Talk of the Town

'Buy local' is more than a slogan

As the owner of a local business that sells promotional products, I was surprised — and disappointed — to learn that Albuquerque Public Schools spent $90,0000 for 7,000 clear backpacks that have been distributed to students at select schools using an international vendor rather than a local one.

This decision missed an opportunity on multiple fronts. A local business like mine could have offered a lower price and a higher-quality product, all while keeping taxpayer dollars circulating right here in our community. We know our schools, we know what these students and their parents deserve, and we stand behind our products because our reputation depends on it.

These concerns have only grown as reports emerge that many of the backpacks began falling apart within days of being distributed. Durability matters, especially for students who rely on these backpacks every day. A purchase meant to enhance safety should not create frustration and inconvenience.

Clear backpacks are not a specialty item requiring out-of-state sourcing. A local vendor would be fully capable of meeting volume, safety and durability requirements — and with greater flexibility and accountability than a distant international supplier.

Of equal concern is the lack of transparency. Was there a formal request for proposals? If so, who was notified? If not, why weren’t local businesses given the chance to bid? APS frequently speaks about supporting equity, community partnerships and responsible stewardship of public funds. Those values should extend to procurement decisions.

APS still has time to reflect and improve. Future purchases should include clear, open and well-publicized bidding processes that actively invite local businesses to participate. Our community deserves nothing less.

Melanie Burns 

President/owner of Achievement Gallery

Lawmakers have to answer questions about universal child care

The new universal child care program in New Mexico continues to be lauded, most recently in an op-ed in the Journal by Lt. Gov. Howie Morales. Morales contends that free daycare will lift up working families and that costs have become prohibitive for parents. He stipulates that if New Mexico buys into universal child care that, “Thousands of working families across the state will be able to pocket the dollars for other purposes, making a profound difference in their household budgets and improving the quality of their lives."

 Using Morales’s figure that infant care for 3- to 5-year-olds costs around $800 per month, that means that parents with one young child get a tax break equaling almost $10,000 per year. This state government largesse of course does not extend to other New Mexico taxpayers, including seniors or those without children. Clearly some groups are favored more than others. 

The proposed universal child care legislation also does not have income limits for eligibility to use the program. This means high earners will be able to reap the $10,000 windfall as well as those who are poor. One wonders why a family earning in excess of $200,000 per year or more should be gifted a yearly $10,000 tax break.

Other questions that need to be answered regarding this expensive social program include: 

• Given the enormous fraud uncovered in Minnesota daycare centers, what guarantees are there that the New Mexico program won’t be riddled with large-scale fraud waste and abuse? 
•  What guarantees are there that children in the program are safe from predatory caregivers? 
• What is the projected cost of the program in five and 10 years from now? 

These questions merit answers from the Legislature.

Andrew Ongstad

Albuquerque

Bill would penalize law-abiding citizens

New Mexico consistently ranks in the No. 2 or 3 state for the most violent and property crime rates. But legislators still push bills that make it harder for honest citizens to defend their families.

Senate Bill 17 seeks to ban magazines containing more than 10 rounds of ammunition. It targets the firearm industry with excessive rules, invades the privacy of peaceful citizens with centralized record keeping and threatens felonies for dealers who make minor technical errors. These are all unconstitutional.

The best deterrent against crime is an armed homeowner. If an armed assailant enters your house and you call 911, the police will get there in time to take pictures of your dead body.

Criminals do no obey gun laws. So why do politicians penalize the law-abiding citizens?

The Constitution was made to defend citizens from government. New Mexico politicians try to get around it every chance they get. The Second Amendment says, "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

If the politicians in Santa Fe cared about people, they would have moved us from being at the top in violent crime and at the bottom in education. But they have not. And these constitutional issues that they're breaking are a matter of life and death.

Harry Sauerhoff

Albuquerque

Op-ed criticizing Bregman was wrong

The opinion piece written by a former prosecutor in the Sunday Journal (Feb. 1) stating that federal agents cannot be charged with a crime under state law is flat-out wrong and contrary to federal law.

Reeve Swainston’s op-ed criticized Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman for vowing to prosecute federal agents who violate New Mexico criminal laws. Swainston concluded that, legally, a federal agent cannot be prosecuted for a crime under state law. The attorney also wrote that Bregman’s statements could encourage confrontation with law enforcement.

Using his own words, Swainston must be “shockingly ignorant” about the law. Courts have allowed state prosecutions to move forward when the conduct was clearly outside the scope of federal duty. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, for example, who acts out of malice or criminal intent in the course of his or her job can be prosecuted under state criminal laws.

Yes, federal law enforcement agents enjoy a great deal of immunity from criminal prosecution, but that immunity is not unlimited. Federal courts have echoed this statement time and time again.

I have never heard or read of Bregman encouraging people to confront law enforcement, as Swainston implies. In fact, I have heard him say the opposite. Vowing to prosecute people for committing crimes is not an invitation for people to confront police.

However, words have consequences. Perhaps we should all watch our rhetoric, whether in political campaigns or in letters to the editor. I realize that’s a pretty weak suggestion, given the unhinged, provocative statements spewed daily or even hourly by the leadership of the United States these days.

Scott Eaton 

Los Ranchos

The Land Of Disenchantment

What’s to come of New Mexicans?

With their cuisine heavily reliant on corn,

With Type II diabetes, high blood pressure,

And over-processed foods on every corner.

What’s to come of New Mexicans—

Unwinding after a hard workload,

Who sit back a spell, or drag long tokes?

The bushels sprayed with compounds,

Chemicals—corn-derived—

And when it comes to the emergency,

Few will come to your side.

What’s to come of New Mexicans

Who rely on their physicians,

Unaware of the truth of the cure?

That the binder, the base, and capsule shell

Intensify their sickness.

What’s to come of New Mexicans,

Who choose to make a homemade meal,

Unprepared for what they’ll learn:

The basics themselves can kill.

Iodized salt, canola oil, enriched flour—

Bleached and white—

Will do more harm than good to you

If moderation is cast aside.

But choice is a cog in the industrial machine,

A phantom we’re taught to chase;

For we didn’t curate the cattle’s pace,

Nor choose where pesticides are placed.

We did not mold the capsule’s shell

Or write the chemist's code,

Yet, we export the many hollow goods

To allies, and our own.

An epidemic, signed and sealed,

Tolls we are forced to pay—

A trade that offers long-term risk

And silences us along the way.

Chris Gallegos

Albuquerque

Haaland set NM up to lead in clean energy

Have you ever wondered why Texas is the largest producer of clean, renewable energy when right next door sits our own New Mexico, which has the potential to be the clean energy capital of the United States? Thanks to Deb Haaland, a former U.S. congresswoman and Joe Biden’s secretary of the Interior, we have more than the potential; we now have the opportunity.

One of Haaland’s least known, but most impactful accomplishments, was her perseverance in pushing through the SunZia Project. The SunZia Project is the largest clean energy infrastructure project in the Western hemisphere. It combines a 900-wind-turbine farm in New Mexico with a 550-mile high-voltage transmission line to deliver that renewable energy to Arizona and California. With construction underway and commercial operations planned for 2026, SunZia will bring clean power to a million homes in the Southwest.

Clean energy, thousands of jobs and economic development; what’s not to like?

Jeffrey Paul

Albuquerque

Protect virtual schools for students with special needs

All children learn differently, and what works for one child may not work for another. My son struggled with school from a young age, and I was constantly concerned about his ability to succeed.

He has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which makes focusing in a traditional classroom difficult. Small distractions such as noise, temperature or classmates can cause him to stop paying attention. Over the years, we tried private school, public school and tutoring, but progress was limited.

Virtual school has changed everything. My son is now in eighth grade, maintaining an A and B average, completing assignments on time, and taking responsibility for his learning. I am able to communicate easily with his teachers, and together we guide him through lessons and expectations. This collaboration has allowed him to flourish academically while building confidence.

Sadly, House Bill 253 would restrict access to virtual education, removing the option that has proven most effective for my son. Families with children who have unique learning needs depend on flexible, individualized instruction. Limiting these opportunities would undermine students’ academic growth and the chance to thrive in school environments that meet their needs.

It’s disappointing to think that any legislation could decide our children’s future without giving them as many options as possible, especially considering our state’s ranking in child wellbeing.

Jose Aldas

Carlsbad