On Sept. 27, the New Mexico Black Voters Collaborative hosted a forum for three mayoral candidates to discuss hot topics in the state, including the issue of homelessness, which current Mayor Tim Keller has battled during his time in office.
The three candidates present were Keller, Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales and radio show host Eddy Aragon, KOB4 reported.
“The reality is Albuquerque has massive holes in our system. We are in a situation right now where on a 24-hour basis, there is nowhere folks can go to get any kind of help, whether it's a bed or whether it's a meal. They can during the week, but not on the weekend and at night. That's why we opened the West Side Homeless Shelter 24/7. It is full because homelessness is rising all over the country. So the question is what do we do about it? The answer is every candidate should support the Gateway Center and doing what we are trying to do at the old Lovelace and Gibson," Keller said about homelessness during the discussion.
Also running but not present was write-in candidate Patrick Ben Sais, who provided a statement to the forum. Among his talking points were a promise not to defund the police and a "push" for small-business tax breaks.
Other topics of discussion included Black Lives Matter, policing, safety and gun control, as well as handling of Afghan refugees.