In 2024, I funded over 35 projects and invested $2,500,000 into our community, including road repairs and paving in the East Mountains. I ensured that Bernalillo and Torrance County law enforcement and firefighters received vehicle and facility improvement funding. Other funded projects include drain improvement, stormwater construction, updated water and sewer systems, open spaces, East Mountain Baseball Complex, EM Food Pantry, the Vallecitos Senior Center, and more.
Crime, Border Security, Constitutional Rights/Second Amendment, CYFD.
Bills I Presented: HB 44 - Pretrial Detention Presumption to keep the worst of the worst in jail, HB 111 - New Mexico Border Barrier to address human trafficking, drug smuggling, the fentanyl crisis, and guns crossing the border, HJR 3 - Requirements for Bail Denial, and I supported HB 193 for Law Enforcement Retention.
My bill, HM 3 - Prenatal Substance Abuse Task Force, was passed and signed.
New Mexico has historically experienced water shortages, some more severe and prolonged than others. There has been a long legislative history of Water Conservation to oversee water rights, ensure new water sources, and explore ways to reduce demand. As elected officials, our top priority should be to protect and conserve our limited water resources.
Retain and recruit law enforcement and ensure they are adequately funded.
Hold criminals accountable and keep them off the streets.
Address the fentanyl crisis.
Secure the border.
WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT THE CHILDREN YOUTH & FAMILIES DEPARTMENT (CYFD) CRISIS?
I presented real, data-driven solutions to stop the torture, abuse, and death of some of our most vulnerable children. It is the Governor's job to oversee CYFD, yet she has stopped every bill I've introduced. This year, the Albuquerque Journal published my opinion piece about the fentanyl crisis that preys on our children. Unfortunately, HB 106 - Fentanyl Exposure as Child Abuse - was stopped by progressives.
Diversity is essential for economic growth, but not at the cost of eliminating oil and gas, which contributes billions to our schools and general fund.
Only if it is not more than the average salary of a New Mexican.
Campaign Phone
505-463-7045
Occupation
Retired Actor, Director, Producer & Screenwriter for Theatre, Movies & TV
The ability to work with others who may have different views than my own. I'm a strong proponent of listening to others and compromising with those I disagree with.
Providing better access to healthcare for everyone, especially those residing in rural areas. There is a worldwide shortage of healthcare professionals, and New Mexico is not exempt from that shortage's impact. HD22 has fewer healthcare facilities, per capita, than most of the state.
We need to expand on the concept of sharing vital water resources through local boards to ensure that every New Mexican has a sufficient supply. Grant assistance for farmers to use less wasteful below-ground irrigation instead of spraying into the air, which results in more evaporation.
Our law enforcement agencies need to be fully funded and supported, but should employ more mental health professionals to reduce the need for armed confrontations.
Tiny home villages to address the issues of homelessness that include a path to home ownership. Support of organizations like Habitat for Humanity.
Less reliance on the fossil fuel industry for the state's income, increase tourism, promote light manufacturing industries that represents a minimal drain on our water resources.
Legislators are part-time employees of "the People", just as County Commissioners are, and should be compensated accordingly. Without compensation for their time, average citizens can't reasonably financially afford to serve, nor do they have the time, resulting in a legislature comprised primarily of independently wealthy retirees, which is not representative of the citizenry.
Campaign Phone
505-503-0395
Occupation
Farmer
I have a degree with a focus in political science from Middlebury College and can ingest large amounts of information in a short period of time and effectively engage in debate regarding that information. I have ten years of experience developing a farm and a small business here in New Mexico, and have been actively engaged in lobbying efforts with the Farmers Union for the last six years. I have a solid understanding of the political process.
Declining ground water levels in my district pose the most pressing threat to the future viability of our communities. I will push to reform laws regarding water governance in water basins that are over allocated and closed to new commercial water rights applications, address issues related to inter basin water transfers, speculation on water and water rights, price gouging, and long term planning.
See above. I think we need to update the mandate that the Office of the State Engineer is operating under from "Put New Mexico's waters to beneficial use". We need to both define what constitutes beneficial use and expand the mandate to include insuring that future generations will have access to sufficient water to meet basic domestic needs and maintain a degree of food sovereignty.
Major reforms to the bail bonds system to keep violent offenders in jail. Rent controls and investment in affordable housing to reduce the size of the unhoused population. Investments in mental health resources to address mental illness and addiction. Supporting small businesses and local, circular economies, improving education outcomes and investing in extra curricular activities and technical career training, increased investment in community based approaches to crime and harm reduction.
I would support rent control, tax incentives to property owners to increase access to affordable housing, well thought out changes to zoning laws and building codes that reduce barriers to developing more affordable housing while keeping everyone safe. Restrictions on short term rental properties.
I am most interested in diversifying the agricultural economy in New Mexico. We produce enough food to feed ourselves but ship all the food we produce out of state as cheap commodities and then buy back the food from out of state companies. We should invest in local supply chains that allow us to produce a wider variety of foods and further process them instate to support local food sovereignty while increasing ecological sustainability, and economic viability for for farms and ranches.
I support maintaining the spirit of a citizen legislature, and do not think that we should pay legislators so much that we end up with a professional class of career politicians. I also think having a totally volunteer legislature prohibits most working class people from participating and hurts our democracy. We should either pay legislators a small salary commensurate with the time and effort it takes to do the job or increase per diem allowance.
