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Citywide Accomplishments

# 1 Priority - Public Safety

Our Albuquerque Police Department (APD) has made great strides under Mayor Chávez' leadership and is today the largest, best trained, best equipped and best funded Department in our history. Response times have literally been cut in half. Violent crime continues to decline but the Mayor realizes that anytime you're a victim of any type of crime, the crime rate is 100% for you. That's why Public Safety is, and always will be, the #1 Priority in his administration. Over the last four years Mayor Chavez has delivered on his promises.

• To respond to our city's diverse growth and to ensure every neighborhood in Albuquerque has optimal police coverage and response times.
• Mayor Chávez opened Albuquerque's 6th Area Command on Albuquerque's Northwest side, right across from Cibola High School.
• The Mayor also delivered on his 2005 campaign promise of bringing APD ranks up to 1100 officers. His next goal is to increase the size of the Department to 1200 officers within 18 months. Online resources like ARAPA, CopLogic, and Crimeview Online allow citizens a variety of tools to interact with police officials, report property crime online and even become a crime analyst on their own.
• With the leadership of Mayor Chavez, the City of Albuquerque, APD, the United Way of Central New Mexico and many other organizations and individuals planned, collaborated and constructed the Family Advocacy Center, a facility for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse that will be a model for others throughout the country for years to come. Victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse are able to access a myriad of services, including medical, legal and social services, in a comforting environment. With Multiple agencies on site, the process in accessing services is less bureaucratic and easier to navigate for the victim and is now celebrating its success and its second anniversary.
• Mayor Chavez has been a national leader against those that stalk their prey online. APD and the FBI have teamed up to fight cyber-stalking in the city of Albuquerque and to keep our kids safe from Internet predators. Through numerous town halls the Mayor, APD, and the FBI have created state of the art software to help fight cyber-stalkers.
• Violent Crime over the last four years continues to go down.
• The Safe City Strike Force continues to clean up crime-ridden parts of Albuquerque, especially many parts of historic Route 66.
• Albuquerque is virtually graffiti and litter free due to Mayor Chavez' strict zero tolerance policies.

Economic Development

While we're all aware of the nation-wide economic hardships so many people are facing, Albuquerque has been able to fair better than most urban area in the country. While we are not immune, Mayor Chavez has been successful in bringing quality employers and creating a diverse economy.

He has focused on innovative programs for small businesses which are the backbone of our economy. He has also worked hard to create a business friendly environment and in the last 4 years we've attracted business investment and new jobs from Verizon Wireless, Albuquerque Studios, Shamrock Foods, Prime Therapeutics, Fidelity, Schott Solar, Sony Imageworks and the Reelz Channel.

The Brookings Institute ranked the Albuquerque metro economy as the 15th strongest economy of the nation's largest 100 metro economies for the first quarter of 2009.

We continue to be at the top of all the right lists. In 2006, Forbes Magazine named Albuquerque the #1 - Best City for jobs and a career. In 2009, Albuquerque is listed as one of the Top Ten Places to Live according to U.S. News and World Report and #2 on Kiplinger's Best Cities list.

Transportation

Mayor Chávez is making it easier to get around the city and the region. Mayor Chavez created Rapid Ride and over the last four years, the ridership on ABQ Ride has sky rocketed. We have added three new rapid ride lines, bus stops are now covered, established an on-line trip advisor, converted the entire fleet to bio-diesel and much more.

In addition to his commitment to quality public, multi-modal transportation Mayor Chávez has invested in beautifying, expanding and improving our roadways.

Over the last four years every new road project in the city is now required to add bike lanes, the city has installed brand bicycle boulevards, and continues to add new bicycle trails to our already expansive bike trail system.

In his next term, Mayor Chávez will continue to champion public transportation while making sure that our roadways are safe, beautiful and in good repair.

Sustainability

Over the last four years Albuquerque has been a national leader on sustainability issues under Mayor Chavez' leadership. While much of the country sat around discussing going green, Mayor Chavez walked the walk and now Albuquerque has become one the of the greenest cities in the country. Under Mayor Chavez' leadership Albuquerque has achieved the following:

• Greenest City in America honors from the US Conference of Mayors, 2006 (first year the conference bestowed the honor).
• Environmental Protection Agency recognized Albuquerque as doing the best job in America addressing climate change in 2008.
• 3% Bond “set aside” program makes our city an innovator for conservation and distributed power projects that shrink our carbon footprint, move us toward energy independence and pay for themselves in energy cost savings.
• The City of Albuquerque was an 'Amicus' participant in landmark US Supreme Court ruling (Massachusetts Vs EPA) that established carbon dioxide as a regulated pollutant.
• Albuquerque was the Host city for the first "Renewable to Hydrogen" conference.
• Our City received the World Leadership Award for Sustainability related to our water conservation and San Juan/Chama projects.
• Mayor Chavez issued Executive Order No. 19, which requires all motor vehicle purchases by City government be of alternative fuel vehicles.
• We have systems in place to capture methane gas at two of our city landfills, using it to power ground-water cleanup or burning it off to reduce emissions. Methane is also captured at one of the city's sewer plants and used to power the plant.

Amenities

Under Mayor Chavez' leadership, over half of Albuquerque's medians have been landscaped and the BIG I, Sunport Blvd., and Coors/I-40 look great.

The Botanical Gardens, Aquarium, Explora and International Balloon Fiesta Park and Museum and Isotopes Stadium are now realities, serving millions of visitors and residents.

Albuquerque now has 8 skateboard parks across the City along with a world class BMX facility for our youth.

Seniors

Mayor Chavez made Senior Affairs a department reporting directly to the Mayor's office. Many now boast fitness centers and Albuquerque's multi-generational centers are the very best in America. The Mayor lowered the age of eligibility for access to our Senior Centers and vastly expanded our meals on wheels programs.

Animals

The Mayor has signed into law progressive spay and neuter laws and Albuquerque has opened Lucky Paws in Coronado for pet adoption and will shortly open it's new animal care center on the east side.

Education

Mayor Chavez created the Elementary School Initiative, reinstated Middle School Athletics at APS and has forged new partnerships with APS, UNM and CNM. He created the Albuquerque Institute of Math and Science at UNM, New Mexico's first high school to have every single senior go on to college. The Mayor understands that, given the tools, our kids will meet and surpass the highest standards we can set for them.