{"id":40552,"date":"2012-06-01T21:07:00","date_gmt":"2012-06-02T03:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=40552"},"modified":"2012-06-01T21:07:04","modified_gmt":"2012-06-02T03:07:04","slug":"where-is-our-voice-on-the-prc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2012\/06\/where-is-our-voice-on-the-prc\/","title":{"rendered":"Where is our voice on the PRC?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Danny<\/a>

Danny Maki<\/p><\/div>\n

I will work harder, smarter and get the kind of results we\u2019ve yet to see from the current Public Regulation Commission in New Mexico.<\/h4>\n

Where is our voice on the PRC? Earlier this week the PRC just granted Blue Cross Blue Shield an increase of 6.9 percent. That is their third increase in four years. As an employee of a nonprofit that took a pay cut in December due to the economic downturn, this decision to increase the insurance rates does not represent me. Does it represent your best interest?<\/p>\n

This political season, amidst the letters to the editor advancing \u201ctheir\u201d candidate by tearing down the candidate they wish to stop, we seem to have forgotten the real importance of the PRC election. The fact of the matter is PRC has ignored the best interests of us, the New Mexico public.<\/p>\n

I am Danny Maki, a life-long resident of Santa Fe and now a candidate for the District 3 seat on the powerful but badly troubled and struggling Public Regulation Commission. In the U.S. Congress I worked on the law that created health-care reform, and because of that experience I understand the importance of a comprehensive health-care plan so that we are not subjected to these out-of-control rate increases during an economic downturn. Health care is a right, not a privilege.<\/p>\n

The work of the PRC is complex and highly technical. I worked at the PRC and I have direct experience analyzing rate cases. I already understand the economic, legal and financial aspects that factor into a rate case and I am prepared on Day One to start the job by asking the informed, tough, but fair questions that remain unanswered.<\/p>\n

My grandparents were born and raised in rural areas of New Mexico. My aunts, uncles and cousins live in rural New Mexico today. I understand and value the importance of accessibility. That is why I will bring the commission to the people of New Mexico by holding open office hours in all counties in District 3. This will enable New Mexicans to voice concerns directly to me about a rate case, so I can be a strong voice for consumers across the district.<\/p>\n

A fresh approach<\/h3>\n

Another recent action at the PRC that doesn\u2019t represent the best interests of New Mexicans is the inappropriate behavior of the current chairman of the PRC, Pat Lyons. A small example of Lyons\u2019 inappropriate behavior is his personal use of a Ford 250 pickup truck for approximately 65 days, which probably violated the rules of a federal program, resulting in more than $1,100 of questionable costs to the public \u2013 that\u2019s costs to us as taxpayers.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s according to an under-publicized audit<\/a> earlier this year. I am the contender who will hold him accountable for his inappropriate\u00a0leadership, if it can be called leadership.<\/p>\n

As part of a fresh, innovated approach as a PRC commissioner, I\u2019m inviting the nonpartisan community groups like the League of Women Voters to perform an audit of the PRC starting my first day in office.<\/p>\n

Part of the process to reform the PRC is to ensure that the commission is serving you at its full potential.\u00a0This campaign season I propose re-establish a standard of political discourse and focus on our visions for the PRC.<\/p>\n

We need a voice on the PRC, a new, fresh perspective. I will work harder, smarter and get the kind of results we\u2019ve yet to see from the current Public Regulation Commission in New Mexico.\u00a0 Never forgetting my roots in Northern New Mexico, or whom I\u2019m working for, I will put people first again. And while that may seem tough to most career politicians, it\u2019s all I\u2019ve ever known.<\/p>\n

Maki<\/a>, a Democrat, is a candidate for the District 3 seat on the Public Regulation Commission.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I will work harder, smarter and get the kind of results we\u2019ve yet to see from the current Public Regulation Commission in New Mexico. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2846,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1192,16],"tags":[156,217],"class_list":["post-40552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary","category-guest-columns","tag-2012-election","tag-prc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2846"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40552"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40552\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}