NEW MEXICO HOUSE DISTRICT 46 (CONT.)
1. How have your prior experience and education prepared you for this position?
I am a native New Mexican and graduate of New Mexico State University. My career in water resources has enabled me to be qualified in the critical issues of water development and uses to sustain and enhance the ability of state to provide education, economic stability and growth that provides opportunities for all New Mexicans to achieve their personal goals and provide for their families. In a beautiful and magnificent climate that includes naturally restricted water resources, all New Mexicans deserve a government that enhances freedom and opportunity while protecting the constitutional rights upon which we are founded. Wise use and conservation of natural resources are critical to the future viability of rewarding lives in New Mexico.
2. What three important issues would you plan to work on?
Child abuse, crime and drug abuse are all critically wrapped in issues of behavioral health. New Mexico can do much better in providing behavioral health services to support its citizens. New Mexico needs to protect small businesses that provide opportunites for retention of high school and college graduates that we have been outsourcing to other states. A significant inhibition to businesses and industries is our severely punishing gross receipts tax system. Our educational system is failing New Mexico massively. More of our financial resources need to reach the classroom and overhead costs must be reduced. New Mexico needs to reestablish a broad range of vacational/technical education in high schools to increase student retention.
3. How can the legislature balance the needs of farmers and ranchers with the priorities of cities and towns?
Watershed improvement is key to balancing needs of agriculture with municipal and industrial uses. Implementing water conservation practices in ag uses is low-hanging fruit for meeting M&I use in the near term if legislation addresses water right issues to facilitate the transfer of water between ag and M&I uses without diminishment of either through implementation of conservation. Funding mechanisms in state government are in place but are poorly utilized to address overall priorities, but may be inadequately funded. Reduction of ag water uses by conservation does not mean reduction of yields of food and fiber, but is an exercise to control unproductive losses. Long term development of desalinization of abundant saline sources is needed.
4. What can be done to support the aging population, i.e., elderly housing, elder care, transportation?
The support services required for the elderly are best met by local governments to prioritize expenditures. State government must not be an inhibition to local needs and priorities, thus state government functions can best meet needs by providing technical guidance and funding based on locally prioritized projects. Technical guidance is an area that is typically neglected. I believe that needs of the population are best addressed from the grass roots up rather than government imposed down. State government needs to focus on enabling local needs and ensuring that no critical need is overlooked.