Other statewide candidates speak at forum

In each of the other races for statewide office except attorney general, only one of the two candidates was present at Wednesday’s League of Women Voters forum in Las Cruces.

Democratic secretary of state candidate Mary Herrera didn’t attend, but Republican Vickie Perea was present.

“I believe that elections in New Mexico should be secure,” Perea said. “Your vote should be protected at all costs.”

Perea said she will strive for proving faster election returns and open government. She also wants a voter ID law that is tougher than the current system.

“I believe that a photo voter ID is a foundation to a more secure and modern voter system,” she said. “The people want it. We need it.”

And she pledged to modernize the office’s Web site and databases so that campaign finance reports are more easily accessible.

Perea said she’s confident improvements can be made quickly.

“We’ve really had a lot of problems in New Mexico,” she said. “We have nowhere to go, ladies and gentlemen, but up.”

Republican treasurer candidate Demesia Padilla didn’t attend, but Democratic candidate James B. Lewis was present.

“I want to be part of the solution,” Lewis said in response to recent scandal. “We can sit back and complain, but I want to make a difference.”

He proposed creating a whistleblower program for the office so it’s easier to report misbehaving officials, and said he will do whatever is necessary to restore integrity in the office.

“My No. 1 priority is restoring public trust,” Lewis said. “Some of the things that office’s employees were asked to do is unconscionable.”

Democratic land commissioner candidate Jim Baca was unable to attend, but Republican incumbent Pat Lyons was present.

He said his priorities are to make money for education, create energy and economic development, and do all of that “in an environmentally clean way.”

“We’re the first commissioner to do that,” Lyons said. “We believe in better government, not bigger government.”

Lyons said that takes “a good balance” between raising money and conserving land. He said he opposes drilling on Valle Vidal – which isn’t owned by the state land office – but supports drilling for gas on the Otero Mesa.

In the auditor race, Republican Lorenzo Garcia was unable to attend, but Democrat Hector Balderas was present.

“I’m independent, I have integrity, and most importantly, I’m committed to protecting the New Mexico taxpayer,” Balderas said. “We must be more involved in improving government. We must have a say in the ethics of our leaders.”

Balderas said the office has done a good job of providing audits in the past, but now must “play a larger role.” He said he plans to ask legislators to fund a special prosecutor for the office – something current Auditor Domingo Martinez has proposed before but legislators have killed.

It’s necessary because the attorney general and district attorneys’ offices around the state are overworked and have little time to adequately investigate complex financial cases.

“What I need is my own, independent prosecutor,” Balderas said.

Second, Balderas said, he will push for the creation of an audit fund, so small governments in rural areas can afford quality audits that will help weed out corruption and waste.

He said it’s ridiculous that, currently, small towns can get state money to help fund rodeos, but not audits.