Opinion: Ballot issues are worth big 'yes' votes

Lost in the hoopla over the contested elections on this year’s general election ballot are some issues that deserve our attention — and support.

On the ballot are two proposed constitutional amendments and four bond issues, and we see no reason not to endorse them all.

The bond issues are no-brainers; they come around every two years for our collective approval as part of our state’s financial approach to maintaining senior citizen centers, libraries and schools around the state, and this year is no exception.

Bond Question A will clear the path for the issuance of up to $10.77 million in bonds for senior citizen facility needs. Bond Question B authorizes the sale and issuance of $12.88 million in bonds for public, academic, school and tribal libraries. Bond C will allow for $6.14 million in bonds to purchase school buses and equip older buses with air conditioning. And Bond D is for $136.23 million in bonds for institutions of higher education and special and tribal schools.

We support them all and recommend their passage.

As for the constitutional amendment, the first one relates to the state courts system and the second relates to good government, pure and simple.

Constitutional Amendment 1 would empower the Legislature to pass laws determining where judicial appeals go. Currently state law requires that appeals from probate, municipal and magistrate courts, along with Bernalillo Metropolitan Court, go directly to District Court. This amendment would allow lawmakers to pass laws redirecting certain types of cases to other higher courts upon appeal. Proponents say this could add efficiency and expediency to the judicial process and that’s something we need more of.

As for Constitutional Amendment 2, this one’s a long time coming. For how many years now have good-government advocates been pushing for a state ethics commission? And how many election officials have been convicted and jailed during that time? Plenty of years and plenty of crooks. New Mexico badly needs ethics reform, and this amendment would be a giant leap forward.

If passed, Amendment 2 will create an independent ethics commission, a seven-member body that will be tasked with investigating alleged violations of ethical misconduct by state officials, including executive and legislative branch employees, candidates for office, lobbyists and government contractors.

Such an ethics commission will go a long way toward holding government officials accountable for their behavior in office. It would also give citizens with an ethical grievance against a powerful official a means by which to be heard and have their allegations considered. Passage of Amendment 2 advances honest government, and we enthusiastically endorse it.

They all come to the voters via legislative referral, and they’re all worth serious consideration. Before you vote, feel free to examine them more carefully, which we hope will lead you to the same conclusion we reached: They are all worthy of our support.

— Guadalupe County Communicator