Decision 2012 - A Voters Guide

3 Clovis Media Inc.

Decision

2012 Inside

Why vote Romney? Obama? pg 2 Bond C means infrastructure improvements for area schools pg 3 Presidential campaigning hits swing states pg 4 Curry County Commission District 5 preview pg 5 District 3 U.S. representative preview pg 6 District 63 state representative preview pg 7 Quay County Commission District 1 preview pg 7 Curry County treasurer, clerk previews pg 8

Roosevelt County Commission District 1 preview pg 10 District 2 U.S. representative preview pg 11

A voter’s guide to the Nov. 6 general election

Page 2 z Clovis Media Inc.

DECISION 2012

Romney offers new direction for country Political pundits and campaign workers begin each presidential election cycle with the declaration, “This is the most important election of our lifetime.”

This year that happens to be accurate.

We find ourselves in an uncertain foreign environment, overwhelmed by a constantly increasing national debt, with a significant number of our friends and neighbors seeking employment that appears to be unavailable.

The current administration purports to solve this by “leading from behind,” taxing the rich and making draconian cuts to our defense establishment, while blaming George W. Bush for its mistakes.

Obama did not “inherit” this bad economy. He demanded and welcomed the opportunity to be put in charge of this country, as he fought his way through a brutal primary process

and a daunting general election.

Once he achieved the presidency, he announced with all the confidence of one who had never fixed anything that, “If I don’t fix this in three years, you’re looking at a one-term deal.”

Leading from behind has always meant CYA (Cover Your Rear-end) to Rube Render folks who are unfamiliar with the basic Guest columnist concept of leadership.

There are not enough rich people to tax our way out of the debt situation and reducing our Navy to a level not seen since 1916 while cutting trigger pullers in the Army and Marine Corps is feckless at best and criminal at worst.

Mitt Romney believes the greatest ally peace has ever known is a strong America. American weakness and

lack of resolve invites instability and conflict.

Romney offers a new direction for the country with his lifelong record of turning failing situations into successes.

These include the 2002 Winter Olympics, failing businesses, including Staples and Brookstone, and a struggling state, Massachusetts. Romney is the only candidate for president who understands basic economics as well as the overall economy and was kind enough to explain Economics 101 to Obama during their first presidential debate in Denver.

Romney’s five-point plan to return the country to prosperity through creating new jobs remains the only workable solution put forward by any candidate.

His plan includes energy independence, deficit reduction, job training and education, effective trade policy, and support for small business.

The Obama three-point plan continues to be: it’s Bush’s fault; Romney lies

about everything; everything I say is the truth.

Be mindful of the biblical quotation, “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace.”

American strength rests on the pillars of a strong defense, a strong economy, and the strength of our values.

Over the last four years, our country has grown weaker on all three fronts.

Romney will restore American strength by reversing the proposed devastating defense cuts, growing a strong economy and renewing confidence in our basic values.

Obama will reiterate his mistaken belief that it’s George W.’s fault and Romney lies while maintaining his abiding love of the future because that’s where all his accomplishments are.

R.L.“Rube” Render is chairman of the Curry County Republican Party.

Contact him at: rube.render@actsnm.com

Obama: Steady improvement for all Americans There is no instant fix, no magic pill.

It takes years of eating healthy and exercising to take off pounds put on during periods of excess.

We all know this. So, why would reversing the effects of eight years of President Bush’s excess and failed economic policies be any different?

Much like Franklin D. Roosevelt, President Obama took office at a time when Republicans’ lax regulatory policies over the financial industry had us staring in the face of collapse.

The industry needed nearly a trillion dollars in Bush-authorized bailouts to preserve our way of life.

Obama also inherited two unpaidfor wars that further expanded our budget deficit and took the lives of too many children.

We didn’t get in this mess overnight.

At the end of the Clinton Administration, when Bush took office, the federal government was on track to pay off its debt and accumu-

late $2.3 trillion in savings by 2011.

Eight years under Bush created the economic crisis.

Like FDR, Obama walked us back from the brink.

He averted a depression, ended one war and is on the path to ending the other.

Jennifer Burrill He drastically Guest columnist reduced the threat of terror, successfully leading the effort to find and kill Osama bin Laden.

He rescued the auto industry, slowly building the sound footing necessary for a sustained recovery through better, smarter regulation.

He introduced tax breaks to save a dwindling middle class.

And he’s introduced an idea that Gov. Romney and others with extraordinary wealth pay their fair share. For too long, they have taken

advantage of loopholes, deductions and off-shore accounts to amass fortunes on the backs of the middle class.

Obama has not only averted economic crisis, he’s gotten us back on track with $2 trillion in spending cuts.

Discretionary spending is on track to be at its lowest level as a share of the economy since Eisenhower was president.

The recovery is further evidenced by the unemployment rate — 7.8 percent, lower than when Obama took office.

In addition to reversing damage from Bush policies that benefited the wealthy and failed the middle class, Obama has enacted laws providing equal pay for women and basic health care for all Americans.

We are on the road to recovery, and the road to equality.

Obama’s economic and social policies are working for the middle class.

In his America, women, students and people of color are welcomed and represented in the drafting of national policy traditionally dominated by the economic elite.

In Bush’s era, the 400 wealthiest citizens — with the combined wealth equal to that of the bottom 150 million citizens — were those represented in Washington.

With Obama, we all have a voice in national policy.

America prospers when we're all in it together, when hard work pays off and responsibility is rewarded.

It’s not a quick fix. However President Obama has provided us with steady and consistent improvement for all Americans.

Jennifer Burrill is the acting chairman of the Curry County Democratic Party. Contact her at: jenn@nmjusticecenter.com

Distrust runs deep in heart of southeastern NM

BY LESLIE LINTHICUM Albuquerque Journal MAYHILL, MELROSE AND POINTS IN BETWEEN — I headed east from Alamogordo with the loose plan of stopping in very small towns — even rural spots between towns — and asking southeastern New Mexico voters a simple question: “What’s on your mind?”

Early in the morning, it was still cool and shimmering up in the green Peñasco River Valley east of Mayhill, and Adam Romero was selling apples from a fine perch on the side of road. What was on his mind? “I vote according to the Bible,” he told me. “My top issue is Obama, that he’s taken God out of the picture.”

He told me we need a Christian in the White

House. “President Obama isn’t a Christian?” I asked.

“No,” he said. “Obama is a Muslim.” Romero was saved in 1988, and he attends the Narrow Way church in Roswell.

Obama was a member of a United Church of Christ congregation when he lived in Chicago and now worships at the nondenominational Evergreen Chapel at Camp David, as President George W. Bush and his family did.

That’s not enough evidence for Romero, who disagrees with Obama on same-sex marriage and abortion in addition to other social issues.

urbanites. And I knew southeastern New Mexico was one of the state’s more conservative corners. My car radio later in the morning carried a discussion of the importance of “voting Team Jesus.”

My hunch was that people outside the Albuquerque area or some of our smaller cities would have different concerns than

Tom Benedict , a retired rancher in Dexter just next door to Hagerman, had socialism on his mind when I approached him to

That hunch was confirmed when I ran into a woman from Hagerman who, in her late 50s, was going to vote for the first time. She said she would be voting for Obama because of his Affordable Care Act. When I asked her for her name, she refused.

She said she couldn’t possibly let her family and business associates know she was voting for a Democrat.

chat. He is worried that government programs are taking away Americans’ initiative and drive.

“Government’s too big and too powerful and too many people are depending on it for a paycheck,” he said. “If we stay on the track we’re on now, it spells disaster. Socialism hasn’t worked yet. It’s degrading and irresponsible.”

In Melrose, Ben Horry, a 24-year-old welding student at nearby Clovis Community College, told me he’s not too enthusiastic about government in general and Congress in specific.

He voted for Republican John McCain four years ago, and he said he knows he wants Obama gone.

Horry told me he doesn’t like that Obama

opposed Arizona’s immigration law, and he thinks it’s suspect that the president didn’t respond immediately to questions about whether he was born in the United States.

I sat on a front porch in Elida (population 204) with Roberta Crosby Burkstaller, the 91-year-old daughter of famous rodeo cowboy Bob Crosby, and got an earful when I asked her what was on her mind.

She put down the romance novel she was reading and said, “We’d impeach Obama if I had my way.”

“I’m so sick of hearing speeches by President Obama that I could just cry,” she went on. “The young people don’t know anything about history and that he’s a Muslim.”

I told her I believed the president was Christian.

“He just does all that to show the Americans that he wants to be president, that’s all,” she said. “He lies all the time. Don’t listen to him. He acts so sweet on the TV to the young people, but he’s really a communist, honey. He wants to get rid of all of us.”

Get rid of us?

“He wants to cut the initiative away from people so they can’t get jobs. He wants to destroy the middle class ’cause they’re the workers,” she said. “He wants to get rid of all the Anglos and bring all the Muslims over here. He spends all of his time destroying us, doing things that keep us from working.”

Over in Floyd (population 136), in the heart

of farm and ranch country, Nelson Rector had something nice to say about the incumbent president.

“The Obamas are a really, really attractive young couple and they’re really intelligent,” he said. But that doesn’t mean he likes the job the president has done.

Rector, who is 79, a retired rancher and a former member of the school board, said he’s worried about the economy, morality and the nation’s place in the world.

“I used to worry about what might happen to my children and grandchildren,” he said, but now he’s wondering if it will actually be his generation that lives to see the country come undone.

“If you read history,” he told me, “every nation that has rose to real prominence, they have gotten morally corrupt and they have fallen. And it may be about the time that the Lord’s ready to teach us a little.”

A friend of his asked him if a qualified atheist was running for office, would he consider voting for him? Rector’s answer was no. “I think we’re wading in water way over our head if we do something like that.”

This led back to what was becoming the surprising theme of my day, the religious affiliation of our current president. “He’s Muslim,” Rector said. “He claims to be Christian.”

“At least that’s what I hear,” Rector said with a smile. “But I only talk to rednecks.”

Clovis Media Inc. z Page 3

DECISION 2012

Jail administrator supervisor could change

BY ROBIN FORNOFF CMI CONTENT MANAGING EDITOR Management of Curry County’s troubled jail is likely to change again soon after the Nov. 6 elections.

Two incumbent Curry County commissioners and at least one candidate running unopposed — Ben McDaniel — say they favor returning the jail administrator under the direct supervision of County Manager Lance Pyle.

“It’s going to happen,” said Commissioner Robert Sandoval. “It’s just a matter of when it happens.”

The jail administrator now reports directly to commissioners, a change made last February when former Ohio sheriff Gerry Billy was hired to clean up a jail that has become synonymous with the word trouble.

Eight violent inmates escaped in 2008, and the jail has been involved in multiple lawsuits since then.

Sandoval and Commissioner Frank Blackburn are not up for re-election this year and both want Billy back under Pyle’s direction.

“I don’t believe it’s working

well (now),” Blackburn said. “I want the jail administrator to report to Pyle. I believe it will operate more smoothly.”

In the only contested commission race, District 5, Democrat Paul Barnes has made placing Billy under Pyle part of a campaign promise.

Republican Tim Ashley said he would reserve any decision until after being elected.

The change would take only a simple majority vote. It’s clear if the vote were taken today with McDaniel supporting the positions of Sandoval and Blackburn, Pyle would take over supervision of Billy.

But it seems nothing at the jail is ever simple. Commission Chairman Wendell Bostwick, who is also running unopposed, points out such a change could cost the county in cold cash.

“I’ll go with whatever the commissioners want to do,” Bostwick said. “But the commission needs to realize that’s (Billy’s contract) a two-year contract and they would have to pay it off early. I wouldn’t support that.”

Billy’s annual salary is $84,000.

Bostwick also said he doesn’t

CMI file photo The Curry County Adult Detention Center has been plagued with escapes, lawsuits and allegations of mismanagement. believe Pyle supports returning direct supervision of Billy and, thus, the jail back to his office. Bostwick said he prefers allowing Billy another year to get staff training on track and

other problems at the jail fixed.

“At some point, if it was a functional facility that’s where it should be, I could support that (change in management),” Bostwick said. “We’re

in the process of getting it there. Once that happens and Mr. Billy’s contract is over ... most certainly. I’m just not sure that Jan. 1 is the time to do it.”

Officials: Capital improvements much needed

BY CHRISTINA CALLOWAY CMI Sstaff writer A vote for the higher education Bond C would mean costly but needed renovations to the facilities of Eastern New Mexico University, Clovis Community College and other institutions across the state, according to officials.

According to the G.O. Bond for Education Committee, the passing of this bond in the Nov. 6 election will fund about $119 million in projects statewide for colleges and universities.

Bond C would ensure $9 million for ENMU, $800,000 for CCC and $1 million for Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari.

Mesalands will use the $1 million for campus infrastructure improvements including roof repair, replacement of outdated air conditioning and heating systems, and electrical upgrades, said Mesalands president Mildred Lovato.

“We are asking for the support of Quay County residents to vote on G.O. Bond C,” Lovato said.

“These infrastructure improvements for our college are critical to maintain a high standard of education and produce the skilled workforce that is essential in a competitive economy. We sincerely appreciate the time everyone takes to vote on this important bond issue because it will benefit the college and the community.”

Lavato said Bond C is funded with no new taxes, voters would see a positive economic impact

due to the addition of an estimated 1,200 jobs across New Mexico, including in Quay County.

“The state has invested billions in the facilities at universities,” said ENMU President Steven Gamble. “It only makes sense that we put money into the maintenance and repair of those facilities. That’s the purpose of the (general obligation) bond.”

Gamble stressed that this bond will provide these funds with no tax increase required.

“The way we can do this and not raise any taxes is through the GO bond,” Gamble said.

“Eastern has $9 million that it will receive when the bond passes. This will enable us to completely renovate our largest classroom building on campus.

It will help create jobs in Curry and Roosevelt counties and throughout the state.”

According to Gerald Burke, chairman of the G.O. Bond for Education Committee, this bond will replace former Bond B, at the cost of $6 per year per taxpayer based on information given by the state’s Department of Finance and Administration.

“There’s approximately $4 billion dollars worth of buildings,” Burke said. “The G.O. bond is the only source to upgrade those facilities. It’s desperately needed.”

ENMU’s Vice President of Business Affairs Scott Smart said $9 million would go to renovation the Jack Williamson Liberal Arts Building, a building that is heavily used because all

Staff Content Editor Rick White Writers Alisa Boswell Christina Calloway Robin Fornoff Thomas Garcia Kevin Wilson Photographers Tony Bullocks Thomas Garcia Design Rick White Ad design Shawn Luscombe

THOMAS GARCIA: CMI staff photo Mesalands Community College would received $1 million if Bond C passes, which would be used for roof repair, replacement of outdated air conditioning and heating systems and electrical upgrades, according to Mesalands president Mildred Lovato. math and English courses are held there.

Smart said they had renovated other buildings on campus including the science, music and arts and anthropology buildings with former general obligation bonds.

“We’re blessed, the general obligation program is just a wonderful tool for providing funds for campus buildings,” Smart said.

Smart added that the bonds are the school’s only funding stream to fund such projects and it results in keeping lower tuition and fees.

He hopes to prevent a repeat of two years ago when the bond failed in 2010 because this year they may not be so lucky.

In 2010, Smart said they funded their project out of pocket but this year, they do not have the

funding to complete their project.

“If it doesn’t happen, we would simply have to wait until the next bond election,” Smart said.

CCC President Becky Rowley says they need the $800,000 they have on Bond C to renovate the school’s old allied health space where the nursing program used to be.

Rowley said they received a federal grant about two weeks ago for $2.5 million to start up a physical therapy assistant program and revamp other allied health programs.

“We need the space to put it in, to have a nice lab and nice classroom space,” Rowley said.

If Bond C doesn’t pass, Rowley said it would be disappointing.

“We’re going to go ahead with the program but the facilities won’t be as modern for the

students,” she said. “The grant only pays for equipment and personnel.”

She feels providing an upto-date learning environment is important for students.

“Passing this bond really is important for the future of CCC and ENMU and it allows us to remain competitive and give our students a first class environment,” Rowley said. “A good learning environment is critical to success.”

Kimberly Hanna, director of Public Relations at Mesalands, said the bond would provide funding for roof repair and replacements of outdated air conditioning and heating systems.

— Quay County Sun senior reporter Thomas Garcia contributed to this report.

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DECISION 2012

RICHARD GRAULICH: Palm Beach Post Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama shake hands at the end of the last debate last week at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla.

Obama, Romney race across shifting electoral map

BY DAVID LIGHTMAN McClatchy Newspapers

T

he campaign sprint to Election Day began last week, promising to follow a changing path to victory that’s winding through states where President Barack Obama’s once-healthy lead has been shrinking.

With eight days left and the final debate over, 14 states could swing either way, according to polls and analysts.

Obama carried 12 of them in 2008, and the issue most on voters’ minds is the economy, an issue where Republican challenger Mitt Romney has an edge.

A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win, and two of the biggest prizes, Florida and North Carolina and their combined 44 electoral votes, are trending toward Romney. Five others Obama badly needs — Virginia, New Hampshire, Iowa, Colorado and Nevada, with 38 electoral votes — are too close to call.

The president is maintaining his lead in Ohio, which every president since 1964 has won. But his lead for its 18 electoral votes is shrinking.

More troublesome for Obama could be tightening races in states with 56 electoral votes he counted heavily on winning: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and possibly Minnesota. Romney faces that kind of threat only in Arizona and Montana, which have 14 electoral votes.

Obama is still in a good position to win most or even all of these battlegrounds, but at the moment the Romney crowd is more upbeat. Senior Romney adviser Kevin Madden talks about how Pennsylvania is “coming into view,” and how Minnesota is “one we have to watch closely.”

In the Obama camp, senior adviser David Axelrod is almost defiant. “No, no, no,” he said when asked about Minnesota and Pennsylvania.

“Will we win some states by the same margins as last time?

No. But in about every case in those battleground states, you’ll find conflicting polls.”

Axelrod called the final days largely an organizational test.

In Florida, for instance, Obama campaign officials note they have 106 offices throughout the state, up from 58 four years ago.

But Romney — and independent analysts — maintain

that what also matters is an intangible: How do people feel about how things are going?

Can they trust the new guy to do the job?

“You win by creating momentum,” said Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who failed to produce much momentum in the closing weeks of his 2008 Republican presidential campaign.

The biggest trouble sign for Obama is his job approval rating’s struggle to top 50 percent. That signals political danger, said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center in Massachusetts.

The economy is by far the campaign’s biggest issue, and “the economy has not changed significantly,” he said.

The fight between Obama and Romney has become “the economy versus the other issues.”

So as long as the housing market remains dismal in Nevada, blue-collar workers in the Rust Belt remain insecure and middle-class voters in Iowa see their retirement nest eggs stagnant, Romney has a shot.

“The states in play are moving to Romney,” Paleologos said.

A look at the map: z The toughest to predict: Virginia, New Hampshire, Iowa, Colorado and Nevada all fall into this category, and all except Iowa share one characteristic: They’re diverse states full of new voters who are scrambling the traditional political equations.

The influx of white-collar suburbanites into northern Virginia helped Obama win the state in 2008, the first time since 1964 that a Democrat has carried Virginia. In New Hampshire, a similar subur-

ban influx has helped break the Granite State’s Republican lock.

Colorado and Nevada could depend on turnout by Hispanic voters, who polls show prefer Obama overwhelmingly.

In Iowa, the middle class is the group to watch.

“We have low unemployment. And it’s not farms, because Obama has been good for agriculture,” said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. “It has to do with the loss of wealth by the middle class, and that’s not unique to Iowa.” z Slipping away from Obama? Florida and North

Carolina. Privately, Obama supporters bemoan a struggling effort in Florida, though the president held a raucous rally Tuesday in Delray Beach that drew 11,000. Romney has been slowly gaining and was up 1.8 percentage points Tuesday in poll averages reported by RealClearPolitics, a nonpartisan website.

“Florida’s one of those states, it’s like a freight liner, and once it turns — and I think it’s turned — it’s hard to turn back,” Madden said.

North Carolina appears to be heading out of Obama’s reach. The campaign insists it has thousands of volunteers

stumping hard, but Romney averages nearly a 6 percentage point lead in the latest polls. z Ohio: A political world of its own, the state is always an election year puzzle and will be visited frequently by the canddiates because its diverse population largely mirrors America.

Analyst Peter Brown of the Quinnipiac University poll found that though Romney has cut Obama’s 10 percentage point lead last month in half, making up 5 more percentage points in such a short time is difficult. z Big Obama states: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Obama’s Pennsylvania lead in the Quinnipiac poll last week shrunk to 4 percentage points, down from 12 in September, as Romney’s favorability rating was up 5 percentage points.

Adding Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin to the Republican ticket has helped put that state in play, and Romney’s Michigan roots — his father was the state’s governor and his family is still active — gives him a boost. Minnesota remains a long shot — Republicans say they’re making a renewed effort; Democrats scoff. z Big Romney states: Arizona and Montana could swing away from Republicans, at least in part because of tight U.S. Senate races that could draw more Democrats to the polls.

A Rocky Mountain Poll earlier this month in Arizona found Obama and Romney in a statistical tie. The difference, wrote research director Earl de Berge, will depend on who best turns out their voters “and whether the Democrats can hang onto the Latino vote.”

Clovis Media Inc. z Page 5

DECISION 2012

Curry County Commission — District 5

Sample ballot

CURRY COUNTY General election Democrat Paul D. Barnes

Republican Tim Ashley

Topics: Detention center l public trust l priorities transparency l Cannon Air Force Base

BY ROBIN FORNOFF Clovis Media Inc. The only contested race for Curry County commissioner pits Republican Tim Ashley and Democrat Paul Barnes against each other for the District 5 seat.

Both are former county commissioners.

Ashley is a Clovis businessman, owning and operating Clovis Concrete. He is also active in the High Plains Patroits, an independent political organization.

Barnes is a Pleasant Hill farmer, rancher and engineer.

The Clovis News Journal asked each candidate the same five questions. Here are the questions and their answers, some edited for length and clarity: Problems at the detention center are well documented and acknowledged. What short and long-term solutions would you offer to reverse the situation?

ASHLEY: The detention center is a pretty complex issue. There’s a lot of fronts to that battle. Including, first and foremost, the structure itself. We have some issues as far as building design and flaws that probably can’t be addressed immediately.

In the short term you would have to address personnel. I believe we are going to have to do training and retaining.

Retaining comes to wages. I think we’re going to have to look at better wages for detention officers. And (better) training as well.

And then long term, once again we go back to the facility. I would propose looking at a more remote location rather than downtown Clovis. The location presents security issues and also the fact is the facility is landlocked. If you experience a growth in … inmate population, then it’s a major issue to try and expand the facility.

After you come to that point, I suggested going to a regional facility. And there is interest out there. I’ve talked to someone in a neighboring county and I can tell you there is interest.

(Regionalization) makes a whole lot of sense budgetarily. both for construction and operation. Operation, because you are sharing the costs. Construction, because if you can do a joint facility as a regional facility, it looks much more lucrative to the state for state funding.

Ashley also said the jail kitchen — operating under threat of shutdown by the state — needs to be fixed immediately.

BARNES: In the short term, kitchen repairs need to be made as best possible to correct the deficiencies the state has cited and has given the county a reasonable amount of time to correct. This cannot be continually discussed and tabled.

A permanent fix is at least two years away regardless of what is decided.

Although we are several years behind in upgrading and expanding our detention center, most obvious problems have been operations, not the facility. Management should be moved back to the jail administrator and county manager and away from the commission. Managing by commission cannot work. That is not what commissioners are elected to do.

Long term, I believe we must develop a master plan that addresses the old post office, the courthouse, and the detention center instead of always trying to respond to what happens today. With a plan, we can make proactive decisions instead of putting out fires. With input from the community, I believe we can develop such a plan. I do not believe we can afford a bond issue large enough to build a complete new detention facility. I have talked to area counties and there is no interest in a regional facility. We need to utilize property already acquired.

BARNES: Two commissioners have stated that there is a lack of confidence in the present commission, and in talking with many county residents I concur. The county commission must work together, compromise when necessary, without all the petty bickering and prearranged agendas. It is imperative to me that the county must become transparent to begin regaining the trust of the people of Curry County.”

Detention center aside, what is the top priority for the commission for the upcoming term and how do you plan to specifically address it?

ASHLEY: How do you narrow that down to one topic? Creating a business-friendly environment is important to me.

“Infrastructure … we face some important upcoming opportunities, both with expansion at Cannon Air Force Base and Tres Amigas.

There’s gong to be a big demand on infrastructure. And those demands have to be met. We want to encourage investment in our county.

Of course water is a huge concern. And I think it may be a coming of time that I think we may have to look at the possibility of a county water utility. We have citizens outside the city limits now that are out of water. And we have to develop a plan to make water available to those folks.”

BARNES: There are many important issues that need to be addressed. Urban and rural roads are a high priority. Water is going to continue to be a major problem in the area.

Domestic and irrigation wells are going dry in Curry County now. Conservation efforts need to be intensified and additional water sources need to be continually pursued.

Courthouse security and the detention center are my top concerns.

Committee meetings and other important discussions are now conducted behind closed doors. Does that concern you and, if so, how would you work to ensure more transparency?

ASHLEY: I can only point to my own experience during my tenure with the county. All meetings that I was involved with and that I presided over as committee chairman were open to the public. Obviously, I believe in transparency. That’s what I promote.

“If there might be something that has security issues (jail security )… I think there’s reasonable assumptions, that occasionally you might have something that’s not public. I would only advocate that in the most dire circumstances, where you might be talking about security issues.

BARNES: All committee meetings and commission meetings need to be open and run in a manner that is compliant to county policies. I was a member of the detention center and courthouse security citizens committees appointed by the commission. The committees resigned because the commission insisted the meetings be closed. Committee and commission meetings should be open to the public and media. The only exceptions are personnel issues, litigation or purchase or disposal of real estate.

The importance of Cannon Air Force Base to the local economy aside, what specific plans could you suggest for helping diversify Curry County’s economic base? Do you favor blending public and private money as a means to achieve such a goal?

Several incumbents have said publicly they do not believe citizens and voters trust the present county commission. What specifically would you do to earn the public’s trust?

ASHLEY: I believe in supporting the efforts of CIDC (Clovis Industrial Development Corporation) in promoting business into our local economy. Traditionally, the county’s role has always been in supporting and providing infrastructure needs for industrial development.

On the blending fund issues, I have never seen in past experience an example of that.

And, I really can’t imagine the county being part of that. I see the county’s role more as providing infrastructure.

ASHLEY: Well, part of earning the public’s trust, I think, is in my previous record. I think I earned the public’s trust. I think I pushed for transparency, making our meetings more accessible as far as televising meetings and things of that nature.

I also think what’s critical…is that trust has to be earned by providing concise detailed plans. Because I think this trust issue is going back to previous bond issues on this jail. And I did not feel that the plan, at least for the last (bond issue) election, I didn’t feel the concise detailed plan was communicated effectively out to the public.”

BARNES: Encourage industries that do not require large amounts of water. Renewable energy, wind energy and Tres Amigas are going to have a major impact on Curry County. These projects need to be encouraged and promoted.

However, county interests need to be protected as these projects progress. An example would be tax incentives and road construction expenses. The granting of a tax incentive is one way for the county to encourage projects. The antidonation laws within the State of New Mexico do limit the areas in which public entities, such as the county, can participate in the granting of incentives to private companies.

Nov. 6 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. z Information: County clerk's office 763-5591 In the senate, house and county commission district races, only the precincts listed will be voting on these candidates US President (All precincts) z (Democrat) Barack Obama/Joe Biden z (Republican) Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan z (Constitution) Virgil Goode/Jim Clymer z (Libertarian) Gary Johnson/James P. Gray z (NM Independent) Ross C.“Rocky” Anderson/Luis J. Rodriguez z (Green) Jill Stein/Cheri Honkala US Senate z Democrat) Martin T. Heinrich z (Republican) Heather A.Wilson z (Independent American) Jon Ross Barrie z (Write-In) Robert L. (Bob) Anderson US Representative, District 3 (All precincts) z (Democrat) Ben R. Lujan z (Republican) Jefferson L. Byrd Justice of the Supreme Court (All precincts) z (Democrat) Barbara J.Vigil z (Republican) Paul J. Kennedy Justice of the Court of Appeals (All precincts) z (Democrat) M. Monica Zamora z (Republican) J. Miles Hanisee State Senate, District 7 (Precincts 1-5, 10-28, 30, 32-35, 37) z (Republican) John Patrick Woods State Senate, District 27 (Precincts 6-9, 29, 31, 36) z (Republican) Stuart Ingle State Representative, District 63 (Precincts 4-9, 20, 25-26, 28, 30, 36) z (Democrat) George Dodge Jr. z (Republican) Steven R. Hanson State Representative, District 64 (Precincts 3, 10-24, 27, 29, 31-32, 35, 37) z (Republican) Anna M. Crook State Representative, District 67 (Precincts 1-2, 33-34) z (Republican) Dennis J. Roch 9th Judicial District Judge, Division 4 (All precincts) z (Republican) Donna J. Mowrer 9th Judicial District Attorney (All precincts) z (Republican) Matt E. Chandler Public Education Commission, District 9 (All precincts) z (Democrat) Carolyn Kennedy Shearman County Commission, District 2 (Precincts 12-15, 19, 22-23, 32) z (Republican) Ben L. McDaniel County Commission, District 4 (Precincts 4-5, 21, 25-26, 28, 30, 36) z (Democrat) Wendell E. Bostwick County Commission, District 5 (Precincts 1-2, 18, 24, 27, 33-35) z (Democrat) Paul D. Barnes z (Republican) Tim L. Ashley County Clerk (All precincts) z (Democrat) Sherri L. McDaniel z (Republican) Rosalie L. Riley z (Write-In) Stephanie D. Hicks County Treasurer (All precincts) z (Democrat) Rachel Toney z (Republican) Debbie L. Spriggs Election of Non-Partisan Judges Shall Richard C. Bosson be retained as Supreme Court Justice? z Yes z No Shall Roderick T. Kennedy be retained as Supreme Court Justice? z Yes z No

Shall Michael Vigil be retained as Supreme Court Justice? z Yes z No Constitutional Amendments z Amendment 1: Proposing an amendment to Article 6, Section 32 of the Constitution of New Mexico to provide for two additional members to sit on the judicial standards commission, a municipal judge and a public member. z For z Against z Amendment 2: Proposing an amendment to Article 11, Section 1 of the Constitution of New Mexico to increase the qualifications for public regulation commissioners. z For z Against z Amendment 3: Proposing to amend Article 11, Section 2 of the Constitution of New Mexico and to enact a new section of Article 11 to remove authority to charter and regulate corporations from the public regulation commission and provide authority to charter corporations to the secretary of state. z For z Against z Amendment 4: Proposing to amend Article 11 of the Constitution of New Mexico to remove the regulation of insurance companies and others engaged in risk assumption from the public regulation commission and place it under a superintendent of insurance appointed by the insurance nominating committee as provided by law. z For z Against z Amendment 5: Proposing an amendment to Article 6 of the Constitution of New Mexico to add a new section that provides for the organization of an independent public defender department. z For z Against Bond questions z Bond Question A: The 2012 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of senior citizen facility improvement, construction and equipment acquisition bonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed ten million three hundred thirty-five thousand dollars ($10,335,000) to make capital expenditures for certain senior citizen facility improvement, construction and equipment acquisition projects and provide for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of the bonds and the collection of the tax as permitted by law? z For z Against z Bond Question B: The 2012 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of library acquisition and construction bonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed nine million eight hundred thirty thousand dollars ($9,830,000) to make capital expenditures for academic, public school, tribal and public library resource acquisitions and construction and provide for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of the bonds and the collection of the tax as permitted by law? z For z Against Bond Question C: The 2012 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of higher education and special schools capital improvement and acquisition bonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed one hundred twenty million dollars ($120,000,000) to make capital improvements and acquisitions for certain higher education and special schools and provide for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of the bonds and the collection of the tax as permitted by law? z For z Against

Page 6 z Clovis Media Inc.

DECISION 2012

U.S representative — District 3 Democrat

Republican

Ben R. Lujan

Jeff Byrd

TOPICS: Polls l tax credits l energy independence l education l social security jobs l Cannon Air Force Base l veterans health benefits l taxes

BY CHRISTINA CALLOWAY CMI staff writer Democratic incumbent Ben Ray Lujan of Nambe has held several public service positions including serving as chairman of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.

Clovis Media Inc. asked each candidate five questions. Here are their responses, some of which were edited for length and clarity.

A story published in mid-October in the Santa Fe New Mexican said you’re a safe bet for Congress because you are ahead of your challenger in a poll. Have you changed your campaign strategies with that information?

No, we’re running a very aggressive grassroots campaign. That’s what I always have done. Polling info is good for the day that it comes out. You have to run a hard campaign, you have to run an aggressive campaign. My campaign has not changed at all from the notion of knocking on doors and talking to people. I think that a grassroots campaign is hard to defeat if you have a strong group behind you. We have a great group of volunteers going door to door.

You say you support tax credits for small businesses that employ locals.What about out-of-state businesses? Are you concerned they might not locate or expand here because of an unleveled playing field?

As we talk about New Mexico as a whole, we have to make sure we look after small businesses but doing whatever to maintain out-of-state business. I voted to support tax cuts for small businesses. I believe President Barack Obama has signed 18 small business tax cuts into law. The latest tax cut was in 2009. The areas I believe we can grow our local economy is in agriculture and manufacturing. In addition to tax credits, I’m in support of agricultural programs to helping existing producers. With manufacturing, I support tech transfer programs that come out of Los Alamos laboratory, which leads to small business opportunities.

Your campaign says you encourage energy independence. How do your plans for reaching that goal match up with Mitt Romney's plans?

Sadly what we’ve seen from Gov. Romney is when he came to New Mexico to announce his energy plan, he said he was going to support an “all of the above” energy plan. In Iowa, he supported eliminating

the production tax credits. Those are incentives that have led to investments in wind generation. That’s something we have seen in eastern New Mexico. That would hurt programs that farmers and ranchers that have made investments in wind generation on their properties. I support an all of the above energy plan and we could look to New Mexico for those answers. I support legislation to find an answer to support vehicles with natural gas. I’m a co-sponsor of the NATGAS Act and what that does is provide more incentives to power 18wheelers across the U.S. with natural gas liquids. We need to begin to use a domestic energy. I support electricity using more natural gas, a New Mexico resource. I don’t believe in sending billions of dollars to countries that don’t like us. We have abundant wind and sun resources. Those are efforts we can do to eliminate dependence on foreign energy, especially oil.

Other than funding, what legislation would you support that would strengthen New Mexico education and education nationally that will make students globally competitive?

Number one, we need to repeal and eliminate the No Child Left Behind Act which is a failed law signed by former President George Bush. We need to strengthen our support in STEM fields, especially in New Mexico. Unlike my opponent, I support investments in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. He said he wants to eliminate the Department of Education. That would eliminate prekindergarten programs and STEM programs. When we repeal No Child Left Behind, we need to encourage problem solving, critical thinking and entrepreneurship in the classroom. Those are things that should be included not only across New Mexico but across America.

What is one issue that you and your opponent disagree with that you refuse to compromise on and why?

My opponent has been very clear that he wants to privatize Social Security. It was on his website very clearly when he was running for the primary. Can you imagine if Social Security was privatized in 2003 and 2004 when George Bush was trying to convince senior citizens? That would have damaged if not completely wiped it out.

There are better ways to strengthen its solvency and protecting it for generations to come as opposed to my opponent’s positions which will gamble with the future of seniors in the markets.

BY CHRISTINA CALLOWAY CMI staff writer Reublican challenger Jeff Byrd is a Springer native, rancher and engineer.

Clovis Media Inc. asked each candidate five questions. Here are their responses, some of which were edited for length and clarity.

A story published in mid-October in the Santa Fe New Mexican said Lujan is a safe bet for Congress because he was ahead in a poll.

Have you changed your campaign strategies with that information?

The polls are so poorly done; some have a margin of error of like 8.3 percent. The real story should be that a pollster presented that as evidence. They didn’t disclose the amount of Democrats and Republicans, other polls are showing it much closer. With other polls, we could be tied. They don’t want to incur too much costs and so what they do is call local people.

We dismissed the poll because we have seen other polls that have it close. He’s the obvious incumbent in a strong Democrat district.

There are people unsatisfied with his performance across the district.

I’m optimistic. If the Republicans get out to vote we’ll win, and if they don’t we won’t. It’s that simple.

Tell me about your “New Jobs New Mexico” plan. How will it reduce regulations and boost the private sector? How many people would it employ?

The key is to make the people of northern New Mexico free of regulations that will be detrimental to the economy in New Mexico. We see a big difference between the southern and northern half of the state. We are losing jobs at a rate of 0.2 percent quarterly. All the job loss is occurring here (northern New Mexico). We’re losing foresting jobs, agriculture jobs, jobs at Cannon Air Force Base, mining industry, everywhere across northern New Mexico. The key is to get the common sense regulations that will promote job growth while protecting the interests of northern New Mexico.

You say you want to protect our military bases but we’re also bringing troops home. How do you plan to secure funding for Cannon?

We have to make a visible fight, we’ve got to be fighting for jobs in New Mexico. Cannon Air Force Base and the Los Alamos labs have been in our history for years.

(U.S. Senator) Bingaman fought to save and so did Congressman Pearce. I would have an advocate in the legislature with Congressman Pearce. I would be able to align myself with him and get those jobs saved in order to make our labs and bases a priority on the budget.

Recently a CNN report said hundreds of thousands of veterans were having problems accessing their health benefits. What ideas do you have for fixing that problem?

Part of the problem is the budget constraints that are being put on by agreements made last year in the budget process. We have to fight for our veterans.

Representatives are letting us know that the VA hospitals are in a hiring freeze. We can’t even replace what they’re losing.

Anytime your losing doctors, that makes the quality of the care go down. Our current Congressman is silent on all these issues. He’s almost impossible to get ahold of.

We’re lacking someone who is making that visible fight for New Mexico.

What is one issue that you and your opponent disagree with that you refuse to compromise on and why?

He’s in favor of raising taxes despite all empirical evidence that raising taxes does not always increase the budget. The top marginal tax rate should be 33 percent. They’re talking about raising taxes more on millionaires and billionaires. That money wouldn’t fund the government for three months. We don’t have a taxation problem. We have a spending problem. Government needs to show they can be responsible with the money that they get. The fact is, raising taxes lowers revenue.

Sample ballot

ROOSEVELT COUNTY General election Nov. 6 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In the senate, house and county commission district races, only the precincts listed will be voting on these candidates US President z (Democrat) Barack Obama/Joe Biden z (Republican) Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan z Constitution) Virgil Goode/Jim Clymer z (Libertarian) Gary Johnson/James P. Gray z (Green) Jill Stein/Cheri Honkala US Senate z (Democrat) Martin T. Heinrich z (Republican) Heather A.Wilson z (Independent American) Jon Ross Barrie z (Write-In) Robert L. (Bob) Anderson US Representative, District 2 (All precincts) z (Democrat) Evelyn Madrid Erhard z (Republican) Steve Pearce US Representative, District 3 (All precincts) z (Democrat) Ben R. Lujan z (Republican) Jefferson L. Byrd Justice of the Supreme Court (All precincts) z (Democrat) Barbara J.Vigil z (Republican) Paul J. Kennedy Justice of the Court of Appeals (All precincts) z (Democrat) M. Monica Zamora z (Republican) J. Miles Hanisee

State Senate, District 27 (Precincts 1-18) z (Republican) Stuart Ingle

County Treasurer (All precincts) z (Republican) Nancy C. Belcher

State Representative, District 63 (Precincts 1, 6-8) z (Democrat) George Dodge, Jr. z (Republican) Steven R. Hanson

Probate Judge (All precincts) z (Republican) Barbara A. George

State Representative, District 66 (Precincts 3-5, 9-11, 13-16) z (Republican) Bob Wooley State Representative, District 67 (Precincts 2, 12, 18) z (Republican) Dennis J. Roch District Judge, Division 4 (All precincts) z (Republican) Donna J. Mowrer 9th Judicial District Attorney (All precincts) z (Republican) Matt E. Chandler County Commissioner, District 1 (Precincts 1, 7-8, 12) z (Democrat) Jake J. Lopez County Commissioner, District 2 (Precincts 2, 12, 18) z (Republican) Richard Leal z (Independent) Don Sanders P u b li c E d u c a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n , D i s t r ic t 9 (All precincts) z (Democrat) Carolyn Kennedy Shearman County Clerk All precincts z (Republican) Donna J. Carpenter

Election of Non-Partisan Judges Shall Richard C. Bosson be retained as Supreme Court Justice? z Yes z No Shall Roderick T. Kennedy be retained as Supreme Court Justice? z Yes z No Shall Michael Vigil be retained as Supreme Court Justice? z Yes z No Constitutional Amendments z Amendment 1: Proposing an amendment to Article 6, Section 32 of the Constitution of New Mexico to provide for two additional members to sit on the judicial standards commission, a municipal judge and a public member. z For z Against z Amendment 2: Proposing an amendment to Article 11, Section 1 of the Constitution of New Mexico to increase the qualifications for public regulation commissioners. z For z Against

z Amendment 3: Proposing to amend Article 11, Section 2 of the Constitution of New Mexico

and to enact a new section of Article 11 to remove authority to charter and regulate corporations from the public regulation commission and provide authority to charter corporations to the secretary of state. z For z Against z Amendment 4: Proposing to amend Article 11 of the Constitution of New Mexico to remove the regulation of insurance companies and others engaged in risk assumption from the public regulation commission and place it under a superintendent of insurance appointed by the insurance nominating committee as provided by law. z For z Against z Amendment 5: Proposing an amendment to Article 6 of the Constitution of New Mexico to add a new section that provides for the organization of an independent public defender department. z For z Against Bond questions z Bond Question A: The 2012 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of senior citizen facility improvement, construction and equipment acquisition bonds.Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed ten million three hundred thirty-five thousand dollars ($10,335,000) to make capital expenditures for certain senior citizen facility improvement, construction and equipment acquisition projects and provide for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance

of the bonds and the collection of the tax as permitted by law? z For z Against z Bond Question B: The 2012 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of library acquisition and construction bonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed nine million eight hundred thirty thousand dollars ($9,830,000) to make capital expenditures for academic, public school, tribal and public library resource acquisitions and construction and provide for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of the bonds and the collection of the tax as permitted by law? z For z Against Bond Question C: The 2012 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of higher education and special schools capital improvement and acquisition bonds.Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed one hundred twenty million dollars ($120,000,000) to make capital improvements and acquisitions for certain higher education and special schools and provide for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of the bonds and the collection of the tax as permitted by law? z For z Against

Clovis Media Inc. z Page 7

DECISION 2012

State representative — District 63 Democrat George Dodge Jr.

Republican Steve Hanson

TOPICS: Priorities l voting record l Green jobs l ethics l equal representation lAttracting business l Campaign strategy l regulation l tax reform l guest workers l education

BY CHRISTINA CALLOWAY CMI staff writer

really large portion of our economy and provide a better life for our constituents. The bill is a way for us to train our people.

Democratic incumbent George Dodge Jr. is a former Santa Rosa educator, business owner and a U.S. Navy veteran.

Clovis Media Inc. asked each candidate six questions. Some answers were edited for length and clarity.

Tell me about your support for a proposed Independent Ethics Commission?

Why is that needed in New Mexico government?

I’m of the opinion that all of our legislators and elected officials should be held to a higher standard than anyone else. We’re entrusted with public funds and making laws that affect generations that come after us. We should do it with the highest moral and ethical standards possible. I’m committed to revoking the pensions of politicians convicted of corruption and I’m also in favor of creating an independent commission to investigate corruption.

As a former educator,where would education fall in the top five issues New Mexico should invest in? What are the other issues and why did you place education where you did?

Education is number one.

2. Job creation 3. Getting rid of political corruption 4. Working to get the middle class back to work 5. Giving incentives for businesses to relocate here.

I've been an educator for many years.

Education is the basic building block off of our students to have a good life, get better jobs and raise a family. As an educator, I’ve seen first-hand how important it is to get an education. Our kids should focus on our core subjects and make sure that they’re ready to go on to college or vocational school, whichever one they choose, and they’re prepared for it.

If elected,how do you plan to serve the counties you represent equally?

At this point and time, I spend a lot of time in all the counties. I live in Guadalupe County, but I spend a lot of time with county officials and county commissioners of Curry County and Roosevelt County. I spend a lot of time with commissioners and the city leaders in Clovis and Portales during the legislative session and interim. I talk to them on a regular basis, keeping them up-to-date and answering any questions they may have on state matters and state issues.

You say you will work to provide tax credits to NM businesses that create new jobs but your opponent said your voting record proves otherwise.What legislation have you authored or supported to do so?

I have not authored any legislation but I have supported several bills. I have supported several bills to make sure our businesses aren’t overtaxed. I voted for a tax credit for veteran-owned businesses that provide jobs. It's a tax credit for business that hires veterans and that’s the one that comes to mind right off the bat.

You say you’ll require out-of-state companies to pay the same tax rates as local firms.Are they paying a different rate now? How do you plan to attract new business while leveling the playing field?

It depends, some large corporations are paying less tax here in the state of New Mexico than a lot of our businesses are and I just want to make sure everyone is on a level playing field as far as taxation is concerned. I would like to see incentives from our state to these businesses providing job training. I was a co-sponsor of the Tres Amigas bill that brought all these jobs and we did in fact provide incentives for Tres Amigas to bring all these jobs that they said they were going to bring in.

How will you strengthen the 2009 green jobs bill?

The green jobs bill will ensure that we have a way to hire and train a local workforce that understands our local economy. Wind energy will become a

BY CHRISTINA CALLOWAY CMI staff writer

If elected, how do you plan to serve the counties you represent equally?

By looking at the district as a whole and not each individual county and prioritizing projects by level of importance. On a county-by-county basis, constituents determine what projects are necessary and determine the level of importance from the most to least.

Republican challenger Steve Hanson is a dairyman who has sat on multiple dairy boards.

Clovis Media Inc. asked each candidate six questions. Some answers were edited for length and clarity.

Knowing that your opponent is the incumbent, what campaign strategies have you used to win voters who may solely vote for him because they know his name?

Trying to overwhelm them with name recognition, signs, flyers and mailers. I also am out there talking to people. I spoke at half a dozen dinners and community meetings.

In regards to immigrants working in eastern New Mexico, tell me about your plans to streamline New Mexico’s “guest worker program.” How would your proposed guest worker cards work?

We need to reform the process that is currently being used and streamline it allowing it to not be so burdensome. Currently, it’s takes nearly two years to get a work Visa, that they just take a chance to running across the border. The guest worker program allows them to come over here as a registered worker. We know who they are, we know their background instead of them sneaking across the border and knowing nothing about them.

You say you’re for less government control in our homes and businesses. What should government pay for/regulate?

They should pay for our protection and our infrastructure including roads, railroads and highways.

They should oversee safety issues. They should regulate building codes, making sure things are built up to code and inspecting codes. They should also regulate education.

You say children should be able to read by the third grade. You also reject social promotion. For students not reaching the standards to pass, what do you suggest to get them on grade level?

We have all kinds of remedial programs, individual programs that are available at these younger ages. If we concentrate that onto the younger grade children, we won’t need to focus it on the latter grades. Focus more of those funds towards tutoring at the earlier age and need less at the latter.

You say there needs to be a tax reform in New Mexico.

Describe what that should be and how it will benefit New Mexico taxpayers.

They need to simplify the tax code at the state and federal level for private individuals. We’re taxed on multiple levels. For example, instead of being taxed at every phase of manufacturing a product, we need to be taxed on the finish product.

Quay County Commission — District 1 Democrat

Independent

Sue Dowell

Wendell Smith

TOPICS: Detention center l Infrastructure agriculture l renewable energy

BY THOMAS GARCIA CMI staff writer Sue Dowell, Democrat, and Wendell Smith, Independent, are seeking votes Nov. 6 in the race for Quay County's District 1 commission seat.

Dowell and Smith were both asked to answer the following questions on topics which may come before them if elected as commissioner.

What are your thoughts on the Quay County Detention Center? Is there need or room for improvements?

DOWELL: There's always room for improvement in any area. As far as the detention center is concerned, I think corrections throughout New Mexico and the nation have many issues from funding to personnel to rehabilitation.

I think we need more programs and opportunities to keep citizens from doing things to be sent there. I think we could brainstorm with those in the community who are knowledgeable regarding detention center issues to find ways to improve. I do believe any detention program must contain

humane treatment, opportunity for rehabilitation, training and we must hire the best personnel to work with those incarcerated.

SMITH: I think there is room for improvements. There is a strong need for corrections and rehabilitation.

What is your thought on the need for funding to improve and maintain county infrastructure?; County roads?

DOWELL: Funds to maintain infrastructure are very important. Many people have complained to me about roads. We need to listen to the citizens and see their road problems. We need the best plan to repair or replace roads. I realize this is limited by money but we must ensure we use available money in the most constructive way. I think the task is to use the money available and do the best job possible and continue to search for grants or matching funds for infrastructure.

SMITH: We need to find more money to benefit county roads. That

search should include looking to state and federal governments for assistance.

issues and do the best job we can with the money available. Other than that, all we can do is pray for rain.

How can the commission better assist those residents involved in agriculture who have been affected by the drought and economy?

What are your thoughts on the investment into the development of renewable energy industries in Quay County?

DOWELL: Farmers and ranchers have had to sell animals and that will affect the tax base in Quay County.

Quay County has to address that shortfall in some way other than burdening residents with more taxes.

Water is a major issue. Those who use the Arch Hurley Conservancy District have not been allocated any water for two years and had limited allocation years prior. Yet, this last year our water assessment owed was increased. The commission should voice to state and federal government that we need to secure programs to aid agriculture in eastern New Mexico.

SMITH: I don't know how the commission can help them, including myself. We can try to find some state or federal money to help with feed

DOWELL: Renewable energy is important to Quay County as well as nationally. I have limited knowledge of what all it entails to draw renewable energy outlets and sources to Quay County, but I think it is certainly a potential we have here and should pursue.

SMITH: I'm in support of geothermal development, though I am a little hesitant towards the wind energy field. I know that transmission lines are a major factor that have not been addressed fully. Once the state and federal governments address the issue of storage and transmission, I think it would be beneficial to further explore those options.

Page 8 z Clovis Media Inc.

DECISION 2012

Curry County clerk Democrat

Republican

Write-in

Rose Riley

Sherri McDaniel

Stephanie Hicks

TOPICS: Seeking office l Improvements l streamlining services l experience There are three candidates for the open county clerk position in the Nov. 6 general election.

The candidates are Republicans Rose Riley, write-in candidate and Stephanie Hicks and Democrat Sherri McDaniel.

Riley is the owner and operator of Katie’s Flowerland. Hicks is an elections coordinator in the county clerk’s office. McDaniel is an assistant librarian at Clovis High School.

Candidates were asked the same questions.

Why did you decide to run?

HICKS: To keep the experience in our office. I think the leadership should have experience, and the other candidates do not have any.

MCDANIEL: My mother-in-law had ran four years ago. She didn’t win. I thought I would try.

RILEY: I’ve been involved in politics for about 15 years in the city and county. I’ve done a lot of volunteer work. I believe in this community, and this is my chance to serve on a professional level.

What’s something the clerk’s office has done well, in your estimation?

HICKS: We have conducted efficient elections, and we are keeping up with (information technology) progress within the budgets.

MCDANIEL: I think they’re doing a pretty good job with the way they’re doing things right now. I just know Coni Jo’s retiring and it would be a good time to get some new blood in there.

RILEY: I think they’ve done it pretty well. But I once said without change, nothing happens. I think insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result. Nobody likes change, but we’ve got to have some change.

It’s been a leapfrog situation over there, where one’s chief deputy and one’s clerk. There’s

nobody new. The taxpayers deserve modern change. They deserve modern technology. They deserve friendly faces and friendly service.

I don’t lie awake at night scheming and plotting against people. There’s been no task in my life I haven’t been successful at and exceeding in.

I’m a sucker for challenge and I’m a workaholic.

I’ve always been interested in this county.

I think there’s so much I have to offer this county. I’ve worked well with both mayors, I’ve worked well with the commissioners and I plan to continue my service work.

What does it need to do better?

HICKS: We do need to get our records online, all of them. That would be, of course, after the redaction process (where you eliminate private information like Social Security numbers). It’s a significant process.

MCDANIEL: I would like to see a little more public access. I don’t think many people know exactly what the county clerk’s office does.

RILEY: A lot. For example, do you vote? Do you know your district? A lot of people don’t. A lot of people didn’t know with districts realigned. For example, my father-in-law was elderly and he went to the wrong district (on an election day).

When you have a district change, we need to be able to have information where if I live at this street, I can look it up and find out I vote as such and such. If you can look up your bank account online, you should be able to look up your voting information.

You can talk about experience all day long. I’m experienced in many, many things. I have a broad, vast experience in insurance. I have media relations experience. I have all kinds of retail experience.

Am I human? Yes. Do I make mistakes? Yes. But when I do, I’m a big girl and I admit it.

Is there any one service the clerk’s office provides that you’d like to streamline? If so, what is it and how do you want to streamline it?

HICKS: That would be our online records.

MCDANIEL: I’m not sure right now. If I am elected, you get in there and see how things run. You may be able to do some tweaking then.

RILEY: I would like to streamline voter information. I would like to streamline documents you need that don’t require a fee. If the state would allow us, the introduction for being able to pay some of those county fees online. If you can pay your water bill, your gas bill or any bill in America online, you should be able to pay those fees online.

Your rights could still be protected. I think there are certain things that should remain private. But the technology’s out there and we need to apply it.

What specific experience do you have that will improve the way the clerk’s office will be run?

HICKS: I have nine years experience in the office, and 14 years prior to that on election day as an election judge. I have training in all of the jobs of the office. I think that’s a great asset for a candidate in a leadership role.

MCDANIEL: I’ve worked in and with the public for many years. My mother was a probate judge in De Baca County for 12 years. Growing up, I watched her and saw how things were done. I believe I would be able to perform the duties of the office.

RILEY: I’m a great leader, I’m a great communicator, and I’m the kind of woman who always wants to know why. Why do we do it this way?

How many clubs have you joined in your life that said we always do it this way? Sometimes there are easier ways. I don’t want to dress like I (would have) in 1800 or 1900. I want to dress like I’m in 2012.

I don’t want to drive the same car. I don’t think our office should be driven the same way.

Curry County treasurer Democrat Rachel Toney

Republican Debbie Srpiggs

TOPICS: Duties l skill set l public access

BY ROBIN FORNOFF CMI staff writer Republican Debbie Spriggs and Democrat Rachel Toney are seeking to become Curry County’s next treasurer in the Nov. 6 election.

Both have extensive experience.

Spriggs, an 11 1/2-year treasurer’s employee, is the chief deputy and has served as acting treasurer since April 30, when Bernice Baker retired.

Toney worked 12 years in the treasurer’s office, the last eight as chief deputy.

The Clovis News Journal asked each candidate to respond to three questions dealing with key issues in the race. Here are the questions and their answers: What do you see as the primary functions of the treasurer’s office and what do you plan to do to make it more productive, efficient and open to the public?

SPRIGGS: We collect and distribute property tax. We assist customers, mortgage companies and tax service companies with friendly and accurate information regarding property tax questions.

We are responsible for balancing and reconciliation of all bank accounts, investment accounts and provide timely reports to the county manager and county commissioners.

We safeguard the county funds and insure the highest rate of return on investments. We keep accurate records of all monies received and disbursed and balance to the penny every night. All department funds are deposited into this office and we maintain back up documents for inspection.

We are saving the county money by working with mortgage companies and tax services by sending tax bills to them electronically.

I plan to encourage the further education of my employees by having them attend New

Mexico State University county college programs with a focus on the classes pertaining to the treasurers certificate. We would also start a cross training program in the office.

As a convenience to the county residents, our office is open 8 to 5 weekdays with staff available through the lunch hour. We currently send information requests via email or fax.

We have recently added the convenience of on line or payments by phone using a debit or credit card.

the New Mexico Treasurer’s Affiliate, which gives me a close working relationship with other county treasurers. I have three certificates from the NMSU county college, which includes a certified treasurers certificate. This certificate gives a broad overview of duties and responsibility of a county treasurer.

I have a good working relationship with the customers and county offices …. I will work for all of the county residents.”

TONEY: Keep account of all monies received and disbursed, including property taxes.

Supervise the deposit, safekeeping and investment of all county funds. In charge of compiling the budget. The treasurer must prepare a financial statement on a monthly basis.

I plan to implement a more accurate check and balance system in order to avoid misappropriation.

I will work with the board of county commissioners regarding the possibility of more local investments.

I am familiar with the property tax code and will assist all taxpayers with tax related issues. I will work diligently to collect delinquent taxes.

TONEY: I have 12 years experience in the treasurers office, eight of those years I served as chief deputy. I have over six years experience as administrator for (New Mexico) Juvenile Probation and Parole (department) for the Clovis, Portales and Tucumcari offices. My responsibilities included overseeing the budget for all three offices.

With over 18 years of directly related experience with government budgets, I will be effective starting day one. I will continue my mindset of responsibility and ethical accounting of taxpayer money.

I am fluent reading and writing in Spanish. I will be available to all Curry County residents. I will encourage face-to-face communication.

What particular assets do you bring and how does that translate into making the treasurer’s office better?

How do you feel about making the treasurer’s office and records more accessible to the public via online or digital record availability?

SPRIGGS: I have 11 1⁄2 years of current experience. I have hands on training serving as the chief deputy for 3 1⁄2 years, and the past five months as the interim county treasurer. I am familiar with the data processing system. I am also up to date with the rules and regulations set by the state of New Mexico in regards to property tax collection.

I have a working relationship with the county auditors and provide the documentation needed for the yearly audits. I am an active member of

SPRIGGS: I feel we need to embrace the changes in technology and position our office for the changing information environment. I will work with the Curry County technology department and the data programmers to try to find a way to make the information available to the public as well as being financially responsible.

TONEY: Absolutely, I believe we should accommodate taxpayers in any manner that is feasible and safeguarded.

Clovis Media Inc. z Page 9

DECISION 2012

U.S. Senate Democrat

Republican

Martin Heinrich

Heather Wilson

TOPICS: Local issues l Ute pipeline l campaigning l Fiscal responsibility l Economy l Social Security/Medicare l military/foreign policy l environment

BY KEVIN WILSON CMI staff writer Heather Wilson, a Republican, is running against Martin Heinrich , a Democrat, for the Senate seat vacated by Jeff Bingaman’s retirement.

Wilson served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1998 to 2009, representing New Mexico's First congressional district.

Wilson, the first female military veteran elected to a full term in Congress, gave up her seat in 2008 in an unsuccessful bid for the Senate seat left vacant by Pete Domenici’s retirement.

Heinrich is the District 1 U.S. representative.

Emails and phone calls to Heinrich were not returned.

His responsses were from four key issues listed on his campaign website.

HEATHER WILSON You’ve never had eastern New Mexico in your representation area,but you have done some work in the area, including participation in agriculture town halls and your involvement in the fight to keep Cannon Air Force Base running.

Given your experiences here,what’s the top concern for eastern New Mexico that isn’t the same concern elsewhere in the state?

It’s all about jobs and the economy. In every community, it’s different as to what the issues are.

BRAC will be coming up again, maybe not this year, but (it will come). I think Cannon Air Force Base is now in pretty good shape. We’ve got a good, strong mission.

We’ve got to keep the base in good shape.

The second thing with respect to jobs affects all so it’s taxes and energy costs. In New Mexico, energy costs mean agricultural costs. How much does it cost to make food? Energy costs are a big part of what drives our ecomnomy Congressman Heinrich has voted multiple times for things that drive energy costs up, including cap and trade.

Gridlock is obvious in the Senate, with a record number of cloture votes this session. How would you try to make the process more bipartisan?

I will fight passionately for the things I believe in, but I am not afirad of bipartisan compromise on major issues.

I think the president made a mistake, for example, in shoving the healtchcare bill (through without Republican support). They made terrible mistakes, and people don’t like it. You’re often better off if you build a better consensus.

In the last three congressional elections, we’ve had the retirements of a pair of senators that had more than 65 combined years of service in the Senate and high-ranking positions on the Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee. How do you fill the role with important matters for New Mexico, most notably the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System?

Obviously, I’ve got experience in a broad cross-sec-

tion of things. I’ve served the Congress on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. I’ve run a successful business. I helped work on child welfare laws (with the state’s Children, Youth and Families Department).

I’ve got a cross-section of experience to let me step into (such matters) immediately.

You ran for Senate before in 2008 when Pete Domenici retired, and were defeated in the primary

by Steve Pearce.What did you learn from the experience?

The importance of starting early and building strong grassroots organization.

Sen. Biganaman announced his retirement in Feb.ruary 2010. It’s taken time to build a strong grassroots network. By the time the primary came around, I had a strong network.

I’ve been to every county twice; I’ve been to Curry County five times. It takes time to meet people, listen to people and learn from them.

You’ve been campaigning on responsible government, and running a campaign to “fight every day to make government live within its means.” But when you were in the House, and Republicans controlled the White House, you voted for plenty of items that weren’t deficit neutral.You voted for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.You voted for Medicare Part D.You voted for TARP.You supported every round of President Bush’s tax cuts, and you voted five times to increase the debt limit.

What can you offer voters to convince them you’d be any different in the Senate?

Let’s rewind that for just a second and unpack it here.

When I went to congress, we had a balanced budget in 1998, 1999, 2000 and the first part of 2001. We had just paid off $400 billion.

Even though we had gone into debt (during other military conflicts), the debt to the size of the economy had stayed relaitvely stable. In 2004, we passed a budget that would have gotten us back to balance by 2013. It started getting us back towards balance.

In 2007 and 2008, that started to change. Spending levels started to go up in the last four years, and by the way, I voted against the budget in 2007 and 2008.

The 18 months after the tax relief bill, we created 4.4 million jobs in 18 months and the projected deficit went down by $102 billion.

(Rep. Heinrich) inherited a lot of these problems, and he made them worse.

The key is, how do we get back to strong economic growth? There are two main things. We need to control the growth of government. We need policies for strong economic growth. A third thing is there has to be a reform of some major programs on autopilot.

We can turn this thing around. It’s not going to be easy. It’s not going to be pretty. Another thing we need to worry about are these across the board defense cuts.

There’s no state that will be hurt worse under this sequestration. Congressman Pearce didn’t vote for them. Congressman Lujan didn’t vote for them.

Congressman Heinrich did.

MARTIN HEINRICH ECONOMY AND JOBS: Heinrich “believes that for America to be successful, we need trade and tax policies that put the US and every other country on a level playing field. Right now, countries like China have a huge advantage because of their low wages and terrible working conditions.

(Heinrich) has fought bad trade deals that send our jobs overseas and has worked to close tax loopholes for U.S. companies that outsource American jobs.”

SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE: Heinrich “ has fought efforts to privatize Medicare, which would leave seniors to fend for themselves against big insurance companies. And he voted against H.J.Res.2, which would have slashed Social Security by almost 20 percent by the year 2021.”

Veterans: Heinrich “has made it a priority to ensure that our veterans have access to state-ofthe-art health care through the Veterans Administration and the best educational opportunities through the GI Bill. The very first piece of legislation he wrote after coming to Congress in January 2009 was a bill to make it easier for our veterans to communicate with the Veterans Administration. And he's supported legislation to provide groundbreaking treatment options for Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.”

MILITARY AND FOREIGN POLICY: Heinrich “stridently opposed our war in Iraq. Ending that war was a top priority for him when he came to Congress in January 2009. He is now doing all he can to speed up the end of combat operations in Afghanistan, for he believes that it is time to bring all of our brave men and women home to their families.

“As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, (Heinrich) has played a critical role in decisions affecting Kirtland Air Force Base and Sandia National Laboratories. He passed legislation to ensure the 150th Fighter Wing at Kirtland, commonly referred to as the “Tacos,” was given a follow-on mission. This single act saved hundreds of jobs. (Heinrich) also has been recognized as a leader in ensuring that our national laboratories receive the resources they need to carry out their national security missions.”

THE ENVIRONMENT: “ In Congress (Heinrich) introduced the Clean Energy Promotion Act, bipartisan legislation to promote renewable energy projects on public lands. (Heinrich) was a strong supporter of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act that helps preserve New Mexico’s natural resources and specifically ensures access to public lands for hunters and anglers. (Heinrich) also voted for the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.”

Double-talking politicians date back to 1800

BY DAVID L. ULIN Los Angeles Times Two hundred years before the contested election of 2000, another contested election pitted a sitting vice president against a president running for a second term, for the only time in U.S. history. I’m talking, of course, about Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.

One of the ironies of that election, though, is that when it was finally resolved in the House of Representatives, the decision was between Jefferson and Aaron Burr.

That’s because, in the early days of the republic, presidential voting involved double balloting, in which members of the Electoral College selected two candidates; as a result, Jefferson and Burr, who was running to be vice president, ended up with the same number of electoral votes. After the election, the 12th Amendment did away with double balloting, and only one campaign, that of 1824, has subsequently been settled in the House.

Burr is a key figure in Pepperdine University professor Edward J. Larson’s “A Magnificent Catastrophe: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, American’s First Presidential

Campaign,” a 2007 book that posits 1800 as the flash point from which modern presidential politics begins. It’s a compelling argument, not least for how it traces the rise of political parties — in this case, the Federalists, representing Adams, and Jefferson’s Republicans, a precursor of today’s Democrats — with all the divisiveness and backbiting we’ve come to know.

“Citizens choose your sides,” a New York Federalist newspaper declared in the spring of 1800. “You who are for French notions of government; for the tempestuous sea of anarchy and misrule; for arming the poor against the rich; for fraternizing with the foes of God and man; go to the left and support the leaders, or the dupes, of the anti-federal junto. But you that are sober, industrious, thriving, and happy, give your votes for those men who mean to preserve the union of the states, the purity and vigor of our excellent Constitution, the sacred majesty of the laws, and the holy ordinances of religion.”

If such rhetoric sounds familiar, that’s one of the unexpected pleasures of “A Magnificent Catastrophe.” But

there are other, equally compelling parallels. As Larson makes clear, even in 1800, political geography was an essential issue, with swing states (although they weren’t yet called that) such as New York, New Jersey and (yes) Pennsylvania in play.

The situation was so volatile that Pennsylvania Sen. James Ross proposed legislation to investigate “the admissibility or inadmissibility of the votes given by the electors for President and Vice President” by “authorize(ing) a partisan committee, meeting in secret, to nullify any number of electoral votes and thereby to swing the election as it chose.”

Larson elaborates: “Publicly, the bill’s sponsors claimed that it would simply provide a procedure for weeding out invalid electoral votes, such as those cast either by electors never ‘properly appointed’ or for an ineligible presidential candidate. Privately, they acknowledged that it targeted a particular threat posed by Pennsylvania.”

Although the legislation did not pass, it’s impossible to read about it without recalling Pennsylvania state House Republican leader Mike Turzai, who declared last August,

“Voter ID, which is going to allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania, done” — an echoed voter suppression effort that also failed when Judge Robert Simpson blocked Pennsylvania’s voter ID law this month.

Still, of all the commonalities between 1800 and contemporary politics, none may be as resonant as those provoked by Burr. He was a thoroughly recognizable politician: pragmatic, willing to do anything in the pursuit of power.

Long a figure of both literary and historic interest — think of Gore Vidal’s 1973 novel “Burr” or H.W. Brands’ “The Heartbreak of Aaron Burr,” published this year — he’s remembered now as a dark prince of the republic: the adventurer acquitted of treason, the vice president who killed his longtime rival Alexander Hamilton in a duel.

But the Burr portrayed by Larson is a whip-smart manipulator of public opinion, responsible for delivering New York to Jefferson. In an April 1800 state election, he and the Republicans out-organized Hamilton and the Federalists, engaging in the kind of doorto-door, get-out-the-vote effort that has long since become a

political commonplace.

Not only that, he was not shy about expressing his ambitions in an age when most candidates, Jefferson and Adams among them, pretended to be above the fray. As a result, Larson writes, “few politicians fully trusted Burr and many actively disliked him — but no one doubted his influence over local politics in New York City, which then dominated that of its state.”

In the end, Burr was not to be trusted, as the election would show. Tied with Jefferson in the electoral vote count, he played both ends against the middle, publicly pledging his support to the party’s presidential candidate while privately giving the impression that “if elected President, he would serve.”

And yet, if this offers another example of his political mutability — “He took ideologically inconsistent stands on various issues,” Larson tells us, “and even courted Federalist support for a possible run ... (for) governor in 1792” — it also suggests just how ahead of his time he truly was. Burr’s politics, after all, are our politics, the politics of expedience, of saying anything to get a vote.

Page 10 z Clovis Media Inc.

DECISION 2012

Roosevelt County Commission — District 2

Sample ballot

QUAY COUNTY G eneral elec tion

Write-in

Republican

Don Sanders

Richard Leal

No v . 6 7 a.m . to 7 p.m .

TOPICS: County issues l budget l jurisdiction

BY ALISA BOSWELL CMI staff writer The only contested race for Roosevelt County commissioner pits Republican Richard “Rick” Leal and write-in candidate Don Sanders against each other for the seat in District 2.

Sanders has been in the farming industry in Roosevelt County for more than 30 years and currently owns Eastern Equipment and Supply in Portales.

Leal worked previously in road construction and has owned and operated Ray’s Lube in Portales for 18 years.

Clovis Media Inc. asked both candidates the same four questions. Some answers are edited for length and clarity: What issue within the county would you like to see addressed first once you are commissioner and why is this issue so important to you?

SANDERS: As I’ve said before, the detention center needs to be looked at, because it is a financial concern for our county.

That’s why it is such an important issue. A question I would ask is why hasn’t it been addressed before? I’d like to work with the commissioners to see how we could come up with some kind of strategy to see if we can lighten that financial burden. I’m not aware of how many beds we have out there and what I want to look at and know is are there any profits in housing inmates from other counties in comparison to what we spend on housing them? I haven’t seen those numbers, so how close is it?

LEAL: The first issue would probably the jail house issue of not enough medical treatment.

(I want to see) why they want to go with a full-time nurse. I would like to find a different way or method of distributing the medications and so on to the inmates or maybe find a full-time nurse with cheaper rates or train one of the officers for it by sending them to school.

I think there’s a lot of options.

We just have to find the right one.

Detention Center Administrator David Casanova had previously presented county commissioners with a presentation on money-

saving options for the detention center. With that being said, would you be willing to look at and consider Casanova’s ideas and options for costs with the detention center?

SANDERS: I would love to see David Casanova’s presentation and his ideas on ways to save money with the detention center. He could probably school me on a lot things concerning the issue. I need to be schooled on it.

LEAL: I would look at the options. It would take all of the commissioners to make them happen but I would love to sit down and visit with him about them and explore all the options.

What areas would you change concerning county budget, such as where do you feel there should be less or more money spent?

SANDERS: The whole budget is going to have to be looked at, because this drought has affected the whole county. We are not generating the revenue we were with ranches and dairies, so we may have to take taxes up or down with them. Our ranchers and dairymen pay taxes on cows, so the cattle have lost revenue because of all the cattle sales, because they have less cattle to tax now. The cow population in Roosevelt County has probably been cut by two-thirds, because there’s no grass for them to eat, and I am probably being conservative with that number. We have lost a few dairies in this county due to low milk prices, so the county has lost a lot of revenue on cattle sales. I’m not saying we need to adjust the tax rate up or down, I’m just saying the loss of cattle in our county has reduced revenues, so it needs to be looked at and addressed. We are going to need to look at the whole budget.

LEAL: That one is hard, because I do not know where all the money is going to in the budget. I would have to look at it and see what is being spent where. It would be a hard thing to comment on now. You would have to look at who is spending the most and why they are spending the most. Since I haven’t seen last year’s budget, so I couldn’t really say I want to

US President z (Democrat) Barack Obama/Joe Biden z (Republican) Mitt Romney/Paul cut this or that. I think it’s some- Ryan z Constitution) Virgil Goode/Jim thing you would have to study over a couple of years to make a Clymer z (Libertarian) Gary Johnson/James good judgment call. You would P. Gray have to look back over at least z (Green) Jill Stein/Cheri Honkala

two years of spending.

Name two issues the federal government handles, which you feel should be handled at a state or local county level.

SANDERS: We don’t have a lot of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in Roosevelt County but BLM land is federally regulated and that needs to be looked at on a local and state level. The caretakers of that land know how to take care of that land. They don’t need to be told by someone from Washington how to manage those cows.

US Senate z (Democrat) Martin T. Heinrich z (Republican) Heather A. Wilson z (Independent American) Jon Ross Barrie z (Write-In) Robert L. (Bob) Anderson US Representative, District 2 z (Democrat) Evelyn Madrid Erhard z (Republican) Steve Pearce US Representative, District 3 z (Democrat) Ben R. Lujan z (Republican) Jefferson L. Byrd Justice of the Supreme Court z (Democrat) Barbara J. Vigil z (Republican) Paul J. Kennedy

I think that forests and state Judge of the Court of Appeals parks should also be looked at z (Democrat) M. Monica Zamora on a county basis, because there z (Republican) J. Miles Hanisee should have been some pruning done in order to avoid the damSt at e Senator, Distr ic t 7 z (Republican) John Patrick Woods age from fires. When you have more trees, you are not going to St at e Senator, Distr ic t 8 have as much water going into z (Democrat) Pete Campos water sheds (rivers and lakes). I think that issue needs to come State Representative, District 67 down to state and county levels. z (Republican) Dennis J. Roch It’s the same way with the forest service. As far as Oasis, it is such District Attorney, 10th Judicial District a small park, it may not be an z (Democrat) Timothy Lee Rose issue but it may not hurt to look Count y Commission er , Di str ic t 1 at it on a local level and see z (Democrat) Sue Dowell what maintaining needs to be z (Independent) Wendell J. Smith, done. A perfect example is I went to a government agency Count y Commission er , Di str ic t 2 meeting and the Natural z (Republican) Michael W. Cherry Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) wanted to change the C ounty Clerk structure of the (NRCS) directors z (Democrat) Veronica Olguin Marez in each office and I can’t see County Treasur er where it’s going to help anyz (Democrat) Nadine K. Angel thing. The director in Clovis is now going to have to take a job Election of Non-Partisan Judges in Fort Sumner. I think that call Shall Richard C. Bosson be retained should have been made on a as Supreme Court Justice? local level. Decisions along z Yes those lines need to be on the z No local level.

LEAL: (Bureau of Land Management) lands would probably be better handled at the county level, because we’re here and we see the people who are living on it or trying to buy it. I don’t think the states or federal government ever send anyone down to investigate land issues. I can’t think of a second issue I would like to see at a state or county level off the top of my head.

Shall Roderick T. Kennedy be retained as Supreme Court Justice? z Yes z No Shall Michael Vigil be retained as Supreme Court Justice? z Yes z No Con st itut ional Amen dment s z Amendment 1: Proposing an amendment to Article 6, Section 32 of the Constitution of New Mexico to provide for two additional members to sit on the judicial standards commission, a municipal judge and a public member. z For z Against z Amendment 2: Proposing an amendment to Article 11, Section 1 of the Constitution of New Mexico to increase the qualifications for public regulation commissioners. z For z Against

z Amendment 3: Proposing to amend Article 11, Section 2 of the Constitution of New Mexico and to enact a new section of Article 11 to remove authority to charter and regulate corporations from the public regulation commission and provide authority to charter corporations to the secretary of state. z For z Against z Amendment 4: Proposing to amend Article 11 of the Constitution of New Mexico to remove the regulation of insurance companies and others engaged in risk assumption from the public regulation commission and place it under a superintendent of insurance appointed by the insurance nominating committee as provided by law. z For z Against z Amendment 5: Proposing an amendment to Article 6 of the Constitution of New Mexico to add a new section that provides for the organization of an independent public defender department. z For z Against Bo nd questions z Bond Question A: The 2012 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of senior citizen facility improvement, construction and equipment acquisition bonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed ten million three hundred thirty-five thousand dollars ($10,335,000) to make capital expenditures for certain senior citizen facility improvement, construction and equipment acquisition projects and provide for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of the bonds and the collection of the tax as permitted by law? z For z Against z Bond Question B: The 2012 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of library acquisition and construction bonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed nine million eight hundred thirty thousand dollars ($9,830,000) to make capital expenditures for academic, public school, tribal and public library resource acquisitions and construction and provide for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of the bonds and the collection of the tax as permitted by law? z For z Against Bond Question C: The 2012 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of higher education and special schools capital improvement and acquisition bonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed one hundred twenty million dollars ($120,000,000) to make capital improvements and acquisitions for certain higher education and special schools and provide for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of the bonds

Clovis Media Inc. z Page 11

DECISION 2012

U.S. Representative — District 2 Republican

Democrat

Steve Pearce

Evelyn Erhard

TOPICS: Military budget l Ute pipeline jobs at home l jurisdiction Military veterans l health issues l public education

BY ALISA BOSWELL CMI staff writer

American lives.

The race for U.S. representative of District 3 in New Mexico pits Republican Steve Pearce against Democrat Evelyn Madrid Erhard.

Pearce served as a combat pilot in the Vietnam War and is a businessman in Hobbs, owning and operating Lea Fishing Tools, an oil field services company.

He served on the New Mexico House of Representatives for one term and has served two terms on the U.S. House of Representatives.

Erhard has academic degrees in politics and communications and taught communications, composition and critical thinking to university students and soldiers at White Sands Missile Range.

She was also a small business owner in New Mexico for several years, owning the Patchwork Cat, and once directed a regional creative writing awards program with her husband.

Clovis Media Inc. asked Pearce for four responses. Erhard did not respond to multiple requests for interviews.Her response were taken from three key issues listed on her campaign website.

Some reponses were edited for length and clarity:

STEVE PEARCE Do you think the military budget should be decreased since we're bringing troops home? If so, does that mean Cannon funding should be decreased?

That depends on us as a delegation. I know my intent is to not let our budgets get decreased and special ops would be one of the last to be cut, because they work in areas before and after missions.

I think that argues well for the base.

We’re fighting this fight on several fronts but it is my intent to ensure that we do not make budget cuts to the military. Don’t go cutting the pay to our soldiers.

My belief is that if you don’t want to provide everything a soldier needs when he is putting his life on the line then bring him home.

When I was flying missions in Vietnam, budget cuts began to happen and it’s dangerous and a risk to

How important do you feel the Ute pipeline project is? Should funds be made available for it sooner rather than later?

It’s the only source of water we’re going to have for much of the eastern side of the state so we need to move forward with it. But the question is where are we going to make cuts and that gets down to some very difficult choices but we are going to continue to fight for that for sure.

It would be one of the higher priority projects but I don’t necessarily see all of the state water problems. The water problem is only going to get worse, so we need to find solutions now. We’ll keep working at it and keep hoping our economy will rebound so we can fund more of these state water projects We’ve been working with committees in Washington on funding water projects. Currently, we are negotiating with federal committees to try to get more federal funding for state water projects.

What is one of the most important actions the government can take to bring jobs overseas back home?

To get the answer to that, you have to assess why they (jobs) moved in the beginning.

Canada has a tax rate of 16 percent and ours is 36 percent, so we’re the highest in the world, so it makes us uncompetitive and that makes jobs move to competitive areas. The second thing is sometimes our government puts in regulations that hurt our environment and it hurts jobs and businesses because other nations have environmental regulations that improve jobs.

We have regulations that don’t necessarily destroy the environment but they do hurt jobs. An example is the spotted owl was declared an endangered species and when that was done, we shut down all the logging in the U.S. Spotted owls were moving to the Mescalero Reservation, which was a logging area where there were more wide-open spaces between trees, so we killed those logging jobs over an imperfect science and those logging jobs moved to Canada.

Name three things the federal gov-

ernment is involved in now that should be left up to states or local communities or even individuals.

The first thing is the management of our education system. That should be a state issue and the federal government is trying to run it. The process is bogging down the system and it is hurting our children.

I think local school districts should have more power with getting rid of ineffective teachers and superintendents. When was the last time anyone you know went up to Washington to talk about education? Everyone is concerned about education but they feel powerless.

I think the state should empower local school boards and allow them to be the ones to say you’re not upholding standards.

The second is I absolutely believe that this government take over of the health care system is bad and is going to have bad outcomes.

I think there are reforms that should be made in health care, such as access and affordability, but this government plan was not the right plan. I think that you want to go to your doctor and find out what’s wrong with you and negotiate for what you want your treatment to be.

You are going to have a board of elected bureaucrats that are making decisions that affect you and your family. Our Constitution says that the government can’t tell you that you have to buy or not buy anything and now the federal government is telling you that you have to have health care.

The third is a lot of land west of us is federal territory. What happens is your education budgets get starved because this federal land ownership takes away from jobs in the state. I think massive expansion of BLM (Bureau of Land Management) lands should be looked at on a case by case basis. Give the land back to the state.

EVELYN MADRID ERHARD On Military veterans: A recent problem stemming from the two unnecessary wars that were fought for personal greed is a new generation of veterans. These veterans, at the very least, deserve an even better version of the G. I. Bill

to create opportunities in education and good jobs. Both my parents and my husband earned two college degrees a piece and were able to afford owning their first home and thereby move up in the middle class. Today’s vets, who fought undeclared wars that the masses escaped, deserve the best.

On health care: I have unwaveringly supported Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. These are crucial and long-standing services that keep most of our population from going down the economic drain. People simply need emergency health care when catastrophe strikes. These safety health care nets apply also to affordable health care insurance.

Despite the loud and constant fearmongering by tea party Republicans who want to do nothing, President Obama’s health care legislation is the best step, so far, toward a good, reasonably priced health care program.

On public education: Like Paul Ryan and other tea party Congressional Congress members, Pearce supports efforts to privatize education by providing vouchers parents can use to send their children to privately owned schools and religious schools. Their plan would cut funding to public schools.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said their education-cutting budget would have disastrous consequences for America’s children.

They endorse deep cuts to Project Head Start and a decrease in pell grants, which help make possible attendance at state colleges and universities for many needy students. I vow to work hard to improve learning conditions in the classroom and to increase funding for public education. It was Steve Pearce who declared that he would do away with public education in favor of home schooling and private schools. Families working two or three part-time jobs can’t afford private schools and are simply unable to home school, even if qualified to educate their own children at home.

Sample ballot

DE BACA COUNTY General election Nov. 6 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In the state senate, house and county commission district races, only the precincts listed will be voting on these candidates US President z (Democrat) Barack Obama/Joe Biden

z (Republican) Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan z (Constitution) Virgil Goode/Jim Clymer z(Libertarian) Gary Johnson/James P.Gray z (NM Independent) Ross C.“Rocky” Anderson/Luis J. Rodriguez z (Green) Jill Stein/Cheri Honkala US Senate z (Democrat) Martin T. Heinrich z (Republican) Heather A.Wilson

z (Independent American) Jon Ross Barrie z (Write-In) Robert L. (Bob) Anderson US Representative, District 2 (All precincts) z (Democrat) Evelyn Madrid Erhard z (Republican) Steve Pearce Justice of the Supreme Court z (Democrat) Barbara J.Vigil z (Republican) Paul J. Kennedy Justice of the Court of Appeals z (Democrat) M. Monica Zamora z (Republican) J. Miles Hanisee State Senate, District 27 (All precincts) z (Republican) Stuart Ingle State Representative, District 63 (All precincts) z (Democrat) George Dodge Jr. z (Republican) Steven R. Hanson 10th Judicial District Attorney z (Democrat) Timothy Lee Rose Public Education Commission, District 8 z (Republican) Vince N. Bergman County Commission, District 3 (All precincts) z (Democrat) George L. Gonzales County Clerk (All precincts) z (Democrat) Rosalie A. GonzalesJoiner County Treasurer (All precincts) z (Republican) Betty A. Berry

Election of Non-Partisan Judges Shall Richard C. Bosson be retained as Supreme Court Justice? z Yes z No Shall Roderick T. Kennedy be retained as Supreme Court Justice? z Yes z No Shall Michael Vigil be retained as Supreme Court Justice? z Yes z No Constitutional Amendments z Amendment 1: Proposing an amendment to Article 6, Section 32 of the Constitution of New Mexico to provide for two additional members to sit on the judicial standards commission, a municipal judge and a public member. z For z Against Amendment 2: Proposing an amendment to Article 11, Section 1 of the Constitution of New Mexico to increase the qualifications for public regulation commissioners. z For z Against z Amendment 3: Proposing to amend Article 11, Section 2 of the Constitution of New Mexico and to enact a new section of Article 11 to remove authority to charter and regulate corporations from the public regulation commission and provide authority to charter corporations to the secretary of state. z For z Against

z Amendment 4: Proposing to amend Article 11 of the Constitution of New Mexico to remove the regulation of insurance companies and others engaged in risk assumption from the public regulation commission and place it under a superintendent of insurance appointed by the insurance nominating committee as provided by law. z For z Against z Amendment 5: Proposing an amendment to Article 6 of the Constitution of New Mexico to add a new section that provides for the organization of an independent public defender department. z For z Against Bond questions Bond Question A:The 2012 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of senior citizen facility improvement, construction and equipment acquisition bonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed ten million three hundred thirty-five thousand dollars ($10,335,000) to make capital expenditures for certain senior citizen facility improvement, construction and equipment acquisition projects and provide for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of the bonds and the collection of the tax as permitted by law? z For z Against

z Bond Question B: The 2012 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of library acquisition and construction bonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed nine million eight hundred thirty thousand dollars ($9,830,000) to make capital expenditures for academic, public school, tribal and public library resource acquisitions and construction and provide for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of the bonds and the collection of the tax as permitted by law? z For z Against z Bond Question C: The 2012 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of higher education and special schools capital improvement and acquisition bonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed one hundred twenty million dollars ($120,000,000) to make capital improvements and acquisitions for certain higher education and special schools and provide for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of the bonds and the collection of the tax as permitted by law? z For z Against

Page 12 z Clovis Media Inc.

DECISION 2012 Sample ballot

PARMER COUNTY General election Nov. 6 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Information: County Clerk's Office 806-481-3691

Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals (All precincts) z (Republican) Sharon Keller z (Democrat) Keith Hampton z (Libertarian) Lance Stott

US President z (Democrat) Barack Obama/Joe Biden z (Republican) Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan z (Libertarian) Gary Johnson/James P. Gray z (Green) Jill Stein/Cheri Honkala

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 7 z (Republican) Barbara Parker Hervey z (Libertarian) Mark W. Bennett

US Senate z (Republican) Ted Cruz z (Democrat) Paul Sadler z (Libertarian) John Jay Myers z (Green) David B. Collins US Representative, District 19 z (Republican) Randy Neugebauer z (Libertarian) Richard (Chip) Peterson Railroad Commissioner z (Republican) Christi Craddick z (Democrat) Dale Henry z (Libertarian) Vivekananda (Vik) Wall z (Green) Chris Kennedy Railroad Commissioner, Unexpired Term z (Republican) Barry Smitherman z (Libertarian) Jaime O. Perez z (Green) Josh Wendel Justice of the Supreme Court, Place 2 z (Republican) Don Willett z (Libertarian) RS Roberto Koelsch Justice of the Supreme Court, Place 4 z (Republican) John Devine z (Libertarian) Tom Oxford z (Green) Charles E.Waterbury Justice of the Supreme Court, Place 6 z (Republican) Nathan Hecht z (Democrat) Michele Petty z (Libertarian) Mark Ash z (Green) Jim Chisholm

Sample ballot

BAILEY COUNTY General election Tuesday Nov. 6 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Bailey County Information: County Clerk's Office 806-272-3044 US President z (Democrat) Barack Obama/Joe Biden z (Republican) Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan z (Libertarian) Gary Johnson/James P. Gray z (Green) Jill Stein/Cheri Honkala US Senate z (Republican) Ted Cruz z (Democrat) Paul Sadler z (Libertarian) John Jay Myers z (Green) David B. Collins US Representative, District 19 z (Republican) Randy Neugebauer z (Libertarian) Richard (Chip) Peterson

z (Libertarian) Lance Stott Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 7 z (Republican) Barbara Parker Hervey z (Libertarian) Mark W. Bennett Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8 z (Republican) Elsa Alcala z (Libertarian) William Bryan Strange III Member, State Board of Education, District 15 z (Republican) Marty Rowley z (Democrat) Steven D. Schafersman State Senator, District 31 z (Republican) Kel Seliger State Representative, District 88 z (Republican) Ken King Justice, 7th Court of Appeals District, Place 2 z (Republican) Mackey K. Hancock Justice, 7th Court of Appeals District, Place 3 z (Republican) Pat Pirtle

Railroad Commissioner z (Republican) Christi Craddick z (Democrat) Dale Henry z (Libertarian) Vivekananda (Vik) Wall z (Green) Chris Kennedy

District Attorney, 287th Judicial District z (Republican) Kathryn H. Gurley

Railroad Commissioner, Unexpired Term z (Republican) Barry Smitherman z (Libertarian) Jaime O. Perez z (Green) Josh Wendel

Sheriff z (Republican) Richard Bradley Wills

Justice of the Supreme Court, Place 2 z (Republican) Don Willett z (Libertarian) RS Roberto Koelsch Justice of the Supreme Court, Place 4 z (Republican) John Devine z (Libertarian) Tom Oxford z (Green) Charles E.Waterbury Justice of the Supreme Court, Place 6 z (Republican) Nathan Hecht z (Democrat) Michele Petty z (Libertarian) Mark Ash z (Green) Jim Chisholm Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals z (Republican) Sharon Keller z (Democrat) Keith Hampton

County Attorney z (Republican) Jackie R. Claborn II

County Tax Assessor-Collector z (Republican) Maria A. Gonzalez County Commissioner, Precinct 1 z (Republican) Floyd J.“Butch”Vandiver County Commissioner, Precinct 3 z (Republican) Charles Waggoner z (Democrat) Joey R. Kindle Justice of the Peace z (Republican) Debra Redwine Constable z (Republican) Kent Wiley z (Democrat) Alfredo “Freddie” Anzaldua High Plains Underground Water Conservation District Director, Precinct 3 z Mike Beauchamp z Carroll Cook

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8 z (Republican) Elsa Alcala z (Libertarian) William Bryan Strange III Member, State Board of Education, District 15 z (Republican) Marty Rowley z (Democrat) Steven D. Schafersman State Senator, District 31 z (Republican) Kel Seliger State Representative, District 88 z (Republican) John Smithee Justice, 7th Court of Appeals District, Place 2 z (Republican) Mackey K. Hancock Justice, 7th Court of Appeals District, Place 3 • (Republican) Pat Pirtle District Attorney, 287th Judicial District z (Republican) Kathryn H. Gurley County Attorney z (Republican) Jeff Actkinson Sheriff z (Republican) Randy Geries County Tax Assessor-Collector z (Republican) Bobbie Pierson County Commissioner, Precinct 1 z (Republican) Kirk Frye County Commissioner, Precinct 3 z (Republican) Kenny White High Plains Underground Water Conservation District Director, Precinct 3 z Mike Beauchamp z Carroll Cook