C Onser V a Tion Sc Orec Ard 2013-2014
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CONSERVATION SCORECARD 2013-2014 1 DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE Staff and Board ew Mexicans hold During the session, I was asked Conservation Voters New Mexico long-standing shared by legislators time and time again, values for protecting our “How will this affect my CVNM Family of Organizations Nair, land, water, wildlife and the score?” Decision-makers pay health of our communities. At attention because they know that Conservation Voters New Mexico, CVNM and New Mexico voters CVNM Staff we strive to uphold these deep- are keeping track. Demis Foster, Executive Director rooted conservation values. We Victor Reyes, Political Director Scorecard Contents work hard to connect the people Help us keep the pressure on to Allison Fabara, Development Director of New Mexico to their political hold our lawmakers accountable. Thomas Lawley, Business Administrator power. We do this by mobilizing Tell your legislators that you Liliana Castillo, Communications Manager 3 CVNM Staff and Board voters, winning elections, holding “Know the Score.” If they have a 4 Highlights and Lowlight elected officials accountable, and strong conservation score, call or Demis Foster Victor Reyes CVNM Board of Directors 5 Know the Score, Take Action advancing responsible public email to thank them. If they have a Julia Catron, President 6 Issue Spotlight policies. low score, express your concern Kevin Hoover, Vice President 7 Conservation Champions as a constituent and Conservation Loyda Martinez, Secretary 8 Heroes and Zero One of the most powerful tools Voter. Contact information for Molly Schmidt Nowara, Treasurer 9 About the Scorecard we use to achieve this mission your legislators is on the last two Michael Casaus, Director 10 Governor: Foul Legacy is our annual Conservation pages of this Scorecard. Sarah Cottrell Propst, Director 12 Conservation Vote Descriptions Scorecard. The Scorecard is Jennifer Marshall Weydeveld, Director 15 2013-2014 Senate Scorecard a cornerstone of our work; it With your support we can realize Larry McDaniel, Director 17 2013-2014 House Scorecard provides the information you our vision for a New Mexico Allison Fabara Thomas Lawley Karen Mendenhall, Director 18 Legislative Contacts need to determine whether your where decision-makers and public legislators are voting in line with policies represent the conservation CVNM Education Fund Staff your conservation values. The values of our people. Consider Demis Foster, Executive Director Scorecard also reveals the behind- making a gift to CVNM today Allison Fabara, Development Director the-scenes stories of what happens by visiting our website at www. Thomas Lawley, Business Administrator during legislative sessions. CVNM.org. Together we can Molly Sanders, Program Director continue to win the fight to protect Talia Boyd, Western New Mexico Organizer A DECADE OF SUCCESS the air we breathe, the water Liliana Castillo, Communications Manager we drink and the health of our Molly Sanders Liliana Castillo Vicente Garcia, Latino Organizing Director For ten years in a row, CVNM communities. and our allies have defeated 100% CVNM Education Fund Board of Directors of the anti-conservation bills in Thank you for being a Jon Goldstein, President the Roundhouse. In the last two Conservation Voter! Bernard Ewell, Vice President sessions (the 51st Legislature), we Javier Benavidez, Secretary fought against a slew of bills that Michael Casaus, Treasurer would have stripped rules put in Cindy Padilla, Director place to protect our air, land, and water. These bills, and how your Talia Boyd Vicente Garcia legislators voted on them, are explored more in the following pages. Demis Foster Executive Director 2 3 “While I am a great believer in the free enterprise system and all that it entails, I am an even stronger believer in the right of our people to live in a clean and HIGHLIGHTS pollution-free environment.” -Barry Goldwater Know the Score Take Action and lowlight ach legislative session is legislative champions — especially All too often, votes are cast along It’s never too late to say ‘thanks’! Join Conservation Voters The most important part of your unique, and develops its own those in leadership positions, predictably partisan lines. To the (or ‘no thanks’…) New Mexico today! communication is letting them culture and character. The including committee chairs. As extent that there is crossover in Tell your legislators that you know that you are paying close E2013 and 2014 sessions were no always, we are grateful for their efforts. partisan support for, or opposition ‘Know the Score’ We take on tough fights to protect attention to how they vote or, in different. Here are a few highlights to, environmental safeguards, the New Mexico, but these efforts in the case of the Governor, what from each, along with one perpetual The 2013 session was remarkable crossover generally consists of more One of the best ways to the Roundhouse and around the actions she takes on legislation that lowlight. for the appearance of a new group conservative Democrats siding with influence the voting records state require financial resources. affects our air, land, and water. of champions elected for the Republicans against common-sense of your elected officials is to We can only win when we work HIGHLIGHTS first time in 2012: senators and protections. communicate regularly with them. together. Please join other Calling your legislator directly The 2014 session marked the representatives for whom protection If your legislators scored well, New Mexicans in becoming and sending letters through 10th year in a row that CVNM of our air, land and water is a key This is not the case in other state it’s important to thank them and a Conservation Voter today! regular mail remain by far and our allies have successfully priority. Reps. Georgene Louis, capitols. In places as diverse to support them. If you feel you Membership is easy: just submit the most effective ways to defended against 100% of the Patricia Roybal Caballero, Liz as Idaho and South Carolina, weren’t well-represented by your the enclosed envelope with your communicate with your anti-conservation bills in the New Thomson and Christine Trujillo, Republicans have a strong legislators’ votes, it’s important to membership contribution or join legislators. Due to mass volume, Mexico legislature. It’s a remarkable and Sens. Jacob Candelaria and Bill conservation ethic, and a number hold them accountable by letting online at www.CVNM.org and e-mail is generally a less effective accomplishment — one of which we Soules, are examples of this new of Republican legislators have them know what you think about click “Donate.” method to communicate your are very proud. cohort of champions — and there nearly-perfect environmental voting their votes. views — but it depends on the are several others as well. records. Communicate with the individual legislator. Here are just a few examples of If you don’t know who your Governor and your harmful measures we worked to The 2013 session also saw the One of the founders of the modern legislators are, visit www.CVNM.org Legislators The Governor and Lieutenant successfully defeat: welcome return of Reps. Jeff conservation movement was and click on the “Find your Governor can always be contacted at • In 2013, CVNM worked with Steinborn and Nate Cote from Doña President Teddy Roosevelt, and Legislator” link under the Whether you’re congratulating the Roundhouse. Except during the allies to help defeat measures that Ana County. Once again, both several other Republican presidents “Legislation” drop-down menu. your legislators on their score or legislative session, state legislators would have gutted our renewable legislators boasted perfect 100% — including Nixon and Coolidge expressing your disappointment, should be contacted in their home energy and efficiency standards, voting records! Sadly, 2014 was Rep. — supported sound conservation be direct, courteous and polite. districts, as listed on pages 18 and 19. immunized illegal or negligent Cote’s last session; he opted not to policies. Many Republican factory farms from legal action, run for re-election this year and he governors — most notably Tom weakened our water quality will be missed. McCall from Oregon, and our protections, and enabled the own Dave Cargo — have been at Conservation Goals Conservation Lobbying and for the Legislature Grassroots privatization of critical public lowlight the vanguard of environmental policy goals are are Evaluated and Mobilization services (e.g. water systems) Unfortunately, a few obstacles to protection. communicated to Prioritized without adequate safeguards, sound environmental policy are so CVNM legislators oversight or taxpayer protections. entrenched that clean air and water It begs the question: • In 2014, CVNM spearheaded for all New Mexicans — now and what happened? When will Cycle of Accountability opposition to a bill that would have in the future — seems an almost- Republican legislators embrace ELECTION LEGISLATIVE SESSION allowed polluting companies and impossible goal. their party’s conservation heritage? Public elects Legislature sprawl developments to negotiate When will clean air and water stop or rejects enacts or rejects subsidized utility rates — subsidies Although protecting the health of being fodder for partisan squabbles? candidates conservation paid for by working families, our communities and environment For the sake of our children and agenda schools, and smaller businesses. is important to New Mexicans grandchildren, we hope it will