Issues
Crime
As a retired police officer, Dan Champine understands what it takes to make our streets and neighborhoods safe. He will fight to end the culture of lawlessness that’s taken over Albuquerque and replace it with a culture of accountability. That starts by empowering our police officers to enforce the law. We need more police officers on our streets, but the lack of support for our officers by the current political leadership has created an exodus of officers leaving the Albuquerque Police Department and made recruiting extraordinarily difficult. This must change in order to recruit and retain the very best.
Homelessness
Dan Champine believes we must have a multi-faceted approach to fighting homelessness in Albuquerque. We must provide the help and services to those people struggling through difficult times and/or dealing with mental health issues. At the same time, we must not tolerate destructive behavior and be willing to enforce city laws to maintain public safety and protect our quality of life. Dan Champine opposes legalizing homeless tent encampments.
Economy
Dan Champine works in the real estate industry and owns a small business. He understands that to truly kickstart our economy, local government must, not only make it easier for small businesses to grow, but also make Albuquerque more attractive for big companies looking to relocate. That means we must cut unnecessary red tape and keep taxes low. It’s also critical that we win the fight against crime and homelessness, as a high-crime rate discourages investment.
Budget/Taxes
When it comes to budgeting, Dan Champine believes city government must focus on providing basic services, such as police and fire protection and maintaining and improving our roads on infrastructure, rather than spending tax dollars on wasteful pork projects. Dan Champine opposes increasing taxes without voter approval.
Education
Dan Champine believes our city government can do more to help kids struggling with learning loss as a result of our school shutdowns during COVID. The most recent test results show that only 18% of 8th grade students are reading at grade level and only 13% are proficient in math. Dan Champine supports before- and-after school tutoring to help our kids catch up.