KRWG Public Media is covering contested races around the region. Las Cruces’s Mike Tellez is running to become the city’s next mayor, and KRWG’s Jonny Coker spoke with him regarding final thoughts about his campaign.
Transcript:
Jonny Coker:
So how do you feel your campaign has gone so far?
Mike Tellez:
You know what? I just gave it my all, poured my heart out with plan for the city. I guess it's just not time for that.
Jonny Coker:
What do you feel resonated most with the voters that you talked to in the field?
Mike Tellez:
Well, the issues of crime, the homelessness, the panhandling, and I think that was the number one thing that hit all of them.
Jonny Coker:
If you are elected, if tomorrow those numbers do go your way, what will you do to address those issues, or what would you like to do to address those issues you laid out?
Mike Tellez:
Well, right now I found a location for the mental health and substance abuse facility for the homeless and people in the streets. I found a location, an elementary school that's been vacated that's available at this time. We've got enough money right now coming in from areas like cannabis, the opioid settlement, and the Telshore fund to fund that facility to open up immediately. And that would be the first thing I do is get a facility ready to be able to start giving these people who're sleeping on the streets another place to go to and start treating the problem as quick as we could.
