Archive for Santa Fe County
One Way Or Another — You Will Go Roundabout
by Chuck Ring (GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008)Â
Quote Freely From the Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
Roundabouts, traffic circles, calming devices; call them what you will. Some of them are touted and proven as efficient traffic handlers. There is a difference between roundabouts and traffic circles, so it is beneficial to get them settled in one’s mind. Here’s a webpage that will assist in helping everyone to sort out the differences between the twoÂ
Solar-Power Incentives — Bah, Humbug!
by Chuck Ring (GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008)Â
Quote Freely From the Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
Of course, I’m not against incentives for solar or wind power. Let me explain. The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC) has just approved regulations that requires Public Service Company of New Mexico (PSC) to pay commercial customers 15 cents for ever solar-generated kilowatt used by its commercial customers. This is in addition to a 13 cent scheme for residential customers. The PRC stopped short or refused to require PSC to pay for any excess power generated by the company’s customers. Whether this refusal is good for the customer and PSC is anyone’s guess, but one reason given by the PRC is that the PRC didn’t want the customers to become mini-utilities or words to that effect. On balance all the forgoing seems great for PSC’s customers and it allows PSC to comply with regulations that require it to be more green.Â
Bacon Fried Is Pork Applied
by Chuck Ring (GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008)Â
Quote Freely From the Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
The Rio Grande Foundation (RGF) has just published their latest piggy booklet
It Is All Bass-Ackwards
by Chuck Ring (GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008)Â
Quote Freely From the Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
The title puts it mildly. Edgewood, has for some time, failed to convince Santa Fe County to return taxes to Edgewood that rightly belong to Edgewood. Additionally, Edgewood has missed opportunities to joint venture with Santa Fe County for a regional library, a public safety facility, a recreational complex and an animal control facility. »» It Is All Bass-Ackwards
Sneaky Petes With Dirty “Feats!”
by Chuck Ring (GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008)Â
Quote Freely From the Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
Have any of you noticed how your eyes have become defective. I mean, have you seen that packaging in food stores seem to be the same size, but the contents weigh less than they did perhaps a month or a few days ago? Can we lay this on a sign of the times or pure fraudulent deception? Can we just chalk it up to sophisticated packaging to allow for a more comfortable ride for the various items as they zip to their various destinations? Or, should we accept one or more of the manufacturers lame explanations (revelations) given when they are pinned to the wall?
Revelations are popping-up all over and it makes one wonder, why the deception? Wouldn’t it be proper and honest to just raise the prices? The manufacturers seem to say that the consumer will accept deception before they will accept honest increases in prices. Well, let’s view a television spot which sheds more light on the issue
That’s it, except that if you want to keep up on consumer scams, you might want to subscribe to the newsletter offered here TrappedByAMouseÂ
Alice King Passes at 78
by John Weckerle
It was a sad moment yesterday when we learned that Alice King, wife of former governor Bruce King and long-time advocate for troubled children, passed away yesterday after suffering a massive stroke Thursday.
I have had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. King several time at functions here in the area, and she was always friendly and warm in her greetings.  As a first lady, and later as a tireless advocate, she worked and fought to protect and serve New Mexico’s children. Even though she is gone, a part of her will always be there in the lives of those who have been helped by the programs she started and sponsored.
We are asking that anyone who has information on a public memorial service pass the word on to us, so that we can post the details here.
Like A Good Neighbor … Time To Belly Up
 by Chuck Ring (GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008)Â
Quote Freely From the Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
On October 7th of this year I posted the following article
Since that time area churches, other non-profits and area businesses have contributed money and other items to assist those losing their jobs through the difficult transition in times that were perilous even before the closing of the call center. Temporary assistance is always welcome by those in need, but more is needed in order to secure another employer or employers to employ those who want to work.
The rumor on the street is that Moriarty has asked for the help of Edgewood to refurbish parts of the building or grounds where a new tenant might locate. I believe this is a fitting proposal for several reasons:
- those who have or will lose their jobs want to work and they need to work
- some employees who lost their jobs live in Edgewood and other points outside of Moriarty
- as a former employee of the connection, I can attest to the fact that a majority of the employees spent a portion of each paycheck at Edgewood businesses
- Edgewood is not in the charity business, but this potential assistance is not charity. It is taking care of our own; no matter the location of their residence
- this assistance would demonstrate Edgewood’s willingness to recognize the assistance given to citizens of this valley and reward that assistance in a meaningful way
- it would be one more illustration of a regional approach to economic development
- it would demonstrate to the legislature and Santa Fe County that our dollars need to stay here to help our own, before sliding to Santa Fe City and Santa Fe County
The Lion’s Friend Sleeps Tonight
by John Weckerle
The memorial service for Bill Brown took place at the Wildlife West Nature Park Bean Barn. Friends, acquaintances, fellow volunteers, and others joined Bill’s family to celebrate the life of Edgewood’s mountain lion man (seen here with his friend in this photo provided by Judy Hudgins). In attendance were a broad spectrum of area residents: former Edgewood Town Council members Chuck Ring and Frank Lasky; former Edgewood mayor Howard Calkins; and current Edgewood Town Council member Rita Loy Simmons, just to name a few. The service was officiated by Roger Alink, founder and director of the park and long-time friend of Bill’s. On hand were many of Bill’s friends and those who held him dear, several of whom shared anecdotes about their experiences with Bill during his years as a volunteer and president of the Park’s Board of Directors. »» The Lion’s Friend Sleeps Tonight
Scam Some Ham, Or My Attempt To Double-Up On Thanksgiving
by Chuck Ring (GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008)
Quote Freely From the Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
After having a great meal with my friend Jim Smith at Katrinah’s East Mountain Grill (KEMG) on this date, Jim and I were privileged to have Katrinah’s grandmom (Kathy Shuit,co-owner of KEMG) grace our table. Jim’s satiated eyes were glazed over due to the effects of the giant chicken-fried steak he had just experienced; but I of the grand abdomen, had given my stomach a reprieve having recently experienced fusion of L-4/L-5 and needing less strain on the back, I had taken the ignoble, but sensible path to satisfaction … I quit eating.
But, I did not quit listening. I heard that Kathy would close the grill on November 25 (tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day) and that she would be open for approximately sixty family members and friends. Knowing that my lovely Carol would not open the Ring Kitchen until Thursday at around 3:00 PM, I was quite sure that I was friend enough to throw myself on Kathy’s mercy. »» Scam Some Ham, Or My Attempt To Double-Up On Thanksgiving
Their Loss Means We Keep Losing
by Chuck Ring (GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008)
Quote Freely From the Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
Poor Santa Fe County and Santa Fe City. According to recent reports in the Santa Fe New Mexican, both will have to initiate cost-cutting measures due to their lack of economic bounty in these down times.
They propose to cut items in their existing budget to make up the loss. It really struck me as odd that they intend to take a 10% bite out of their travel category. The odd part was the 10% amounts to some $240,000. We can do the math and find that their travel budget is over $2,400,000. One wonders if they plan to travel to outer space. In this day and time, what could possibly justify a travel budget of over two million dollars for an entity the size of Santa Fe County?
Oh well, little Edgewood will continue sending their hard earned money to both Santa Fes. Maybe we can keep them out of the hole they keep digging for themselves.
Click here for the County’s storyÂ
Same Ol’ Song – Just Whizzin’ Along
by Chuck Ring (GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008)
Quote Freely From the Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
Santa Fe City (City) seems to be feeling the wind in its face as an effluent (not affluent) customer just whizzes on by, while refusing to pay the city for 150,000,000 plus gallons of effluent water from their waste water system.
Seems the customer, who along with three others, owns a horse park of some eighty acres located in Santa Fe, is more or less mired in potential litigation after the City filed a lien against the property for non-payment for the effluent water. According to City officials the amount owed is $189,481. One of the owners disputes this figure and says that the City owes the park, i.e., the owners, $60,000. An article in the Santa Fe New Mexican provides more detail regarding this contest.
First, Do No Harm (Part Two)
by Chuck Ring (GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008)
Quote Freely From the Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
This Is Part Two Of A Two Part Article
Click Here For Part One Of This Article
Next to be examined are two big water projects known as the San Juan – Chama Diversion Project and the Buckman Well Field Project. The scope of these two projects alone demonstrates the shear gall of those who have planned these projects with their use of taxes from Edgewood to fund a large portion of the projects. Whether the projects prove to be viable and cost effective at this juncture is speculative, but it can be said that in the eyes of many Southern Santa Fe County and Torrance County citizens, the deal or deals, smell of selfishness and disregard. Memories of the City of Santa Fe’s attempt to import some 7500 acre feet of salty water from mid-Torrance County to Santa Fe still leaves a brackish taste in their mouths. One of our Santa Fe County commissioners seems so enamored of the tax and the straws that could be placed in the rivers and aquifers that he wrote a letter extolling the virtues of the project to the Santa Fe City governing body. Here is an excerpt from the February 6, 2003 letter:
“….Santa Fe County government and the public took a big step toward dealing with the water shortage last year with the approval of a ¼% gross receipts tax increase, 75% of which will be used for water system and supply improvements. Fully one half of the total county tax proceeds will go to projects that are in the City or that serve City residents. City projects are reviewed and recommended for funding by the Regional Planning Authority (RPA). Already the RPA will go to projects that are in the City or that serve City residents. City projects are reviewed and recommended for funding by the Regional Planning Authority (RPA). Already the RPA earmarked $1.25 million, or one half of the total expected gross receipts tax for the current fiscal year for the construction of Buckman wells 10 through 13 to supplement the existing Buckman well field during drought conditions , and to rest existing wells during normal years….”
The entire letter can be accessed here by clicking Santa Fe Twins Water And Other Projects Deal The excerpt above is just a very small sample of the revelations to be found in the letter.Â
If the letter and the ordinance are studied with a clear head and sharp eyes, it can be determined that most of the funds accrued or accruing from the tax will be spent by and for the County and City. Reading the entire letter, the mind of the reader can be transported to the Los Angeles of the Owens Valley era and its erstwhile superintendent of the Los Angeles Water and Power Department, William Mulholland. Visions of the movie, Chinatown, which is loosely based on Los Angeles’ rape of Owens Valley and Los Angeles’ hand in the final demise of the water once to be found there, Maps,Photos And General Information About Owens Valley also rise to the mind’s surface. But, a read of he book or a look at the PBS series of the same name, The Cadillac Desert, The American West And Its Disappearing Water, will perhaps meld the Santa Fe events with those revealed in the book and tell a much broader story of how big money and bad politics often destroy those with whom they play fast and loose. A Google © search can provide links to suppliers of the book and video.
Has anyone in the Edgewood area heard of the Top Of The World Farms (TOW). If not, be assured that folks in Taos County have heard about Santa Fe County and their purchase of at least 588 acre feet per year (afy) of water rights from TOW. I say at least, because it is not clear when and exactly how much water was actually purchased by Santa Fe County. An article from the La Jicarita Times of Northern New Mexico has indicated the transfer, if approved, will be for a minimum of 588 afy
The entity created by Santa Fe City and County that handles the disbursement of most of the many millions of dollars generated by the tax is known as the Regional Planning Authority (RPA). The RPA has an executive director and five additional staff; though to be fair some staff members serve through their regular employment with the City or County. A board consisting of four county commissioners and four city councilors governs the RPA. Conspicuously and suspiciously, there are no board members from the other taxed entities that contribute to the pie. Other disbursements of money can occur outside the purview of the RPA should individual County commissioners put forth projects for funding. There have been several such projects, but none have been finalized for Edgewood. At one point, over two years ago, there was to have been a $400,000 allotment for Edgewood to assist with the completion of the Edgewood wastewater treatment facility, but the County insisted on an ownership scheme in the facility and no funds were ever forthcoming.
Yes, They Have No Bananas — No Lemons Either (Not From New Mexico)
 by Chuck Ring (GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008)
Quote freely From the Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
Yes, We Got No Bananas (click to hear)
Some might ask if I have turned daft, or as others might ask, more daft. What the heck is the significance of the song. Fair question and the answer will come in due time.
I picked up the most recent issue of The Independent (The I) and became enthralled by an article which I assumed to be satire until I realized that The I doesn’t do satire, but they are good at silly and
inane. And, inside their boiling vats of criticism floats the Edgewood Wal-Mart; the target of repeated slam articles and diatribes at the dripping pens of The I. The article turns out to be sour and nonsensical to the extreme. How? Let us see the ways.
The title of the article is, Wal-Mart fails to keep local buying pledge by Robert Raffone and if the reader did not read past the title, he or she might be inclined to negatively shake their head or tsk-tsk at the very least. Mr. Raffone tells us that on a “recent” walk-through of the Edgewood Wal-Mart and more particularly, the produce section, not a single item of produce from East Mountain growers poked their leafy little heads, eyes or ears from the produce bins. Mr. Raffone enumerates a list of produce and fruits that he did find. His list included strawberries, pumpkins, corn and grapes from California along with lemons from Chile and apples from Washington. Mr. Raffone goes on to list oranges from South Africa, as well as bell peppers from Canada and tomatoes from Mexico as being present among the United Nations of produce. But, all locally grown produce was absent without leave from Edgewood’s Wal-Mart. »» Yes, They Have No Bananas — No Lemons Either (Not From New Mexico)
Not Quite Over For The Political Junkies
by Chuck Ring
For those who are political junkies or just feel like a junk heap after the election, here’s something you can play with to see trends and results statewide and countywide.
After you arrive at the page you will see that you are on the results page for Santa Fe County. If you wish to dig down to individual precincts you will find a precinct select window next to the county window in the upper left corner of the page. Of course you can also select another county to examine if you want to spend all day and night on the site.
In Santa Fe County precincts 15, 16, 18, 73, 84 and 85 the transit tax was voted down. The total vote was 2755 against to 1515 for, which seems to verify that most folks in those precincts (which is mostly Edgewood do not see a train track or any other real overall transportation benefit to the citizens in our future. But, the bad news is that the rest of the Santa Fe County portion of transit district citizens felt differently and voted for the tax, so that the totals were 34934 for to 28,501 opposed.
So, what will happen as a result of the transit tax passing? On January 1, 2009, you will see the gross receipts tax for the incorporated area of Edgewood (inside Santa Fe County) rise from 7.625 to 7.750. This tax, joins other taxes that have been foisted on us because we cannot overcome the votes from the rest of the county when it comes to tax referendums. One answer to the perpetual problem is the possibility of forming a county out of portions of Santa Fe, Bernalillo and perhaps Torrance counties. This is not the first time that this possibility has been mentioned, but it might be more viable now, because it is difficult to walk much less run, with Santa Fe County’s hand in our back pocket.
It could be worse. Santa Fe City joins Española, and Taos to have gross receipts tax rates above eight cents on the dollar.
What? A 36″ Giant Sucking Sound!
by Chuck Ring
Just when you thought that the City Different, AKA Santa Fe or Disneyland, was through being outrageous, comes the story that they want to add to their water supply. Maybe not bad on the surface, but this deal involves sucking or pushing water through a 36″ pipeline from Ft. Sumner. Such sucking and/or pushing would be over a distance of 145 miles and a lift in elevation from 4049 feet altitude to an elevation of 7320 feet altitude. A lift of 3271 feet through a 36 inch pipeline will require enormous energy, materials and “mucho dinero.” Similar problems did not deter Santa Fe City several years ago when they hatched a similar scheme to import water from the Estancia Basin in Torrance County to Santa Fe. A very vocal Estancia Basin contingency and a well-attended Santa Fe City Council meeting put a dam up to halt that particular project.
I am preparing a series of articles that will shed light on some of the two Santa Fes’ (The Twins) water deals and gimmicks. The articles will be published here and will be utilized elsewhere in an attempt to halt the craziness of The Twins and their like, especially as their actions apply to taxing entities that will not see benefit of such taxation and similar actions. Until I post the first article in the series, you can slake your thirst by accessing and reading an article on the subject which appears in today’s (Sunday, November 2, 2008) Santa Fe New Mexican:
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Private-water-pipeline-proposed-for-S-F-
That’s it for now.
GadAbout-BlogAlot