Letters to the Editor
Co-op’s debt is due to trustees
Editor:
As things unravel at our electric co-op, we find that to prevent the USDA from taking over there must be a rate increase. The basic problem seems to be that those persons we member-owners elected to oversee finances lack adequate business skills — or worse.
After being in existence for some 60 years, one must wonder why, except for perhaps poor business skills and old-fashioned skimming, that the co-op has any debt whatsoever.
Regarding debt, we are told by interim manager Richard Lopez that the system’s standing debt is something like $30 million dollars.
Added to the debt problem we are further informed (1) that our elected trustee recently “wrote off” $700,000 worth of “bad debts” and (2) that a simple error requires the co-op to refund some $1.76 million to we member-owners.
Meanwhile, computer records reflect that in 2009, in payment for their business acumen (or lack of) the 11 elected trustees incurred $492,066.98 in expenses. For my part, I have been an SEC member owner for almost 24 years. If the trustees spent that amount for as long as I’ve been a member, they would have paid themselves $11,686,590.77 for an average of $1.1 million each.
In simpler terms, it seems that the trustees get the “mine” and we member-owners get the “shaft”.
I, for one, am not Santa Claus. If a competent court of law determines that the trustees, including any predecessors, have unjustly enriched themselves, appropriate judgments should be rendered. Recovery from the personal pockets of those responsible should be an option.
Alvin B. Hickox
San Antonio
Martinez not my choice
Editor:
There is an old joke — A little girl asked her father, “Do all fairy tales begin with ‘Once upon a time?’” The father replied, “No, some begin with ‘If I am elected.’”
This is the case with gubernatorial candidate, Susana Martinez, the daughter of El Paso boxing legend, Jake Martinez. She begins her fairy tale, “Once upon a time there was a corrupt governor — everything and everyone he touched was corrupt too. He flew around in a jet spreading corruption in New Mexico.” So goes her sordid fairy tale.
Now there is the real Ms. Martinez, who spent 14 years in the District Attorney’s Office supposedly having success as a prosecutor and complains about her failures because of lack of funds. However, when she got federal money from the Southwest Border Prosecution Initiative Fund, she used the funds not to fight drug dealers, criminals etc., but to give bonuses to employees worth about $228,000.
In addition, after a federal audit, her office had to return $466,327 of federal funds to the Department of Justice for irregularities. Then we had her office buying $60,000 of office supplies from a Titan Office Supply operated by a lawyer in her own office. Even the Mothers Against Drunk Driving has criticized her handling of DWIs. This is a mediocre record!
Ms. Martinez promises: “If I am elected” she will reinstate the death penalty; she will eliminate the pit rule for her oil and gas buddies despite possible water contamination; she will use state money for school vouchers to assist her wealthy supporters, who dislike public schools and their union teachers; and she will raise the flag of xenophobia against illegal immigrants.
This will be no fairy tale. If she is elected, New Mexicans will face a harsh and grim reality.
Greg Lennes
Las Cruces
A need in the community
Editor:
Puerto Seguro provides help to not only the homeless but all those who are in need in our community. It provides meals, food packages, a place to shower and do laundry, connections with social services, and in cases of dire need it arranges for shelter for folks in local motels. It’s not only a safe harbor, it’s a place of hope for those who are almost without hope in our community.
Puerto Seguro has always had a very small budget, but the County Commission had to cut $3,000 of funding for it. It has to face the coming cold months that start very soon with even less for those who have so little.
Those of us in the Peace Vigil have raised $635 for Puerto Seguro and are continuing to raise more. We challenge other organizations and groups of employees at any business to meet or better our donation.
You can drop off a donation at Sundance Gifts on the Plaza, or contact Duane Baker at Puerto Seguro when you’ve got several donations you want to give as a group. All donations are tax-deductible.
Everyone is stressed in these bad times. But those who have so little have even less now.
Richard “Arf” L. Epstein
Socorro
Concerned about lack of resources
Editor:
As you know, Puerto Seguro has been awarded a sum of financial help through the county.
Unfortunately, this sum has been reduced by one-half.
We at Puerto Seguro attempt to budget wisely, and to insure that our finances are sufficient to assist people in need. This is very difficult when we face financial cuts, as it removes our ability to care for the homeless and people in need in a manner that will help sustain them during hard times. We offer this service, as well as referrals, to help people better their lives, and become self-sufficient. We also help those who have been thrown into turmoil due to tragic events in their lives.
Over the past month we have assisted two displaced families who have lost their homes due to economic hardship. We have assisted one of these families with employment referrals, and they are on the right path. This will take some time and effort on their part, but this situation looks promising.
The other family has been able to apply for SSI assistance and get their children enrolled in the public school system. We have been blessed to provide them with temporary housing and clothing, and they also seem to be headed on the right track.
We had an unfortunate case a couple weeks ago, where a young woman needed transportation to her family home in Louisiana. She was here in New Mexico with her fiancee, and he took his life while she was present. Totally devastated, she contacted her brother, who in turn contacted us. We put this young lady in a hotel for four nights, and purchased a one-way airline ticket to Louisiana for her.
These are the types of situations that we deal with on a daily basis, and without support, these people would be in a state of hopelessness. This causes bad choices and possibly anti-social behavior.
I, for one, am so glad that we’re here, and so grateful for people who are willing to help finance our mission. My concern at this time is a rough and cold winter, and the lack of resources to help people through it.
Thank you for all you do.
Duane Baker
Director, Puerto Seguro Inc.