Joseph Maestas
From working on a farm as a kid to serving in government, Joseph Maestas says he has become wellversed with the people of New Mexico. Maestas, 57, has been working in state politics for more than 10 years, four of those as mayor of Española. He also has served as committee chairman of the Albuquerque-based New Mexico Voices for Children.
Question: What sort of activities were you involved in as a teenager, and what sort of trouble did you get into?
Answer: As a kid, I grew up in a very task-oriented environment. We had a family business and a family farm that wasn’t very large. It certainly wasn’t very profit making. So I was busy tending to my animals and taking care of the business and studying hard. I ran cross-country in junior high, and in high school, I ran track and played varsity football. I was a really conscientious kid, but when my parents divorced I … fell in with the wrong crowd. … I got into some trouble and then was scared straight. … Junior year was a major transitional year, and then as a senior, I made the varsity football team. I went from this geeky 10th-grader who was immersed in studies to this scholar and jock.
Question: What are the issues impacting teens in Santa Fe today that you feel the city should address?
Answer: The No. 1 issue facing our youth today is the lack of job opportunities. We need to help our youth be prepared for work and all that it entails. We need to give them opportunities for internships and expand and mobilize mentorships. They want to start being more independent, so put them on a path to independence and empowerment and self-sufficiency. We can work on a job resource center. We have a lot of our youth who live in poverty, and there are so many behavioral symptoms that our youth display and are trying to cope with. Bullying is a big problem, and I think this requires much more awareness within the schools, not just for the victims but the bullies themselves.
Question: What does Santa Fe’s public education system lack, and what can the city do to help?
Answer: If I am elected mayor, I will set aside more money for early childhood education. What I’ll also do is work with and urge the next governor to create a permanent source for funding for early childhood education. … We haven’t fully integrated immigrant children into our schools. We need to do everything we can to make sure all immigrant families can assimilate smoothly. We can’t have any language barriers.
Question: What reponsibility does the mayor have to the city’s youth, even those who are not old enough to vote?
Answer: We were all young once. Because our youth are our future, our next mayor needs to take a very active role in addressing youth issues. For example, if I am elected mayor, I will continue the Youth Advisory Board and make sure that it meets often. I will continue to sponsor the annual Youth Summit and commit to implementing their recommendations.
Question: Many teens in Santa Fe say there isn’t enough for them to do here. Do you agree, and if so, what can be done about it?
Answer: They say an idle mind is a devil’s workshop. We need to have a variety of recreational activities here in the city, and the next mayor should really work on that. I would take a look at what we are doing now — I mean, we do have some programs. It would be nice if we could have a onestop-shop facility: a job resource center, an entertainment center for teens. It could be a safe haven for teens who are living in a very broken environment. That way, more people could congregate there and more friends could meet up.
One thing that I learned as chairman of New Mexico Voices for Children was that the plight of children in New Mexico has widespread impacts. If we don’t address the needs of our children, we will not progress as a state. You may not see the immediate proof of child neglect, but it will manifest itself down the line. When it comes to New Mexico, it’s going to take a village. The proof is there, and the numbers don’t lie. We have a lot of work to do, and we aren’t investing enough.
Harvey Spencer McGuinness is a sophomore at Santa Fe High School. Contact him at harveymcguinness@yahoo.com.