The Española Municipal election is scheduled for March 3. The roles of mayor, one councilor from each of the four districts and the municipal judge are up for grabs.

This year, the Rio Grande SUN asked each candidate to answer a series of questions by email in hopes of receiving detailed answers that give voters insight into who they might be electing to public office.

Candidates in each role received the same questions and their answers will be listed in alphabetical order by last name.

Answers have been edited for length and clarity, but without altering their original meaning.

District 1 Current District 1 Councilor Aaron Salazar is the incumbent, running for his second term. According to a previous story published in the Rio Grande SUN, Salazar works for the New Mexico Gas Company, graduated from Española High School and attended Northern New Mexico College. He did not respond to the SUN’s email asking him to answer questions for this report. .

Jacob Valencia Torres graduated from McCurdy High School, Northern New Mexico College and New Mexico State University. He is a mechanical engineer and has a graduate degree from Purdue University. Torres worked at NASA, where he helped grow New Mexico chile on the International Space Station. Currently, he volunteers with the Española Public School District, is working on his doctorate at NMSU-Alcalde and farms in Santo Niño. This is his first bid for public office.

District 2 Michelle R. Martinez is a lifetime Española resi- dent, mother and an educator with a background in Pre-K to 12 public education, post-secondary education, mental health counseling and juvenile justice. She currently serves as assistant principal at Española Valley High School. She has a criminal justice degree with a supplementary major in law and society from New Mexico State University and a master’s degree in professional and school counseling through New Mexico Highlands University. She previously served one term as a city councilor and is a lifetime member of the National Association of Latino-Elected and Appointed Leaders.

Stephen Salazar graduated from McCurdy High School and has an associate’s degree in medical radiography from Northern New Mexico College. He is married to Renee Salazar, has three children and three grandchildren. Salazar served as a municipal judge from 2002-2021.

Current District 2 Councilor Nanette Rodriguez is not running for re-election.

Where do you believe the current council has fallen short and what would you do differently and why?

District 1 Jacob Torres: The council fails to be transparent in how they conduct work and make decisions. Over the last four years, they have taken up matters in executive sessions. It is the council’s duty to carry on a tradition of open government where operations are transparent and people can participate to ensure public access to information and decision making. These fundamentals have been put aside through a majority vote again and again. I would push to keep matters not relating to personnel issues or under federal privacy protections out in the open and to provide more than adequate notice of meetings, and access to public information. I want my constituents to know what I’ve said on their behalf.

District 2 Michelle Martinez: I believe everyone who serves on council intends to do so with a desire to help our community. Public service is not easy and I respect the time and commitment it requires. That said, I believe there is always room for improvement. In local government, our primary loyalty must always be to the residents we serve. Every decision should be guided by what is in the best interest of the entire community.

Our responsibility is to create policy and manage a budget to ensure local resources are maintained, that the city provides essential services effectively and efficiently and that we guide the city’s future with integrity and accountability. By prioritizing collaboration, transparency and community- first decision-making, I believe we can move our city forward in a positive and unified way. If elected, I would focus on strengthening open communication, both among the governing body and with the public. In a small community like ours, council decisions have a significant and personal impact, residents should feel heard, informed and confident that their elected officials are working together for the betterment of our community.

Stephen Salazar: I feel the council has fallen short in grant writing, economic development and starting a recycling program. I will examine the budget and search for open positions to hire experienced individuals to write grants and fill these important positions and the responsibilities to available staff.

I would like to see more commercial businesses in our community to increase municipal/state Gross Receipts Tax. And we need to remind the constituents to buy local.

Española faces many interconnected challenges: homelessness, lack of affordable housing, drug use and its impacts on people and the economy, crime and lack of economic growth. What do you believe is the main obstacle preventing the city council from making progress on these issues? What specific policies/initiatives would you introduce or support as a councilor to tackle these challenges in a coordinated effort?

District 1 Jacob Torres: It is the lack of steady leadership from the top that has prevented the city from making progress in providing fundamental services and ensuring public safety. The city has changed course, withheld resources, stood in the way of its own social services department, rotated through several city managers and suspended city employees while the mayor disappeared for weeks at a time following sexual harassment allegations. I will move to create multiple city positions dedicated to bringing in new funding and fulfilling reporting through grant proposals. These roles will lead coordination within the city by bringing invested parties together to seek funding opportunities for new development, fixing city infrastructure, bringing in additional city employees and will serve as a contact point for investment.

Ricky Martinez did a string of robberies with no active response from the governing body that watches over the community. The lack of urgent action from the city’s leaders ended in the shooting of my friend Cypress Garcia. These are the real world things that happen when leaders are not paying attention and is why I am running to serve District 1.

The question of homelessness, opioid addiction, crime, our bad economy and lack of affordable housing has been the most asked during my campaign. It deserves priority attention by council. If elected, I will insist we take emergency action to create a plan for an immediate, middle and long-term response and provide sound support for the city manager to coordinate and implement this plan. This will include collaboration with law enforcement, first responders, nonprofits, neighboring pueblos and state and federal agencies.

District 2 Michelle Martinez: Without strong coordination, accountability and long-term planning, we will continue to treat symptoms instead of root causes. We have many dedicated community providers and public servants doing meaningful work. However, we need stronger collaboration between city departments, service providers, law enforcement, housing agencies and regional partners to create a true continuum of care. Everyone must be at the table with clear roles, shared goals and measurable outcomes, this includes all the local governing entities.

City departments and appointed leadership must be supported with the resources they need, but they must also be held responsible for results and consistent follow-through. The city manager plays a critical role in ensuring departments operate efficiently, coordinate effectively and deliver services that truly meet the needs of our residents.

We must also be honest: revenue streams in our city are limited. We cannot rely on increased taxation in an already impoverished and overburdened community. Instead, we need to aggressively pursue grants and alternative funding sources. I would support incorporating a dedicated grant writer position within the city to assist departments in securing state and federal funding, as well as building public- private partnerships that bring new investment into our community. Follow- through on the city’s Comprehensive Plan is essential.

On public safety, we must recognize that outside assistance (from the New Mexico National Guard) will not last forever. Our public safety departments must operate with clear protocols, strong leadership and high standards of accountability. At the same time, we need community-based policing strategies that build trust, increase visibility and address the root causes of crime.

Stephen Salazar: I believe in collaboration. I did it as judge and there are many entities that want to help the city. For example, Española Hospital opened Renewal Clinic with clinical peer support workers, nurses and doctors to help individuals with substance abuse issues. In the past, I worked with Work Force Solutions to help people get job training and meaningful careers. We need to collaboration, outreach, and never give up on our city.

There is a lack of affordable housing in the city. What specific criteria should a housing project meet in order to gain your support?

District 1 Jacob Torres: As an engineer, I have trained to study the standards set by law while creating a solution that will affect the public. I will study city ordinances on low-income housing (if any) and seek counsel from the city attorney and city manager to understand criteria before weighing in with my approval.

The project will need to follow state requirements for the New Mexico Low Income Housing Credits program. I will also consider the income level targeted by the project, whether it complies with fundamental building, water and electrical codes and if it gets approval from city commissions. Developers must provide a safe environment to live in with quality of life considerations in how it looks and runs. A desperate need for this type of housing is no reason to ignore building and safety practices, and those will need to be met to gain my support.

District 2 Michelle Martinez: A housing project must be developed in collaboration with regional partners, nonprofits and funding sources such as the United States Department of Agriculture to reduce the burden on local taxpayers. Community input should be part of the process and projects should prioritize quality and affordability. Developers must present clear long-term management and maintenance plans and when appropriate, coordinate with local service providers to promote stability for residents. Just as important, construction and infrastructure must be done correctly from the start. We have seen with the road concerns on Camino Miramontes how inadequate foundational work can create ongoing problems for residents with little reprieve.

Stephen Salazar: The city needs to change local planning and zoning ordinances to allow for home owners to build rental properties on existing residential lots where infrastructure already exists. We could require that the design and aesthetics match or improve the residential lots. We also need to audit the low-income housing available within the city to verify that every tenant is following the rules.

I believe we can collaborate with Rio Arriba, Santa Fe and Los Alamos counties on housing projects. The city could hire a grant writer and construction manager to execute more affordable and low-income housing projects.