City Councilor Michael Cadigan is in his second term representing District 5, the Northwest part of Albuquerque. He was first elected to City Council in October 2001 and was re-elected in 2005. He was elected as President of the City Council in 2003 and has served as the chairman of the Land Use Planning and Zoning Committee and budget chairman for the Committee of the Whole which annually reviews the Mayor’s proposed operating budget and offers alternatives based on Council policy priorities.

Councilor Cadigan is the principal of Cadigan Law Firm, P.C. where he practices in the area of commercial law. He is a graduate of the Lewis & Clark Law School (Certificate in Natural Resources and Environmental Law) and the University of Arizona (Political Science and Spanish). He is the founder of Children’s Advocacy Law project which provides free legal services to seriously ill children who have been denied medical services by HMOs and insurance companies. From 1985 to 1991, he served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and on active duty.

Councilor Cadigan has been married to Traci Cadigan for 19 years and they have two children. In his spare time, he coaches YMCA basketball, enjoys hiking and skiing with his family.

Goals

Councilor Cadigan is dedicated to planned, sustainable growth and fiscal accountability in government. In the coming years, he will continue to advocate for:

• Strong cooperation with Albuquerque Public Schools
• Job creation 
• Prevention of global climate change
• Preservation of open space
• Ensure that transportation infrastructure keeps pace with rapid growth.
• Creation of a new Northwest Library
• Establish a Westside YMCA
• Additional transit services to and from the Westside 
• Small business development and assistance 

Accomplishments

Environmental Sustainability

During his time on the Council, Councilor Cadigan has been a strong advocate of planned growth, sponsoring the Planned Growth Strategy and the Developer Impact Fee Act which requires homebuilders to contribute to the construction of parks, roads, drainage and open space. In 2005, he sponsored and passed legislation requiring builders to contribute funds for construction of public schools. He has been an ardent advocate for TIDD Reform, authoring two bills that called for more restrictive use of TIDDS in greenfield areas. Councilor Cadigan has also led the charge on water conservation efforts. As a member of the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, he introduced legislation which set strict water conservation standards for new construction. Councilor Cadigan firmly believes that the City must also do everything in its power to conserve water and has introduced water conservation legislation that focuses on how the City can reduce its own water waste.

Sustainability requires efficient use of scares resources such as gasoline. Recently, the Council unanimously approved Councilor Cadigan’s Fuel Reduction Plan legislation that calls upon the Administration to develop plans for a 10% reduction in fuel use by each department.

Councilor Cadigan’s dedication to environmental sustainability is further evident in his tenacious commitment to preservation of open space land. He has authored legislation earmarking general obligation bond funds for land acquisition in areas such as Volcano Heights.

His leadership on environment sustainability issues has garnered him national attention. He has recently been a featured speaker at national conferences including the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference and the American Planning Association’s National Planning Conference. 

Transportation

Transportation has long been one of Councilor Cadigan’s priorities. After years of gridlock, he obtained funding and City Council clearance for the construction of Paseo del Norte West, the Unser dog-leg and four lanes on the Montano Bridge, among other Westside road projects. He has also been a strong advocate for increased mass transit, spearheading the introduction of Westside Rapid Ride and expanded bus service to the far Northwest parts of Albuquerque. As a member of the Mid Region Council of Governments Board of Directors, he worked to link Westside and Rio Rancho bus commuters with the Rail Runner.

Fiscal Responsibility

Fiscal responsibility has been a cornerstone of Councilor Cadigan’s tenure. He has fought numerous attempts to increase taxes and fees and increases in water and solid waste charges. He has advocated for several economic development measures that have brought much needed jobs and industries to the Westside, including Eclipse Aviation.

Most recently, Councilor Cadigan, as chair of the Council’s Committee of the Whole, proposed a substitute to the Mayor’s FY09 operating budget. This substitute budget garnered a unanimous vote from the Council because it was fiscally prudent and focused on the City Council’s priorities for the 2009 Fiscal Year. His substitute budget bill restored several deleted positions including zoning code inspectors, librarians and bus drivers.

Public Safety

Councilor Cadigan has also been a strong supporter of our Albuquerque’s Police and Fire Departments. In the 2008 capital budget, he earmarked $5.1 million for a 6th Area Police Command in District 5. He has also worked with both the Police and Fire unions to ensure that our public safety employees receive adequate pay in order to recruit and retain quality police officers and firefighters.

Councilor Cadigan's Appointments

• Committee-of-the-Whole Budget — Chairman
• Land Use, Planning & Zoning Committee
• Public Safety Committee, Chair
• Albuquerque-Bernalillo Water Utility Authority
• Explora Board