Roads, jobs, ag are priorities for Taos County Commission District 3 candidates
Candidates for the District 3 Taos County Commission race gathered for a virtual forum Monday (May 12) as primary election day closes in.
Taos Democratic Party chair Darien Fernandez moderated the event, which brought together former commissioner Andrew Chavez, Mark Flores and Darlene Vigil.
Similar to the previous forum for District 4, candidates were asked about bringing Taos County out of the current COVID-19 pandemic situation both socially and economically.
“We’re all impacted differently,” Vigil said about the emergency. “We must be innovative and creative for a better path to prosperity.”
Vigil, like the other candidates, said small businesses must be protected in order to sustain the Taos County economy following the COVID-19 outbreak. The county has seen a number of businesses close or be put on hold due to the state’s health emergency order suspending operations of nonessential businesses. Those restrictions are slowly being lifted by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.
All three candidates also agreed that a more green and agriculturally focused Taos would be a benefit to the community after the pandemic’s economic effects.
Fernandez asked a number of questions concerning issues in the district, which covers the western portion of Taos County as well as Ranchos de Taos.
Chavez said he wanted to ensure that the communities living west of the Río Grande Gorge Bridge were not forgotten in their constituent needs and also said that many of their needs were similar to the communities surrounding
Ranchos de Taos.
When asked about the safety at the bridge, Chavez discussed his work as a former commissioner to maintain safety but also said he was “at a loss” when it comes to improving the safety on the bridge.
“When somebody wants to commit suicide they’re going to find a way,” Chavez said.
Flores, who currently is an elected member of the Taos Municipal Schools board, focused on improving infrastructure as well as job creation in the district and emphasized the need for road repairs in the county.
“When you enter Ranchos, right there, there are major drainage issues,” Flores said when asked about the roads. “The water coming off that hillside washes down gravel and dirt and leads to the breaking up of the asphalt and creates potholes.”
In order to bring in revenue to the district, Flores suggested placing a small tax on alcohol sales such as the mini-bottles that litter the streets of Taos County.
Vigil, a former Taos County assessor, said she would like to bring in opportunities for a diverse job market and address the housing costs in the county. Vigil also said that workforce housing was needed but that it should not be built on agricultural lands.
Early and absentee voting is currently underway for the 2020 primary. With no Republican challengers for the commission race on the ballot, the winner of the June 2 primary race will take the seat on the commission in 2021.