Voters in the Town of Bernalillo head to the polls Tuesday to choose between a five-term incumbent mayor and a challenger calling for fresh leadership, while also deciding whether to approve a new quarter-cent gross receipts tax for economic development.
Mayor Jack Torres, who first took office in 2010, is seeking a fifth term against challenger James Baca in the March 3 election. Two at-large council seats are also on the ballot, though incumbents Vincent Montoya and Gerred Prairie are running unopposed.
Torres has pointed to a record of fiscal turnaround and capital investment during his tenure. He said partnerships with state legislators have brought unprecedented resources to the town of roughly 10,000, including $8 million for a new fire station secured through capital outlay funding.The town has received clean financial audits annually since 2022, following earlier fiscal troubles that included a $5 million arsenic treatment facility that never worked.
More recently, Torres said the town secured an $835,000 federal grant to help senior citizens with energy efficiency improvements and $1 million from U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján’s office for wastewater plant upgrades. Construction has also started on a $1 million streetscape project along Camino del Pueblo that will add ADA-compliant sidewalks and decorative lighting.
Baca, a self-described friend and neighbor to Bernalillo residents, did not attend a Feb. 15 candidate forum hosted by the Democratic Party of Sandoval County but has been active on social media. He argues that Torres’ tenure has not delivered the leadership the town deserves.
“After multiple terms in office, it is fair to ask what meaningful progress has truly been delivered,” Baca wrote in a message to supporters. “Infrastructure upgrades alone do not define a legacy of strong governance or forward-thinking leadership.”
Baca has also raised questions about turnover in public safety leadership. “The frequent changes in police chiefs and fire chiefs raise important questions about stability, management style, and internal morale,” he wrote, adding that “healthy leadership transitions can restore confidence, invite new solutions, and refocus priorities on the needs of the people.”
Torres acknowledged that police and fire staffing remains a challenge, noting that a single firefighter position costs about $104,000 annually. He said the town is fully staffed with police officers after raising salaries to compete with state police and Albuquerque.
Also on the ballot is a referendum on a 0.25% local gross receipts tax — 25 cents per $100 of taxable gross receipts — dedicated to economic development. Qualifying uses under state law include arts and cultural districts, cultural facilities and retail businesses. Torres said the town does not yet have specific plans for the revenue.
On immigration, Torres said Bernalillo is “an immigrant friendly community” where police are instructed not to participate in deportation activities unless appropriate documentation is provided for a specific crime.
Election day voting is available at Town Hall, 829 Camino del Pueblo, from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.