Just Ignore It

Headwater of the MRGCD at Cochiti Dam

The media is so incapable of public service any more that they are just ignoring the election on Tuesday for Board members of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District.  The MRGCD provides irrigation and flood control from the Cochiti Dam in the north thru Socorro County in the south. Anyone who owns a home, commercial real estate or  land within a mile or two of the Rio Grande is paying a whopping property tax to these folks.  Irrigators get cheap water because of the urban subsidies that pay for 90% of everything.  And then the Board secretly hide their elections on off years with little publicity.  Ergo, you get 3% turnouts and corruption continues at the agency.  The Albuquerque Journal is choosing to ignore the election big time with out even endorsing candidates this year for this most important agency that controls the water future of the region.  The agency is famous for feathering the nest of its manager and doing favors for the board members.  It never changes.

So, I will endorse the two people in the race who want reform.  John Kelley and John Avila will bring professionalism to the board and perhaps help the one or two other board members who want change.  Any one who lives in the valley should vote for these guys to change out the status quo.

I don't object to some subsidy of the irrigators.  I just object to the Board ignoring the bill payers.