This is the sixth in an occasional series of articles based on conversations with the Second Congressional District candidates. Articles on each candidate who agrees to an interview will run before the parties’ preprimary nominating conventions on March 15.
Bill McCamley has said often on the campaign trail that politicians should be judged solely on results.
“Have you made life better for the people you represent? If you can’t answer that question, you shouldn’t be re-elected,” the Democratic Second Congressional District candidate said.
McCamley, one of four Democrats in the race, said he has produced results for his constituents since being elected to the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners in 2004. Among the actions he cites are brokering a deal to end legal battles and pave the way for development of Santa Teresa and making baby formula at a shelter following a flood in Hatch.
McCamley said the fact that he’s been in the congressional race since April, long before Steve Pearce announced he was vacating the seat to run for Senate, proves his commitment.
“I got in this race for the right reasons, when it was against Steve Pearce, when it was hard, because we needed change,” McCamley said. “It shouldn’t be about a career opportunity.”
Commitment and results are themes of McCamley’s campaign. So is change. He said he wants to help “bridge the partisan gap in
“We need to instead talk about how to work together for change,” he said. “I’m willing to work across the aisle and compromise, and I’m not afraid to tell both parties, ‘the way you’ve been doing this is not good enough.’”
The other Democrats in the race are retired Presbyterian pastor Al Kissling, Roswell businessman and retired teacher Frank McKinnon and former Lea County Commissioner Harry Teague.
McCamley’s campaign is focused on several issues.
Economic development
McCamley said many young people have to choose between leaving the area to find good jobs or staying to work for minimum wage. When he finished his master’s degree at Harvard and returned to
McCamley said
Health care
As a commissioner, McCamley has dealt with the fact that 20 percent of New Mexicans don’t have health insurance and, as a result, wait until problems grow worse – and more expensive – before seeking treatment in hospital emergency rooms, at taxpayer expense.
He said he favors “an insurance program that covers everyone,” because the economy of scale will help control costs. He wants to ensure people can choose their doctors. He wants to insure all children and is a proponent of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.
“I will not take health insurance from Congress until every child in this country has insurance,” McCamley said. “I will pay for my own. It’s important for leaders to live by example.”
McCamley, who used to teach government classes at New Mexico State University, said spending billions of dollars in Iraq each month without forcing its government to move toward independence would be like him assigning homework without due dates.
“We absolutely must have a definitive timetable for withdrawing our troops from
Veterans’ issues
McCamley’s father is a
He said he would push for a set annual budget for the Veterans Administration – which is now funded by annual leftovers – and funding for more mental-health councilors. There is currently one serving all
McCamley noted that young people getting out of the military are twice as likely as civilian counterparts to be unemployed. He said they need better mental and physical health care and more job training to help them join the ranks of the employed.
Education
McCamley said the No Child Left Behind Act has failed because it focuses on tests rather than real-world experience. That forces teachers to be bureaucrats and doesn’t motivate students.
He said he would push for more funding and local flexibility, and said improvement, not “arbitrary benchmarks,” should be the measure of success. He said he favors “project-based” education over testing.
“Students are not going to be motivated by a test at the end of the year,” McCamley said. “They’re going to be motivated by creation.”
Environment
McCamley said he’s a proponent of protecting the environment because “areas of critical concern” will be lost if they aren’t preserved, but also for practical reasons. For example, he said, there is enough water under Otero Mesa for 1 million people for 10 years, and it’s important to protect that source.
He said he will push for the development of alternative energy not only to create jobs but also to combat the effects of global warming.
About McCamley
McCamley was born in
He graduated from
During his tenure on the commission, McCamley also worked for two years as director of a non-profit that works on infrastructure and other issues in rural communities.
McCamley chaired the commission during his first year in office. His notable actions include brokering the deal to end the Santa Teresa lawsuits and pushing for a gross-receipts tax increase to help fund Spaceport America.
Controversies
The spaceport tax was narrowly approved by voters but divided the community. Some argued that it was necessary to spur development. Others said it was unfair to tax a poor county for a project that will benefit the rich.
McCamley said the spaceport is a gamble but will create thousands of jobs if it’s successful. He worked hard to sell the tax, giving 50 public presentations and going door-to-door. Though some disagree with his stance on the spaceport, he said it’s an example of how hard he will work in Congress on health-care reform, ending the
“Any politician who is going to tell you they’ll agree with you on everything is a liar,” he said.
McCamley has also been criticized for taking thousands of dollars for his campaign from people tied to the Verde Group, which is developing Santa Teresa. Verde has proposed using controversial tax-increment-development-district funding for the project. McCamley has been asked to recuse himself from related votes, but refused.
But he has also refused to support Verde’s TIDD plan because the group wouldn’t promise that 15 percent of its housing would meet the federal definition of affordable housing. Because of his refusal, the TIDD proposal fell apart.
“I think that shows that I’m not in anybody’s pocket,” McCamley said. “I only ever make decisions based on what is in the best interest of the public.”
Prior interviews with Second Congressional District candidates:
• Ed Tinsley, published Feb. 18, 2008
• C. Earl Greer, published Feb. 14, 2008
• Al Kissling, published Jan. 28, 2008
• Aubrey L. Dunn Jr., published Jan. 14, 2008
• Harry Teague, published Dec. 20, 2007
As I’ve disclosed in the past, I’m friends with McCamley. You can read about that by clicking here.