On Monday, the Albuquerque City Council, overseeing New Mexico’s largest city, will consider a motion allowing $500 fines and 90 days in jail for non-compliance with public health requirements.
The proposal, brought forth by Councilors Isaac Benton and Cynthia Borrego would charge all who “knowingly obstruct, impede with, or interfere with any City employee’s officer’s or agent’s enforcement of any public health laws, orders, or restrictions” with a misdemeanor, which is subject to a fine not exceeding $500 or by imprisonment not exceeding 90 days or both.
“It’s really important that we all work together but for the people who don’t feel like they can work with this, it puts another layer, basically, of enforcement,” said Councilor Cynthia Borrego, who serves District Five. “For people who are just resistant and have that sentiment that ‘I’m not going to cooperate’, unfortunately, we need to do something to bring those numbers down and that’s what this really is doing.”
“Borrego says, if approved, the bill could also include penalties like up to 90 days in jail for refusing to comply with the public health order. The bill’s co-sponsor, Councilor Ike Benton, tells us stronger enforcement is needed and he has concerns about public health directives being ignored, so he hopes this added city ordinance, on top of state law, will make people take the orders more seriously,” reported KRQE News 13.
The news comes as New Mexicans are already locked down due to the Governor’s public health orders, which have caused businesses to close and New Mexicans to stand in long lines to buy food and basic necessities at grocery stores.
If the Albuquerque City Council approves this measure, it would mean even harsher enforcement of the strict health orders and even less freedom for citizens. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office previously called restrictions on grocery store capacities merely a “minor inconvenience” and long lines at stores “Republican talking points.”
The meeting will take place virtually on Monday at 3:00 p.m. More information about the meeting and to submit public written or live testimony can be found here. Citizens can contact Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and the Albuquerque City Council to oppose the bill by contacting the councilors below:
Mayor Tim Keller: MayorKellerIQ@cabq.gov
Councilor Lan Sena, District 1: lansena@cabq.gov
Councilor Isaac Benton, District 2: ibenton@cabq.gov
Councilor Klarissa Peña, District 3: kpena@cabq.gov
Councilor Brook Bassan, District 4: bbassan@cabq.gov
Councilor Cynthia Borrego, District 5: cynthiaborrego@cabq.gov
Councilor Pat Davis, District 6: patdavis@cabq.gov
Councilor Diane G. Gibson, District 7: dgibson@cabq.gov
Councilor Trudy Jones, District 8: trudyjones@cabq.gov
Councilor Don Harris, District 9: dharris@cabq.gov
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This is beyond ….. there are no words. Every where I go out people are self distancing they are wearing masks. People are standing in lines to take care of business, they are taking takeout home or eating outside. We are working at home if we are allowed that luxury.
Our city and state are not only dying from this virus our rights and our abilities to provide for our families are being stripped from us.
Sorry Ms Grisham and city council members this is not a minor inconvenience. Now you want to fine our city members. These are scare tactics that should stop and will be remembered when time to vote again.
The times we are in are horrible and the majority of the people do take it seriously. Stripping business and small business is not right .
I personally know small business owners have changed how they do business and have every intention to do it safely.
Albuquerque council focus on helping and fight TRUE crime in our town .
No more lockdowns! This governor is killing New Mexico businesses! Stop these draconian measures NOW!
It is ridiculous to fine and jail people who are only trying to make a living in a free country. It is a violation of human rights! Read the constitution!
And we now see the tyranny of socialism the thing demorats want…..been seeing this for sometime now ever since that Muslim dude was voted into office…..we need pres trump to keep fighting his fraud battles…..they all are being exposed but by real news media not lainstream news….newsmax and one american news is on it…..
Such a violation of our human rights. I emailed my counsel member and the mayor, you should too.
Sorry Shelly, they are all in on it. It’s time to stop worshiping news journalists, celeberties, athletes, and polititions. This narritive needs to be flipped now. “ABQ Citizens voting Monday to fine, jail City Council Members and all involved breaking Constitutional Laws”. We have forgotten we are the 99% and they are the 1%. I understand we all want to do something. Take off your damn mask! This is a tyranical hoax. Until you except that, you have no right to complain about nothing. It’s time to stand together or lose everything. Take off your damn mask! Take off your damn mask! Take off your damn mask!
I’m tired of how divided this country is, we are trying to keep others safe and everyone else is being selfish and thinking only about themselves. It is a minor inconvenience to stamd in line and wear a mask when you go out and its honestly not that hard to do! Us essential workers have to wear a mask every day for 8 hours a day so wearing a mask for the 2 or 4 hours you have to go out to run errands is not that difficult. You are all giant toddlers, and I will be contacting the council to say that I for one agree with the bill! You make it hard for us workers whem you come into stores just to argue with us, so take your $500 fine and get out. The grocery stores don’t want to deal with you.
Carrie you are the idiot toddler who complies and has no idea what living in a republic means. Just because you choose to wear a mask is no reason to demand someone else wear one. These “mandates” and now these draconian orders are UNCONSTITUTIONAL. You are one more drooling zombie who is not intelligent enough to understand Koch’s postulates, The Rule of Law, due process, the gold standard, the inappropriateness of the PCR test which tells us nothing and is being dialed up to cause panic and destroy our Republic.
You ARE NOT ESSENTIAL or a HERO. You are a disgrace. Masks harm people and you are obviously more brain damaged due to hypoxia then you were 8 months ago. Masks do nothing to help anyone. The whole thing is a fraud, a hoax a giant lie.
You nor anyone else can force someone to receive or use a medical device or procedure. You would have been hung for your complicity during the nuremberg trials and I pray that day comes soon again for those such as you. Make sure you get your tickets in advance for the death injections coming.
Talking points for these treasonous public servants;
Dizzines is first symptom of hypoxia which causes brain damage and can lead to organ failure. Cancer also thrives in an anaerobic environment.
Researchgate dot net health risks of mask wearing
A total of 343 healthcare professionals on the COVID-19 front lines participated in this study. The majority were female (n = 315) and 227 were located in New York City. 225 respondents identified as White, 34 as Hispanic, 23 as African American, and 61 as “other” ethnicity. 314 respondents reported adverse effects from prolonged mask use with headaches being the most common complaint (n = 245). Skin breakdown was experienced by 175 respondents, and acne was reported in 182 respondents. Impaired cognition was reported in 81 respondents. Previous history of headaches (n = 98), skin sensitivity (n = 164), and acne (n = 121) were found in some respondents. Some respondents experienced resolved side effects once masks were removed, while others required physical or medical intervention. ”
No public servant can violate their oath and can not force anyone to participate in a medical procedure or wear a medical device against their informed consent. Marbury vs Madison as well as other cases are very clear. All laws repugnant to the constitution are null, void and without effect.
This is really stupid!! How about you focus on ABQ’s sky rocking crime rate!
Albuquerque – contact your City council rep and tell them to vote NO.
I am also going to demonstrate how unfeasable and idiotic this is:
Albuqerque police employs 1,000 offciers, the current population is 560,000 – even if .01% of the people do not comply, thats 5,000 people.
There are 65,000 businesses in the metro area, so phycially patrolling and/or responding to non compliance is also a waste of manpower and resources.
Burglaries and murder have both seen big spikes in 2020. Burglaries are up 42%, representing 3,601 more incidents reported year to date in 2020 compared to 2019. The city has also seen a 32% jump in murders, equaling 89 more victims this year than last. As of the end of April, the murder rate had only increased by 4% year over year.
Are they really going to tie up the resources trying to enforce this – our crime rate has gone through the roof and they want to enforce this shit?
I so totally understand where everyone is coming from, I am high risk due to having asthma. I am taking extreme care, so I do not go out if I do not have to. My husband is a essential, and worries he might bring COVID-19 to me. But we just do one day at time. I do wish the Governor would take into consideration our local businesses, and find a way for them to stay open. There has to better ways for all of us to stay safe, cause what is happening now is not working. It is only pinning us against each other. We need to stand together, to understand each other and respect that, and care for our families as best we can. Thank you.