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Letters to the Editor
Dec. 18, 2025
Voters, taxpayers shouldn’t tolerate incompetence
Editor:
In recent years here in Valencia County, the deterioration of the quality of our county government has been both stark and alarming.
Even as a newcomer to the county, I thought the outcome of the 2022 election for Valencia County assessor was inexplicable and, in retrospect, a harbinger of our current crisis. A capable and experienced incumbent was defeated by someone whose primary qualification was that she was in “the club,” i.e. had the blessing of Valencia County’s GOP.
Four years later, “the club” has wrested control of all the county’s levers of power ... and results have been predictably bad. Worse than that, to be honest.
The county is now doing damage control, in part, because of a significant mistake (made by the “club approved” county assessor mentioned above) regarding tax valuations. Anyone who attended (a recent) county commission meeting when the issue was addressed might have left with the impression that the ongoing fiasco was a simple data entry error, just a little bit of carelessness that could have happened to anyone.
The ensuing Kabuki theater allowed members of “the club” on the dais to admonish the assessor but failed to address the obvious fact that an error of the magnitude of what happened with our tax bills can only occur as a result of systemic problems that extend to every member of “the club” who was sitting there feigning concern and indignation.
Beyond the assessor, the county clerk — another prominent member of “the club” — is involved in yet another scandal, this one related to errant voting results in our recent elections, not to be confused with the several other scandals that have emanated from that office.
The individual who ought to be navigating Valencia County through all of this, of course, is the county manager. Unfortunately, our county manager is yet another prominent member of “the club,” and moved into his current position almost immediately after resigning his seat on this same commission! (And may I just mention how weird and unusual such a move is? An admittedly cursory web search yielded only a handful of other examples of anyone doing this in the entire United States over the last 25 years.)
Some might raise an eyebrow at this kind of clubbiness but when you’re a member of “the club” in Valencia County, you apparently get to make your own rules.
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George Orwell once said, “To see what is in front of one’s nose is a constant struggle.” It’s time that we all recognized the thing that’s in front of our noses here in Valencia County: “The club” doesn’t care about us and it is failing to govern this county responsibly.
I am not a Democrat any more so this is not a partisan observation, it’s simply a “good government” observation. And, from that standpoint, it is my most fervent hope that we voters begin holding every member of “the club” accountable immediately. Valencia County doesn’t deserve — and — shouldn’t tolerate this kind of incompetence and indifference from its elected officials.
George Columbo
Los Lunas
He’s showing us who he is
Editor:
Trump just showed us he is racist and a narcissist.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, we could visit national parks without paying a fee, as a way to celebrate African American history and contributions.
Now Trump specifically removed these two days from free park access, but added June 14, Flag Day and also his majesty’s (DJT’s) birthday as a fee-free day.
Need I say more?
Paul Parmentier
Los Lunas
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