Third candidate seeks Las Cruces mayor's seat

Sept. 22--LAS CRUCES -- Las Cruces businesswoman Eugenia "Gina" Montoya Ortega announced her candidacy for mayor in the city's Nov. 3 election.

Montoya Ortega, 47, a Las Cruces native and co-owner of La Fiesta Bakery, said in an announcement that she is "running on the point that she is not a career politician, but a member of the community that has experienced the hard knocks of life."

"I bring a positive alternative and choice in this election," she said in a statement. "I am a person that will be committed to the true needs of our community and will not vacillate or flip flop on important issues that need to be brought before the voters. People that know me in this community appreciate that I will bring sincerity and fervor. I am a fighter for this community."

Montoya Ortega becomes the third candidate to seek the mayor's seat. Incumbent Mayor Ken Miyagishima, owner of an insurance business, is running for a third term. City Councilor Miguel Silva of District 1, an instructor at Doña Ana Community College, is running for mayor for the first time. Candidate filing day is today, and it's possible other people will step forward.

Montoya Ortega described herself as an "advocate for small businesses and a strong proponent for public safety" and said she's not running to have a "second career or personal gain."

Montoya Ortega, a conservative Democrat, said running for the office is something she's been "contemplating for 12 to 20 years." And she said she finally decided to actually do it. She noted that, if elected, she'd be the first Hispanic female mayor of the city.

"It's time for a change," she said. "I believe the people we have there aren't doing what people who voted them in thought they were putting them there for. I want their (residents') voices to be heard."

In response to Montoya Ortega's announcement, Miyagishima said he's "looking forward to meeting her and listening to her ideas."

Silva said he admires and respects Montoya Ortega and "any other person who commits themselves to the process of running for office."

"I wish her the best," he said.

Montoya Ortega said she's been talking to a range of people while gathering petition signatures required to become an official candidate. And she said she's noticed several themes, including a desire for more activity options for the city's youth. She said options would help to keep them from becoming involved in the criminal justice system. And with a city of more than 100,000 people, there's a need for another public gym, she said.

"There's not a whole lot for families to do," she said. "We don't have an amusement park. We don't have a water park. We don't have a lot of stuff families can do with kids."

Continued Montoya Ortega: "Are we going to have Disneyland? No. That's not realistic. A lot of people have brought up that the highlight of Las Cruces was The Whole Enchilada Fiesta," which ended last year.

Also, Montoya Ortega said the city is lacking in jobs, and she thinks it's tied to a general stance in city government that's not growth-friendly. She said she has a 28-year-old daughter with a master's degree, for instance, who has opted to stay in Las Cruces, but doesn't earn pay commensurate with her degree level because of the lack of jobs.

"They want us to be a moderate-growth town," she said. "They don't want the city to grow. If you don't want the city to grow, that's probably why there's no jobs here."

Montoya Ortega said she and her husband, Ray, started their bakery business nearly 10 years ago in Las Cruces. She said it took them two years to open, something she blamed on slow city processes. She said she's concerned that trend remains, though more than a decade has passed. She contended this deters businesses, which contributes to the jobs problem.

Asked her thoughts about a minimum wage hike approved by city councilors in 2014, Montoya Ortega said she doesn't believe the City Council realized the full impact it would have on businesses. Businesses always monitor their budgets, and a slimmer margin means they trim hours, resulting in less work available, she said.

"They're watching their money; they're watching their budget," she said. "They have to watch their payroll that much more carefully."

La Fiesta Bakery has only one employee, who earns "more than minimum wage," Montoya Ortega said.

In addition to owning a small business, Montoya Ortega said she's held a range of jobs over the years, including educational assistant for the schools, waitress for Pizza Hut and employee at Mesilla Valley Hospital, a mental-health hospital. She said her time at the hospital gave her an understanding of the seriousness of mental illness in the community. She said addressing residents' needs up front could save money later on, as more people with mental illness avoid the criminal justice system.

"Some of the things police officers are dealing with are repeat mental health" calls, she said.

Montoya Ortega has three grown children.

Candidate filing day is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at Las Cruces City Hall, 700 N. Main St. Candidates must file petitions and other documentation required for their respective races. Also on the ballot are city council districts 1, 2 and 4, as well as the presiding municipal judgeship.

Diana Alba Soular may be reached at 575-541-5443.

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