Issues

During my sophomore year of high school, I had been working after school and on the weekends for more than two years. My wage was $3.50 an hour which, at the time, was great money to me. I was not interested in school anymore and decided I was going to drop out of high school. After I made my decision, I went to the counselor and asked what the process was for me to drop out of school, being that I was only sixteen years of age. The counselor handed me a form to fill out, and surprisingly, no one attempted to talk me out of it.

While I was filling out the information on the form, a principal from another school happened to be in the building. I recognized him as being one of my mother’s friends. He asked me what I was doing; I replied that I was dropping out of school to work full time. The principal literally grabbed me by the collar and drove me to the Santa Fe Vocational Technical School which, at the time, was adjacent to Santa Fe High School. We approached the guidance counselor and he ordered the counselor to enroll me in the school and register me in any classes I was interested in. The classes I chose were a computer class (there were punch-card computers, if anyone even remembers such a thing) and welding.

Read more…

I believe true ethics reform is needed in New Mexico. While there are bad people in every profession, the political leaders who oversee our government and tax dollars should be above reproach. The most important factor in clean government is transparency. While Sheriff for the last 7 years, I have promoted open government throughout the Sheriff’s Office. Reporters never have to file Freedom of Information Act Requests. They need only call my office and ask for what they need and, if we have it and it’s not illegal to release it, then we fax or email it immediately. I have even been criticized by my peers in law enforcement for being too open, but it is a principle which I stand by and my staff is expected to follow my lead.

Read more…

I have never been a man of money. I have been a man who works hard to make an honest living while trying to make a difference in my Community, in my State, and in my Country. I want our children and grandchildren to continue to have a chance to live, work and make a difference in our state.

So many politicians are men and women of great wealth and high power. How often does one of the masses run?

How many of the candidates know what it’s like to get a late notice from the electric company? How many know what its like to make a decision between health insurance deductions from their paychecks and having enough money to pay rent, buy groceries, fill up the car with gas, and have enough left over to make sure you can buy your teenager that cool but expensive back pack they want for school.

Read more…