Letter to the Editor: Proposed Charter Changes Achieve Goal
By Ralph L. PhelpsWhen I was selected to join the Charter Review Committee, I approached the task very cautiously and conservatively because any changes that might be recommended required a very thorough vetting process to ensure the right decisions were made to our community’s fundamental law.
My fellow committee members were equally dedicated, and we had many open and transparent discussions at public meetings that explored the issues from all aspects, bringing out researched facts and practical examples of what needed to be changed.
In the end, our report to council Read More
Letter to the Editor: The Ballot Questions
Councilor Mike WismerAs part of the ballot for the November election, Los Alamos voters are being presented with proposed changes to the Initiative, Referendum and Recall provisions of the Charter, and the process for future Charter amendments.
We fully agree with the notion that changes to the Charter should only be made after thoughtful and deliberate consideration.
The Charter Review Committee provided that analysis after months of open and respectful dialogue.
We support the proposed Read More
Letter to the Editor: We Deserve Better – Vote NO on Charter Amendments
By Robert Pelak
I recently participated in a League of Women Voters forum to express my opposition to the four proposed amendments to the Los Alamos County Charter that are on this year’s election ballot.
The Los Alamos Daily Post recently published a letter from Kyle Wheeler stating that, at that forum, I said that “the way the Charter Review Committee grouped the items makes sense.” I am writing this letter to explain that the above statement is
an exaggeration of my comments. I do not support the way these amendments have been grouped and I oppose the tremendous toughening Read More
Letter to the Editor: Vote ‘Yes’ on Charter Ballot Questions
By Kevin HolsappleAmongst the various elective office contests and ballot questions on the slate for November’s election are four local Charter ballot questions deserving of your attention and affirmation.
Column: Hope isn’t Enough
By Allen E. WehWebster’s definition of hope is “to cherish a desire with expectation of fulfillment,” but hope is not a plan.
Regrettably, this country’s foreign policy has been largely based on hope during the past three plus years, and it shows.
People can desire this, and hope for that, but without good policies these things can never be fulfilled, and the recent violence in the Middle East reinforces this indisputable truth.
The brutal murder of our Ambassador and three other Americans in Libya by radical Islamists, along with the Read More
Letter to the Editor: Charter Amendments Clarify and Unify the Process
By Kyle WheelerThe charter amendments on the ballot group the various processes for initiative, referendum, recall, and future charter amendments into more sensible groupings within the charter, so if you want to start a petition to recall an elected official or start some other petition, and these amendments pass, the process for how you do it will be spelled out more clearly within the charter.
The amendments clarify and unify the process. Even Rob Pelak agreed at a recent League of Women Voters Forum that the way the Charter Review Committee grouped the items makes sense.
His objection Read More
Column: Closing Corporate Tax Loophole is Win for New Mexico Businesses
Column by State Sen. Peter WirthDeveloping a vibrant, diverse private sector economy is critical to getting New Mexicans back to work.
While our national labs and large, multi-state corporations are important to our economy, 98 percent of New Mexico businesses are small or medium sized with less than 100 employees.
To create jobs, policy makers must focus on our local businesses and give them the tools they need to grow and compete.
Key to the success of any small business is a fair tax code that lets it compete with the multi-state competitors down the Read More
Letter to the Editor: Proposed Charter Amendments Appropriately Packaged
Councilor David IzraelevitzAmong the many important decisions facing us as a community this November, is the issue of several proposed amendments to our County Charter.
Much has been written about the process by which these amendments were composed, aside of whether each is a good idea or not.
In a subsequent column we will discuss the merits of each proposed change, but here, let’s talk about the process itself, and specifically logrolling, because we want to correct some erroneous comments in this area.
Logrolling Read More
Letter to the Editor: Vote for Charter Amendments to Improve Local Government
By Lawry Mann
The four amendments to the Charter seem reasonable to me. For more than two years, they have been discussed in open meetings by the Charter Review Committee and the County Council.
The Charter Review Committee was selected by the Council to represent a wide cross section of our community. Many meetings were held by the Committee so the public could present and persuade.
The Charter Committee members themselves had many different viewpoints. The amendments, the product of all those meetings, were presented to the County Council.
After vetting the proposals Read More
Get Answers to Charter Questions at Farmer’s Market
Chris Chandler, left, discusses charter amendments with Heather McClenahan at a recent Farmer’s Market. Photo by Greg Kendall/ladailyposttest.ortizaudio.net
LOS ALAMOS CITIZENS FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT News:
Members of the Charter Review Committee will be available 9:30-11:30 a.m Thursday at the Farmer’s Market to answer questions about the proposed Charter Amendments that will be on the fall ballot.
Committee members plan to meet with voters at the Farmer’s Market every Thursday through the Nov. 6 election day. Read More
UNM-LA Student Government Sponsors Forum
Voter Registration Closes Today and Absentee Voting Begins
ELECTION 2012 News:
Voter Registration closes at 5 p.m. today in the Los Alamos County Clerk’s Office.
Residents who would like to make changes to their voter registration or register to vote, may do so in the Office of the County Clerk at 2451 Central Ave., Suite D.
Voter registration forms are also available at the State of New Mexico Motor Vehicle Field Office and at the Los Alamos and White Rock Libraries.
Absentee Voting begins today by mail or early in person in the Office of the County Clerk.
Hours: Monday thru Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (open during the noon hour)
Address: 2451 Central Avenue, Read More
Senior Center Forum at Betty Ehart Senior Center Sept. 28 [Audio with Photos]
Below is an audio recording of the candidate forum held at the Betty Ehart Senior Center Sept 28. All six county council candidates participated. Still photos of the event are included here. Forum topics ranged from a question about the UNM-LA Bond and lowering taxes (28 minutes in), Charter Amendment proposals (42 minutes in), school facilities and whether Los Alamos is over-building (59 minutes in), free bus service in Los Alamos (1 hour 15 minutes in) and discussion about restoring the Los Alamos Canyon Reservoir (1 hour 21 minutes in.) Morrie Pongratz hosted the forum:
League of Women Voters Sponsors 3rd Forum Oct. 11
LWV News:
The 3rd Candidate Forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters this election season is set for 7 p.m. (6:30 p.m. refreshments) Thursday, Oct. 11 at the White Rock Baptist Church, #80 on N.M. 4.
The forum includes:
- Supreme Court Candidates Barbara Vigil and Paul J. Kennedy
- Court of Appeals Candidates Monica Zamora and Miles Hanisee
- NM House District 43 Candidates Stephanie Garcia Richard and Jim Hall
The public is invited to attend the Forum.
Northern New Mexico Tea Party Forming Thursday
Letter to the Editor: Issues or Emotions – PAC Activities Pollute the Political Process
Voters need to know about an issue raised in a recent Letter to the Editor in the Los Alamos Daily Post. Political Action Committees (PACs) are conducting phone surveys and sending out mailers—and may do other campaign activities in the future.
These activities are independent of candidates, usually emotion-laden, and often misleading.
PAC activities are neither sponsored by, nor coordinated with, any candidate or candidate committee. By law, fundraising and spending by candidates must Read More
Los Alamos Daily Post Candidate Conversations – Marc Clay
The Los Alamos Daily Post concludes its series of video-taped conversations with candidates running for office in the 2012 election cycle.
Los Alamos County Council candidate Republican Marc Clay is featured in this video discussing the issues in a conversational format conducted this Wednesday at the Los Alamos Daily Post headquarters in the Small Business Development Center in downtown Los Alamos. Councilor Vincent Chiravalle was scheduled for the conversation, but was unable to attend.
Los Alamos Daily Post Candidate Conversations – Sheehey & Redondo
The Los Alamos Daily Post continues its series of video-taped conversations with candidates running for office in the 2012 election cycle.
Los Alamos County Council candidates Democrats Pete Sheehey and Michael Redondo are featured in this video discussing the issues in a conversational format conducted Wednesday at the Los Alamos Daily Post headquarters in the Small Business Development Center in downtown Los Alamos.
The Council candidates were paired at random and answered questions about topics that affect the lives of the people throughout the community.
Los Alamos Daily Post Candidate Conversations – Girrens & Henderson
The Los Alamos Daily Post continues its series of video-taped conversations with candidates running for office in the 2012 election cycle.
Los Alamos County Council candidates Republican Steven Girrens and Democrat Kristin Henderson are featured in this video discussing the issues in a conversational format conducted this Monday at the Los Alamos Daily Post headquarters in the Small Business Development Center in downtown Los Alamos.
The Council candidates were paired at random and answered questions about topics that affect the lives of the people throughout the community. Read More
Letter to the Editor: Straightening Record on Several Levels
By Jim HallI noticed the column by Ms. Gunther in the Los Alamos Daily Post. It is an unfortunate combination of rehashing a past issue and conflating political posturing with practical policy.
Since I strongly support New Mexico based businesses (see the business-related bills that I advocated) and have a strong record of encouraging New Mexico business development, the column is particularly disingenuous.
A forthcoming column (perhaps columns—this is not a simple subject) will discuss my corporate tax policy position in detail. However, in the interim, Read More