Center for Civic Policy

The Center for Civic Policy "was founded in the mid-2000s by Democratic consultant Eli Lee and others, and Lee later served as executive director." The organizations claims to "involve everyday New Mexicans in the public policy decisions that affect their lives with the goal of achieving positive and lasting change..." The political organization also works "in collaboration with local and national partners" to "increase voter participation and turnout." The organization also reports that they "identify and train new leaders for civic life."

Background

While the Center for Civic Policy claims to be "bipartisan," their official policy positions veer sharply to the left. A 2013 Albuquerque Journal article observed in an article titled Center pushes left agenda that the Center for Civic Policy in Albuquerque "is among the most active – and controversial – groups on the left when it comes to attempting to influence the making of laws and other public policy."

Staff

• Melanie Aranda, Chief Operating Officer: Aranda "brings data and financial management experience to the Center for Civic Policy and specializes in GIS mapping and merging data files with organizational databases. Her involvement in social justice issues began in 1995 as a volunteer for the Petroglyph National Monument Protection Coalition, a non-profit organization involved in the struggle for indigenous rights."
• John Daniel, Senior Advisor: Daniel "has worked with the N.M. Commissioner of Public Lands, the N.M. Secretary of State, the Mayor of Albuquerque, the Bernalillo County Commission, the President Pro Tem of the N.M. Senate, and the Speaker of the N.M. House of Representatives. He has staffed the N.M. Clean Alternative Vehicle Fuels Task Force, Albuquerque Indicators Progress Commission, the Albuquerque Government al Effectiveness and Results Task Force, and the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Unification Commission."
• Oriana Sandoval, Interim Executive Director: Oriana "was a principal organizer" for the Latino Sustainability Institute, worked at the Center of Southwest Culture, the UC Berkeley Labor Center, clerked at the Center on Race Poverty and the Environment and the Oakland, CA, Centro Legal de la Raza (National Council of La Raza). She worked with the San Francisco Day Labor Program and served as the founding Executive Director of New Mexico Vote Matters (NMVM), who "assisted over 21,000 New Mexicans in registering to vote in 2012 and conducted a comprehensive Get Out The Vote campaign to over 60,000 unlikely voters in these communities to encourage participation in the political process."
• Michelle Ferguson, Administrative Assistant: Michelle "has been involved with New Mexico Vote Matters."
• Michael Montoya, NM Data and Targeting Manager: Michael is the New Mexico Data & Targeting Manager for the State Voices Network housed at the Center for Civic Policy', where he "provides technical assistance to community organizations running civic programs." He "previously ran political programs for the SouthWest Organizing Project [and] was also a field organizer for the successful 2008 Martin Heinrich for Congress campaign. In 2011 he chaired the Redistricting Committee for the City of Albuquerque."

Former Staff

• Eli Lee, founder, former executive director; Also known as Eli Il Yong Lee. Eli is a former board member of the State of New Mexico Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission, appointed by Governor Bill Richardson. Lee is the former Board President of Asian American Association of New Mexico and He has years of experience in issues related to elections, redistricting and ethics, and has worked on efforts to pass the Open and Ethical Elections Code.
• Stephanie Maez, former chief executive officer previously "worked on policy in the administration of Democratic Gov. Bill Richardson. She also has worked for the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and New Mexico Voices for Children."
• Matt Brix, former Policy Director of the Center for Civic Policy, lobbyist for the Center for Civic Action and former Director of Common Cause New Mexico.
• Antoinette Tellez-Humble, former Organizing Director, also Board of Directors of New Mexico Voices for Children.
• Ariel Tamara Bickel, Political Director, America Votes New Mexico
• Tracy Dingmann, Communications Director at Center for Civic Action, a former writer for the Albuquerque Journal, New Mexico Independent. Has written for ClearlyNewMexico.com, the blog of the Center for Civic Policy.

Funding

In 2008, the State Attorney General sued the Center for Civic Policy for not disclosing their donors despite their political activities. In response, Center for Civic Policy Co-founder Eli Lee wrote in an OpEd "The people of New Mexico deserve to know how elected officials approach issues, how they vote on important matters and from whom they receive financial contributions. If the elected officials who represent us are truly serving the public interest, there should be no argument about sharing this information with all New Mexicans."

From what can be gathered, the Center has received money from groups "founded by billionaire financier George Soros...as well as the "foundation headed by investor Rob McKay, who is chairman of the Democracy Alliance, a group of major liberal donors formed in 2005 with backing from Soros and Colorado software entrepreneur Tim Gill." Additionally, the Santa Fe and New Mexico community foundations and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation have also provided funding."

The organisation "has provided financial support to ...Somos Un Pueblo Unido and New Mexico Vote Matters." The center "reported revenue of $1.6 million and expenses of nearly $1.1 million. An affiliated group, the Center for Civic Action, reported revenue of $295,000 and expenses of about $201,000" during the 2011 tax year.

The organization received grant funds from the McKay Foundation in 2006, $5,000 from the Tides Foundation in 2008, and $240,000 from the Marguerite Casey Foundation in 2013.

Current or past Projects of the Center for Civic Policy

• New Mexico Youth Organized

External links

• Center for Civic Policy website