Representative Block Votes No Against Otero County Constituents on Expansion of Commission

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Fact:61.6% of the Otero County registered voters are Republican, 74% of the voters approved the idea of the expansion of the Otero County Commission to 5 members in a prior non-binding referendum. 

The state of New Mexico is reviewing representation in counties with populations over 35,000 and only 3 Commissioners.

Yesterday the objection and a NO Vote of Alamogordo State District 51 Representative, John Block, and a letter against expansion of the Otero County Commission by Amy Barela; the New Mexico House still approved HB 399, which seeks to require counties with 35,000 or more people to expand their county commissions to five members, on Thursday by a vote of 40-28.

John Block posted on Twitter his belief that the bill is unconstitutional. 

Only 3 counties in New Mexico would be impacted by this bill. The 3 counties with a concentrated power structure, that would be affected by the bill, should it next pass the Senate are: Otero, McKinley and Rio Arriba counties.

Otero County is presently governed by just 3 commissioners, who yield a great deal of power, over districts of nearly 23,000 constituents each. 

Contrast the Alamogordo City Commission made up of 6 District Commissioners, and an at large mayor, the ratio of representation for one District Commissioner for every 5,500 constituents.

In the case of Otero County; an expansion of 2 more commissioners would improve the ratio for constituents services of one Commissioner per every 13,800 constituents. 

Commissioner Amy Barela sent a letter to the state house against the expansion citing the cost of expanded salaries and benefits for the commissioners.

Per Commissioner Barela, “Otero County Commissioners currently represent 22,882 constituents in each district. The cost of each commissioner currently includes $26,257 for salary, $22,942.58 for benefits, $5,000 travel allowance and $2,075 for office equipment. This does not include training expenses, staff support, office utilities, etc,” she wrote. “Each commissioner has an approximate cost to the county of $55,274.58.”

As reported in a story by the New Mexico Political Report by Nicole Maxwell:

The bill requires districts to be equally distributed based on population alone.

The county commissioner boards draw the new district maps, bill co-sponsor Rep. Susan Herrera, D-Embudo, said.

According to current state statute, New Mexico counties can expand to five county commission board members by a unanimous vote for the expansion. Then a redistricting effort is to occur based on the most recent U.S. Census data.

Herrera said the bill’s purpose was to expand representation to traditionally excluded populations such as Hispanics.

“Anytime people without power go up against people with power, there’s going to be a difficult struggle,” Herrera said. “These conversations are not easy and they are not easy to bring forward and they are not easy to solve. But I think it’s incumbent on all of us to hear voices that are not being heard and bring them forward.”

A ballot question was on the 2016 ballot asking voters if they wanted the Otero County Commission to be increased to five members which passed with bipartisan support of 74% of the voters approving the proposal. 61.6% of the Otero County registered voters are Republican, 74% of the voters approved the idea of the expansion of the commission to 5 members. 

The question was nonbinding and served as a bellwether to see how the electorate felt about their representation at the County level. Since that time, the issue has been brought up multiple times for discussion or action. Each time it has been tabled or voted down using the excuse, of the additional expense.

Is it expense or is it power?

Is it a fear by those seated in power, or those pulling the strings, of those seated in power, that their influence will be diluted by more representation and representation closer to the citizens?  

The district representatives of the city of Alamogordo are more diverse and more responsive to a boarder constituency because there is more representation. 

The County Government encompasses all citizens of Otero County, shouldn’t it also be more representative of the diverse population and expanded to be closer to the people? 

Commentary

Mr Block voted in opposition to a salaried legislature, however he has no qualms about a County Commission making a salary and benefits above the median income of the average citizen of Otero County and a Commission of concentrated power based on his NO vote. Or is he just voting per direction of his puppet masters verses the will of his constituents? 

If indeed the concern by the commission is really the “expense” and not about control of power, then why don’t the commissioner’s vote themselves a pay and benefits cut in order to better afford better serving the citizens of Otero County? 

According to the calculation of Mrs Barela the cost of 3 commissioners is $165,000 plus an expense to modify the Commission Chambers to accommodate a larger commission.

A proposed solution for no major impact to the budget and to provide the citizens of Otero County better representation….

Maintain the expenditure of $165,000 but instead divide it 5 ways.

If you are a “citizen representative” and “not in it for the money, pay and benefits” a cut should not matter.  Divide the expenditure by 5 would reduce the salary and benefits to $33,164 each. (Still not a bad pay for a gig that only meets a few times a month in general session.)

The argument on commission chambers is easily resolved. The county owns multiple buildings: as an example the Flickinger Center is used for large meetings; when there was debate about the voting integrity to conduct “County Commission Business,” it was used. It could be used for regular Commission meetings as could patrons hall, the civic center and countless other county owned buildings at little to no additional cost. 

It’s wonderful to see the commission worried about expenses. The same commission that paid significant legal fees in research, outside counsel and consultants during the tenure of Mr. Griffin.

Assuming there is no more outside consultation and legal expenses, there should be a savings this year verses the previous in those expenses. The commission could utilize that savings for necessary changes to bring the constituents of Otero County more representation. 

There have been rumblings by some, of a potential law suit, if this passes the Senate and is signed by the Governor in an attempt to stop the expansion to 5 members.

That would be unfortunate and prove the issue is not about expense at all. Law suits cost, and if one is filed then that would then prove the issue, is protecting a limited power structure, and not in the best interest nor the will of the people.

The bill next goes to the Senate for consideration. Stay tuned…

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