Berry: City should invest in people, places, mass transit

Source: Albuquerque Journal, N.mini storageM.Nov. 14--Mayor Richard Berry, delivering his first "State of the City" address since winning re-election last month, said Albuquerque should invest in both its people and places to prepare for the future.He urged business leaders at a luncheon on Wednesday to participate in internship programs for young people and to help their employees gain the skills they need to move up.The city government, Berry said, will focus on public projects that support private investment, such as rebuilding the Paseo del Norte interchange at Interstate 25, pursuing a bus rapid transit system and cooperating on economic development efforts with the University of New Mexico."We want to invest in our places," he said. "We want to invest in our people. We're doing both of those, and we're always looking for new ideas."Berry, a Republican, won reelection with about 68 percent of the vote last month, defeating two challengers. His second, four-year term will begin Dec. 1.He delivered Wednesday's address during a NAIOP luncheon at the Albuquerque Conventi迷你倉n Center. NAIOP is the commercial real-estate development association.Berry told the audience that:He hopes the blue recycling bins the city rolled out this year will boost the city's recycling rate from 5 percent to 25 percent.A bus rapid transit system "is the next logical step for Albuquerque." Such systems usually involve a dedicated lane for buses and a way for the bus to communicate with traffic signals to reduce delays. There's great demand along Central Avenue, Berry said.The city is participating in a variety of efforts aimed at workforce development. These include the "Running Starts for Careers" program in which high school students receive career training or apprenticeships.There are also efforts to help workers bolster their skills to get betters jobs.The city is forming a task force aimed at ensuring women get the same pay as men, especially among city contractors.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, N.M.) Visit the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, N.M.) at .abqjournal.com Distributed by MCT Information Services文件倉