news@dailylobo.com
@ArdeeTheJourno
Abortion was the hot topic of the second of three televised Albuquerque mayoral candidate debates of the season.
In a debate hosted by KOB Sunday morning, candidates discussed whether they support the late-term abortion ban that is going to be on the ballot in November’s runoff elections.
The Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Ordinance did not qualify to be on the ballot for the Oct. 8 elections because the city clerk only received 9,800 signatures, about 3,000 short of the required 12,091. But a petition organized by pro-life organizations in Albuquerque gathered 27,000 signatures to overturn the clerk’s decision. The City Council voted 5 to 4 Sept. 16 to place the ordinance on the ballot for the runoff elections in November.
Incumbent Richard Berry said at the debate the measure deserves to be on the ballot because of the support it gained from the community. And he said he will support the ban.
“If you can get thousands of signatures to advocate for a position that you believe in, you can put it in the ballot,” he said. “Each one of us here today will have one vote on it … I’ve been asked if I agree with the ban on late-term abortion, and, as an individual in the city of Albuquerque, I will be voting in favor of that initiative.”
Challenger Pete Dinelli said that on the contrary, he will vote against the abortion measure.
“I very much believe in a woman’s right to choose,” he said. “I believe this is a life that women have to make a decision on. This is a highly sensitive and a highly personal issue, and I believe that a woman has to get her decision based on her friends, her family, her doctor, but most importantly, her faith.”
Dinelli criticized Berry for supporting the ban, which Dinelli deemed extremist. He said Berry’s stance would influence that of the entire Albuquerque community.
“Mayor Berry … you’re not just one vote,” he said. “You are the leader of this city. You have to set the tone. In fact this is an initiative that is radical, extreme right-wing extremism. You’re taking away a woman’s right to choose.”
If elected, he will not entertain a similar measure in the city, Dinelli said.
“As mayor of Albuquerque, I would never allow my city to be described as the Holocaust of New Mexico,” he said.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
To counter, Berry said his vote depends on his personal beliefs.
Berry accused Dinelli of sensationalizing the abortion issue to get people’s votes.
“I would make my decision on how I would vote along with my family and your families,” he said. “What I think is one of the most unfortunate things about this campaign is Mr. Dinelli is running false ads. He’s trying to make a more divisive situation than it needs to be.”
Mayoral candidate Paul Heh said that like Berry, he would vote for the ban. But he said he still believes a woman has the right to choose whether to have abortion or not.
“I am against late-term abortions,” he said. “I am not against a woman’s right to choose. I believe that women do have a right to choose, but what I’m trying to stop is murder. I want to make sure that that fetus cannot feel any pain before any abortion is performed.”
But the measure should allow some exceptions, such as health conditions that might harm a mother’s or a fetus’ life during pregnancy, Heh said.
Still, Heh said he is disappointed that the measure would not be on the ballot for Oct. 8.
“My suggestion was get it on the ballot so people would show up to the polls,” he said. “Only 13 percent of you voted last election — 13 percent. If this was on the ballot, I guarantee 80 or 90 percent of you would come out to vote.”
Also at the debate, candidates discussed whether the Albuquerque Police Department should retain the college requirement for its recruitment of officers.
A college requirement is useless for intensive recruitment, Heh said.
“There is a stringent process before you get into the police department,” he said. “You would not need a college education to be a police officer. We teach you what you need to know. College is a wonderful thing, but it is not needed to become a police officer.”
Dinelli echoed Heh’s concerns.
“Just because a person has a degree doesn’t mean he’s going to be a better-trained officer,” Dinelli said. “Education is a critical component obviously, but I also believe that life experiences should be seriously considered.”
Dinelli said APD should also consider increasing its age requirement for a more efficient recruitment process.
Still, Berry defended his “world-class” APD’s recruitment requirements.
“We put a number of reforms in place with the police department,” he said. “One of the things that we don’t want to do in the police department is to waive requirements… We could end up having someone in the police department who doesn’t really belong there.”
The three candidates will face off again for the final televised debate before the election tonight at 7 p.m. on PBS.
