Despite Fla. home, ABQ councilor says he’s committed to NM

An Albuquerque city council hopeful is taking his long-time incumbent opponent to task for building a custom waterfront second home in Florida. Brad Winter, the longest-serving councilor, last year took out a $324,000 mortgage with his wife to construct a three-bedroom, 3,100 square-foot house in Port Charlotte, Florida, a popular retirement destination located on a […]

Despite Fla. home, ABQ councilor says he’s committed to NM

An Albuquerque city council hopeful is taking his long-time incumbent opponent to task for building a custom waterfront second home in Florida.

Brad Winter
Brad Winter, Courtesy City of Albuquerque

Brad Winter, the longest-serving councilor, last year took out a $324,000 mortgage with his wife to construct a three-bedroom, 3,100 square-foot house in Port Charlotte, Florida, a popular retirement destination located on a Gulf of Mexico inlet, according to public documents obtained by New Mexico Political Report.

Winter, a recently retired administrator and interim superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools, is seeking a fifth term in this October’s city election. His opponent is Israel Chavez, a 24-year-old University of New Mexico graduate who works as a development director at Equality New Mexico.

Although the race is nonpartisan, Winter is a registered Republican and Chavez a Democrat. City council district 4, where both candidates are running for office, traditionally leans Republican.

Chavez called the purchase “concerning at a time when Albuquerque is struggling” and argued that councilors should be fully invested in their job and not “be able to just go to another city when things get hard.”

Although Winter’s mortgage marks the house as a second home, Chavez questions whether that is really his intention.

“It’s a custom-built home with a lot of luxuries and amenities that need a full-time up-keep,” Chavez said, citing a pool and boat as examples.

Winter, however, maintained that he has no interest in moving anywhere else full-time—now or in the future.

“I made a commitment to stay here another four years,” Winter said. “I still have a daughter in high school here. Albuquerque is my home.”

Israel Chavez
Courtesy Israel Chavez

Owning a second home in Florida is nothing new for him and his wife Nann, an Albuquerque lawyer. Winter said they both owned a smaller second home in Florida for a handful of years before building the new one.

They sold the first Florida house last year.

“We had a little two-bedroom,” he said. “She wanted a three-bedroom.”

Winter said Nann tries to go to their Florida home every few months, though he only goes twice a year for a couple of weeks each time—once during the holidays and once during the summer.

Winter said his family also owns a cabin in Jemez.

In seeking another term, Winter said he’s focused on community projects like the North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center. Chavez said he wants to curb teen drug use, which is highest in the district, as well as property crime while working on police reform.

Albuquerque city elections will be held Tuesday, Oct. 6.

We're ad free

That means that we rely on support from readers like you. Help us keep reporting on the most important New Mexico Stories by donating today.

Related

Governor to call special session for public safety legislation this summer

Governor to call special session for public safety legislation this summer

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that she will call the Legislature into a special session this summer to address public safety legislation that did…
Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

A New Mexico-based LGBTQ rights organization endorsed 15 candidates for state House and Senate seats for the 2024 elections.  Marshall Martinez, executive director of…
BLM finalizes controversial public lands rule

BLM finalizes controversial public lands rule

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management finalized its controversial public lands rule on Thursday. This rule is controversial because it allows for conservation leasing…
Haaland signs order protecting sacred lands near Placitas

Haaland signs order protecting sacred lands near Placitas

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland signed an order on Thursday to withdraw more than 4,200 acres of land in Sandoval County near Placitas from mineral…
Sandia researchers look at ways to store hydrogen underground

Sandia researchers look at ways to store hydrogen underground

As the world looks to decarbonize, governments are promoting hydrogen, a somewhat controversial energy source, as an important component of that effort. But that…
Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican The main things that bring Brayan Chavez to school every day: Seeing, talking to and engaging with…
Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican Brittany Behenna Griffith has a laundry list of adjectives to describe the ideal special education teacher:…
Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican A challenging task awaits New Mexico lawmakers in the next 30 days: Reconciling three very different…
Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Amy Maxmen, KFF Health News Four years after hospitals in New York City overflowed with covid-19 patients, emergency physician Sonya Stokes remains shaken by…
Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act was awarded to six tribal nations and…
Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee discussed a potential constitutional amendment that seeks to limit the governor’s executive powers. The committee approved…
Stansbury introduces judicial ethics bill on U.S. Supreme Court steps

Stansbury introduces judicial ethics bill on U.S. Supreme Court steps

U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury announced a bill on Thursday that would, if enacted, establish judicial ethics to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Judicial Ethics…
Politics and abortion, how much will it matter?

Politics and abortion, how much will it matter?

At the national level, abortion is still a high-stakes issue with both major presidential candidates talking about it in their campaigns, but it may…
How the AZ Supreme Court decision on abortion impacts New Mexico

How the AZ Supreme Court decision on abortion impacts New Mexico

The Arizona Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that an 1864 abortion ban is enforceable, throwing another state bordering New Mexico into the situation of…
Politics and abortion, how much will it matter?

Politics and abortion, how much will it matter?

At the national level, abortion is still a high-stakes issue with both major presidential candidates talking about it in their campaigns, but it may…
How the AZ Supreme Court decision on abortion impacts New Mexico

How the AZ Supreme Court decision on abortion impacts New Mexico

The Arizona Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that an 1864 abortion ban is enforceable, throwing another state bordering New Mexico into the situation of…
The status of the lawsuit New Mexico joined to remove FDA restrictions to mifepristone

The status of the lawsuit New Mexico joined to remove FDA restrictions to mifepristone

While the U.S. Supreme Court considers the future of access to the abortion medication, mifepristone, another lawsuit against the FDA that would expand access…
Vasquez calls out Republicans for ‘inaction’ on border policy

Vasquez calls out Republicans for ‘inaction’ on border policy

U.S. Rep. Gabriel “Gabe” Vasquez, a Democrat who represents the state’s 2nd Congressional District along the U.S.-Mexico border, cosponsored a resolution on Monday calling…
Politics and abortion, how much will it matter?

Politics and abortion, how much will it matter?

At the national level, abortion is still a high-stakes issue with both major presidential candidates talking about it in their campaigns, but it may…
Politics Newsletter: Early and absentee voting

Politics Newsletter: Early and absentee voting

Good morning fellow political junkies! Early and absentee voting for the June 4 New Mexico primary begins in about a month. The nonprofit election…
Sandia researchers look at ways to store hydrogen underground

Sandia researchers look at ways to store hydrogen underground

As the world looks to decarbonize, governments are promoting hydrogen, a somewhat controversial energy source, as an important component of that effort. But that…
American Rivers ranks waters in New Mexico as the most endangered in the country

American Rivers ranks waters in New Mexico as the most endangered in the country

New Mexico rivers are the most endangered in the country, according to the annual report from American Rivers. This is because of two U.S.…

Can the Albuquerque Police Department ever be reformed?

by Joshua Bowling, Searchlight New Mexico In the past decade, reforming the Albuquerque Police Department has cost nearly $40 million and generated 5,600 pages…

GET INVOLVED

© 2023 New Mexico Political Report