Letters to the Editor

Music, March 24:“Up the Punx”

Raising Memories

Gratitude to Alex De Vore on bringing Santa Fe's music history up for air. The highlighted Instagram account bares too many memories for me, but…by 2002 we had a scene that attracted other touring bands, so it's worth noting. Warehouse 21 was the perpetual force! Aztec Café also got involved. We still had the Onion and Tommy sold records. Thanks, Alex.

Dan Richter
Santa Fe

News, March 24: “Raising the Roof for City Employees”

More Than He Thinks

In an interview published in last week's Reporter (and subsequently corrected online), AFSCME Vice President Gil Martinez claimed that members of his union had received only two or three raises over the past 12-13 years. That's just not accurate.

As this table prepared by the city's Human Resources department details, Since 2005, city workers have received 14 raises, an average of almost a raise a year. Several were 4% raises and one was an average of 8%. It doesn't do anyone any good to misrepresent the facts—it's unfair to our city workers and it misleads the residents of Santa Fe.

Since Mayor [Alan] Webber took office, City AFSCME workers have received four raises: a 2% raise in July 2018 and in 2019 an average of a 1% raise for equity pay; an average of an 8% raise as a result of a classification and compensation study for 290 AFSCME employees (43%) who were paid below the market rate; and another 2% raise. Guided by the mayor and the City Council, the city is emerging from the COVID pandemic in strong economic shape. The upcoming budget that will be submitted by the mayor to the governing body will continue to support the city's hard-working and capable men and women, and will enable Santa Fe to build back better from the pandemic.

Dave Herndon
Communications Director, City of Santa Fe

Correction

SFR examined a table provided by the city after last week's publication of statements by AFSCME Vice President Gil Martinez about pay raises. Members of the collective bargaining unit have received raises from the City of Santa Fe in a majority of the past 15 years in increments ranging from 50 cents to 8% of pay, contrary to what Martinez appeared to claim.