Constituents voice their concerns to Barela
December 14, 2009
Rep. Elias Barela hosted five town hall-style meetings with constituents during the past week, hearing concerns ranging from taxes to jobs and frustrations with local government.
The issues were wide-ranging. Each meeting had about 15-20 people listening and asking questions, with the lowest turnout in Los Chavez, where four constituents were present.
On the top of Barela’s mind was the state legislature’s 30-day session that begins in January, particularly the state’s estimated $600-million budget deficit, which he spoke about at the beginning of his town halls.
“Our revenues have gone down,” he said. “If you look at our taxes, they’re mostly a tax on economic output and our economic output has gone down.”
He said he’s in favor of raising taxes to deal with the deficit.
“I’m leaning toward voting for a tax increase on higher incomes,” he said, defining “higher incomes” as above $230,000.
He said there are some tax loopholes, like combined reporting, that should be closed. Some capital outlay can still be eliminated and the governor needs to cut staff, he said.
He also wants to stop double dipping, when a government employee retires and returns to work, collecting both a retirement check and a salary.
“We have people who make $350,000 on both salaries. There’s one at UNM who makes $450,000 from your tax money, with retirement and everything else. Who thinks that’s fair?” Barela said.
One Los Lunas constituent challenged him on his position, saying double dippers are experienced workers.
He said he was adamantly opposed to cutting education funding, noting the only tax he’s voted for in his first three years in office was a gross receipts tax to fund education.
“I think taxes should be very, very, very carefully looked at. If you’re in doubt, you should not increase a tax,” he said. “Liberal or conservative, everyone should operate like that.”
On energy, he said he’s supportive of the oil and gas industry and is in favor of developing nuclear power.
At the same time, he’s concerned about carbon emissions and would like to see more solar and wind power in the state. He supports the development of Signet Solar, a solar manufacturer, in Rancho Cielo west of Los Chavez.
On transportation, Barela said he supports a new interchange at Morris Road, which would alleviate congestion on Main Street in Los Lunas, calling it “smart growth.”
“I think it ought to go at Morris Road, because I don’t think it ought to go through Los Chavez or Tome,” he said.
At times, his town halls deviated into local government and national issues, instead of issues he could address at the state level. That was the tenor of his meeting in Belen, which started with a protester outside of Belen City Hall who held a sign referring to Belen Mayor Ronnie Torres as a “liar.”
Barela, a Democrat, was questioned by conservatives on social issues, including stem cell research, abortion and domestic partnerships, telling conservatives in Los Lunas he’s not always liberal on issues but is instead “kind of all over the map on things.”
For example, he said he’s helped kill stem cell research and abortion-related bills.
“It’s not Republicans that have killed these bills. Let me say that again — it’s Democrats,” he said.
He’s in favor of domestic partnerships, however.
“It has everything to do with people’s civil rights to build an association with whoever they want. It’s not about marriage. It’s not a pro- or anti-marriage bill. It doesn’t give gay couples or lesbian couples the right to marry,” he said.
Barela touted money he’s put into local education, intersection improvements in Los Lunas, and the Valencia County Sheriff’s Department.
“One of the things I’d love to see is for Valencia County to be one of the premier law enforcement agencies in the State of New Mexico,” he said. “I was a military guy. I was a battalion commander. I understand a little bit about building a good, strong force that can deliver for people.”
In terms of legislation, at the recommendation of a constituent, Barela said he’d be willing to consider carrying a bottle bill, which encourages recycling through increasing the amount of money people receive when they return their cans and bottles.
“I like to see the dynamic — people disagreeing on certain issues and agreeing on others. You start seeing the consensus. And you pick up a good idea,” he said, turning to the constituent, “I like that bill.”
Barela picked up another idea for a bill. A constituent recommended having better regulation of contractors’ licenses so that license numbers aren’t as easily stolen or borrowed.
“If you have a licensed contractor lending them your license, you’re basically circumventing state law,” he said.
He said a licensed contractor should be penalized for lending their license to an unlicensed contractor.
He’s also thought about introducing a bill similar to what other states have that would make it easier for a person to defend their home from an intruder, so that you don’t have to retreat from the intruder but can shoot instead.
“Basically these laws say you don’t have to retreat from your home if someone breaks in. You’re able to stand your ground on your home and defend it, including shooting at people,” he said.
He also wants to reintroduce a bill for traditional historic communities, like Los Chavez, which he said would provide unincorporated communities with protections against being “swallowed up” by adjacent municipalities.
One constituent in Los Chavez was concerned about ethics. He said he will continue to work on ethics legislation.
He said the legislature has opened up conference committees — previously closed bill negotiations — to the public. He said anyone can now hear and watch much of the legislature’s proceedings on the internet. He also said the legislature has set a $2,300 cap on campaign contributions.
“I got a $6,000 contribution one time,” he said of a contribution from lawyers, adding, “Now they couldn’t do that, and I think it’s a good thing they can’t do that.”
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