A New, Inclusive Economy that works for everyone in Albuquerque is possible.
“I’m running for city council to bring respect and dignity to everyone in Albuquerque. Workers with living wages, our small business community, and entrepreneurs will lead us into a New Economy. I believe new generations will choose to stay here as I did, and raise their families in a safe community full of opportunity for everyone.”
An Entrepreneur of Impact & Community
From a decade of building new technology companies in Albuquerque, Travis has developed a data-driven approach to addressing real issues – with impact we can measure. It starts with deep, continuous, community dialogue to get to root causes and set positive intentions for change. It ends with testing and iterating new models – as “living policy and programs” that listen, learn, and respond to reality.
My Focus, My Agenda: The 3 Pillars
1. Address Root Causes, not symptoms
- I stand for long-term solutions to our biggest issues vs. band-aiding symptoms (with increasing costs)
- We need to invest in social infrastructure alongside physical infrastructure. We have the federal funds en route from the ARP and new infrastructure bill(s). With long-term investments that address root causes, our recurring spend in the city budget goes down as we reverse the growth in major areas of crime, homelessness, addiction, and poverty.
- Example – Homelessness: Mental health, breaking drug addiction cycles, decentralized transition housing for those experiencing homelessness. Reach Functional Zero homelessness – a state where no one is unhoused. Homelessness is rare and addressed immediately when it happens.
- Example – Crime: Poverty, inequality, drug addiction, lack of opportunity and support. Public safety officers agree, these driving forces are behind virtually every call they respond to. They are open to reform and want help to connect people in need to the social services they require.
2. Policy and Decisions based on Data
- Every program and policy needs data requirements to track results, measure impact and Return On Investment, and hold us accountable for producing change.
- The numbers and data are hard to argue with. When something isn’t working, we notice before more is invested and more time passes without positive change.
- Model, measure, compare, iterate. What’s working? What needs improvement? What can we try next? Data is an equalizer. It forces us to recognize the full scope of the problem, the trends, and confront failing efforts. It also shows us when something works, and where to lean in.
3. Build Back Better: An Inclusive Economy
- Living wages across the city. Doubling union membership.
- New Infrastructure built by union labor under PLAs and maintained by public union workers. Filling the worker gap in the construction trades over the next 10 years with apprenticed workers and journeymen/women.
- Affordable housing and anti-displacement as a city principle
- Community Impact Fund to protect local, first-time homebuyers from an unjust housing market. Decent jobs give residents the ability to buy their first house, gain intergenerational stability, and invest in Albuquerque as their home.
- Pre-apprenticeships in afterschool programs. Apprenticeship as a standard of higher education where you “earn while you learn” – and graduate into well-paid work with no student debt.
- Direct pathways for local people to fill the 5000 new, high-wage tech and creative economy jobs coming to Albuquerque
Big Issues, Ideas, and Strategy
- A New Economy & Measuring Positive Human Impact
- Inequality and Poverty are the root causes of crime
- Respect the Work & Workers who make this city possible
- Entrepreneur empowerment & Small Business adaptation
