Martinez is a slum landlord; we, her unhappy tenants

B y happenstance, I found myself in Santa Fe during both legislative sessions this year, and on each occasion I was impressed by the lack of care of the Capitol grounds and buildings. Weeds abounded in the landscaping; a grassy plot near the underground garage was ripe for grazing; the pots on the Roundhouse porch contained the skeletons of last year’s weeds with new growth and dead shrubs; as I crossed Old Santa Fe Trail, a bush growing out of a sidewalk crack was competing for pedestrian space; and, across the street, a picnic table floated in a sea of dandelions and cigarette butts while in the background a concrete piece of ornamental trim on a building had cracked and fallen leaving raw stone, sand and cement.

We have a unique Capitol, in a magnificent setting, that has been abandoned for lack of funds. Why waste tourism dollars?

The governor has damaged state universities, destroyed the mental health system, exploited her first-Hispanic-female-governor status for personal gain, complained about working state legislators while injuring her knee on the ski slopes and humiliated New Mexicans with her drunken Christmas party revelry. When I elect a governor and legislators, I expect good governance, faithful stewardship and wisdom. Yes, wisdom. New Mexicans have been short-changed for Republican no-tax purity.

Las Cruces

Donald Heinzelman