Tim Keller (politician)

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Tim Keller
30th Mayor of Albuquerque
Assumed office
December 1, 2017
Preceded byRichard J. Berry
26th Auditor of New Mexico
In office
January 5, 2015 – November 30, 2017
GovernorSusana Martinez
Preceded byHector Balderas
Succeeded byKevin Sourisseau (Acting)
Member of the New Mexico Senate
from the 17th district
In office
January 3, 2009 – January 5, 2015
Preceded byShannon Robinson
Succeeded byMimi Stewart
Personal details
Born (1977-11-22) November 22, 1977 (age 46)
Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseElizabeth Kistin
Children2
EducationUniversity of Notre Dame (BA)
Harvard University (MBA)
WebsiteGovernment website

Timothy M. Keller (born November 22, 1977[1]), is an American businessman and politician who is 30th and current mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as New Mexico State Auditor before resigning to become mayor on December 1, 2017. He is also a former member of the New Mexico Senate, representing Senate District 17. The district is located southeast Albuquerque.

Early life and career

Keller was born and raised in Albuquerque, with his two siblings. His father was a founder of Union Savings Bank and his mother was a public school teacher and homemaker. He was raised as a Roman Catholic and attended Catholic schools from kindergarten until his graduation from the University of Notre Dame.[2] After graduation from Notre Dame, he co-founded a social enterprise, Digital Divide Data (DDD), which employs and trains disadvantaged persons in Cambodia. DDD is now also present in Laos and Kenya, and has more than 1000 employees. The organization was ranked by Fast Company magazine as a global Top Innovator and by The Global Journal as one of the Top 100 NGOs worldwide.[3] Prior to that, Keller worked as an investment banker with Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette where he focused on energy technology corporate finance.[citation needed]

After completing his M.B.A. at the Harvard Business School, he returned to New Mexico. Keller later worked in the community, volunteering for groups that foster economic opportunities in Albuquerque's Southeast Heights. Keller has served on the boards of New Mexico Private Equity Funds, the Open Hands Foundation, the Asian American Association, and Albuquerque Southeast Team for Entrepreneur Development.[citation needed]

New Mexico Senate

Keller was elected in 2008 to represent the people of New Mexico Senate District 17 otherwise known as the International District. [4][5] In the 49th Legislative Session, Keller introduced 30 pieces of legislation passing 8; 4 of which were signed into law by Governor Bill Richardson.[6]

In the 2011–12 50th Legislative Session, Keller introduced 55 pieces of legislation,[7] passed 14 pieces of legislation, and 5 were signed into law by Governor Susana Martinez including reforming the In-State Business Preference that gives local businesses bidding preference on state government procurement. In December 2012, Keller was elected to the New Mexico State Senate leadership as Majority Whip and served two years until resigning after his election to State Auditor.[8]

Auditor's election

Keller in 2014

Keller announced in spring 2013 that he would seek the office of State Auditor.[9] He ran on a platform of transparency and good government policies that would stop fraud, waste, and abuse before it occurs.[10] During the election, Keller released a TV commercial that received national attention for being one of the most innovative and entertaining political ads of this cycle.[11] On November 4, 2014 Keller was elected State Auditor, defeating Robert Aragon, 54%-46%.[12]

New Mexico State Auditor

As State Auditor, Keller focuses on helping government work better by providing transparency and accountability for government spending; informing policy choices; and tackling fraud, waste and abuse.[13]

Special Investigations -

As State Auditor, Keller has worked to safeguard New Mexican’s tax dollars and shine a light on cases of fraud, waste and abuse across the state. These Special Investigations include:

• Statewide Law Enforcement – a special audit of New Mexico’s backlog of untested Sexual Assault Evidence Kits, commonly known as “rape kits” [14]

• Superintendent of Insurance - $200 million uncollected premiums tax [15]

• Charter schools/APS/PED – lack of oversight, doctored receipts [16]

• City of Santa Fe – misappropriation of a $40 million Park Bond [17]

• Public Education Department –special education underfunded by millions[18]

• City of Albuquerque/Taser – procurement violations, “greased” contracts to TASER [19]

• Developmental Disabilities Planning Council – embezzlement of funds meant for people with disabilities [20]

• Alamogordo – water billing fraud [21]

• Cibola County Commission – government credit cards used for personal purchases including a semi-automatic weapon, baseball tickets [22]

• Hatch – city land purchase in Las Cruces [23]

• McKinley County sheriff – misuse of DWI Funds [24]

• Taxation and Revenue Department – preferential tax treatment, abuse of power [25]

GAO-

As State Auditor, Keller created the first Government Accountability Office in New Mexico. The GAO is focused on bringing transparency and accountability to the agencies that receive and spend public money. The GAO aims to make the important information buried in the 900+ audits and financial reports that New Mexico state and local agencies produce each year accessible and understandable to the public.[26]

The GAO has compiled reports including:

• The Findings Report: A Summary of New Mexico’s Governmental Financial Audits [27]

• Money on the Sidelines: Report on Unspent Fund Balances [28]

• Risk Advisory: School Personnel Act Compliance [29]

Keller conducted a study on "trickle out economics", a tally of how much of New Mexico's government spending is flowing to out of state companies. Local business is losing out on more than $500 million due to government agencies contracting with out of state companies. The largest percentage of money leaves the state from the IT, health and medical and food services industries. On the other hand, architecture and engineering sectors in state received 91% of the tax dollars spent last year. [30]

After discovering that the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance (OSI) had failed to collect hundreds of millions of dollars in premium taxes from insurance companies, Keller initiated a special audit to get to the bottom of how much is owed and how to ensure it is collected. [31]

Following an over year late release, New Mexico’s FY 13 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), troublingly, reported millions of unaccounted for funds. Auditor Keller immediately launched an audit of the CAFR to ensure all New Mexican’s tax dollars are utilized to their fullest extent.[32]

Keller announced the Money on the Sidelines report which found [clarification needed] $4.5 billion in unused state funds. This report, the first of its kind from the Auditor's office, is meant as a tool to help the Governor's office and the legislature to identify these funds and how to best appropriate them.[33]

Albuquerque mayoral campaign

In January 2017 Keller announced his intention to run in that year's Albuquerque mayoral election. He stated that he would pursue public financing for his campaign by initially raising thousands of five-dollar donations, and pledged to expand the city's Police Department from around 850 officers to 1,200 if elected.[34]

His campaign was endorsed by Our Revolution, the organisation formed out of Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential run.[35][36] In the first round of the election in October, Keller topped the ballot with 39 percent of the vote, 16 percentage points ahead of the second-placed candidate, the Republican Dan Lewis, who Keller would face in a runoff election in November.[37]

On November 14, 2017, Keller defeated Lewis in the Albuquerque mayoral runoff election with 62% of the vote. [38]Keller was sworn in on December 1, 2017 in a private and later public ceremony. Keller resigned from his position as state auditor by December 1, 2017, in order to be sworn in as mayor.

Electoral history

New Mexico State Senate 17th District Democratic Primary Election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tim Keller 1,614 65.99
Democratic Shannon Robinson 832 34.01
New Mexico State Senate 17th District Election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tim Keller 9,275 100.00
New Mexico State Senate 17th District Democratic Primary Election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tim Keller (inc.) 7,481 64.84
Republican Shannon Robinson 4,057 35.16
New Mexico Auditor Democratic Primary Election, 2014
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tim Keller 270,386 54.25
Republican Robert Aragon 228,019 45.75
Albuquerque Mayoral Runoff Election, 2017
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tim Keller 60,219 62.20
Republican Dan Lewis 36,594 37.80

References

  1. ^ https://mobile.twitter.com/MayorKeller/status/933445192908021760
  2. ^ Martin Salazar. "Past businessman Tim Keller touts government experience". Abqjournal.com. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  3. ^ "NGO rankings, Global Governance, Energy, Innovation, Issues". Global Journal. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  4. ^ "404" (PDF). Sos.state.nm.us. Retrieved May 22, 2017. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  5. ^ Romo, Rene (June 4, 2008). "ABQjournal Elex: Several Longtime Lawmakers Unseated". Abqjournal.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  6. ^ "Error - New Mexico Legislature". Nmlegis.gov. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  7. ^ "Error - New Mexico Legislature". nmlegis.gov. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  8. ^ "Dems Elect New Leaders". Abqjournal.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  9. ^ "Sen. Tim Keller to run for state auditor, pass on 2014 gov's race | Albuquerque Journal". Abqjournal.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  10. ^ "Why I'm Running". timkellerfornewmexico. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  11. ^ ""Breaking Bad"-Themed Political Ad Might Be Best Political Ad Ever". Buzzfeed.com. October 15, 2014. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  12. ^ "2016 New Mexico Election Results". KOB. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  13. ^ "New state auditor: state's books have '$100 million at least' in discrepancies". Bizjournals.com. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  14. ^ "New Mexico's rape kit backlog is worst in the nation, auditor says | Albuquerque Journal". Abqjournal.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  15. ^ "State auditor identifies millions in uncollected revenue". KOB.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  16. ^ "State Auditor: Charter school exec paid for cleaning with public funds". The NM Political Report. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  17. ^ "State auditor: $2 million from Santa Fe parks bond improperly spent | Albuquerque Journal". Abqjournal.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  18. ^ "Auditor: NM underfunded special education by millions | Albuquerque Journal". Abqjournal.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  19. ^ Proctor, Jeff (May 5, 2015). "Taser body cam purchase scandal deepens with release of new audit report | KRQE News 13". Krqe.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  20. ^ Land Water People Time (Cultural Guide) (September 12, 2016). "State auditor's report: Worker embezzled $18,000 from disability program - The Santa Fe New Mexican: Local News". The Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  21. ^ "Alamogordo city employee fired after audit sheds light on water bill scheme | KRQE News 13". Krqe.com. June 12, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  22. ^ Laflin, Nancy (July 11, 2015). "Cibola County officials indicted for misuse of funds". Koat.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  23. ^ McKee, Chris (March 31, 2015). "State Auditor: Hatch mishandled millions in village funds". Krqe.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  24. ^ "Auditor: McKinley County Sheriff's Office misused DWI funds". Koat.com. July 7, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  25. ^ Candace Hopkins (July 10, 2015). "State Auditor says investigation uncovered potential criminal behavior at Tax and Rev Dept". Krqe.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  26. ^ "Keller Launches New Mexico Government". Bizjournals.com. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  27. ^ "The Findings Report: A Summary of New Mexico's Governmental Financial Audits : Fiscal Year 2015" (PDF). Saonm.org. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  28. ^ "Fund Balance Report State Agencies, Fiscal Year 2015" (PDF). Saonm.org. February 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  29. ^ "Risk Advisory School Personnel Act Compliance" (PDF). Saonm.org. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  30. ^ Marks, Ellen. "Updated: Auditor: NM businesses lose out on $500 million in government spending". Abqjournal.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  31. ^ Mckay, Dan; Heild, Colleen. "Auditor wants independent probe of taxes on premiums". Abqjournal.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  32. ^ "Irreconcilable: New Mexico state officials have not been able to balance our checkbook for several years". Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  33. ^ "State auditor finds $4.5B in unspent funds". Santafenewmexican.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  34. ^ McKay, Dan (January 11, 2017). "State auditor announces bid for ABQ mayor". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  35. ^ "Tim Keller campaign accused of illegally working with external political group". Kob.com. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  36. ^ VandePanne, Valerie (October 10, 2017). "Nationwide, progressive candidates are leading and winning". Salon (website). Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  37. ^ Oxford, Andrew (October 7, 2017). "Albuquerque election hints at what's ahead". The Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  38. ^ "Tim Keller wins Albuquerque's mayoral race". Kob.com. November 14, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by Auditor of New Mexico
2015–2017 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Mayor of Albuquerque
2017–present 		Incumbent
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