FullName:

KasandraA.Gandara
Occupation:
SocialWorker
HomeAddress:
1223JuniperAve,LasCruces,NM88201
Day/EveningPhone:
5756406344
EmailAddress:
kasandragandara@gmail.com
Officebeingsought:
LasCrucesCouncil,District1
CampaignCommitteeName:
CommitteetoElectKasandraforthePeople
CampaignCommitteeAddress: 1223JuniperAve,LasCruces,NM88201
Campaignwebsite:
www.KasandraForLasCruces.com
CampaignTreasurer:
SallyCarter
CampaignManager:
AngelicaRubio

Areyouinfavorofgoingforwardwithphases2and3ofthecurrentMinimumWage
Ordinance?Ifnot,whatwillyoudotoamendthisordinance?

Asafiercesupporterofdemocracyandthedemocraticprocess,Iamstronglyinfavorofgoing
forwardwithphases2and3ofthecurrentMinimumWageOrdinance.Thepeoplehave
spokenandtheordinancehasbeenenacted.

WhatisyourfeelingabouttheGrossReceiptsTaxrateforLasCrucesandhowitimpacts
thelocaleconomyandhowsatisfiedareyouwiththecurrentprocessinplaceto
determinehowthatmoneywillbespent?

WhileIobviouslydidnothavetheopportunitytovoteonthisissue,Istronglysupportexisting
effortstodealwiththelongtermeffectsofthelossofHoldHarmlessrevenue.Ibelievethat
currenteffortstoleverageearlyrevenuegainstomitigatefargreaterrevenuelosseslongterm
isanexampleofgovernanceatitsbest.

Proactivelyinvestingthesefundstodayto
minimize
futurecosts
and
generate
opportunities
for
sustainablerevenueisnotjusttheresponsiblething
todo,itisthesmartthingtodo.Iwouldadvocateopeningadiscussionwiththecitizenryto
determinehowthesefundsareallocatedtoensurethatthisprocessisinclusiveofall
stakeholders.Duringthelastfiveweeks,asIvebeenoutwalkingandknockingondoors,anda
largecontingentofthecommunityhavesuggestedusingtheseinvestmentsformicrolendingfor
smallbusinessownersaswellasindividualdevelopmentaccounts,inwhichthecitycanmatch
thepersonssavings.
WhatisyourfeelingonImpactFees?Doyouhaveanyreasonablealternativesto
propose?

Ibelievethatimpactfeesareafairfundingmechanismthatensuresthatthosewhobenefitfrom
additionalorenhancedinfrastructure(developers,homeowners)paytheirfairshareforthe
benefitstheyreceive.

WhatdoyouseeasthegreatestsinglechallengefacingLasCruceseconomytodayand
howwouldyouaddressit?

LasCrucesiscurrentlyflourishingandismovingintherightdirection.Workershavebenefitted
fromhigherwagesandlocalbusinesseshavetakenoninnovativeapproachestomoving
forwardinthe21stcentury.Asacitycouncilor,Iintendtothinkthroughsolutionstoaddress
challengesandopportunitiesthatimpacttheLasCruceseconomy,nowandinthefuture.

Whyareyourunningforthisposition?

Iamrunningforcitycouncildistrict1becauseIbelievethatIamthemostqualifiedasIhave
wellroundedexperienceinbothsocialandeconomicleadership.

Whatqualitiesandexperiencesdistinguishyoufromothercandidates?

Ihavealivedexperience.Inotonlygrewupinaworkingclassfamily,butIhavealso
experiencedlifeasasinglemotherwhohasraisedhertwochildreninthiswonderfulcity.In
additiontotheseimportantqualifications,Ialsohavealonghistoryinpublicserviceand
recognizethatinordertoreachsolutions,wemustlearntolistenandcompromise,toputour
entirecommunitysinterestsfrontandcenter.Onapracticalnote,myyearsofsuccessfulpublic
servicehasengenderedinmethecompassion,visionandcouragetomakedifficultdecisionsin
thefaceofeconomicuncertaintyandcompetinginterests.

Howlonghaveyoubeenaregisteredvoterofthedistrictthatyouhopetorepresent?
Duringthistimehowoftenhaveyouvoted?

Since1994.Often

Whatrelationshipdoyoubelievethiselectedpositionshouldhavewiththebusiness
community?

IbelievethattheLasCrucesbusinesscommunity,liketheworkingpeoplewhocompriseit,
deservenolessthanthekindofresponsiveandthoughtfulrelationshipsthatIamalready
nurturingwithmyconstituents.Inthepast,adominantnarrativehasassertedthatbusinessand
peoplewere,atbest,separateentitiesandatworstcompetitors.Ibelievethattheyareoneand
thesame.

Specifically,ifelected,whatwouldyoudotoenhancethepublic/privaterelationships
betweenyourofficeandthelocalbusinesscommunity
?

Iwouldinstituteanopendoorpolicy,invitingallthoseinmydistricttomakemeawareof
concernsaswellasopportunities.

Whatisyourfeelingontheroleoflocalgovernmentinretaining,expandingand
recruitingforthebusinesscommunity?

ItistheresponsibilityofthecitycounciltosupportLasCrucensinmakingourcitythebestthatit
canbe.Researchhasshownthatqualityoflife,includingprotectingournaturalresources,
celebratingandnurturingoursmallbusinessesandtheculturalidentitythattheybring,are
majorfactorsinretaining,expandingandrecruitingbusinesses.

WhatdoyouthinkabouttheworkoftheGreaterLasCrucesChamberofCommerce?

TheGreaterChamberofCommercewasfoundedasaplacetohelpbusinessesflourishinour
community.Myhopeisthatittrulydoeshavethebestinterestofbusinessesandthegreater
communityatheart.

WhatisyourfeelingoftheperceptionthatLasCrucesisdeemedunfriendlyto
business?

ThisperceptionisnotonethatiswidelysharedamongLasCrucesvibrantsmallbusiness
community.RootedastheyareintheveryfabricofLasCruces,smallbusinessesareworking
hardtodeveloppractices,strategiesandoutcomesthatgrowourlocaleconomytothebenefit
ofallLasCruces.

Whatdoyouthinkisthemostviablesourceoffuturerevenueforthecity?

Smallandlocalbusinesses.

InorderforCityCounciltomakesounddecisionsregardingnewinitiatives/ordinances
thatareproposed,whatcriticalinformationshouldCityCouncilbeprovidedwith?

Itisimportantthatthecitycouncilhearfromallitscitizenry,thismeanseveryonebusinesses
andpeopleareoneinthesame.TheCityCharterguidesthisprocessandprovidesan
opportunityforinputfromeveryone,dataandfactsisprovidedbylocalexpertsandpublic
commentisallowedforthemassestospeakonbehalfoforagainstanissue.

Whatgroups/organizationsorindividualshaveormayendorseyou?

Becauseofmycentristviews,Ianticipateawiderangeofendorsements.

Whatgroups/organizationsorindividualshaveormayopposeyou?

Becauseofmycentristviews,someendorsementswillbehardertoearn,butImuptothe
challenge.