OP/ED

Commentary: Rube And New Mexico Residents Should Be Confused By This Bad Bill

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By BILL CHURCH
The Santa Fe New Mexican

The dynamics of a legislative body — especially one trying to find its identity — are similar to the junior year of high school. The 11th grade is cited as critical for social emotional learning, which is a fancy way of describing the art of playing well with others.

There are lawmakers who get noticed for their personal skills, work ethic and public service. Others who are more focused on getting attention. And others who are ignored.

Just like high school.

Who knows which cool-kids clique Rep. Kathleen Cates, a Democrat, wants to hang with at the Roundhouse, Read More

Op-Ed: New Mexico Legislature Should Focus On Current Needs, Not Building Permanent Funds

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By CARTER SWANSON
Policy Analyst
Rio Grande Foundation

More and more New Mexico chooses to stockpile money in permanent funds, rather than spend. The total value of these funds is currently a mind-blowing $58 billion. This means that the New Mexico State Investment Council has one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world (according to the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute).

There are only two states, Texas and Alaska, that have larger funds. It is speculated that in the coming decades, revenue from these permanent funds will surpass revenue from oil and gas.

On its face this sounds like Read More

Salute To Rep. Christine Chandler For Developing And Sponsoring HB11 – Paid Family Medical Leave Act

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By BILL WADT
Los Alamos

We are so fortunate to have Christine Chandler represent us in the NM House. Her combination of compassionate, incisive thinking with extensive legal knowledge and experience as a County Councilor and State Representative makes her an ideal chair of the House Judiciary Committee as they consider legislation to improve public safety. 

Chris looks at the big picture and long-term consequences of legislation. Research has repeatedly shown that investment in early childhood and enabling positive social-emotional relationships between primary caregivers and children Read More

DeVolder: Smith’s And The Old Gray Mare

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BY MARK DEVOLDER
Los Alamos

There was a tune that I grew up with, “The Old Gray Mare” (The old gray mare, she ain’t what she used to be). The same might be said for the Smith’s grocery store in downtown Los Alamos.

The following are some things I have noticed recently or over the past couple of years:

 

  1. There is a depression in the asphalt for a utility feature which is a tripping hazard / shopping cart impediment near the south entrance to the store. The feature has been there since the store / parking lot was constructed. (Note: It might be a good idea to fill the feature with a steel disk of suitable diameter.)
Read More

Solar Is Vital To Decarbonization – So Why Stifle Its Growth?

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By NICHOLAS THOMPSON
Los Alamos

Recently the rule which governs rooftop solar (E-5) was updated. There were two significant changes that drastically impact the value a homeowner or business can get from installing solar. This, in conjunction with arbitrary limits on the amount of solar allowed to be installed, will hamper residential solar deployment in Los Alamos at a time when we need as much clean energy as we can get.

Starting from the basics, solar systems generate energy during the day when it’s sunny. At night, they don’t do anything. But most people use energy throughout the day and night, Read More

State Treasurer: Let’s Put Our Money Where Our Mouth Is!

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By LAURA M. MONTOYA
New Mexico State Treasurer

My journey is similar to many other New Mexicans’ in that it took a lot of hard work, hope, resilience, community, and prayer to keep pushing forward to work towards something better for me and my family.

Dreams were the hope that helped drive the determination to keep pushing forward, but survival was always at the forefront of every decision and job I undertook. Financial struggle, living paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet — a typical New Mexico story. Add limited resources, knowledge and opportunity, and you have an equation for failure or extreme Read More

Op-Ed: Deer And Roads In Los Alamos County

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By LESLIE HANSEN
White Rock

I have read with interest the recent letters about feeding wildlife and its possible unintended consequences. I was the senior investigator on a study of road-crossing behavior of deer in Los Alamos County that was funded by LANL around 2002 and 2003. If you would like to read the final report, it is available here: Life in the Fast Lane: Road Crossing Behavior of Mule Deer in a Wildland-Urban Interface (Technical Report) | OSTI.GOV. We put GPS collars on mule deer and recorded where, when, and how often they crossed roads in and around Los Alamos.

For the four deer we collared Read More

Op-Ed: County-Issued Roll Carts

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By MARIA PEROTTO
Los Alamos

Nuisance or Not

Each property owner as a resident of Los Alamos [town and county] has been required to use a county-issued container, the roll cart, which was instituted to control garbage dispersal and to eliminate physical injuries to collection staff. Garbage generation and collection are a part of everyday aggravation of regular life. Using roll carts is not a nuisance. Using roll carts is a sufficient solution to the town of Los Alamos for reasonable garbage collection. Anyone who has newly moved to Los Alamos has assumed the risk and conditions of roll cart use, Read More

Op-Ed: Why We Need Equitable Disclosure Bill In A Nutshell

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By GEORGE CHANDLER
Assessor
Los Alamos County

        1. The bill aims to bring valuations of non-residential properties up to statutory and equitable standards while minimizing the impact of these increases on property owners.
  2. Having valuations accurate ensures equity in property taxation. The tax rate in each county, municipality, school district, and other taxing governmental unit is determined by dividing the budget requirement by the sum of valuations in the district. The amount of taxes paid by each taxpayer is then the tax rate multiplied by their valuation. You can do the math: If some taxpayers
Read More

Op-Ed: Israel And Charges Of Genocide

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By TERRY HANSEN
Milwaukee, Wisc.

Kudos to Jody Benson for her powerful op-ed in which she declares, “No, I am not antisemitic. I am anti-genocide.”

The human rights organization Amnesty International has issued a nearly 300 page report concluding that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Israel and the United States have both rejected this accusation.

However, Amnesty International is not alone in reaching this determination. Amos Goldberg, a Holocaust and genocide researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has also concluded that Israel’s Read More