Rep. John Block’s Record Shows Consistent Opposition to Utility Cost Relief for Poor, Veterans and the Elderly

Alamogordo, NM – State Rep. John Block (R-District 51, Otero County) has maintained a voting record in the 2025 and 2926 legislative sessions that opposed key measures aimed at providing utility rate relief or related affordability protections for low-income, elderly and veteran households in Otero County and New Mexico, according to official legislative records.

This pattern has drawn local criticism of Block being out of touch with constituents needs amid Otero County's economic challenges, including a poverty rate exceeding 20%, high reliance on fixed incomes among retired veterans, seniors and rural residents, and elevated energy burdens for these vulnerable populations—issues compounded by national trends in rising utility debt and shut-offs.

Nationally, total household debt to utilities has risen significantly in recent years, with reports indicating a roughly 31-32% increase in average overdue balances since 2022 (from around $597 to $789). This surge aligns with broader energy cost pressures, where millions struggle to keep up. Nearly 3 million households face annual electricity shut-offs due to inability to pay, forcing many to keep homes at dangerous temperatures to reduce costs or forgo other essentials like food and medicine. Otero county and the city of Alamogordo has a disproportionate number of seniors, poort and retired veterans at risk with a poverty rate that exceeds the state and national trends. These hardships disproportionately affect low-income, elderly, veterans and rural families, heightening risks during extreme weather like Otero County just witnessed last weekend.

In the 2025 Regular Session, House Bill 91 (HB91) — the Public Utility Rate Structures Act — sought to empower investor-owned utilities (like PNM) to propose rate structures or programs specifically designed to lower energy costs for low-income customers, subject to approval by the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC). The bill passed the House 42-25 on February 25, 2025, advanced through the Senate 26-16, and was signed into law by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on April 10, 2025 (effective July 1, 2025). It has been hailed by advocates, including the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, as a landmark step toward addressing energy poverty, where low-income New Mexicans can spend up to 20% of their income on utilities—far above affordable levels.

Rep. Block voted "no" on HB91 during final House passage, as confirmed in the official roll call. During House debate, Block explicitly opposed the measure on grounds of fairness, stating: "I don't think it's just for someone to have to pay one rate while someone else pays another rate just based on income."

Block also voted against House Bill 218 (HB218) in 2025, a bill involving tax changes and cleanups that included provisions tied to broader affordability or regulatory reforms in the session context. The bill passed the House 50-11 and was signed into law as Chapter 130 on April 9, 2025.

Beyond these, Block's 2025 record includes opposition to other consumer protection bills with affordability implications, such as measures in the mobile home sector (e.g., HB418 and HB442), where he voted "no" in committee on proposals for rent stabilization, landlord accountability, and utility outage protections—issues that disproportionately affect low-income and elderly residents in rural areas like Alamogordo and rural Otero County and where local advocates such as Gary Perry and others petitioned his support as local constituencies. Block ignored the plea of locals.

This opposition extends into the ongoing 2026 session, where Block introduced House Bill 113 (HB113), the Renewable Energy Production Tax Act. The bill proposed a 3.75% excise tax on the wholesale value of electricity generated from renewable sources (solar, wind, etc.), which would have impacted the 51% of Otero County's rural and poor consumers who disproportionately get their electricity from renewables and would then be burdened with yet another tax increase. Sponsored solely by Block (no co-sponsors), it was framed as ensuring renewables "pay their fair share" but faced criticism for potentially raising overall energy costs in a state transitioning to cleaner sources under the Energy Transition Act. Critics, including local outlets and advocacy groups, argued it would disproportionately burden rural poor and elderly residents—who often rely on fixed incomes and could face higher utility rates indirectly through grid and production dynamics—while exempting small-scale personal generation.

The bill was blocked in committee in late January 2026, preventing further advancement. No public statements from Block specifically defending HB113 against low-income impact claims are available, though his introduction of the measure aligns with his indifference to veterans, the poor and those on fixed incomes such as the elderly.

Otero County, with significant low-income populations, veterans, and retirees, stands to benefit from voluntary low-income utility programs enabled by HB91 if utilities pursue them. However, Block's consistent "no" votes on affordability-focused legislation and his push for new energy-related taxes have fueled local debate over whether his priorities adequately address constituent needs for reduced utility costs, especially as national data shows escalating household utility debt, shut-off risks, and dangerous home temperature trade-offs.

Sources:

• New Mexico Legislature (nmlegis.gov) – Bill texts, roll calls (e.g., HB0091HVOTE.pdf), and session archives.

• Vote Smart and CVNM Conservation Voters New Mexico Scorecard for voting records.

• The Century Foundation and Protect Borrowers analysis (November 2025) on utility debt increases (32% rise in average overdue balances since 2022).

• National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) reports and outlooks on shut-offs and energy burdens.

• Utility Disconnections Project and related academic sources estimating nearly 3 million annual U.S. electricity shut-offs.

• U.S. Department of Energy and Residential Energy Consumption Survey data on energy insecurity, including unsafe home temperatures.

• Local news and advocacy reports on Otero County energy challenges.

For complete records, consult nmlegis.gov, Vote Smart legislator profiles, or contact Rep. Block's office (575-201-3230 or john.block@nmlegis.gov) for comment. The 2026 session remains active, with potential for further energy and tax proposals.

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