Letitia Montoya says collecting stray shopping carts dispersed throughout a city is a great way to understand a community and its issues.

That’s what she’s been doing with her husband, Michael Segura, since June of 2023 through their company, Nebula Advisers LLC. The company is contracted by the city to collect and return stray carts to grocers and retailers. In the process, Montoya says she interacts with people from all walks of life, from members of the homeless population to business owners and shoppers. The experience, Montoya says, has greatly informed her campaign for mayor and her plan for the city.

In the latest episode of “Around the Roundhouse,” she discusses what she’s learned from her work and what she hopes to accomplish if elected mayor. Her priorities, she said, include increasing affordable housing, helping the homeless population and increasing wages for city employees.

During the interview, Santa Fe New Mexican reporter Daniel J. Chacón questions Montoya on a wide range of topics. He asks her to explain the two bankruptcy filings she and her husband have made in the last 16 years, and what she would say to voters who may have concerns about electing someone who has filed for bankruptcy. He also asks her to explain her plans for increasing the amount of affordable housing in the city, how she would address homelessness and how the city could afford to increase wages for its employees to the degree she hopes. Montoya also shares her thoughts on what should happen with the Soldiers’ Monument on the Plaza.

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