City government turmoil continues in Raton

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Charles Starkovich

 The mayor of a northern New Mexico town has resigned over what he calls is the city's "discriminatory" form of government against Hispanic residents. 

Raton Mayor Charles Starkovich said in a letter last week that he was resigning as mayor and city commissioner in protest to Raton's at-large voting system. Starkovich says the system violates the federal Voting Rights Act and that he plans to file a formal complaint with the U.S. Justice Department.

 In his prepared statement he says, quote- “Minority voters have been denied an equal opportunity to participate meaningfully in the political process in Raton, minority voting strength is reduced by the discriminatory at-large voting practice to the extent that members of the sixty percent Hispanic population in Raton have been denied election to public office in their geographic district.” -end quote. 

 Raton operates in a commission-manager form of government in which each of the five commissioners are assigned to represent a district, but they are not required to live in the district they represent and each commissioner is elected by voters citywide, which is referred to as at-large voting. A commission candidate can choose to run in whichever district he or she chooses to. Starkovich says this system is leaves minorities underrepresented on the commission. 

Jim Scarantino of NMWatchdog.org says the town is in turmoil and has been for a few years. He says two years ago all city commissioners were recalled and history was close to repeating itself. 

Scarantino-“In small towns there is always a major difference of opinion and politics is the number one sport. A recall petition was circulated and there were enough signatures on the petition to recall all the city councilors again. Facing a recall the city council renegotiated a contract with the city manager and put in it a $450,000 golden parachute so that if they were recalled and new city councilors came in on a pledge of removing the city manager they would have to bankrupt the city? Raton doesn’t have that kind of money.” 

 Starkovich says he will file a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and will follow that filing with a formal lawsuit at the appropriate time if necessary. 

 City Manager Pete Kampfer says it will be up to the remaining four commissioners whether to fill the District 2 seat immediately by appointment or leave it open until the current recall effort plays out. Mayor Pro Tem Chris Candelario will likely assume the mayor’s duties temporarily.

 For Newsbreak New Mexico, I’m Vanessa Dabovich.

City government turmoil continues in Raton