Representing the City of Albuquerque, Mayor Chávez presided over the opening bell at the Nasdaq Market on Friday, November 24, 2006. Mayor Chávez described the environment and event, as “indescribable” and “a really great thing for the city of Albuquerque.”

Mayor Chávez stated "that we are a city of great history, tradition and culture, but the Albuquerque of today is founded on new technology. It's a place where people can earn a great living, a place that's leading the nation."

In the past year Albuquerque has been on all the right lists. Forbes has ranked Albuquerque #1 place for business and careers, Orbitz predicts Albuquerque will be among next 5 future travel hotspots, and Kiplinger's ranks Albuquerque has the 3rd smartest place to live. Click here for a full list of Albuquerque's rankings

Click here to see the photos and transcript from the event.

Mayor Chávez announced today that throughout the Holiday season there will be extra DWI saturation patrols, DWI checkpoints, and extra Albuquerque Police Officers on duty to deter DWI throughout the Duke City. Chávez stated that, “if you are going to drink over the Holiday weekend, have a sober driver or you will be stopped before you can harm yourself or another’s is taken.”

Last year on Thanksgiving the city and two families awoke to a tragedy at the Lomas and Juan Tabo intersection. Three lives were taken because of drunken driver who ran a red light. “Today the intersection has a red light camera and over 40K violations captured to date; each violation representing a potential loss of life, injury, or loss of property,” Mayor Chávez stated.

Mayor Chávez was joined by APD Chief Ray Schultz, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Director Terry Huertaz, the Cornejo family who’s son and nephew were both killed in last year’s Fatal car accident at Lomas and Juan Tabo, and Mr. Ernest Magnusun, Daniel Magnusun the cab driver's father.

In 2005 APD arrested over 5900 DWI offenders, and this year APD is well on its way to arresting well over 6000 DWI offenders, demonstrating that APD is aggressively pursing Drunk Drivers.

Mayor Chávez stated the fight against DWI and Red Light abusers will not end, until the streets are safe anywhere and at anytime of the day or night.

Mayor Chávez joined Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen today at the birthplace of Microsoft, Inc. Paul Allen returned to Albuquerque for a week-long celebration for “STARTUP Albuquerque and the Personal Computer Revolution," to be showcased at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science.

Mayor Chávez and Paul Allen met on the corner of California and Linn Street at the Cal-Linn Building - 109 California Street, NE - where in 1975 Bill Gates and Paul Allen started Microsoft Inc. The official commemorative plaque placed outside the building states, “Microsoft Inc.…was founded here by Paul G. Allen and Bill Gates, whose passion for technology and vision of 'a computer on every desk and in every home' led to the development Microsoft’s groundbreaking software.”

Paul Allen shared a warming story of walking into Linn Building and showing Bill Gates a bit software that would revolutionize the way the world would communicate. He also stated that Albuquerque was a perfect place to start a business because of the people, atmosphere, and beautiful weather.

The plaque goes on to say, “Paul Allen and Bill Gates would like to acknowledge the important role that the city of Albuquerque played in the company’s early development, offering an environment that stimulated creativity and encouraged entrepreneurial spirit.”

Mayor Chávez thanked Paul Allen for coming back to visit and also for bringing some of his “magic” back to Albuquerque.

The Mayor's State of the City Address
Eclipse Aviation
Albuquerque, NM
November 16, 2006
30 min 56 sec

Mayor Chávez delivers his 9th State of the City Address in front of Albuquerque citizens at Eclipse Aviation. Mayor Chávez also presents an Exceptional business award, Young person's award, and a Veteran's Award.

Read our State of the City Topics:

• Albuquerque ranked #1 in Forbes Magazine for Business and Careers
• Approval of Modern Street Car
• Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine #3 Smartest Places to Live
• Balanced Budget
• Retention of High Bond Rating
• Energy and Sustainability
• Mesa del Sol and the new BMX track
• Plus much more……..

Look for a full transcript coming soon.

Mayor Chávez is proud to announce that Peter Calthrope, the 2006 Laureate of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), named by Newsweek as one of the top 25 “innovators on the cutting edge” of urban and suburban development, will be in town to discuss Transit Oriented Development.

His presentation entitled, “Transit Oriented Development and the Regional City,” in which Mr. Calthrope will discuss national trends in Urban design and transit oriented development, and how these national trends relate to Albuquerque.

Mr. Calthrope is the lead planner for the 13,000-acre Mesa del Sol and the founder of the Congress for New Urbanism.

Mayor Chavez recently took to the U.S. Conference of Mayors something called the 2030 challenge - so that by the year 2030 our buildings will be so efficient they will not be net emitters of even carbon dioxide, the most basic 'pollutant' from our heating, air conditioning, and power. The Conference agreed that buildings, being as big a consumer of energy overall as transportation, will be a critical part of our future energy independence and approved this resolution.

On top of presenting the resolution to Nation's Mayors, Mayor Chavez followed up with an executive order for 2030 standards in all city buildings here in Albuquerque, so that we are walking the walk as we go.

Back in February, Mayor Chavez convened a town hall on Energy Sustainability because he believes the "sticker shock" for our energy bills is just a part of a larger problem - too many people on one planet using too much in the way of unsustainable resources.

Mayor Chavez discusses these important issue in more detail here

On Monday, November 6, 2006, City Council approved the extension of the Transportation Infrastructure Tax (TIT). Mayor Chavez stated that he is pleased that the Council took swift and decisive action on this question. This will be seen as an historic vote for the first phase of an impressive transportation project that will further facilitate the ongoing transformation of Albuquerque.

The extension of the Transportation Tax will provide funding for a streetcar corridor on Central Avenue. The corridor will begin at Tingley Beach and run through Old Town, Downtown, and on to right outside Nob Hill and will allow expanded Rapid Ride service and bus routes throughout the city. Along with providing a streetcar for the
community, the TIT will continue to do what it was intended to do in 1999; provide funds for roads, trails, bikeways, and the bus transit system.

The Ordinance will be sent to Mayor Chavez for his signature.

To find out more about the streetcar, click here.

More news:

City Council voted 9 to 0 to pass the Multi-Family Dwelling Program, allowing recycling for apartment complexes