Questionnaires for House District 46 candidates
May 21—Andrea Romero
City or area of primary residence: Santa Fe
Educational background: University of New Mexico School of Law, Stanford University, bachelor's degree in political science; Santa Fe High School.
Occupation: CEO/Founder, Tummi Yummi Probiotic Eggs; law student/clerk.
Political Experience: State representative, House District 46, 2018-present.
Relevant life experience: Born in Northern New Mexico and raised in Santa Fe, Española, Chimayó, La Mesilla and Nambé. In addition to serving in the Legislature, a small business owner and has served on numerous boards, including the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce, the LANL Foundation, and La Familia Medical Center. Also served as commissioner on the Sustainable Santa Fe Commission.
Have you ever been charged or convicted of a crime, including drunken driving? No.
Have you ever filed for bankruptcy or been involved in a bankruptcy proceeding, either personally or in business? No.
Have you ever been the subject of liens for unpaid taxes? No.
Should the Legislature, rather than the governor, have final or some say when it comes to initiating public health orders? Why or why not?
As the chief executive of the state, the governor should have the final say on initiating public health orders. She has expertise and experts advising her in relevant state departments, such as the Departments of Health; Aging and Long-Term Services; CYFD; Homeland Security and Emergency Management; Human Services; Indian Affairs; Public Education; and others. Based on the best available science and advice, the governor has the ability to move with urgency when the public's health is at risk and change course when conditions have changed.
The Legislature this year passed, and the governor signed, an omnibus crime fighting bill. Was it enough? What more would you recommend to deal with the state's ongoing crime problems?
The crime package was a good start but we must do even more to open up additional facilities for substance abuse and mental and behavioral health; continue to reform our approach to policing, including the addition of social workers for nonviolent calls; institute more common-sense gun safety laws like background checks, extreme risk protection orders, secure storage, and prohibition of ghost guns.
As a Democrat, how would you describe your political leanings? Progressive? Moderate? Conservative? Please explain your response and offer examples.
I am a progressive Democrat ... I co-sponsored the landmark cannabis bill in 2020, containing robust water protections and expungement of past criminal violations to begin to undo the harmful impacts of the failed War on Drugs. I championed the creation of a $25 million per year affordable housing fund and sponsored the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women task force. I also sponsored the Community Solar Act, providing access to low-income families and businesses seeking clean, renewable energy where it is currently unavailable.
Do you feel state legislators should be paid a salary? Why or why not?
I strongly believe in a salaried legislature. New Mexico is the only state left in the country that does not pay its lawmakers. As a result, legislators have to afford to take weeks and months off from work over the course of a year. Instead, we should have a system that encourages those who work hard every single day to run for office, as they may better understand the reality of most New Mexicans' lives.
Do you support the governor's efforts to turn New Mexico into a hydrogen hub? Why or why not?
I do not support hydrogen as an energy source until the best available science has proven that hydrogen will not increase carbon pollution and further exacerbate climate change. We have plentiful energy sources through wind and solar, and as energy storage continues to improve, we are creating new, clean, and better jobs by the thousands. The cannabis industry alone is projected to create 11,000 jobs, $300 million in sales, and $50 million to the state budget in the first year alone. We need to be creative in our approaches, and promote and grow industries that best suit our culture and values, and that are good for our environment.
Henry Roybal
City or area of primary residence: Santa Fe (El Rancho).
Educational background: Pojoaque High School, Northern New Mexico College.
Occupation: Subcontract technical representation, Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Political Experience: Nearly eight years as a Santa Fe County commissioner.
Relevant life experience: Youth mentor/coach and program director.
Have you ever been charged or convicted of a crime, including drunken driving? Yes.
If yes, please explain. As a 21-year-old, I made the regrettable mistake of a DUI, I learned and grew from that mistake. That was 31 years ago and I still realize the lapse in judgement from that day.
Have you ever filed for bankruptcy or been involved in a bankruptcy proceeding, either personally or in business? No.
Have you ever been the subject of liens for unpaid taxes? No.
Should the Legislature, rather than the governor, have final or some say when it comes to initiating public health orders? Why or why not?
I believe any substantial federal funding that becomes available should be made by a body of representatives and not a single person. This was also the opinion of the state Supreme Court. With that said, I also believe that we need to allow the governor to be nimble in the interest of public safety that would include monies to institute any orders. And then of course, these public orders could be visited when the Legislature convenes for session.
The Legislature this year passed, and the governor signed, an omnibus crime fighting bill. Was it enough? What more would you recommend to deal with the state's ongoing crime problems?
No, I do not believe it was enough. I believe people like to feel safe in their homes and out in their neighborhoods and other public spaces. I know I do. We need to look at laws that do keep individuals that commit violent crimes time and time again behind bars. The key word is violent, Also, a child should be in a safe place when it comes to adults, but we know that is not always true. We need to make sure repeat offender against children don't continue to hurt our kids, the scares left are too big
As a Democrat, how would you describe your political leanings? Progressive? Moderate? Conservative? Please explain your response and offer examples.
My political leanings are a combination of progressive and moderate beliefs, depending on the issue. For social issues, I would consider myself on the progressive side. For monetary and fiscal responsibility, I would consider myself on the moderate side. But ultimately, I would like to classify myself as a common-sense Democrat who is willing to listen to all perspectives and bring legislation forward that is for the benefit of our communities and state.
Do you feel state legislators should be paid a salary? Why or why not?
I'm running for office to serve my district because I want a better opportunity for our youth, better infrastructure, safe communities and to leave this world in a good place for the next generation. I do not need to be paid for this! A good idea is to have a full-time paid staff person who could help be a liaison with constituents needs. After serving eight years as a county commissioner, we were afforded this opportunity. There are a lot of issues in a district and having two people working hard instead of one is better for the community.
Do you support the governor's efforts to turn New Mexico into a hydrogen hub? Why or why not?
Hydrogen can be produced from fossil fuels, biomass, and water electrolysis with electricity. It takes energy to make hydrogen in mass. And because we already do not have enough water here, I think water is out. I do not believe we have a lot of biomass here as well. So, this leaves fossil fuels to acquire the hydrogen. I would have to do more research and listen to testimony to give an informed answer to whether or not I would support the governor's hydrogen hub.
Ryan Salazar
City or area of primary residence: Santa Fe
Educational background: Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, Arizona State University.
Occupation: Federal subcontracts management at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Political Experience: Campaign work for various Democratic Arizona legislators.
Relevant life experience: My background in business, procurement and supply chain has given me an on depth look at how commerce, wages, and trade affect societies.
Have you ever been charged or convicted of a crime, including drunken driving? No.
Have you ever filed for bankruptcy or been involved in a bankruptcy proceeding, either personally or in business? No.
Have you ever been the subject of liens for unpaid taxes? No.
Should the Legislature, rather than the governor, have final or some say when it comes to initiating public health orders? Why or why not?
Big decisions about when and how the state locks down for a pandemic must be made through the legislative process. This allows state representatives and senators to take some ownership for the decision. In consequence, the voters can decide in following elections if their legislators made the right decision. However, constraints would have to be made in a timely manner due to the dangers of waiting too long.
The Legislature this year passed, and the governor signed, an omnibus crime fighting bill. Was it enough? What more would you recommend to deal with the state's ongoing crime problems?
The bill increased police presence by providing funding to hire more officers, increased training for police officers. I do not endorse any type of adversarial relationship between the public and law enforcement. Police should be encouraged to be community allies to help keep the peace among each other. It also eliminated the gay/trans panic defense argument. It neglected to address drug abuse in regards to the growing crime issues in our communities. A solution would be to have the state fund more facilities through legislation similar to the Bernalillo County Department of Behavioral Health Services center in Albuquerque.
As a Democrat, how would you describe your political leanings? Progressive? Moderate? Conservative? Please explain your response and offer examples.
Progressive, with emphasis on the following issues: solving the housing crisis by putting constraints on the free market. The growing our middle class. In an order of precedence, conservatives tend to value GDP growth as a better economic indicator of financial wellbeing rather than purchasing power and wealth inequality. Separation of large and small businesses. Protecting a woman's right to choose. If access to an abortion loses federal support, state lawmakers need to be prepared to protect it on their fronts.
Do you feel state legislators should be paid a salary? Why or why not? Yes. New Mexico has some of the lowest wages for legislators in the country. The low wage can be considered a liability for bad behavior from unexpected immoral people. Increases in expenses may contribute to one of many reasons for someone to act in desperation immorally. Also, in an economy with shrinking consumer purchasing power, the state government should be setting an example within the overall workforce of providing livable wages.
Do you support Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's efforts to turn New Mexico into a hydrogen hub? Why or why not?
Yes. Any step away from the oil and gas industry is good for the overall health of the planet and the health of people. However, decision makers need to be wary of what industries replace the oil and gas revenues that New Mexico has historically relied on as its biggest money maker. I encourage a careful and slow transition away from the oil and gas industry.
