The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that provides information about political issues and candidates for public office in order to promote greater citizen participation in government. Because the League is nonpartisan, it does not support or oppose any political party or any candidate. It does publish and distribute factual information for citizens to use when preparing to vote. The candidate information in this Voters’ Guide was obtained by means of a questionnaire sent to all the candidates. Because of space restrictions, only candidates in contested races were included, and all candidates were limited to a specific number of words per response. The League does not edit for meaning, grammar, punctuation or spelling. Rather, we print the candidates’ responses as they were submitted, with an ellipsis (…) to indicate where a candidate exceeded the word limit for that response. This Voters’ Guide is organized in ballot order: from federal, to state, to county offices and issues. Under each office, the candidates’ names and responses are listed in ballot order. Proposed state constitutional amendments and state and county bond and tax issues are included, and briefly described, to help voters better understand them. For additional election information, visit the League’s website: www.lwvsfc.org. The 2012 Voters’ Guide was produced and distributed by the Santa Fe New Mexican, in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Santa Fe County. Tax-deductible donations to the League’s Education Fund are gratefully accepted to support voter services projects such as Voters’ Guides, candidate forums, and voter registration efforts. If you would like to contribute to the LWVSFC to support voter services, please make your check payable to the LWV Education Fund. League of Women Voters of Santa Fe County 1472 St. Francis Drive Santa Fe, NM 87505 505-982-9766 www.lwvsfc.org VOTE 2012 GENERAL ELECTION Tuesday, November 6 KEY DATES TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012 • Last day to register to vote in the November 6th election • Absentee by mail and absentee in person voting begins • Request an application for an absentee ballot by calling 986-6280 (ballots can be requested prior to October 9th, but will not be mailed before then) • Early voting at the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office begins, 102 Grant Avenue, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (PLEASE NOTE: County Clerk’s Office is NOT open for early voting on Saturdays, except for Saturday, November 3rd) SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2012 • Early voting at Santa Fe County satellite locations begins • Early voting at satellite sites is held Tuesday through Friday, 12:00 to 8:00 p.m.and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. • Locations of early voting satellite sites are: Santa Fe Fairgrounds 3229 Rodeo Road, Santa Fe El Dorado Senior Center 14 Avenida Torreon, El Dorado Edgewood Fire Station 25 E. Frontage Road, Edgewood Pojoaque County Satellite Office 5 West Gutierrez, Pojoaque Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office 102 Grant Avenue, Santa Fe FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2012 • Last day to request an absentee ballot SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2012 • Last day of early voting at all sites, including at the County Clerk’s Office TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 ELECTION DAY 7AM-7PM. • Last day to submit an absentee ballot in person (absentee ballots must be turned in at the County Clerk’s Office or at the voter’s assigned polling place) • Mailed absentee ballots must be received by the Clerk by 7pm LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF SANTA FE COUNTY KEY TO PARTY ABBREVIATIONS (IN BALLOT ORDER) (D) Democratic Party (R) Republican Party (IAP) Independent American Party (C) Constitutional Party (L) Libertarian Party (NMI) New Mexico Independent Party (G) Green Party (I) Independent Visit The New Mexico Secretary of State’s Voter View at https://voterview.state.nm.us to determine your voter registration status, your registered address, and your polling place. Santa Fe County Bureau of Elections: 505-986-6280. www.santafecounty.org/clerk/elections_ information.php NM State Bureau of Elections (Office of Secretary of State): 505-827-3600 www.sos.state.nm.us Visit the League of Women Voters New Mexico’s website for comprehensive, online information about the statewide candidates and issues in the 2012 General Election: www.LWVNM.org. Visit the League of Women Voters of Santa Fe County website, www.lwvsfc.org , for more information on local issues and links to other resources. Visit The Santa Fe New Mexican website at www.santafenewmexican.com QUESTIONS? NEED MORE INFO? SPONSORS LWVSFC CANDIDATE FORUMS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 3 Ben Ray Lujan (D) and Jefferson L. Byrd (R). Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Santa Fe Public Library, 145 Washington Ave. N.M. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, DISTRICTS 43, 48 AND 50 DISTRICT 43: Stephanie Garcia Richard (D) and James W, Hall (R) DISTRICT 48: Luciano “Lucky” Varela (D) and Bob Walsh (L) DISTRICT 50: Stephen P. Easley (D) and Charles Larry Miller (R) Wednesday, October 17, 2012, 6:30 to 8:00 P.M. Unitarian Church, 107 West Barcelona Rd.
Transcript
The League ofWomenVoters is a nonpartisanpolitical organization that provides informationabout political issues and candidates for publicoffice in order to promote greater citizenparticipation in government. Because the Leagueis nonpartisan, it does not support or oppose anypolitical party or any candidate. It does publish anddistribute factual information for citizens to usewhen preparing to vote.The candidate information in this Voters’ Guide
was obtained bymeans of a questionnaire sent toall the candidates. Because of space restrictions,only candidates in contested races were included,and all candidates were limited to a specificnumber of words per response. The League doesnot edit formeaning, grammar, punctuation orspelling. Rather, we print the candidates’ responsesas they were submitted, with an ellipsis (…) toindicate where a candidate exceeded the word limitfor that response.This Voters’ Guide is organized in ballot order:
from federal, to state, to county offices and issues.Under each office, the candidates’ names andresponses are listed in ballot order. Proposed stateconstitutional amendments and state and countybond and tax issues are included, and brieflydescribed, to help voters better understand them.For additional election information, visit the
League’s website: www.lwvsfc.org.
The 2012Voters’ Guidewas produced anddistributed by the Santa FeNewMexican, inpartnershipwith the League ofWomenVoters ofSanta FeCounty. Tax-deductible donations to theLeague’s Education Fund are gratefully acceptedto support voter services projects such as Voters’Guides, candidate forums, and voter registrationefforts. If youwould like to contribute to theLWVSFC to support voter services, pleasemakeyour check payable to the LWVEducation Fund.
League ofWomen Voters of Santa Fe County1472 St. Francis DriveSanta Fe, NM 87505505-982-9766www.lwvsfc.org
VOTE2012 GENERAL ELECTIONTuesday, November 6
KEYDATESTuesday, OcTOber 9, 2012• Last day to register to vote in the November
6th election• Absentee bymail and absentee in person
voting begins• Request an application for an absentee
ballot by calling 986-6280 (ballots can berequested prior to October 9th, but will notbemailed before then)
• Early voting at the Santa Fe County Clerk’sOffice begins,102 Grant Avenue, Monday through Friday,8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.(PLEASE NOTE: County Clerk’s Office isNOT open for early voting on Saturdays,except for Saturday, November 3rd)
saTurday, OcTOber 20, 2012• Early voting at Santa Fe County satellite
locations begins• Early voting at satellite sites is held Tuesday
through Friday, 12:00 to 8:00 p.m.andSaturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Locations of early voting satellite sites are:Santa Fe Fairgrounds3229 Rodeo Road, Santa FeEl Dorado Senior Center14 Avenida Torreon, El DoradoEdgewood Fire Station25 E. Frontage Road, EdgewoodPojoaque County Satellite Office5West Gutierrez, PojoaqueSanta Fe County Clerk’s Office102 Grant Avenue, Santa Fe
Friday, NOvember 2, 2012• Last day to request an absentee ballot
saTurday,NOvember 3, 2012• Last day of early voting at all sites, including
at the County Clerk’s Office
Tuesday, NOvember 6, 2012elecTiON day 7am-7pm.• Last day to submit an absentee ballot in
person (absentee ballots must be turned inat the County Clerk’s Office or at the voter’sassigned polling place)
• Mailed absentee ballots must be receivedby the Clerk by 7pm
LEAGUEOFWOMENVOTERSOF SANTA FE COUNTY
Key TO parTy abbreviaTiONs(in ballot order)
(D) Democratic Party(R) Republican Party(IAP) Independent American Party(C) Constitutional Party(L) Libertarian Party(NMI) New Mexico Independent Party(G) Green Party(I) Independent
Visit The NewMexico Secretary of State’sVoter View at https://voterview.state.nm.us todetermine your voter registration status, yourregistered address, and your polling place.Santa Fe County Bureau of Elections:505-986-6280.www.santafecounty.org/clerk/elections_information.phpNM State Bureau of Elections (Office ofSecretary of State): 505-827-3600www.sos.state.nm.usVisit the League ofWomen Voters NewMexico’s website for comprehensive, onlineinformation about the statewide candidatesand issues in the 2012 General Election:www.LWVNM.org.Visit the League ofWomen Voters of SantaFe County website, www.lwvsfc.org , for moreinformation on local issues and links to otherresources.Visit The Santa Fe NewMexican website atwww.santafenewmexican.com
QUESTIONS?NEEDMOREINFO?
SpONSORS
lWvsFc caNdidaTe FOrumsU.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATiVES,CONGRESSiONAL DiSTRiCT 3Ben Ray Lujan (D) and Jefferson L. Byrd (R).Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 6:00 to 8:00 P.M.Santa Fe Public Library, 145Washington Ave.N.M. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATiVES,DiSTRiCTS 43, 48 AND 50DiSTRiCT 43: Stephanie Garcia Richard (D) andJamesW, Hall (R)DiSTRiCT 48: Luciano “Lucky” Varela (D) andBobWalsh (L)DiSTRiCT 50: Stephen P. Easley (D) andCharles LarryMiller (R)Wednesday, October 17, 2012, 6:30 to 8:00 P.M.Unitarian Church, 107West Barcelona Rd.
Join the League and help educate and advocateThe League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed participation of all citizens in government.For 60 years, the LWVSFC has worked to create positive change in our community, state and nation. Join the League and help shape our democracy as we:• Educate and mobilize voters through informative guides and candidate forums• Moderate panel discussions and run study groups on important topics• Analyze issues and develop positions based on research and member consensus• Host meetings where experts address the crucial topics of the day• Monitor public meetings and governmental actions• Advocate for improved governmental policies and educate policy makers on key
political and social issues, including – Voting rights, election reform, and campaign finance – Environmental sustainability and stewardship: air and water quality,
growth management, and alternative energy – Affordable health care, quality education, and responsible social services – Good government: ethics, accountability, transparency, and public
involvement Learn more at WWW.LWVSFC.ORG
Please use the form below or go online to www.lwvsfc.org. Please consider a donation to the Education Fund (tax-deductible) or the Operating Fund to enable the League of Women Voters of Santa Fe County to effectively meet the tough challenges that lie ahead.
Membership FormDues are $52 for individuals, $78 for a household, and $25 for students currently enrolled in an accredited institution and 25 years or younger, and for non-US citizens. Membership in the LWVSFC includes membership in the New Mexico and U.S. national Leagues. Join online using PayPal (a small fee is charged for this service) or send a check with this form to: LWVSFC, 1472 St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe NM 87505.
Full Name: ________________________________________________________________
Please consider a donation to the LWV Education Fund (tax-deductable) to support future Voters’ Guides and citizen education. Membership is not necessary. Make checks payable to LWV Education Fund.
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ® OF SANTA FE COUNTY
CANDIDATE FORUMSWednesday, October 10 • 6 to 8 PM
Santa Fe Public LibraryCommunity Room
145 Washington Avenue, Santa Fe U.S. Congressional District 3
Representative Ben Ray Lujàn,Democratic Party
and
Jefferson Byrd,Republican Party
Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Santa Fe County and the League of Women Voters of Los Alamos
#80 State Route 4, Los AlamosSupreme Court Candidates
Barbara Vigil and Paul J. KennedyCourt of Appeals Candidates
Monica Zamora and Miles HaniseeNM House District 43 Candidates
Stephanie Garcia Richard & Jim HallSponsored by the League of Women Voters of Los Alamos
For more information: email league @lwvlosalamos.org
Wednesday, October 17 • 6:30 to 8 PMUnitarian Universalist Church
107 West Barcelona Rd.New Mexico House of Representatives
District 43:Stephanie Garcia Richard (D) and
James W. Hall (R)District 48:
Luciano “Lucky” Varela (D) and Bob Walsh (R)
District 50:Stephen P. Easley (D)andCharles Larry Miller (R)
Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Santa Fe County and the American Association of University Women of Santa Fe
WITH THANKSThank you to the staff of the New Mexican, especially Editor Rob Dean, Marketing Director Monica Taylor, and the amazing Deborah Villa, who designed the layout. Thanks, also, to mem-bers of the League of Women Voters who helped compile and edit the contents, especially New Mexico Voter Services Chair Meredith Machen, Santa Fe President Judy Williams, Santa Fe Vice-President Donna Reynolds, and Santa Fe members JoAnne Dutcher and Pat Hawkins. Special thanks to Santa Fe County Bureau of Elections’ Denise Lamb for going way above the call of duty to ensure that the election information in this guide is correct.
Marcy Litzenberg, Voter Services ChairLeague of Women Voters of Santa Fe County
2012 vote 3
The President is the head of state of theUnited States of America and is the Chief Executive Officer and is the Commander in Chief of all military forces. Thepowers of the President are described in the Constitution and federal law. The President appoints themembers of the Cabinet, ambassadors to other nations andtheUnitedNations, SupremeCourt Justices and federal judges, subject to Senate approval. The President, alongwith the Cabinet and its agencies, is responsiblefor carrying out and enforcing the laws of theUnited States. The Presidentmay also recommend legislation to theUnited States Congress.
TheVice President, togetherwith the President, is elected to a four-year term of office. The Vice President is the first person in the presidential line ofsuccession, andwould ascend to the Presidency upon the death, resignation, or removal of the President. Under the Constitution, the Vice President is Presidentof theUnited States Senate. In that capacity, he or she is allowed to vote in the Senatewhen necessary to break a tie.
As the son of an electrician and afactoryworker, I am a committedadvocate forNewMexico’smiddle class families. I am oneof only a handful ofmembers ofCongresswith a background inscience and technology and bringa unique perspective to creategood, sustainable jobs in growingindustries like clean energy andbiotechnology.
The federal government needstrade and tax policies that puttheUS and every other countryon a level playing field. Rightnow, countries like China have ahuge advantage because of theirlowwages and terrible workingconditions. I have fought badtrade deals that send our jobsoverseas andwill work to closetax loopholes for US companiesthat outsource American jobs,while providing incentives forcompanies to return to theUS.
I have consistently fought toprotect the benefits our seniorshave earned from constantattacks by thosewhowouldrather give tax breaks to thesuper-rich and big corporationsthan keep this country’spromises to our parents andgrandparents.We can andmustreduce our deficit – but I willnever agree to do so on the backsof NewMexico’s seniors.
I have always fought tomake ourcountry energy independent.In Congress, I introduced theClean Energy Promotion Act,bipartisan legislation to promoterenewable energy projects onpublic lands. I also voted forthe AmericanClean Energyand Security Act of 2009. NewMexico, with its abundantwindand solar resources, can andshould be the epicenter of theclean energy economy and I amcommitted tomake that belief areality.
My record of service startedwhen I enrolled at theU.S.Air Force Academy. As anAirForce officer, I served on theU.S.mission toNATO and laterworked in theWhiteHouseunder the first President Bush.In 1995, I became cabinetsecretary of NewMexico’sChildren, Youth and FamiliesDepartmentwherewe ledefforts to reformwelfare lawsand improve early childhoodeducation. I also served in theCongress for 10 years.
There is nothingmore importantin America right now thancreating jobs and growingthe economy. Thatmeanslow taxes, amoratorium onjob-killing regulations, an all-of-the-above energy strategyand government reform thatwill control the unsustainablegrowth in government spending.We also need a balancedlong-term energy policy thatmakes Americamore energyindependent and keeps costsof energy down so that we canattract business and create jobs.
The health care act was amistake. It should be repealedand replaced. It drives up healthinsurance costs, cutsMedicare,increases taxes and coulddevastate rural healthcare. I willcontinuemywork to improvethe health status of low incomeAmericans and quality of patientcare. Wemust allow doctors andpatients tomake decisions aboutcare, make healthcaremoreaffordable, passmedical liabilityreform, and continue to lead theworld in healthcare research.
The earth has been in a periodof warming for the last 11,900years, since the last ice age.The question is howmuch ofwarming in recent centuries isdue to human activity andwhat,if anything, can and should bedone about it. Wemust improvethe science to reduce the highlevel of uncertainty that existsin ourmodels and increase theamount of data fromwhich todraw conclusions.
I amaUSAFVietnamVeteran.Myexperiencehasbeen inaviation andalternativehealth(HomeopathicPractitioner.) Imanaged largebudgets andkeptcosts under control. Myemploymentwith theFederalAviationAdministrationhas givenme the experience andawarenessof government involvement in theprivate sector. Iwill not continuethepresent practice of taxing,spending andoverregulating ournation. Iwill donate 1/2ofmysalary to childrenwithdisabilitiesinNewMexico.
Our citizens are being overtaxedand overregulated. The nationmust return to a freemarketsociety. The federal governmenthas to be reduced to its’constitutional limits and thenprosperity will increase. WE thepeople can create jobswithoutgovernment interference. Thegovernment is not the answer.Ask any business owner and theywill tell you two things: reducetaxes and eliminate burdensome,unnecessary regulations. Thatalonewill create jobs andstrengthen the economy!!
The federal governmentshould not be in the healthcare business. Their huge taxprogram is not the answer.The freemarket can andwillprovide affordable access toquality health care. This isa compassionate nation andthe states and individuals willdevelop alternatives for lowincome and those in need. If wede-regulate and lower taxes ourhealth care systemwill enjoyimmediate benefits to us all.
My research into this issuehas revealed that there areno definitive human causesof climate change of anysignificance. Themajorityof reputable scientists haveconcluded thatman-causedglobal warming is not an issue.
Robert L. Anderson (I)email:[email protected]: 505-401-4707DecLAReDWRIte-In
Have been a professor of politicalscience and other liberal artsfields for nearly 20 years now.Obtained a PhD fromUNM.Lived inNewMexico for 40years. Served in the Air Forceduring the VietnamWar, sawcombat, honorably discharged.Am a client of the VeteransAdministrationmedical services.Worked as a steelworker. Rana community center for 8 yearsworkingwith low income andunemployed. Worked for peaceand justice campaigns for …
Abandon trickle down economicsand implement a progressivetax structure (tax the rich, notworkers), close corporate taxshelters and loop holes, rollback the outrageousmilitarybudget and put that savingstowards investment in our state’seducation, health environmentalneeds and a solar based greenNewDeal. Higher educationshould be free and homemortgage foreclosures cancelledto keep families in their homes.Support worker ownershipprograms and decolonizeNewMexico’s economy.
Remove private sector insurancecompanies from controllingaccess to health care for privateprofit. The problem is notaffordable insurance but thebuilding of aMedicare-for -allsystem for thewhole country.Combat veterans likeme alreadyhave this through the Veteranshospital system and it could beexpanded to all Americans. Itis just a political will question.Funds could come by recoveringthewelfare given toWall Streetbanks and themilitary-industrialcomplex.
Stop using fossil fuels which arecausing atmospheric warmingfromuse in industry, cars andhome heating. We need a crashprogram to go to sustainableenergy sources and stop nuclearpower like Japan is doing beforewe have a similarmajor disaster.Amajor solar, wind power, bio-fuels and other programs need tobe developed immediately whichshould employ the under 25 ageworkers sowe can build a newmiddle class.
After earningmy law degree, Iworked as director of the stateAgency onAging and protectedseniors from scam artists. AsHealth Secretary, I fought forwomen’s health and doubledthe number of school-basedhealth centers and banned junkfood in schools. As a BernalilloCounty Commissioner, I heldleaders accountable and createdhundreds of new jobs. I own asmall-business that provideshealth care access to residentswhowere denied healthinsurance.
Duringmy first year in Congress,I will fight to end the BushTaxCuts onmillionaires and getrid of loopholes for corporateinterests.Wemust show theAmerican people that we areserious about putting theMiddleClass first. I will also support aplan to help small businesses getaccess to capital.
I will advocate for healthcareprograms tomanage theunderlying cause, not just treatthe symptoms, and preventmore people from becomingobese so that these problemsand their associated costs do notoccur at the rates that we seetoday. I would start by creatingpilot programswithmedicalprofessionals and lower-cost butwell-trained paraprofessionalsthat effectively treat obesity.I will also push to haveparaprofessionals to have theirfees covered by insurance.
I will stand up to corporatepolluters and Big Oil, and protectour land, our air and ourwater.As the home to two national labs,NewMexico can be a leader inthe development of Clean EnergyTechnologies. In Congress, I willchampion the development ofthose technologies to protect theplanet, our citizens and grow theeconomy ofNewMexico.
As a four-termNMHouseRepresentative, I earned areputation as a leader committedto honesty, transparency, and awillingness to build consensus.I’ll do the same in Congress. As aprivate citizen, I built a businessandworkedwith businessowners to provide jobs andmakea payroll. With experience bothin the private and public sectors,I have the experience to serve theneeds and values of our district.
Wemust look past the policyfailures that created thiseconomic downturn andimplement common sensesolutions such as eliminatingloopholes, ending duplicatedregulations, revising financialindustry rules so smallbusinesses have access toloans and developing our owndomestic energy production.These changeswill create anenvironment for job growththroughoutNewMexico. Withmore consistent and reliableregulations, job creators willhave the tools to plan for theirfuture and start hiring.
Affordability and access tohealth carewill improveexponentially if governmentengages the private sector. Wheninsurance companies are forcedto compete in an openmarket,patients will always choose theprovider that offers the best careat the best price. When providersadapt to the needs of patientsby providing great care at agreat price, America’s workingfamilies will reap the benefits.
With somany of America’sworking families struggling, wemust take a balanced approach tocurbing harmful emissions thatwould contaminate ourwater orpollute our air. The solution liesin pursuing a policy of Americanenergy independence; a solutionthat includes energy programsthat keep Americans employed.The broader our energy base, thelower our reliance on a singleenergy component, and thestronger our country becomes byassuring affordable, accessibleenergy.
Workedwith affordable housingissues and the homeless; Lived ininner city housing cooperativesand reservations; witnessedthe obstacles thatmarginalizedpeoples experience in theU.S.;Workedwith refugees; organizedto support children inwar-tornimpoverished areas overseas;went and saw firsthand thedevastationwrought there byour own foreign policy;Workedfor nuclear disarmament; peaceactivist; Extensive experiencein the field of education andworkingwith at-risk children;www.PahlsforCongress.org
Wemust do the following:Eliminate tax cuts to thewealthy;Require corporations to paytheir share in taxes; Cut theDefense budget; Nationalizecompanies that require bailouts/tax cuts; return those companies’profits toworkers (eliminatingstockholders); require banks toreturn equity to homeownerswhen foreclosing; support smallbusinesses, which hire locally,rather than corporationswhichexploit overseas; adequatelyfund education; require entitiesto honor employee pensionagreements; increase affordablehousing.
It is a good first step, initiatinga discussion about the rightto adequate health care andprobably savingmany lives atthe same time. It unfortunatelyrequiresmore people to turn tothe insurance companies, whighcurrently suckmore than $400billion of our health care dollarsper year (http://www.pnhp.org/facts/single-payer-resources) .We need a government nonprofit,whichwill guarantee health carefor all and keep costs down. Thisis single-payer healthcare.
Wemust fully pursue positiveenergy options: solar, wind,water power; local food sourcesand local production; electric(not gas powered) vehicles; masstransit, bicycling, pedestrianefforts. Coal and nuclear powerare unacceptable. They involvepollution and radioactivewaste.Climate change is a seriousreality. Corporationsmust beregulated to prevent pollutionand energy consumption. TheKeystone Excel pipeline is notan option. It furthers our energyand climate change problems.
I was born and raised in thecommunity of Nambewhere Itended to our acequias, land, andanimals. I learned the values,culture, and traditions thatmakeNorthernNewMexico sucha special place. Over the pastfour years I have been honoredto representNorthernNewMexico in Congress, and I hopeto continuemy efforts to protectour land andwater, strengthenour economy, and preserve SocialSecurity andMedicare for our ...
The federal governmentmustmake responsible investmentsin innovation and education thatstrengthen ourmanufacturingsector.We need to prepare ouryoung peoplewith the skills andtraining for jobs in the scienceand technology fields so theycan out-innovate the rest of theworld. In addition, governmentinvestments in renewable energycan pave theway for a cleanenergy economy that creates newjobs by harnessingNewMexico’sabundant renewable resources.
The Affordable Care Acttook important steps that arealready benefiting seniors,children, young adults, and smallbusinesses inNewMexico.Seniors receive free preventivecare throughMedicare anddiscounts on prescriptiondrugs. Children can no longer bediscriminated against because ofa pre-existing condition. Youngadults can stay on their parents’plans until age 26. And smallbusinesses are receiving taxcredits to help them afford healthinsurance for their workers.
Withmore than half of thecountry suffering from droughtconditions, we cannotwait toaddress climate change. Throughinvestments in renewableenergy and natural gas, we canreduce carbon emissions andour dependence on foreign oil. Ihave been a strong supporter ofnetmetering, which encouragesthe use of renewable energy inhomes and offices by allowingconsumers to produce theirown power through renewablesources and sell excess power toutility companies.
I have a lifetime of experiencein agriculture and the energyindustry, and today runmyown small business on a ranchoutside of Tucumcari.We need aCongressmanwho understandsthe district andwhere the jobscome from, whowill stand upforNewMexicans and fightforNewMexico. I’ll be a truerepresentative for northernNewMexicowhowill represent realNewMexico values.
I will fight for and introducelegislation that will stimulateAmerica’s economy and getNewMexicans back toworkagain. I will work to implementan ambitious “New JobsNewMexico” plan that will reduceregulations and boost privatesector jobs in industriesimportant toNorthernNewMexico. Simplifying our tax codeand regulatory systemwill go alongway to creating a climatewhere businesses can grow andthrive.
I would like to repeal theAffordableHealthcare Act andaddress each issue separately.I believe health insuranceproviders should be allowedto compete in order to reduceprices, much like car insurancecompanies do now. I believeinsurance should coverthosewho have pre-existingconditions. I believewe needto address tort reform in orderto reduce frivolous lawsuits.I believe that states should beallowed to implement their ownhealthcare reforms.
Being an EnvironmentalEngineer I do not believe in the“ManMadeGlobalWarmingTheory”. This theory is basedin very poorly founded science.Althoughwe have towork toprotect the environment, this isnot a factor of concern. Scienceis not a “consensus” but the facts.For thosewhowant to readmoreabout this I encourage them tosee: http ://www.middlebury.net/op-ed/global-warming-01 .html.Climate Change is naturaloccurrence.
2012 vote 7
NEWMEXICOSTATE JUDICIALOFFICES
Vacancies for courts inNewMexico are filled through appointment by the governor from a slate of potential nominees submitted by a judicial nominatingcommittee. The newly appointed judgemust then run in a contested, partisan election at the next general election. Thereafter, the judge runs in nonpartisanretention elections for set terms. In a partisan election, the candidate receiving themost voteswill be elected. In a retention election, the justice or judgemustreceive a 57% “yes” vote out of all the votes cast on the question of whether the justice or judge should remain in office.
The five justices on the SupremeCourt are elected by all voters in the state and serve eight-year terms. To be eligible to hold the office of Justice of the SupremeCourt, a personmust be 35 years old, have practiced law for at least 10 years, and have resided inNewMexico for the last 3 years. The SupremeCourt serves as theadministrative head of theNewMexico judicial branch of government. It is the “court of last resort” for state appellate actions, regulates attorneys and judges, andhas superintending control over all lower state courts. It has jurisdiction over civil caseswhere jurisdiction is not specifically vested in the state Court of Appeals,appeals from criminal cases imposing the death penalty or life imprisonment, appeals from decisions of theNewMexico Public Regulation Commission, certiorarireview of state Court of Appeals decisions, and cases certified to it by the state Court of Appeals or any federal court. Annual salaries: Chief Justice, $125,691;Justice, $123,691.
What attributes and experience prepareyou for service as a NewMexico SupremeCourt Justice?(65 words)
What ethical practices are critical inkeeping the judiciary independent frompolitical influence?(65 words)
What programs and changes to improvethe NewMexico Supreme Court wouldyou like to see implemented?(65 words)
Barbara J. vigil (D)
As aDistrict Court Judge for 12 years I haveextensive judicial experiencewhich is themost significant experience for serviceon the SupremeCourt. As Chief Judge Iam responsible for the oversight of courtoperations. My values are shaped bymyexperiences. Having lived a life knowingtragedy, hardship, the importance of familyand hardwork I understand the challengespeople face.
An independent, fair, and impartial judiciaryis indispensable to our system of justice.The Code of Judicial Conduct governs thepolitical activities of judges in order tomaintain those principles which sustainan independent, impartial and competentjudiciary. All judges includingmyselfmustobey the Code of Judicial Conduct in order topreserve these principles.
The SupremeCourt alongwith the entirejudiciary has been forced to incur significantbudget decreases. Although the judiciaryis an equal branch of government, its totalbudget is 2.5% of the entire state budget.Large cutbacks affect the administrationof justice by limiting the number of newjudgeships, the implementation of necessarytechnology needed tomanage cases and topay competitive salaries.
Paul J. Kennedy (R)
When Iwas appointed to the SupremeCourtten years ago, I helped clear a large backlogof cases, some ofwhich had been pending forover a year. Additionally, I have practiced lawinNewMexico for over 35 years, first servingas a public defender and then in privatepracticewhere I have focused on both civiland criminal cases.
The laws of the land, of NewMexico, and oftheUnited States, are the expressedwill ofthe people. It is fundamental, in fact critical,that judges guard against the temptationto substitute their individual preferencesfor the law itself—forwhat is already in ourstatutes—effectively overriding the judgmentof all NewMexicans. A truly independentjudiciarymust adhere to these principles.
Courts should bemore responsive to thepeople. Delays cost NewMexicans, andimpede the cause of justice. We should adoptprocedures that provide for timely resolutionof cases, and becausewe serve the people, notthe otherway round, we should endeavor topublishwritten opinions of every decision.The people deserve to knowwhat judges rule,as well as how andwhy.
What attributes and experience do youbring to your service as a current NewMexico Supreme Court Justice?(65 words)
What ethical practices are critical inkeeping the judiciary independent frompolitical influence?(65 words)
What programs and changes to improvethe NewMexico Supreme Court wouldyou like to see implemented?(65 words)
Richard C. Bosson (D)
With 18 years on the bench, 8with the Ct/App (two as Chief Judge) and 10 on theSupremeCourt (two as Chief Justice), I havethemost appellate experience of any sittingjudge andmore than almost anyone over thepast 50 years. Despite the longevity, I workhard each day and ampassionate about thepursuit of fairness and equal justice for all.
Judgesmust remain free of partisanship andthe appearance of being political. Thismeansavoiding partisan gatherings, fund raisers,endorsements, or even just associating in amanner that could be construed as political.And this includes your private life aswell andeven your family. It can be lonely, but that isthe price of being part of the judiciary.
The SupremeCourt functionswell as long asgood people get on the Court. Unfortunately,the present pay scale and requirementof running a state-wide political racediscouragesmany excellent applicants frompursuing an interest. I would like to see somechanges affecting the political requirementsfor appellate judges, perhaps as they doin Arizonawhere only trial judges run inpartisan elections.
Howhave your training, professionalexperience, and interests prepared youto serve on the NewMexico Court ofAppeals? (65 words)
What improvements are needed in theCourt of Appeals and how could thoseimprovements be implemented?(65 words)
What ethical practices are critical inkeeping the judiciary independent frompolitical influence?(65 words)
M. Monica Zamora (D)
I have served as a District Court Judge forthe past seven years. As a civil trial attorneyfor over 18 years, I practiced throughout theState and in Federal Courts, including theTenth Circuit Court of Appeals and theU.S.SupremeCourt. My extensive experience ofarguing cases aswell as presiding over trialshas preparedme for this position.
We currently have a very goodCourtof Appeals bench. I would not proposeimprovements, but rather propose toenhance the Court of Appeals by expandingits collective experience to include juvenilejustice, abuse and neglect cases andadoptions. There is no current sitting Courtof Appeals judgewith this experience.
Under the Code of Judicial Conduct, judgesare required to establish, maintain andenforce high standards of conduct. Weare also required to personally observethose standards so that the integrity andindependence of the judiciarywill bepreserved. Whenwe are sworn in as judgesandwe put on that black robe, we acceptthose restrictions freely andwillingly. Thereare no exceptions.
J. Miles Hanissee (R)
My service as a Court of Appeals Judgefollows seventeen years of extensive appellatepractice. Havingworked for three federalappeals judges, represented theUnited Statesin appellate litigation for a decade, and nowbeen a participant in dozens of appellaterulings, I add specific experience and passionfor appellate law to our ten-member courtthat resolves nearly 1000 cases per year.
Citizenswill see their access to courts sufferif funding to the Judiciary is notmeaningfullyincreased. Our appellate and district courtsoperate under budgetary constraints thatresult in hardship to both litigants and courtpersonnel. Adverse effects include delayin case resolution, less access to indigentservices, and a decrease in the capacity toresolve disputes outside of the courtroom.
Themost significant ethical dilemmapreventing our judiciary from achievingpolitical independence are elections basedupon party affiliation. Appointed jurists likemyself serve only after recommendationby Bi-partisan Judicial NominatingCommissions and selection by the sittinggovernor, regardless of party. It disserves thepublic that immediately afterwardwe arerequired to associate with a single politicalentity in order to be elected.
What attributes and experience do youbring to your service as a current Judgeof the Court of Appeals? (65 words)
Given your experience as a Judge of theCourt of Appeals, what improvementsare needed in the Court of Appealsand how could those improvements beimplemented? (65 words)
What ethical practices are critical inkeeping the judiciary independent frompolitical influence?(65 words)
Roderick t. Kennedy
23 years judging, 11 onCourt of Appeals.Recommended for retention by bipartisancommission. Have presided inmagistrate,Metropolitan, tribal and district courtsthroughoutNewMexico. Handledmorethan 65,000 cases, civil and criminal, inMetro Court. Human experience informsmydecisions. Awards: ABOTA2011OutstandingAppellate Judge, British Forensic Society;NMBar. Write and teach about science andthe law, including at UNMLaw.
The speed of justice is slowed by lack ofresources. Cases aremore complicated everyyear. Budget cuts result in slower appealsand less personnel to handle them efficiently.Lower courts have troublemoving appeals tous on time for the same reasons. Courts useabout 3% of total state budget, and there isno slack left. Priority settingwith legislatureandGovernor is required.
MyConstitutional duty is to be independentand impartial. Courts referee disputes,sometimes saying the “will of themajority”is wrong. Forcing partisan electionson judges selected on theirmerit bybi-partisan commissions conflicts withjudges responsibility to the judicial oath ofimpartiality. Retention races, and currentevaluation commissions protect the publicinterest in judicial quality and independencebetter than the current system.
Michael vigil
I have been an attorney since 1976. As aprivate attorney, I handled awide varietyof civil and criminal cases, and served asappellate counsel in over 50 formal publishedcases of first impression. I have been a Judgesince February, 2003, and I am the author ofdozens of cases of first impression, both civiland criminal.
The courtmust seek to findways to renderquicker decisionswhilemaintaining a highlevel of quality.
I would abolish partisan, political elections ofall judges.
The ten judges on the Court of Appeals are elected by all voters in the state and serve eight-year terms. To be eligible to hold the office of Judge of the Court ofAppeals, a personmust be 35 years old, have practiced law for at least 10 years, and have resided inNewMexico for the last 3 years. As the intermediate appellatecourt between the district courts and the SupremeCourt, the Court of Appeals currently reviews appeals in all cases, except criminal cases involving sentences ofdeath or life imprisonment, appeals from the Public Regulation Commission, and cases involving habeas corpus. The judges sit in panels of three judges to decidecases. Annual salaries: Chief Judge, $119,406; Judge, $117,506.
UNITEDSTATES SENATORTHENEWMEXICOCOURTOFAPPEALS
2012 vote 9
UNITEDSTATES SENATORNEWMEXICOSTATELEGISLATURE
UNITEDSTATES SENATORNEWMEXICOSTATESENATOR Four-year term. No salary (per diem andmileage only).
TheLeagueasked:
Describe the education,experience and abilities thatprepare you for this office.(65 words)
Whatwill your priorities befor the budget?Where shouldcuts bemade, if necessary?(65 words)
What should the statelegislature do to improve theeconomy in NewMexico andensure job growth?(65 words)
What should the statelegislature do to ensure thatall people living in NewMexico have access toaffordable, qualityhealthcare? (65 words)
I’m a proud nativeNewMexican.I grew up in Santa Fe and learnedhardwork andwhat itmeans toserve a community alongsidemyloving fatherwho owned “Tito’sMarket” in Santa Fe. I graduatedfromSt.Michael’s High andlaw degree fromAntioch. I’ma husband, father, grandfather,small business owner, rancher,former Santa FeCity councilmanand State Senator for sixteen …
Everythingwill be up fordiscussion becausewemustproduce andmaintain a healthybudget, however, I will look firstat wasteful spending and otheropportunities to reduce but notat the expense of themiddle classhardworkingman andwoman. Iwill findways to reducewithoutjob cuts or stripping educationfunding and vital programs forneedyNewMexicans.
The singlemost important issuefacing our state is rebuilding theeconomyand job creation.Weneed short-term jobs to accelerategrowthnow. Small business isour lifeblood andwemustmakeit easier to succeedwith simple,straightforward solutions. Weneed long-termcareer growththroughwidespread technologyre-training.Wind, solar andalternative energy jobs arealso key inNMwherewehaveabundant sunshine...
Wemust accept theMedicaidexpansion so thatmore than170,000more people inNMwillbe covered. I will championthe opportunity to stand as theexample to the rest of the countryin our determination that everyNewMexican has affordable,accessible health care. Wemustreject any and all attempts toweaken and repeal the AffordableCareAct.
Second generation nativeNewMexican. Raised on appleorchard inHighRolls NewMexico. Graduate of ColoradoState University with AnimalScience Degree. 25 years asbanker last ten of those asPresident andCEO of FirstFederal Bank. Currently rancheronCattle ranch in LincolnCounty. Vast experience inbusinessworld , budgets andcommunity service.
Educationwould be first priority.Cutswould be be in areas of leastcritical services tomaintain thehighest level of available for thebudget constraints.
Create a business friendlybusiness climate, making sure tonot givemore favorable tax ratesto out of state headquarteredcorporations overNewMexicobased corporations. Removeunessesary regulations, whilestill protecting the scenic beautyand evironment of NewMexico.
Create incentives to attractmore physicians toNewMexico. Increase revenues fromnatural resources to help fundneeded services. Currently notenough state revenue to ensureaffordable healthcare.
NEWMEXICOSTATEREpRESENTATIvE Two-year term. No salary (per diem andmileage only).
Originally fromSilver City,NM, I attended BarnardCollege, ColumbiaUniversity,and receivedmy teachingcertification at California StateUniversity-LA.Workingwellwith others, being goal oriented,and demonstrating leadershipand energy are the skills thatprepareme for office.Workingoverseas in communities withconsiderably less than ours, andas amother, I’ve learned how tobe economical while keeping aneye on budgets.
Priorities: creating jobs toimprove our economy, investingin education and establishingequitable healthcare. The Statehas cut over $700M from thebudget in the last four yearsand at some point, cuts becomecounterproductive—especially ineducation. Let’s examine the over$1B in tax exemptions specialinterests receive annually.Furthermore, let’s take advantageof the economic benefits of thenew healthcare law.
Our policymakersmustmakedecisions that promote jobgrowth and support localbusinesses. I was surprisedwhenmy opponent voted to continue toallow out-of-state corporationsto not pay taxes on the incometheymake inNM. This costsusmillions and unfairly putsNM’s business on unfair footing.I support supports job skillstraining and education, andcapital to help small businessesadd jobs.
I will push for improved accessto awide variety of healthcareservices, increasing the numberof NewMexican’s who havehealth insurance coverage andsupport prevention efforts andnon-traditionalmedicine.Wemustmove as fast as possible toestablish a strongNMHealthInsurance Exchange. I willsupport adopting the expansionofMedicaid services provided forunder the new law.
As a 42 year resident ofNorthernNM, I have extensiveexperience inmanual labor,management, consulting, andpublic service. I have degreesinmath (undergraduate) andmanagement (graduate). I havebeen a constructionworker,firefighter, LANL divisionleader, successful consultant,NMcabinet secretary, and smallbusiness owner. I was electedtwice to, and chaired, both the LASchool Board and the LACountyCouncil.
My budget priorities are K-12Education, health care, andrural infrastructure (roads,water systems, andwastewatersystems). These areas needboth funding and improvedeffectiveness in their operations.Cuts should focus on reducingduplication and overhead costs,especially in higher educationinstitutions and among stateagencies.
Our historic dependence onfederal funding is unsustainable.NewMexicomust grow privatejobs by doing three things.First, improve K-12 education.Second, reform the business taxcode, especially gross receiptstaxes on services andmultiple“tax credits” that distort a“level playing field” amongNewMexico businesses. Finally,streamline the state’s regulatoryobstacle course to bringpredictability and confidence toour investment climate.
Federal policy limits stateoptions. However, NM canimprove health care accessthrough three actions. First,reformMedicaid to allowcoverage to be expanded at anacceptable cost.Second, implement a healthexchange that offers peoplemultiple options for acquiringhealth care insurance. Third,ensure sliding scale primaryclinics are widely available inNM.
10 2012 vote
NewMexicoStateRepReSeNtative Two-year term. No salary (per diem andmileage only).
TheLeagueasked:
Describe the education,experience and abilities thatprepare you for this office.(65 words)
Whatwill your priorities befor the budget?Where shouldcuts bemade, if necessary?(65 words)
What should the statelegislature do to improve theeconomy in NewMexico andensure job growth?(65 words)
What should the statelegislature do to ensurethat all people living inNewMexico have accessto affordable, qualityhealthcare? (65 words)
I am amathematicianwithdegrees in physics and biologyand experience in accountingand regulatory analysis. I amPresident ofmy neighborhoodassociation, have assistedlegislators, and teamedwithother activists to achievepaper ballots. I helped startRockyMountain EMS. I amdivorcedwith 2 children and5 grandchildren, an ACLUGuardian of Liberty, and a SilverLifeMaster in Duplicate Bridge.
The statemust educate school-age children,maintain aNationalGuard, control pollution, andpay its debts. The statemay beunable to pay future employeepensions unless it catches thefunds up to a level consistentwith a realistic return oninvestment. The Legislatureshould institute standardaccounting controls to stopthe ongoing corruption, whereonly dumbmistakes get caught.Everything else could be cut.
SomeNobel economistsmaintain thatmost governmentactions impede the economy.The Public RegulationCommission, intended to controlmonopolies, now protects themonopolies of its cronies. Moststate agencies are siphoningthe people’s wealth to corruptand unproductive individuals.Agencies and boards thatrestrict competition should beeliminated. However, there are afew actions thatmight help (Seethe next answer, for example.).
TheNMConstitution sets nohealthcare goal. However, thestate should seize opportunitiesto benefit its residents, even if wedisagreewith Federal programs.We should commit about $500million through 2020 to expandMedicaid to about 170,000people. Federal contributionswill create enough providerand secondary jobs that taxrevenue should cover state costs.However,Medicaid literatureshould clarify that benefitsmaybe temporary.
I earned a Ph.D. andworkedas a university professor andresearch scientist for 20 years.I have owned an InformationTechnology services companyfor 17 years. I understand theneeds of small businesses. Iserved on the Alamogordo CityCommission. I worked for sevenyears as a top IT executive inNMstate government and amexperiencedwith the executiveand legislative branches.
My top budget priorities willbe adequate public educationfunding, workforce developmentand job creation, and fundingto improve protections for ourclean air, land, andwater. TheRichardson era tax cuts for topNMearners should be repealed,and unwise and unnecessarytax loopholes, such as those forbig box chain stores, should beeliminated. Thesewill mitigatethe need to cut state services.
The legislaturemust usecapital outlay funds to improvethe state’s infrastructure,particularly green energyprojects and the developmentof new sources of water.Companieswill not come toNMunlesswe havewell-developedinfrastructure. New companieswill bring new jobs.We alsomust fund programs at our highschools and colleges to build ahigh quality workforce to attractnew companies and new jobs.
The legislature should follow theprovisions of the Affordable CareAct. Expansion ofMedicaidwillprovide health care insuranceto 150,000 citizenswho arecurrently uninsured. The Federalgovernmentwill pay 100% of thecost for several years and 90%thereafter. Respected economistshave shown that this approachwill bring billions of dollars toNM, leaving a net cost to thestate of $0.
I have had the privilege toserveNewMexicans througheducation: 9 years as SchoolSuperintendent; 15 yearsatMoriartyHigh School asCounselor/Assistant Principal;2 years at TVI; currently servingas Principal of Estancia ValleyClassical Academy.My experience extends to theUSDepartment of Interior, 7 yearsandNMState PlanningOffice,3 years. Imovedmy family toEdgewood in 1981.
Now that we have a balancedbudget under GovernorMartinezwemustmaintain that status.However, wemust continue toself-monitor all governmentprograms and illuminateunnecessary spending. Onearea of concern in dollars andproductivity is howwe usewelfare. There are legitimateneedsmet bywelfare but wemust be responsible and be surewe are offering a hand-up not anongoing hand-out.
We can create better jobopportunities by doing awaywith unnecessary regulationsand reducing the tax burden. Onearea of development that cancontinue to be expanded inNewMexico is in the field energy,helping America to strive forenergy independence. Enactinga Right-to-Work lawwouldcreate a permanent boast inemployment and income growth.
Wemust understand the fundingof health care; thenmake carefulanalysis of health care needsand empower individuals andcommunities to tailor health caretomeet their needs. The actionof the State Legislature includesproper cost/benefit analysisin health care (the system)compared to patient care (theservice).
2012 vote 11
PRESIDENTANDVICE-PRESIDENTOFTHEUNITEDSTATESDemocratBarakObama and Joe Biden
RepublicanMitt Romney and Paul Ryan
ConstitutionVirgil Goode and JimClymer
LibertarianGary Johnson and James P. Gray
NewMexico Independent PartyRoss C. “Rocky” Andersonand Luis J. Rodriguez
COUNTYCOMMISSIONERDISTRICT 5DemocratElizabeth T. Stefanics
COUNTYCLERKDemocratGeraldine Salazar
COUNTYTREASURERDemocratPatrick Varela
ELECTIONOFNON-PARTISANJUDGESVote Yes orNo for Each JudgeShall Richard C. Bosson be retained as aJustice of the SupremeCourt?Shall Roderick T. Kennedy be retained asa Justice of the Court of Appeals?ShallMichael Vigil be retained as aJudge of the Court of Appeals?
Please note: not all these candidateswill appear on every ballot in Santa FeCounty. To see a replica of the ballot youwill be usingwhen you vote, visit the CountyClerk’s website: http://www.santafecounty.org/clerk/elections_information.php
(including both contested and uncontested races)ALLCANDIDATESONTHE2012GENERALELECTIONBALLOT
12 2012 vote
OnNovember 6, 2012, five proposed constitutionalamendmentswill appear on theNewMexico generalelection ballot as the result of passage of joint resolutionsby theNewMexico Legislature in its 2011 and 2012regular legislative sessions. For adoption, a constitutionalamendment requires ratification by amajority of thosevoting on the constitutional amendment. Proposedconstitutional amendments become effective uponapproval by the voters unless an effective date is providedwithin the text of the proposed amendment.The following is a list of the amendments that will appearon the ballot in the 2012General Electionwith a briefsummary of each amendmentwith “for and against”arguments.More comprehensive information can befound on theNewMexico Legislature’s website: http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/reports.aspx.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 1Proposing an amendment to Article 6, Section 32 of theConstitution ofNewMexico to provide for two additionalmembers to sit on the judicial standards commission, amunicipal judge and a publicmember.
BrIEf ANALySIS:Constitutional Amendment 1 would amend Article6, Section 32 of the NewMexico Constitution andincrease themembership of the Commission from 11to 13 by adding two commissioner positions. One newcommissioner would be amunicipal judge, selected in amanner set by the Legislature to serve a four-year term.The secondwould be a citizenwho is neither a judge noran attorney, appointed by the Governor to serve a five-year term.
ArgUMENTS fOr:1)Municipal judges represent the largest category ofjudges in the state, and yet there is no dedicated slot for amunicipal judge on the commission. Adding amunicipaljudge to the commission provides equal representation onthe oversight body thatmonitors their job performance.2) It is unfair for complaints regarding amunicipaljudge’s job performance to be resolved solely by peoplewho lack the current, firsthand experiences and views ofamunicipal judge. Thus, adding amunicipal judge as amember of the Commission increases fairness.3)Adding amunicipal judge and a citizenmemberwouldretain the current balance of power on the Commission.This changewould ensure that views ofmunicipaljudgeswould be heard alongwith those of the otherjudges, attorneys, and citizenmembers. This is especiallyimportant when amunicipal judge is the subject of acomplaint allegingmisconduct.
ArgUMENTS AgAINST:1)Adding twomoremembers to the Commission, for atotal of 13, wouldmake its work unnecessarily difficult.It is always challenging to reach consensuswhenmore people are involved in a process. All disciplinaryrecommendations of the Commission require amajorityconsensus. It is not in the best interests of the citizenry toslow down the judicial oversight process.2)AConstitutional Amendment is unnecessary becausesuch changes could be accomplished by amending currentlaw through the Legislature instead of permanentlychanging the Constitution. A bill requiring that amunicipal judge be amember of the Commission could bepassed by the Legislature.3)Addingmoremembers to the Judicial StandardsCommissionwould increase the costs to the taxpayerfor funding the Commission’s work. Members of theCommission are entitled to per diem andmileage
reimbursement.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 2Proposing an amendment to Article 11, Section 1 of theConstitution ofNewMexico to increase the qualificationsfor Public Regulation Commissioners.
BrIEf ANALySISConstitutional Amendment 2would amend Article11, Section 1 of the NewMexico Constitution torequire the Legislature to enact a statute increasingthe qualifications of Public Regulation Commission(“PRC”) commissioners. Currently, PRC commissionersare only required to be at least 18 years of age, notconvicted felons, and registered to vote in NewMexico.The increased qualifications would apply starting withcommissioners elected at the 2014 general election, aswell as any commissioner appointed to fill a vacancyafter July 1, 2013.
ArgUMENTS fOr:1)TheNewMexico PRChas a broader jurisdictionthan any other regulatory agency in the country andmakes decisions that impact the daily lives of all of NewMexico’s citizens, ranging from setting utility rates toregulatingmotor carrier safety and prices. Increasingthe qualifications for commissionerswould helpmakesure that they have a basic understanding of the complexindustries they regulate.2)Because PRC commissioners are expected to actmuch like judges, making their decisions by applyingthe relevant law to the evidence on the record, it iscritical that commissioners understand the law and thespecifics of the subject areas they regulate. Too often, andat too high a cost, theNewMexico SupremeCourt hasoverruled PRC decisions because commissioners havenot understood the law.3)Many other states already require their utilitycommissioners to have educational or professionalexperience in a field relevant to utility regulation, suchas accounting, finance, engineering, public or businessadministration, administrative law, or economics.
ArgUMENTS AgAINST:1)The amendment leaves it up to the Legislatureto establish the specific qualifications for PRCcommissioners, meaning that voters would not knowexactly what those qualificationswould be before theyvote on the amendment.2)Depending onwhat qualifications are enacted intolaw, some citizensmay not be qualified to run for theoffice of PRC commissioner, even though theywould bequalified to run for other elected positions in state andlocal government.3) It is unclear whether the Legislature is actuallycommitted to enacting serious, substantive qualificationsthat are rigorous enough to ensure that PRCcommissioners are truly qualified to do the job.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 3Proposing to amend Article 11, Section 2 of theConstitution of NewMexico and to enact a new sectionof Article 11 to remove authority to charter and regulatecorporations from the Public Regulation Commissionand provide authority to charter corporations to theSecretary of State.
BrIEf ANALySIS:Constitutional Amendment 3 proposes to amendArticle11, Section 2 of the Constitution ofNewMexico toremove the responsibility for chartering and regulating
corporations from the Public Regulation Commission(“PRC”) and transfer the responsibility for charteringcorporations to the Secretary of State’s office.
ArgUMENTS fOr:1)According to theNational Conference of StateLegislatures, 41 of the 50 states assign responsibilityfor chartering corporations to their Secretaries of State.AligningNewMexicowith the overwhelmingmajority ofstates wouldmake it easier for businesses, particularlythose that are new toNewMexico, to knowwhere to filetheir documents.2)Transferring the responsibility for corporate filingsto the Secretary of Statewould create a “one-stop shop”for all businesses filings. Currently, the Secretary ofState registers some businesses, like Limited LiabilityPartnerships, while the PRC registers others, like LimitedLiability Companies. The Secretary of State also registersstate trademarks and servicemarks and files documentsrequired by theUniformCommercial Code.3)Removing responsibility for chartering businesseswould allow the PRC to focus on its core duties ofregulating utilities, which are very different from thesecretarial duty of filing business documents.
ArgUMENTS AgAINST:1)Therewould be a one-time cost associatedwithtransferring the PRC’s corporate registrationresponsibilities to the Secretary of State.2)The Legislature has not studiedwhether the Secretaryof State’s office is the ideal state agency inwhich to placethe responsibility for corporate registration, so thatduty should remainwith the PRCuntil the Legislatureundertakes such a study.3)The corporate registration division has not been thesource ofmost of the scandals or corruption that haveplagued the PRC, somoving it would not address thoseproblems.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 4Proposing to amendArticle 11 of the Constitution ofNewMexico to remove the regulation of insurancecompanies and others engaged in risk assumption fromthe Public Regulation Commission and place it under aSuperintendent of Insurance appointed by the InsuranceNominating Committee as provided by law.
BrIEf ANALySIS:Constitutional Amendment 4 proposes to amendArticle11 of the Constitution ofNewMexico to remove theresponsibility for regulating insurance from the PublicRegulation Commission (“PRC”) and create anOffice ofthe Superintendent of Insurance to regulate insurancecompanies and others engaged in risk-assumption inthe state. The amendmentwould establish an InsuranceNominating Committee to appoint the Superintendentof Insurance based upon qualifications for the positionestablished by the Legislature. The Legislaturewould alsoestablish how themembers of the InsuranceNominatingCommittee are appointed.
ArgUMENTS fOr:1)The insurance industry is so complex and so importantto the lives of NewMexicans that it should be overseenby an independent agency that is solely focused on thattask. PRC commissioners lack the specialized expertise tosuccessfully oversee the insurance industry.2)Removing insurance regulation from the PRC andplacing it within an independent agencywould help toinsulate it from politics. The political pressure placed onthe InsuranceDivision by the PRC (for example, to hire
ProPosed2012Constitutionalamendments
stateofnewmexiCo
2012 vote 13
unqualified staff ) is amajor reasonwhy theNationalAssociation of Insurance Commissioners placed thedivision on probation for several years and a 2012 reviewby the Center for Integrity gave the Division an “F.”3)This amendmentwould alignNewMexicowith the35 other states that have stand-alone departments ofinsurance.
Arguments AgAinst:1)The amendment leaves it up to the Legislature toestablish themembership of the nominating committeeand the qualifications of the Insurance Superintendent,meaning that voters would not know exactly what thosewill be before they vote on the amendment.2)Although the PRC’s InsuranceDivision has sufferedfromnumerous problems, the PRChas beenworking toimprove it and should be allowed to continue the process.3)Having the Superintendent of Insurance appointed bya nominating committee rather than by the PRCmeansthat voters would no longer vote directly for the peoplewho appoint the Superintendent.
COnstitutiOnAL AmenDment nO. 5Proposing an amendment to Article 6 of the Constitutionof NewMexico to add a new section that provides forthe organization of an independent Public DefenderDepartment.
Brief AnALysis:ConstitutionalAmendment 5would amendArticle 6 of theNewMexicoConstitution to establish thePublicDefender
Department as an independent state agencynot under theGovernor’s authority. Itwould create aPublicDefenderCommission empowered to appoint andprovide guidanceto theChief PublicDefender and oversee administrativeaspects of theDepartment. The amendmentwould alsoallow theLegislature to establish the term,manner ofappointment, and qualifications for theChief PublicDefender andmembers of theCommission.
Arguments fOr:1)Funding for the Department is currently inadequate.An independent Public Defender Departmentmay bebetter able to secure the resources to properly perform itsconstitutionalmandate of protecting the rights of peopleaccused of crimeswho cannot afford attorneys. Fundingthe defense of alleged criminals is often politicallyunpopular, particularly with officials seeking re-election.Many other states have independent public defenderdepartments that can lobbymore effectively for necessaryfunding removed from the political process.2)Having an independent Departmentwould ensurecompliancewith the “Rules of Professional Conductfor Attorneys.” Because the Chief Public Defender isappointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Governor,there is potential for interferencewith the attorney’sindependent judgment, especially when defendinga notorious or unpopular alleged criminal. As anindependent state agency, the Departmentwould be lesssusceptible to political influence.3)TheGovernor already setsmany policies of thecriminal justice system by appointments to variousdepartments and through the executive’s legislative
initiatives and priorities. TheGovernor currentlyappoints the Chief Public Defender and oversees thePublic Defender Department, giving the executive branchtoomuch power in determining the policies and practicesof the criminal justice system. Having an independentdepartmentwould offer a clear way to balance this power.
Arguments AgAinst:1)Making the Public Defender Department anindependent state agency and requiring the creation of aPublic Defender Commission to oversee it could be costlyto taxpayers. The current per diem rate is $95, and votershave noway of knowing howmanymemberswould beon the Commission nor howmany days of work-relatedtravel and expenses the statewould incur for thosemembers.2)This amendment creates yet another level ofunnecessary bureaucracy. The proposed Commissionwould not actually assist in representing indigentdefendants or performing core functions. It would add asuperfluous layer ofmanagement, requiring consultationon and oversight of decisions better left to a qualifiedChief Public Defender. A Commissionwould causeunnecessary delays in the Department’s operations.3)Concerns about undue political influence inrepresenting indigent defendants are effectively addressedby the rules of professional conduct that prohibit attorneysfrompermitting a non client, including theGovernor, toinfluence their judgment in rendering legal services to aclient. Changing theDepartment’s executive agency statusto avoid political pressure is unnecessary.
General obligation bonds allow the state to borrowmoneyto finance capital improvement projects. The principaland interest on the bonds are paid out of property taxes.The specific amount of property taxes collected in a givenyear is attributable to a number of factors, includingthe amount of debt service required for existing generalobligation bonds, the projected debt service requiredfor the new bond issue, the latest assessed valuation ofnet taxable property, cash balances in bond debt serviceaccounts, the date of issuance, and the actual interest rateobtained on the bond sale.Based on current projections, the State Board of
Finance estimates that the three bondswill generate amaximumof $140.2million at the current State propertytaxmill levy rate of 1.36mills. If all three bonds areapproved by the voters inNovember 2012, the averagecost to the owner of a propertyworth $100,000 over a10-year periodwill stay at a flat rate of $8.04 per year. Ofthat $8.04 average cost per year, $6.88 is attributable tothe higher education bond, $0.59 to the senior facilitiesbond, and $0.56 to the library acquisitions bond. If any ofthe bonds are not approved, the State property taxmillrate could decline slightly.
A complete breakdownof the capital projects designatedin each bond issue can be found on theNewMexicoLegislature’swebsite:www.nmlegis.gov.
BOnD A — Senior Citizen FaCilitieSConStruCtion and improvement($10,335,000)The 2012Capital Projects General Obligation BondActauthorizes the issuance and sale of senior citizen facilityimprovement, construction and equipment acquisitionbonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue generalobligation bonds in an amount not to exceed tenmillionthree hundred thirty-five thousand dollars ($10,335,000)tomake capital expenditures for certain senior citizenfacility improvement, construction and equipmentacquisition projects and provide for a general propertytax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of,
interest on and expenses incurred in connectionwiththe issuance of the bonds and the collection of the tax aspermitted by law?Summary of Senior Center Projects in Santa Fe
County: This bond includes $1,222,800 for 11 projects inSanta Fe County.
BOnD B — aCademiC, publiC, andtribal librarieS aCquiSitionS andConStruCtion ($9,830,000)The 2012Capital Projects General Obligation BondActauthorizes the issuance and sale of library acquisitionand construction bonds. Shall the state be authorizedto issue general obligation bonds in an amount not toexceed ninemillion eight hundred thirty thousanddollars ($9,830,000) tomake capital expendituresfor academic, public school, tribal and public libraryresource acquisitions and construction and provide for ageneral property tax imposition and levy for the paymentof principal of, interest on and expenses incurred inconnectionwith the issuance of the bonds and thecollection of the tax as permitted by law?
BOnD C — HigHer eduCationinStitutionS and SpeCial SCHoolSaCquiSitionS and ConStruCtion($120,000,000)The 2012Capital Projects General Obligation BondActauthorizes the issuance and sale of higher education andspecial schools capital improvement and acquisitionbonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue generalobligation bonds in an amount not to exceed one hundredtwentymillion dollars ($120,000,000) tomake capitalimprovements and acquisitions for certain highereducation and special schools and provide for a generalproperty tax imposition and levy for the payment ofprincipal of, interest on and expenses incurred inconnectionwith the issuance of the bonds and thecollection of the tax as permitted by law?Summary ofHigher Education and Special School
Projects in Santa FeCounty: This bond includes$1,000,000 for Santa FeCommunity College, $800,000 forthe Institute of American Indian Arts, and $1,300,000 forthe Santa Fe Indian School.
COunty fire eXCise tAXShall the County of Santa Fe, NewMexico, for thepurposes of, financing the operational expenses,ambulance services or capital outlay costs of independentfire districts or ambulance services provided by thecounty, impose an excise tax equal to one-fourth of onepercent (.25%) of the gross receipts reported or requiredto be reported by the person pursuant to theNewMexicoGross Receipts andCompensating Tax Act as it nowexists or as itmay be amended?
general obligation bondQuestiOn 1Shall Santa Fe County issue up to $19,000,000 in generalobligation bonds payable from general (ad valorem) taxesto acquire, construct, design, equip and improve roadswithin the County?
QuestiOn 2Shall Santa Fe County issue up to $10,000,000 in generalobligation bonds payable from general (ad valorem) taxesto acquire real property and necessarywáter rights for,and to construct, design, equip, rehabilítate, and improvewáter andwastewater projects within the County?
QuestiOn 3Shall Santa Fe County issue up to $6,000,000 in generalobligation bonds payable from general (ad valorem taxes,to acquire, design, construct, improve, equip and restoreopen space, trails and parkswithin the county?
ProPosed2012generalobligationbondsandtaxes
santafecounty
14 2012 vote
2012 GENERAL ELECTION POLLING PLACES BY PRECINCTPrecinct Location01, 02 Sombrillo Elementary School, 20C State Road 10603 Benny J. Chávez Center, 354A JuanMedina Road04 Cundiyo Fire Station, 5 Jose Simon Drive05 El Rancho Community Center, 394 County Road 8406 Tesuque Pueblo Intergenerational Center, 39 TP 80407 Río EnMedio Community Center, 1 El Alto08 Tesuque Elementary, 1555 Bishop’s Lodge Road09, 36, 47 AcequiaMadre Elementary School, 700 AcequiaMadre10, 30 Fort Marcy Complex, 490 Bishop’s Lodge Road11, 20, 21 Gonzales Community School, 851W. Alameda Street12, 62 La Cienega Community Center, 136 Camino San Jose13, 68 Hondo Fire Station #2, 645 Old Las Vegas Highway14 Turquoise Trail Elementary School, 13ª SanMarcos Loop15, 16 SouthMountain Elementary School, 577 State Road 34417 Galisteo Community Center, 35 County Road 33A18, 85 EdgewoodMiddle School, 17W. Venus Road19 Stanley Community Center, 13W. Kinsell Avenue22, 28 Montezuma Lodge, 431 Paseo de Peralta23 Nambé Head Start, 180 B State Road 50324 Academy at Larragoite, 1604 Agua Fria25, 33 Aspen CommunityMagnet School, 450 LaMadera26, 27 El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe, 555 Camino de La Familia29, 56, 78 Santa Fe County Fair Building, 3229 Rodeo Road31, 32, 34 Salazar Elementary School, 1231 Apache Avenue35, 50 Nava Elementary School, 2655 Siringo Road37, 54, 81 CapshawMiddle School, 351W. Zia Road38, 39, 49, 74 Kearny Elementary School, 901 Avenida de Las Campañas40 San Ildefonso Pueblo, 2 Tunyo Po41, 51 De VargasMiddle School, 1720 Llano Street42, 43 Public Schools Administration Building, 610 Alta Vista44 Wood Gormley Elementary School, 141 E. Booth45, 46 Unitarian Church, 107W. Barcelona48 Atalaya Elementary School, 721 Camino Cabra52 E.J. Martinez Elementary School, 401W. SanMateo53 Pasa Tiempo Senior Center, 664 Alta Vista Street55 Elks BPOE 460 Lodge, 1615 Old Pecos Trail57 Glorieta Fire Station, 43 Fire Station Road58, 79 Abedón López Community Center, 155 A Camino de Quintana59, 60 PojoaqueMiddle School, 1797 B State Road 50261 Nambé Head Start, 180 B State Road 50363, 65, 69, 71 El Dorado Community School, 2 Avenida Torreon64, 75 Sweeney Elementary School, 501 Airport Road66, 80 Agua Fria Community Center, 1 Prairie Dog Loop67 Ramirez Thomas Elementary School, 3200 Calle Po Ae Pi70 Amy Biehl Community School, 301 Avenida del Sur72 St. Joseph’s Parish Hall, 7 First Street73, 84 Edgewood Elementary School, 171 State Road 34476, 77 Chaparral Elementary School, 2451 Avenida Chaparral82 La Tierra Fire Station, 6 Arroyo Calabasas83 Unity Church of Santa Fe, 1108 La Cuchara Road86 Ortiz Middle School, 4164 S. Meadows Road
Voterswho reside in the unincorporated areas of Santa FeCountywill have theopportunity to vote on the renewal of the County Fire Protection Excise Tax onNovember 6, 2012.Q:Why is Santa Fe County asking voters to renew the Fire Protection ExciseTax?A: It has been put forward for the purpose of financing the operations, capital outlayand ambulance expenses of the Santa FeCounty Fire Department. The taxwill coveressentialmaintenance and improvements to the Department’s 32 fire stations, as wellas to fund the purchase of replacement fire trucks, ambulances, firefighting andmedicalequipment, and protective gear for volunteer and career firefighters and paramedics.Q:Will the Fire Protection Excise Tax pay for employee salaries?A:No. State law prohibits Fire Protection Excise Tax funds from being used to paythe salaries or benefits for Firefighters, EmergencyMedical Technicians, or other firedepartment personnel (NMSA 1978, 7-20E-16).Q: The voter option is to renew the tax. When was it originally imposed andhow has it benefited Santa Fe County?A:The taxwas originally imposed in the 1980’s and served for 25 years as an essentialfunding source used by the Santa FeCounty Fire Department and the department’s 14volunteer fire districts. It expired in 2008 and in order to be reinstatedwill once againrequire the approval of voters in unincorporated Santa FeCounty.The Fire Protection Excise Taxwas the primarymeans to fund equipment and
apparatus purchases for the county fire department. It was used to replace fire trucks,water haulers, and ambulances; repair andmaintain fire stations; purchase essentialgear and equipment for volunteer and career firefighters; and to purchase new apparatusand equipment tomeet the growing demand for emergency services throughout Santa FeCounty and enhance the safety and abilities of our firefighters andmedical personnel.Q: Is the Fire Protection Excise Tax still subject to a sunset clause?A:No. The original sunset clausewas removed from the law by theNewMexico StateLegislature in 2004. Removal of the clausewas recognized as an importantmeans toallow county fire departments to better prepare for the future by anticipating capitalneeds and tying those needs to a dedicated funding sourcewith predictable revenue.Deletion of the sunset will also provide the department the opportunity to fund revenuebonds. This provides greater flexibility in planning and can allow amore cost effectivemeans to purchase expensive fire and EMS apparatus and equipment, resulting in costsavings to tax payers.Q:What can the tax revenue pay for?A:The tax can be used to replace aging andworn out fire engines andwater trucks,repair andmaintain the department’s fire stations, replace hose and nozzles, and replaceor repair damaged andworn out firefighting equipment including protective coats,pants, helmet, gloves, boots, and firefighter breathingmasks and air tanks.The tax revenue can be used to replaceworn out ambulances andmedical equipment
to ensure that the Department’s EmergencyMedical Technicians and Paramedics haveessentialmodern appliances like defibrillators, oxygen systems, extrication tools like theJaws of Life, and other essential rescue and life-saving equipment.The tax revenue can also fundwildland firefighting equipment and protective gear,
be used to purchase andmaintain brush trucks andwildland fire engines andwatertenders, andmaintain and enhance the Department’s radios, pagers, and radio repeatersites to ensure reliable and rapid communications over a two thousand squaremileresponse area.Q: Howmuch is the Tax?A:The tax is a one quarter of one percent (0.25%) gross receipts tax imposed on all non-medical and non-food items purchased in the unincorporated areas of Santa FeCounty.This equates to 25 cents on a one hundred dollar purchase.Q:Who will pay the tax?A:The tax is only levied on the unincorporated areas of Santa FeCounty. Incorporatedareas of the County such as the City of Santa Fe andTown of Edgewoodwill not have thetax levy.Q: Do other Counties have a Fire Protection Excise Tax?A:The tax has been enacted in twenty other counties in the State of NewMexico.Q: Howmuch will the tax generate and is the revenue kept in Santa Fe County?A: It is estimated that the taxwill generate $1.24million annually to help fund thecritical needs of the County Fire Department. All of the revenue from the tax is retainedlocally.Q: How does Santa Fe County identify Department needs?A: The fire department uses a five year planning process to identify apparatus andequipment in need of replacement. The 2010-2014 Planwas approved by the Board ofCounty Commissioners and is linked on the department’s website.
CountyFireProteCtionexCisetax2012
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