The Taos News

Why I still believe in our mayor

- By Norma Eldredge Norma Eldredge and her husband, Paul, live in Taos.

How disappoint­ing to read the Taos News editorial highlighti­ng Mayor Maestas. I have quite different thoughts and feelings about our young mayor and saddened by the lack of support the Taos News has shown him.

We are filled with gratitude when our young people get involved with community, and they are willing to give the tremendous amount of time, energy and effort and endure the pain that choosing to give can bring.

Mayor Pascual Maestas is a Taos High graduate, has served in the U.S. Navy, is a college graduate, has been a Taos High School teacher, is a husband and father, has served as a town councilor and serves on the school board for Taos Municipal Schools. To us, those personal, profession­al and political experience­s count, and do seem abundant for a young person in his mid-30s.

We question your terms about the mayor being called out. It seemed to us that Councilor Corilia Ortega was merely trying to calm things down. She did not side with anyone. While realizing that some people were purposeful­ly disruptive, with the aim of animosity and division, she wisely spoke up to decrease the heat and contentiou­s atmosphere. The editorial’s use of phrases like “railroad his own list” are not words that describe community adults who wish to help our young mayor learn and grow. Home rule and hopes of people from a wide variety of expertise and skills to serve on the commission have been Mayor Maestas’ goals for several years. I believe he also knows the importance of a group who can work together to make our town better for all people (not just for a few of the wealthy with a stake in the game). Mayor Maestas continues in his commitment to creating a more equitable balance of power.

Mayor Maestas listens to others and cares about all of us, including different ages, genders, background­s, incomes, languages, ethnicitie­s, colors and religions. My husband and I are Taos residents in our 70s, and we have found our mayor to be a vision of hope. We appreciate his intellect, as well as his empathy. He’s trying to get our recycling workable again. He hears us and understand­s that for many of us Taoseños and Taoseñas, expanding the Blue Bus in town on weekends and to get to the airports in Santa Fe and Albuquerqu­e are more important than expanding the airport here. He knows that the “market value” for homes to buy or to rent is painfully hard for many of us year-round residents. He meets with us who are commoners and aged and treats us with dignity and respect.

We have enjoyed and trusted the Taos News for many, many years. Please continue to be on the side of good, truth, honesty, ethics and kindness.

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