Swickard: The reason to vote for school bonds

© 2014 Michael Swickard, Ph.D. In 1975 I was working for the University of New Mexico. In front of the UNM library were 200 or so of the most coveted parking spaces on the entire UNM campus. In this parking lot people could park close to where they were going rather than miles away. 
     This parking lot was so attractive to some people that they came to work early just to get one of these fine parking spaces. It was quite a status symbol to go out to that center of the campus parking lot and nonchalantly get in your car. As you drove away you would wave to the less fortunate people who had to go quite a distance to get their car.
     As happens to all good things, one day the UNM leaders declared this wonderful parking lot would be closed forever. We were incredulous at the announcement. A friend complained, “The very idea of them using taxpayer money to turn our valuable parking spaces into, can you believe it, a duck pond. We have to do something.”
     The battle was not pretty. Signs on campus proclaimed, “We don’t need no stinking duck ponds, we need more parking lots.” Other signs said, “The taxpayers cannot afford to be building duck ponds.”
     The protests, including a rude song, President Bud Davis’s Duck Pond, luckily fell on deaf ears. The protests continued until the first day the water and the ducks and the sunshine made everyone feel great.
     Here is the point of my story: today the UNM Duck Pond and Commons Area is one of the defining campus symbols of UNM. Best I can tell, pretty much everyone cherishes the duck pond. In fact, if someone desires a beating all they have to do is go to UNM and propose turning the duck pond into 200 parking spaces. It might even be worse. They might be shot at sunrise on three consecutive mornings for just such a suggestion.
     The duck pond has attracted many new students to UNM. When they come for the campus visit it is one of the first places they go. So whatever the university spent on constructing the duck pond is more than covered by the money the additional students bring to UNM over the year. Therefore, it is good UNM officials had foresight and thick skins.
     The same syndrome applies at school bond election time. First, it is the mechanism to fund capital projects in school districts. We pass bonds for the future. Shortsighted people oppose bonds because that money does not provide personal benefit. read full column

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State officials to consider digital billboards

State officials may allow digital billboards along interstate highways and other federal routes in New Mexico
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that today the state Transportation Commission  is scheduled to consider rule changes that could legalize electronic billboards. 
States oversee off-site outdoor advertising along federal highways under agreements with federal agencies. Outdoor advertisers already use digital signs in some places in New Mexico, including within the city of Albuquerque
Critics say the signs are visual blight that damage the night sky. Outdoor advertising companies deny that their signs lighten dark skies.


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WNMU making big cuts

Western New Mexico University is facing layoffs, higher tuition and consolidation of classes amid a budget crunch. 
The Albuquerque Journal reports that the Silver City-based university plans to slash spending by 4 percent and eliminate less popular courses. 
WNMU President Joseph Shepard says the changes are needed because a projected 5 percent increase in student enrollment did not materialize. He says the university by the end of this month will cut spending for the remainder of this budget year by more than $1.3 million. 
Officials say cuts will probably be a combination of layoffs and letting some vacancies remain unfilled.


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Gun safety rally in Santa Fe

About 100 gun safety advocates rallied at the Capitol for a proposal to require criminal background checks of more people who buy firearms at gun shows. 
Santa Fe Police Chief Ray Rael spoke in favor of the measure at Wednesday's rally. Supporters are urging Republican Gov. Susana Martinez to add the gun proposal to the Legislature's agenda. The Legislature is restricted to considering the budget, tax measures and proposals allowed by the governor.
 A bill failed in the Legislature last year to mandate background checks for firearms purchased at gun shows from private sellers. Federal law requires those checks for sales by licensed dealers in their stores and at gun shows. 
Opponents contend that background checks won't stop shootings like one this month at a Roswell school.

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