Right now, Sanchez is down in the poll, 63 percent disapproving to 32 percent approving.

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More and more, the issue on the minds of New Mexicans in Valencia County and across the state seems to be the ethical conduct of our elected officials. For good reason: not only is open, transparent government more fair to the people, but it also gets better results.

Since I joined the legislature three years ago, we’ve made a lot of solid progress in this area, but there is still much work to be done. New Mexico remains one of only 10 states in the entire country that has no independent ethics commission where everyday citizens can report ethical violations by their public officials and have them investigated. If we are to make real progress in this area, that’s something that has to change, and that’s why I’ll be introducing a bill this legislative session to create a strong, effective ethics commission.

In the House, we have already passed a bill that would have created a 10-member commission. Written into that bill was a guarantee that the commission would be a neutral, nonpartisan body that could not be used for purely political attacks. That no party could control the board ensures fairness and equity, which are the keys to building a government the public can trust again.

Commission members and staff would be able to investigate confidential complaints that come directly from citizens, they would be able to subpoena records and witnesses and, if they find evidence of wrongdoing or corruption, they would be able to turn the case over to the appropriate law enforcement agencies to take action, providing real accountability beyond the customary slap on the wrist. The ethics commission would have broad jurisdiction over state officials, lobbyists, lobbyists’ employers and government contractors.

If that bill had passed the Senate, it would have done many good things. However, I still do not believe it was as strong as it should have been. Specifically, the bill did not give the commission jurisdiction to hear and investigate ethical complaints at all levels of government that spend state funds, including local governments and school boards. Many school boards spend wisely and well, but some don’t, and if we can prevent the kind of corruption and misuse of funds we’ve seen in the papers over the last year, where millions of taxpayer dollars have disappeared from school district accounts, then it is without question necessary.

When you consider that almost 50 percent of our state’s budget goes to school boards so they can fund K-12 education (almost $3 billion in 2008 alone) and that there is currently no independent oversight whatsoever on how district and state-level administrators account for that taxpayer money once it leaves the legislature, this is too important an area not to have some form of accountability. Alarmingly, school boards are not even subject to New Mexico’s Accountability in Government Act. We’ve seen what this lack of oversight can lead to, and the fraud that often results hurts our students and prevents our incredibly hardworking teachers and staff from doing their important work at the highest level.

For example, consider the damage done to the students of the Jemez Mountain School District last year, where $3.3 million was embezzled by an entrenched employee.

According to a 2009 report by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) that covered West Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Aztec, Bloomfield and Bernalillo school districts, misuse of funds and fraud along these same lines is far too commonplace.

The LFC study reported that in West Las Vegas, only half of the allocated money goes directly to classroom instruction and teachers make up less than 50 percent of the staff. Bloomfield and Aztec put over $300,000 each on credit cards with no oversight, spending money on meals for administrators, catered lunches for staff, and expensive dinners in Santa Fe.

Bloomfield also spent $11,178 on iPods and accessories and put it down in their reports as school administration.

Several school districts spent hundreds of thousands on unnecessary vehicles, and Bernalillo School District even paid a higher than necessary price at an out of state car dealership for two of its new vehicles.

With this is going on across the state, there is no sound reason for ethics reform to leave these local governments and school boards outside the jurisdiction of the ethics commission. We owe it to our hardworking teachers, school employees, students and citizens to act.

That’s why the bill I’ll be introducing creates an independent ethics commission that would provide accountability from top to bottom, and I hope that I can count on your support to help make sure it passes. Together, we can build a consensus around this key reform proposal — a consensus that will give citizens more confidence in their elected officials and give elected officials a reminder that in the end, they truly are accountable to the people they represent.

• Always be aware of your surroundings and trust your instincts.
• Give some thought to what is considered “normal behavior” in a given environment. Example: People do not typically stand around in parking lots. If you notice a suspicious person or activity in a parking lot, return to the store, ask for an escort and/or notify security or store personnel.
• Always be aware of other people around you and make note of their behavior.
• Walk with authority, purpose and awareness.
• Park your vehicle as close to an entrance as possible or park in well lit, active locations.
• Lock all personal items in the trunk or away from view — roll up windows, take the keys and lock the doors.
• Keep all items inside your vehicle away from view. Any thing in full view could potentially be a target of opportunity.
• Have your keys ready when approaching your vehicle and limit the number of items in your hands.
• Get in your vehicle as soon as possible, lock the doors immediately and then get settled. (Note: Continue to be aware of persons in your area and keep your doors locked until you reach your next destination.)
• Remove all visible targets that might make you a victim of a crime — women should never carry a purse in public. Rather, carry only those items necessary for a particular trip. (Example: Driver’s license, medical card, some form of payment, like a debit card and a little bit of money.) Carry these items concealed from view.
• If you choose to carry a defensive device like pepper spray — have proper training.
• Avoid panhandlers when ever possible. Their behavior could be potentially unpredictable. Do not give them cash or offer any kind of substitute, like food or other types of assistance said Deputy Trujillo. In most cases, cash will not be used for what they are suggesting. It will typically be used to support a substance abuse habit. (Note: If you want to assist them, make a donation to one of several service providers available.)
• Clean up immediately after a holiday party. A toddler could rise early and choke on leftover food or come in contact with alcohol or tobacco.
• Remember that your homes you visit may not be childproofed. Keep an eye out for danger spots.
• Keep a list with all of the important phone numbers you or a babysitter are likely to need in case of an emergency. Include the police and fire department, your pediatrician and the national Poison Center helpline, 1-800-222-1222. Laminating the list will prevent it from being torn or damaged by accidental spills.
• Traveling, visiting family members, getting presents, shopping, etc., can all increase your child’s stress levels. Trying to stick to your child’s usual routines, including sleep schedules and timing of naps, can help you and your child enjoy the holidays and reduce stress.

Have a SAFE and happy holiday season!

Best wishes from Sheriff Rene Rivera and the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office!

It looks from here like Mike’s constitutional rights are about to be restored, which I think we would agree, is a good thing.

There remain, what are for me, some troubling legal issues. How can the president of the VC Board, an attorney and presumably, a member of the Bar, ignore The Constitution of The United States, and the Constitution of the State of New Mexico with impunity? How can the VC County Counsel (Commission Counsel?), also an attorney, and presumably a member of the Bar, ignore the same documents, and advise the Commissioners to ignore the same documents, also with impunity?

When I moved to New Mexico a couple of years ago, nobody explained to me that New Mexico is a state where laws are, at least in some cases, completely ignored.

District Court has at least temporarily allowed Wood to again attend county meetings.

We wanted to take a brief moment to explain why we would care to focus any attention the VIA.

Valencia! sees its job as taking a critical look at government in Valencia County, publishing what other publications — needless to name — won’t.

We often choose to first stand on the side of the people, asking questions and gathering information on behalf of the citizens of Valencia County, before we stand on the side of government, merely listening to and conveying the official government position on issues.

That’s not to say the people are never wrong. They are, and when they’re wrong, we’ll say so.

What role does VIA play in our loosely-worded mission statement?

We view the Valley Improvement Association as more than just a nonprofit corporation. It’s a pseudo-government, having the kind of jurisdiction over properties and people lives that every one of Valencia County’s governments has.

For example, take the article on Las Maravillas we recently published. In that story, it’s clear VIA does many of the things that governments do — it provides amenities, or what a government might call services, to members, or what a government might call constituents, after assessments are paid, or what a government might call taxes.

In our best judgment, VIA looks and acts like a government, even though it’s not legally defined that way.

We call it a pseudo-government and we’ll continue to take as critical a look at it as we would any government in Valencia County.

505-476-2210
special.session@state.nm.us

Thanks to our state senator and all representatives that brought forth the Tome Land Grant roadway signs! This was much ahead of today’s news announcement of the federal Scenic Byways funding.

Please put all our land grants — the 95 recognized as well as the 195 unrecognized land grants — on the list for immediate roadsigns. Additionally, we request historical markers for the sights, including forestry areas. Those recognized land grants should most probably have contact address and/or phone number and general rules for public visiting.

During these initial efforts for required land grant history statewide, I am now consulting with various tribal members to include Native American/indigenous history and lands in our proposal of required learning. Do expect such an update soon. Also, please make such changes in the proposal you had been sent (by me) to work with.

Also, I want to thank all who helped with my nephew Ben’s situation; a letter from the governor was sent on his behalf to the institution.

Lastly, the outcome for the Silva family here in Jarales, was very commendable and family/community oriented. Thanks and appreciation to all involved.

It’s intended to curtail the high-intensity dances that popped up several times this summer near Rio Communities.

A ban is fine, if that’s what commissioners choose to do, even though there are better solutions. But let’s do at least one thing — stop referring to them as “rave parties.”

As someone pointed out at a commission meeting a couple of months ago, the purpose of a rave isn’t just for teens to have some fun in a boring county. It’s also to be there in spite of parents who don’t want them to be there.

Add to that a prohibitive law, and it could be more enticing. Youth will take their illicit raves further underground, in spite of the law.

Then add one more thing: the term rave parties.

Saying rave parties is redundant, and to the ears and eyes of young people, reinforces what they’ve always believed: you old folks are out of touch.

Just over a week ago, the commission got an update on the progress, or lack thereof, of the hospital. Bob Davey, the chairman of Valencia Health Commons, the group in charge of the hospital project, said hospital construction is being held up by two things: in part the lawsuit filed by nine plaintiffs that’s now awaiting assignment in the New Mexico Court of Appeals and the fact that the commission hasn’t committed the mill levy money to funding operation of a hospital once it’s built.

The lawsuit will stick with us for a while longer. The court hasn’t assigned it to a panel of judges, and once it is, the process could take another year. But, according to Commission Chairman Pedro Rael and others, there’s nothing the courts have done that’s holding up construction — no injunctions or other court orders.

Which means construction of a hospital might hinge only on whether or not the commission commits the mill levy money to the operation of the hospital. Why is a commitment important? Though it might not happen, one possibility is for Valencia Health Commons to build a hospital only to have the commission deny the mill levy funding for it. Can the commission do that? Probably. Think of it this way: The mill levy was passed for operation of a hospital or emergency facility; it didn’t specify which hospital or emergency facility.

The resolution coming before the commission on Wednesday will seek to commit that money in a way that will move construction forward. At the last commission meeting four commissioners said they support the hospital, we’ll see how they actually vote on the issue this week.

The next question: If the mill levy gets committed, is Valencia Health Commons actually ready to build?

The county’s five primary governments don’t know how best to communicate with their constituents, lawmakers don’t know how to communicate with each other and civic groups don’t know how to communicate with their governments. There’s more interplay among interested parties than that, but those three areas are where most of the failure seems to occur. 

It’s not tone or content or method. It’s simply that there’s little effort to communicate about issues that may have a serious impact on neighborhoods and communities. Sometimes it that there’s no avenue for the communication and other times it’s that the communication isn’t required so it doesn’t happen.

As a news organization, more than anyone else Valencia! is privy to conversations that most people aren’t. We hear about the failure of communication and the impact it has on issues. Here are some examples:

Last night a Valencia! reporter was barred from entering a meeting of the Historic Tome-Adelino Neighborhood Association. The group had a good reason for keeping Valencia! and about five citizens out — they wanted to have a closed meeting so they could strategize their approach to critical issues affecting them. That’s fine, but the meeting was publicly announced in the Valencia County News-Bulletin.

Last week we heard about an ongoing, under-the-surface feud between two local elected officials. These officials keep getting mad at each other and at others because they’re not being involved in several local issues with impact to the areas they represent.

And just this morning Valencia! reported about officials at the Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area who are upset with the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD). The MRGCD didn’t forewarn Whitfield that it would be working on a drainage canal near the conservation area, and now they’re battling over the impact the work is having on wildlife habitat.

The solution is an easy one. Anytime an issue comes up, or an action will be taken, think at least one thing: Who will be impacted? And then take steps to inform them, listen to them and work with them.