[Jim Sims]

Bad: A dirty, dusty Los Angeles, CA "wantta be". City will become less green as future water restrictions "bite". In and near the "juniper belt" in terms of allergies aggravated by all the pollen producing vegetation planted by people trying to pretend they're living in Indiana. Basically an ugly city visually saved only by the back drop scenery often seen through a brown cloud of air pollution. Brown cloud caused by a natural tendency toward an inversion trapping wood burning stove and fireplace smoke (there's lots of people in the city heating their homes with wood) in the winter compounded by the emissions of vehicles. Dust storms and wind in the fall and spring. Incredibly bad traffic for a city of its size; the developers were allowed to "run wild" without regard to urban planning. At least one urban planner gave up and quit in disgust. City is now caught in the "do loop" of road building upgrades and traffic growth - there always seems to be major arteries affected by construction and resulting in slowdowns. No ring road; I25 and I40 traffic goes through the middle of the city. Bad drivers; if there is a city that needs red light cameras it is Albuquerque (it has a few cameras). Drunk driving is fairly common (also in the balance of New Mexico). Numerous uninsured drivers. Poor public transportation. Few direct flights; most of the time one will have to make a stop if you're flying any distance such as to the East Coast. Average to poor retail shopping; anything unusual you'll have to order. Defense, R&D and government dependent economy (can be great or bad) - might be entering a bad cycle with the new federal administration and the loss of senate representative seniority (Pete Domenici is retiring). Kirtland Air Force Base is perennially on the base closure list. Public schools average to poor but highly dependent on location in city. Noticeable gang violence. Porsche dealership doesn't do well with older 911's; only one good Porsche shop in the metro area. No significant night life compared to big urban areas. Dining is okay (dominated by national chains) but the waits to be seated are often ridiculously long; much of the population is obese like the rest of the country. Most voters are democrats

Good: Beautiful, empty country once you get out of the city or off the nearby interstates. Exception is I-40; it often retains the "unit train" effect of semi-tractor trailer traffic border to border (might be improving now that the economy is slowing). Outdoor sports and activities. Albuquerque Academy for high school if your children can gain admission and you can afford the tuition.
Mostly avoided (so far) the housing bubble and foreclosure driven real estate price declines. Realtors and local banks are patting themselves on the back saying it was their good lending practices; more likely it was all the stable government and government contractor jobs. Santa Fe is near for some types of art and culture. There is a tri-cultural heritage (Native American, Hispanic and Anglo) that is interesting and stimulating if you respectfully partake of it. Most voters are democrats.

I'm a New Mexico native; five generations of my family have lived here.