Represents a district in the New Mexico House of Representatives, which has 70 members. In odd-numbered years, the legislature meets for 60 days; in even-numbered years, it meets for 30 days. The Governor may call for special sessions. Representatives sponsor and vote on “reasonable and appropriate laws,” represent the constituents of their districts, and serve on legislative committees. Positions are unpaid, except for per diem expenses. Elected for a two-year term.
Campaign Phone
505-235-7836
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Campaign Phone
505-934-4713
Occupation
Natural Resource Manager
I worked with the U.S. Forest Service for twenty years, retiring as a District Ranger for the Cibola National Forest. In that role I organized dozens of groups —with conflicting priorities —to both solve day-to-day challenges and prepare for what the future might bring. My ability to solve complex problems for the collective benefit, combined with my experience as a small business owner for 10 years, has trained me to work in a legislative body where consensus-building is key.
My top priority is community safety. Incarcerating violent and repeat offenders is key but we must also address root causes: drug addiction, mental illness, and lack of productive social pathways for our youth. I believe we must all work together– state government, police officers, prosecutors and judges – to close sentencing loopholes. Further, it’s unacceptable that New Mexico is ranked the least-safe state to be a pedestrian, and we must crack down on repeat DWI offenders and drag racing.
Many New Mexico communities have outdated systems resulting in insufficient or contaminated water. More investment in water infrastructure throughout the entire state is needed along with additional resources to NMED for oversight. A state-wide assessment is needed to determine the water quantity and quality in our acequias, aquifers and rivers. This should be the basis for determining our current and future community water needs and the industries we support in the present and future.
In addition to community concerns about crime, DWI, road rage and drag racing, I believe there are too many illegal firearms in our city. I believe in increasing gun safety training and common sense interventions to reduce gun violence risks in the home and for children. An increased presence of public safety officers in our communities is needed to reduce property and retail crime. And I am uniquely trained to lead wildfire risk reduction and response in my district and statewide.
One main reason for homelessness is the inability for people to afford housing. To reduce homelessness, urgent action is needed. I strongly support more efficient conversion of vacant hotels/motels and commercial properties to affordable housing and easing permitting processes for such developments. There should be incentives for developers to include residents of different income levels. I support programs like the state’s housing stability fund to help renters navigate housing obstacles.
Enhancing scholarship and loan-repayment programs for different kinds of higher education programs will broaden the career options for New Mexicans and help more of our local economies thrive. I support the growth of our film industry, and I believe outdoor recreation job-training will help us grow tourism businesses. Increasing workforce development for the renewable energy industries and careers in those fields and identifying and addressing barriers to business establishment are critical.
I support a paid legislature. Right now, we are represented only by people who are retired or can afford to take time off work. That excludes too many people who would be highly effective representatives of their communities. A paid legislature would attract more diverse candidates and infuse our lawmaking body with a broader pool of expertise — and I believe with a full-time commitment to governance, potential conflicts of interest would decrease.
