Letters to the Editor

Energy affects economy

Editor:

As a three-decade long economic development professional, some of the major benefits I tout when encouraging companies to move or expand companies to New Mexico are our great weather, lack of natural disasters and plentiful and inexpensive electricity.

PNM has been a great partner in helping us attract major organizations like Facebook, Netflix and Amazon.

Recent news regarding potential blackouts this and next summer risks killing all the momentum we’ve been achieving in attracting these powerhouses and others. These companies need to know they will have reliable electricity. If that’s not possible, they will move to a state that will provide it.

The articles that have come out are very upsetting. It seems the blame properly resides squarely on the Public Regulation Commission’s shoulders. Years of poor decisions by this agency means the entire state will suffer. I support the attorney general in his investigation.

I am grateful that with the governor’s leadership both the Energy Transition Act was enacted, and the PRC commissioners beginning in 2023 will be appointed by the governor rather than elected.

The PRC’s delays, inaction and bad decision-making are negatively impacting utilities and customers throughout the state. That is bad for New Mexicans and for business.

PRC, I urge you to work with the PRC experts and figure out solutions NOW, including rectifying these PRC failures. The health and well-being of New Mexicans depend on it, and the future of good jobs and great companies moving here are counting on it.

Ralph Mims

Los Lunas

 

Caring for our animals

Editor:

On Wednesday, March 2, after experiencing a week of terrible news regarding the war in the Ukraine, I was given a reprieve from bad news and my faith in humanity was renewed.

It happened when the Valencia County Commission voted to support the animal control ordinance changes put before them. Great courage was exhibited by our commissioners to vote for the new changes.

I am sure they felt the anger of several of their constituents who spoke out against the ordinance changes. However, what they did was support ordinance changes that will provide relief to dogs left tethered outside with no relief from their tragic lives, animals who are not provided with shelter against the elements throughout the year and who live lives of deprivation.

Now it will be possible to imagine a county where neglected animals are cared for and people who live near animals can enjoy their property or environment without viewing the horrible conditions in which many animals had been forced to live.

I would also like to say thank you to such groups as the shelter volunteers who came forward to describe the conditions in which they see these animals when they enter the shelter, the citizens who testified as to the cruelty they witness in their neighborhoods when dogs are chained and uncared for, and to the animal support groups who are willing to invest funds and time in our community to help citizens meet the new ordinance changes.

Even greater acknowledgement is deserved by Mr. Jess Weston and his animal control staff. Mr. Weston is the Valencia County Animal Control director. I don’t think I have ever come across an individual with so much humility and humanity doing one of the most difficult jobs imaginable. (He is) a person willing to speak up for animals, often viewing their needless suffering daily but continuing to lead and do his job.

Mr. Weston was not afraid to express the need to make significant changes in our ordinances, knowing these changes may make him very unpopular to some individuals.

By improving these ordinances, we can begin to put more focus on important issues impacting people and animals and by giving under-served people better access to service for their pets. This will arrive through the support of numerous animal support groups like NM Dog, Animal Protection of New Mexico, HART and All for Animals Inc., all of whom have pledged to provide financial and educational support for these new ordinances.

By not putting animals in shelters but finding ways to help animals from coming into the shelter, we can begin to connect people with resources that allow them to shelter and care for their pets. We cannot afford to ignore provision of humane care to the animal population and still view ourselves as a civil, respected and responsible community.

Perhaps also such caring for vulnerable animals may cause a new experience and love for another in need that we didn’t know existed.

Eileen Beaulieu

Los Lunas

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