Swickard: City gives green light to red light tyranny

Commentary by Michael Swickard, Ph.D. - Recently Albuquerque disbanded their red-light camera system. But the City of Las Cruces last week decided tyranny was in order. Those who do not pay red-light camera fines will find their water and natural gas turned off. The city claims they are forced to get rough with the citizens. Now my air conditioner requires water to work. They intend to turn off my air conditioning going into the summer heat season. How reasonable is that? Know this: the City of Las Cruces has no business being involved in utilities if they can shut off the utilities for reasons outside of the delivery of service. The Public Regulation Commission needs to take all utilities away from them. The city has shown it is an unworthy steward of the public trust. Likewise, the leadership of Las Cruces must go, they are not worthy of the trust the citizens put in them when they placed the leadership in authority. It is time for the State of New Mexico to take over the city management. Taking away the ability to cool a home in the heat of summer could lead to inadvertent citizen deaths. The citizens are being put at mortal risk by the leadership’s shortsighted use of tyranny to satisfy their need for money. Hopefully, the state can restore the right of citizens to receive their life-preserving utilities. Read column

Swickard: City gives green light to red light tyranny