streetlights. Educate city staff about the efficiencies of the heating and cooling system in each city building and make sure that the systems are operated to their most efficient standards. More alternative energy and green building by the city itself. Allow use of gray water. The city needs to set a good example and follow the rules it wants imposed on citizens. If the city adopts restrictions, it needs to hire enough personnel for enforcement.

Wurzburger: We are making significant accomplishments in this area since hiring our energy specialist, Nick Schiavo. To date the city has performed energy audits at 13 of its city buildings, completed a lighting retrofit at the Mary Esther Gonzales senior center, purchased two electric vehicles for the Parking Division, opted in to Santa Fe County's Renewable Energy Financing District, and installed a charging station for electric vehicle rentals at the Railyard garage. We have also received $1.3 million in grants to be used for energy efficiency and renewable programs; loaned out $250,000 through Homewise to income-qualified buyers for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects; entered into power purchase agreements for 1.8 megawatts of photovoltaic power at eight city facilities; and received credits totaling $46,000 for participation in Public Service Company of New Mexico's Peak Saver Program. We have passed a green building code and have just formed a Historic Green Building Committee. Our successful YouthWorks Greenbuilding program is training much-needed workers in green technology while demonstrably enhancing the energy efficiency of older homes.

Do you want to change, repeal or introduce any city ordinances immediately? Please explain.

Beninato: I would like to help promote the new green code by establishing the complementary ordinance infrastructure. Some of the first such ordinances I would like to introduce would include a solar access and protection ordinance, which I worked on in the early '80s; a gray water ordinance; and city ordinance allowing solar devices as long as hidden from street; an ordinance allowing clothes lines hidden from street view. And only one story high. An ordinance that clearly prohibits artificial entities from obtaining owner-builder permits. Public safety and consumer protection concerns. Also allows artificial entities to bypass using licensed contractors, engineers and architects.

Ordinance that clearly adopts state standard that unlicensed designer limited to four single-family residential units of wood frame construction. Public safety and consumer protection concerns when designers use adobe and other materials. Also allows these unlicensed designers to bypass using licensed contractors, engineers and architects. Change water rates to have more gradations and wider range of penalties; repeal part of rate structure that charges non-users more; introduce incentives for low water users.

Wurzburger: The cell phone law either should be strengthened and aggressively enforced, or repealed. A legally viable Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance is needed. I will introduce this. Legislation is gravely needed which controls rampant "condominiumization." I will introduce this.

Have you ever been arrested?

Beninato: No.

Wurzburger: No.

What was the last book, periodical or blog you read? Your favorite?

Beninato: I am reading Doña Lona (a novel about Doña Tules) and just finished reading The Year of the Leopard. My favorites are: John Grisham's The Chamber for what it says about hate and racism; Thomas Pynchon's Islandia; Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Mists of Avalon; and Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals — laugh-out loud funny and great to read to children.

Wurzburger: Book: I Love Myself When I am Laughing ... and then again When I Am Looking Mean and Impressive by Zora Neale Hurston. Periodical: from The Heritage Foundation: Black Conservatives in America. Blog: Creative Tourism New Zealand: http//newzealandcreatively.blogspot.com; and Kepler 4 Mayor.

Who are your most trusted advisers?

Beninato: I try to think for myself and seek to discover community concerns and then discuss them with different people I think are knowledgeable in that arena. I am extremely open to seeking advice and not reinventing the wheel.

Wurzburger: I am blessed with many creative, thoughtful and experienced mentors ... and with the risk of offending those many important people in my life who advise me on so many matters, I will start by naming with my son and daughter and then Mary Lou Cook, Susan Steinhauser, Marilyn Bane, Amelia Hollis and Bernie Romero, Carol Robertson Lopez, Cathie Zacher, Judy Espinar, Joe Schepps, Virginia Vigil, Rabbi Leonard Helman, Steve Flance, David Miller, Matt Ortiz and Tom Aageson.

The city narrowly approved a master plan to put hundreds of houses on its property in the Northwest Quadrant. Incumbents: Explain why you voted the way you did. Challengers: How would you have voted?

Beninato: Although the Northwest Quadrant may be the right place to have another affordable housing development, I do not think it is the right time economically nor does it make sense in terms of infrastructure development. I also strongly support affordable housing in mixed-used developments throughout the city and think the economic mix of neighborhoods helped Santa Fe be more cohesive.

Wurzburger: I voted for the Northwest Quadrant plan because providing affordable options for Santa Feans who work here to live (and spend their millions of dollars in salary here) is the No. 1 economic priority. It is an important solution to the problem of Santa Fe ever-increasingly becoming a town only for the wealthy. It is an important opportunity to provide economic and cultural diversity across neighborhoods. This is a cultural preservation issue as important as preserving the distinctive architecture of the Historic District, which I have strongly supported. The plan will indeed preserve open space and protect existing neighborhoods from traffic. It will require model energy and water conservation. It will prevent further sprawl that unnecessarily depletes our infrastructure and quality of life.

The city and county have agreed to a plan by which the city will annex nearly 10,000 acres over the next three years. How will this make the city better or worse?

Beninato: I think it is better in that it will broaden the tax base and will make sense geographically and from a service perspective. On the negative side, the annexation requires city safety services that are currently struggling to serve existing areas adequately. When the goal is 45 new police officers and the actual number recruited is 12, is that an accomplishment? Is this size police force (to say nothing of fire, emergency and other public safety officers) able to respond adequately in the existing city limits? Are these officers really doing police, educational and other community work, or are they always responding to crisis calls?

Wurzburger: Annexation, realistically implemented as we can afford to do so without depleting services to current Santa Fe residents, should provide the following benefits: a) City boundaries will be clearer so citizens know what governing body is providing services and what planning and land use rules apply to their property; b) Increased tax base for the city as commercial and residential development occurs in annexed areas; c) Sprawl can be reduced as the city can control how the city will grow within the urban boundary; d) Land can be made available for city zoning to reflect priorities such as affordable housing and small business development.

The city has a police policy of generally not providing information to federal immigration officials when investigating crimes. Should the policy remain in place? Are there other measures the city should take regarding undocumented immigrants?

Beninato: I am not for automatically reporting anyone to the immigration officials. However, I think it would be informative to keep anonymous statistics of citizens, documented and undocumented residents in relation to types of crimes. It may dispel some of the bias or give information where more community policing programs and education may be needed. Perhaps there needs to be a discussion of the ethics of not reporting when violence is involved.

Wurzburger: The city has a policy of not profiling individuals based upon presumed country of national origin. What this means in practice is that our officers cannot ask their nationality when they stop someone; nor can they stop someone because they might be here illegally. This does not mean if individuals are involved in a criminal activity they are not stopped, questioned and arrested, as appropriate. If someone breaks the law he or she is treated like anyone else. I see no reason to change this policy which is supported by the U.S. Constitution. I do see a need for massive revision of the federal immigration laws to decriminalize immigration status.

The city could soon install cameras that record images of motorists who run red lights and issue automated tickets. Is this program appropriate?

Beninato: I understand that it comes from the need to feel safe. However, I am uncomfortable with the idea because any automated method can have problems. I also believe that we live in a world where we are less and less present in the moment. What could be more typical of the non-present than a ticket by mail from an electronic monitor! It, no doubt, will help the city raise money and need less public safety officers. I hope it raises awareness — and not just awareness of which intersections to avoid.

Wurzburger: Yes. We should put a similar program in place for controlling speeding. Speeding is the most frequent traffic violation complaint I have received over my eight years of service. Speeding hurts us as a community, not just though accidents but through its radical impact on the way we experience quality of life in our neighborhoods.

How will you improve transparency in government affairs?

Beninato: Institute an alternative dispute resolution office within city government that can be used for preventive workplace solutions, including conflict coaching and management training as well as for mediation between the city and other parties, the conduit for independent hearing officers and facilitators where appropriate. Have independent facilitators conduct Early Neighborhood Notification meetings and other land-use facilitations where appropriate. Use of facilitated conversations and affirmative Inquiry as ways of building morale and team work among city staff. Post applications scheduled for hearing in front of any public board and the minutes of meetings of all public boards on Web page. List name, address and permit number and purpose of permit on Web page. List inspections for open permits. Post all applications and/or other documents for review, comment or action that go in front of any board that operates under the open meetings act on city Web page and make info easily accessible by citizens. Have notification of permit amendments on the Web page. Have information user friendly and findable. Have checklist for inspectors that are effective, efficient and support accountability. Modify so that ethics laws and regulations are clear. Have periodic discussions on ethical issues gathered anonymously from staff. Have organizational charts with contact info available. Organize staff so that staff members that have interconnected functions have basic knowledge of each other's function too.

Wurzburger: I believe the issue with transparency is that citizens feel they do not have enough information to properly evaluate council decisions and staff actions. I will continue to work to provide better information to the public in a timely manner on what information is available as decisions are being made, as well as after decisions are made. This is particularly relevant to the public's need to know about city financing, including budgets and actual expenditures. I am very proud of our council efforts in promoting transparency including: Creation of the city Web site that keeps the public informed of upcoming meetings, minutes of meetings, and reports; Funding of Public Television, Channel 16; Funding of the Santa Fe Government TV, Channel 28; Creation of the Ethics and Campaign Review Board; Revisions to the campaign code to require more stringent reporting requirements that guarantee greater transparency and public oversight.