Mike Tellez, Las Cruces mayoral candidate, gives answers on crime, police reform, housing
Mike Tellez is running for Las Cruces mayor for the second time, and he says his platform hasn't changed since he finished third in the 2019 election.
"When I ran four years ago, it's crazy because my platform hasn't changed," said Tellez, 66, during a recent interview with the Sun-News inside of the Dream Center, a faith-based community center he established in 2000. "Mental health and substance abuse. We need to get a facility to help treat that. We still don't have that. We still don't have a plan for the homeless."
Tellez is one of seven candidates vying to replace long-time Mayor Ken Miyagishima, who is not running for reelection.
Absentee and early voting opens on Oct. 10, and Nov. 7 is election day.
Background on Mike Tellez
Tellez also ran for the New Mexico House of Representatives in the 36th district as a Republican in 2012. In a three-way contest, Democrat Phillip Archuleta won.
Tellez grew up in Roswell and said he has been a Las Cruces resident for 26 years.
"We have a boxing program, youth programs, a ministry for teens, homeless and families," Tellez said. "Anything that relates to helping people, that is who I bring in here. I started this to do something for the community."
Tellez insists that he considered changing parties after a Republican Party of New Mexico lawsuit on his behalf was dismissed by two courts, most recently in June. The lawsuit alleged that Doña Ana County Clerk Amanda López Askin told an election board to count about 70 absentee ballots that should not have been counted. The lawsuit also alleged that López Askin relied on inaccurate information supplied by Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver. It was dismissed in the 3rd Judicial District Court for lack of standing. An appeal was dismissed in June.
"All I did was complain about the ballot harvesting," Tellez said. "That's all I said. Next thing I knew, they were suing (López Askin). She has always treated me great.
"I could not believe that turned into that."
Tellez offered an apology to López Askin on filing day last month.
"Mr. Tellez did approach me on filing day and did apologize," López Askin said. "I told him there was no need to, but I appreciated the effort and let him know that there wasn't any animus. I don't take lawsuits personally. If I did, I could not do this job. I wish him a good campaign."
Why should Las Cruces elect you as mayor?
"I have worked in the community trying to make a difference and make something happen tirelessly for 17 years," Tellez said.
Tellez wants to address the opioid issue and the unhoused population in Las Cruces by establishing a facility that can both house and treat those affected. Tellez singled out the use of the former armory on Brown Road, used to shelter migrants. Tellez said a community facility could offer education programs as well as treatment programs.
"That is where we start," Tellez said. "We do whatever we can to transition them back to society. The best we can do is help them as much as we can, but we have a generation of kids coming of age. Those kids we can help.
"I would ask all of the faith-based programs, like myself, to open your doors for after-school programs every day and let these kids come and do their part in the community. It is not the government's job to take care of these people. It is the community's job. We have 120 churches. If half of them opened their doors, we would have a place to send them."
Do you believe that the Las Cruces Police Department needs reform?
"No. I believe they need to increase their force. They have a plan. Let them work their plan. They don't need an oversight committee. They are on the ball now."
In 2020, then-LCPD Officer Christopher Smelser killed Tony Valenzuela using a controversial grappling technique after Valenzuela ran away during a traffic stop. Smelser was then charged with murder, but a judge nixed the murder charge mid-trial.
In 2021, Officer Jerad Cosper shot 75-year-old Amelia Baca after her family called 911 because Baca was in the throes of a mental health crisis. Cosper has not been charged with a crime and remains a police officer as the state Attorney General's Office determines if criminal charges will be filed.
The incident activated a group of citizens, including the Doña Ana County chapter of the NAACP, to call for a civilian oversight committee and a U.S. Department of Justice investigation.
Tellez wants to increase the police force to 300 officers, establish sub-stations throughout the city and incentivize officers to live in neighborhoods that are currently considered hot spots for crime. LCPD is currently budgeted for 220 officers. The current city council and mayor approved a staffing increase from about 200 to 220 in June.
"They need to learn how to talk to people," Tellez said. "They are going to think twice about the use of force. They are training them on that use of force part, but we need to get them the resources they need to get out there and patrol those areas.
"We build our force and put officers in those neighborhoods to become part of that community. That hate needs to go away, and once people see the human side of our police, we start creating that relationship."
As mayor, what would you do regarding a rise in certain types of crime?
"With more officers, we are able to do a better job patrolling, but we need a place to send these people. The facility on Brown Road that I keep talking about, the quicker we can set something like that up, the quicker we have a place to send them to."
Las Cruces saw increases in some crimes, such as aggravated assaults (non-fatal shootings), burglaries, and vehicle thefts over the last decade. Many other types of crime fell or did not increase during the same period.
In addition to establishing police substations throughout the city and a singular facility to shelter and treat the unhoused population, Tellez suggested a curfew for residents under the age of 18. LCPD operates out of two facilities, the police headquarters on Main Street and Picacho Avenue and the East Mesa Public Safety Complex on Lohman Avenue and Sonoma Ranch Boulevard.
"We need a curfew, and we need to enforce it," Tellez said. "We have a bus running. We have a place to take them to. I tell them you are staying in this area here that is protected for your safety. Once we get people off the streets, crime will start to decrease.
"All we do now is provide everyone with more reasons to be where the problems are happening. We have Casa de Peregrinos and the Community of Hope for now for people to stick to that area."
Is the city doing enough to affect the crisis in affordable housing?
"They are trying to, but they are not able to get there. I have studied affordable housing for years and seen it in cities. If you put up enough to house 500 people along in that area across Valley, what do we create? Section 8 projects. What do you find in section 8 projects? "
The city estimates that Las Cruces is roughly 5,600 units short of meeting the demand for multi-family housing. In 2022, Las Cruces voters approved a GO Bond measure to send $6 million to affordable housing projects.
Tellez suggested building smaller structures of six or eight units throughout the city.
"In Houston, you could have a $2 million house, but you will see an eight-plex of affordable housing right down the street," Tellez said.
What changes, if any, should be made to the rules in Las Cruces regarding cannabis and dispensaries?
"I think we need to limit the amount of those things that are going up. I think there are 18 of them on Solano."
Las Cruces has received excise tax revenue from 67 dispensaries in city limits since recreational sales started in April of 2022.
Tellez acknowledged the benefits of a rising industry in Las Cruces but believes the city should be more selective when approving licenses in the future.
"It's a double-edged sword. I see income, and I see destruction. Kids are vaping in school now," Tellez said. "When weed isn't enough, they start going a step higher.
"They are going to start closing. We should not issue another license to open a new one until it gets to a smaller amount. I'm starting to see them cutting the price."
Jason Groves can be reached at 575-541-5459 or jgroves@lcsun-news.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @jpgroves.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Mike Tellez, Las Cruces candidate, on crime, police reform, housing
