PNM-Avangrid Merger Explainer | |
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Down-ballot elections matter. And if any example best highlights this, it’s the once-dead-now-zombied merger between PNM and Avangrid.
A brief history: In late 2021, New Mexico’s Public Regulation Commission voted unanimously to reject this merger of utility companies. The PRC cited a vast range of reasons for their vote:
- Regulators in New England have fined Avangrid and its subsidiaries over $60 million due to high rates, outages, and customer service issues.
- The CEO of Iberdrola, Avangrid’s parent company, was under criminal investigation in Spain. (The case was later dismissed in 2022.)
- Concerns about the loss of regulatory control over state utilities, including instances of regulatory noncompliance by Avangrid and PNM during the merger hearings.
At the time, the PRC comprised five officials directly elected by New Mexico voters.
However, in November 2020, voters approved a ballot initiative that changed the state’s constitution and drastically altered the makeup of this regulatory commission. Two seats were removed, and instead of democratically electing the remaining three seats, they became appointments by the governor.
So, on January 1, 2023, the governor’s appointments to the PRC were sworn in. Later that month, a lawyer for Avangrid sent the first of several emails to PRC attorneys to discuss a “procedural approach” to allow the new committee members to reconsider and vote on the merger again. (In PRC’s public release of these communications, they noted that the emails “may constitute ex parte communications.” For the non-lawyers, ex parte communications are unlawful discussions between a ruling body and one side of a legal case.)
On March 8, 2023, PRC joined with PNM and Avangrid to file a motion with the New Mexico Supreme Court that would nullify the commission’s previous decision, allowing them to reopen the merger case and vote on it again.
Currently, the decision to nullify the PRC’s previous decision denying the merger sits with the state Supreme Court. If the court allows the commission to reopen the merger case, it is likely that the PRC would quickly vote to allow the merger to occur.
Meaning, the state’s energy utilities would be owned by an out-of-state investors group that itself is owned by an international energy conglomerate. What was once considered “local” utilities would now be global. Where once the people could assert some control, now we cede our power — both literal and figurative — to those more concerned about global profits than the public good.
But all is not lost.
Down-ballot elections matter. And so do our actions after elections take place. So, while the PRC is no longer a democratically elected body, there are still actions we can take to block this proposed merger should the Supreme Court send it back to the PRC:
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Sign this petition by Indivisible Albuquerque that calls on the PRC members to immediately resign.
- Read the press release by Indivisible Albuquerque below.
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Indivisible Albuquerque Press Release | |
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For Immediate Release:
May 2, 2023
Indivisible Albuquerque, a progressive activist group
"sent a letter urging the City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County officials to file a brief with the New Mexico Supreme Court on behalf of the PNM ratepayers"
in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County.
Our letter urged the office of the Mayor, Albuquerque City Council and the Bernalillo County Commissioners to request that the Court deny the Avangrid, PNM and the Public Regulation Commission's Joint Motion for Dismissal and Remand and the that Court sanction Avangrid and the PRC for their unlawful ex parte communications and for the PRC’s violation of the Open Meetings Act by approving the of the Joint Motion for Remand without giving proper public notice. A copy of the letter is attached to this press release.
In the two months since the Joint Motion was filed, it has become clear that the PRC and Avangrid/PNM engaged in extensive prohibited ex parte communications in reaching this agreement for the PRC to reconsider the prior denial of the merger application. In doing so, the PRC has violated the public’s trust, and we cannot rely on them to make any independent decision on our behalf, as ratepayers to PNM, about this Merger.
The ratepayers of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County depend on ethical lawful actions by the PRC which is charged with protecting us from corporate greed. The PRC is not fulfilling its constitutional duty nor is it acting in a professional manner when laws are broken, intentionally or unintentionally. The Ex Parte Communications between the PRC and Avangrid/PNM show a clear scheme to grant Avangrid/PNM another chance to obtain regulatory approval of the merger without the proper input from all parties. The violations of the Open Meetings Act demonstrates that the PRC is less concerned with the public and more concerned with doing the will of Avangrid and PNM.
We urged City and County officials to file a brief with the NM Supreme course to take swift and severe actions against PNM/Avangrid and the PRC for these unlawful actions. The Supreme Court needs to step in and address this unacceptable behavior in order to preserve the interests of the citizens of New Mexico and more specifically, the ratepayers in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County.
Contact: Rayellen Smith, President Indivisible Albuquerque indivabq@gmail.com, 505.504.2275
Website indivisible-albuquerque.com
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Support Us on Social Media | |
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by Julie Rochman, DPBC Social Media Team
The DPNM Social Media Team works everyday to spread the word about the many terrific things that Bernalillo County, New Mexico, and national Democratic officials accomplish. In addition, we use social media to promote candidates, focus attention on critical issues, and get out the vote during elections. And we would love your help!
Love it or loathe it, social media is a powerful communications tool – particularly when trying to reach young people. Rather than citing a bunch of stats here, if you’d like more depth on this point, please look at the results of a 2021 Pew Research Center survey examining social media usage by age, education, race, income, community, and gender. (As you’ll see, social media is actually a great tool to reach voters of ALL ages.)
Admittedly, much social media discourse consists of people on one side of an issue taking on – and failing to convince – individuals on the other side of an issue. However, it is also very true that younger people get a lot (if not most) of their news and information from various platforms, like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. As a result, DPBC has partnered with the leadership of the Young Democrats of New Mexico to create a wide variety of content, most of which is designed to resonate particularly well with voters under 35 on these platforms, as well as on Facebook and Twitter (where those over 35 are more prevalent).
We also are increasingly coordinating efforts with allied organizations, such as the DPNM and party leaders in other counties across NM. For example, this summer and fall, we will be working alongside the Albuquerque Teachers Federation to help make sure that Moms for Liberty and their right-wing fringe allies aren’t able to take over the Albuquerque Public Schools Board.
So, what can you do to help? If you have social media accounts, please follow the DPBC accounts, and react to and share our posts to increase our reach and impact. You can find DPBC social media accounts here:
THANK YOU for your support! Together, we can inform existing and potential voters, making our voice louder, stronger, and more impactful than ever as we move through the 2023-24 election cycle!
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Interested in Joining a Standing Committee? | |
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Are you interested in serving the Democratic Party of New Mexico as a member of a standing committee?
Please use this form to be considered for an appointment to any of the following DPNM
Standing Committees:
- State Rules Committee (SRC)
- State Platform and Resolutions Committee (SPARC)
- Affirmative Action Committee (AAC)
- Budget and Finance Committee (B&FC)
- Judicial Council (JC)
Please consult the Democratic Party of New Mexico's rules (pages 22 to 35) for a complete description of the committee's mission and purpose.
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A Horse Loose in the Hospital | |
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by Jake Stern-Powell, DPBC Vice Chair
It started slowly. A heart rate that picked up a straggling extra beat every couple of seconds. A creeping tension in the shoulders. A pins-and-needles sensation at the temples.
By the time the Trump Town Hall on CNN ended, my body had reverted to its gnarled, anxiety-prone state that existed from November 8, 2016, to January 20, 2021 — and I didn’t even watch a second of it.
But as I shut my brain off to scroll through Twitter, all I could find were rapid reactions to what was happening live. Even though I never clicked on a clip — truly the height of my admittedly mediocre mental discipline — simply reading the recitations of all the batshit things Trump said brought me back to those times during his presidency when the news drip-drip-dripped like some form of water torture.
What struck me in reading the hot takes of media criticism after the event is that it feels that even the most poignant criticism misstates what Trump is. Smart people, from Kara Swisher to Jon Ralston to Hamilton Nolan, offered tactics that CNN or its moderator for the event, Kaitlin Collins, could’ve employed to manage the situation better.
What these criticisms miss, though, is a fundamental issue of how the media covers Trump. Journalism professor Jay Rosen comes the closest by distinguishing between the odds and the stakes. To offer a slightly different distinction, coverage should focus on the horse and not the horserace. (Because, after all, Donald Trump is a horse loose in the hospital.)
This isn’t a piece, though, about media criticism. It’s about the physical toll Trump takes on our lives and what we do to stop it.
Despite what most Republicans will have people think, we liberals don’t control mass media. What we do control, though, is how we deal with this constant threat to ourselves and our communities.
So, don’t watch. Instead, act.
Every time he mocks a woman he’s sexually assaulted, reach out to friends and families and neighbors and make sure they’re registered to vote.
Every time he calls January 6 a beautiful day, volunteer to knock on doors for a school board candidate who will let teachers teach actual U.S. history.
Every time he lies, every time he attacks, every time he bloviates, make sure you’re not letting that feeling in the pit of your stomach sit there. Instead, get it out with action.
The next Presidential election is in a little less than 18 months — but that may as well be tomorrow — and there are important elections in the meantime. And as Democrats work together to elect progressive candidates that reflect our values, our stomachs will feel a little less sour and our shoulders a little less heavy. We will stand tall knowing that we took action.
(To take action now, tell us what skills and strengths you can lend to our efforts, and we'll reach out to you ASAP.)
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5 Things We Read, Watched, or Listened to This Week (May 16th Edition) | |
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If you’d like to share an article, book, podcast, video, or another piece of media that impacted you, email us at info@bernalillodems.org with a link and a quick note about why you want to share it.
1. “How Women's Swimming Got So Transphobic,” The Nation
Pull quote: “From December 7, 2021, to February 22, 2022, CNN spent nearly 15 minutes criticizing Thomas’s participation in the women’s division but less than two minutes discussing the dozens of bills being introduced across the country banning trans people from sports."
2. “How Kyrsten Sinema Uses Campaign Cash for Her Marathon Habit," Daily Beast
Pull quote: "On Aug. 3, 2019, Sinema participated in an Ironman race in Boulder, Colorado. Roughly two weeks later, Sinema’s campaign paid a Denver-area vendor $765 for 'event catering.' In the three months prior to the trip, her campaign spent nearly $7,000 on airfare. But Sinema raised no money in Colorado in Aug. 2019, aside from three small-dollar contributions processed online."
3. “AZ Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Task Force holds first meeting,” Arizona Mirror
Pull quote: “Indigenous women face murder rates that are more than 10 times the national average, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. And the National Institute of Justice found that 84% of Indigenous women experience violence in their lifetime, compared to 71% of white women."
4. “Indigenous author offers guidance on being native to place,” KUNM
Pull quote: “And oftentimes, I think that's why, one of the reasons that cultural appropriation is both so pervasive, and dangerous in a number of ways, both the cultural damage that it does to the holders of those knowledge, but the fact that for our prayers, for our energy going out into the world, it has to be authentic. It can't be borrowed from somebody, it has to be yours."
5. “New Mexico law allows cannabis cases to be expunged. Thousands are still waiting.” Albuquerque Journal
Pull quote: “I think it [is] important to make sure we weren’t commercializing something that we have still been punishing people for.”
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VMFC GUEST SPEAKER SERIES - DVS PACT ACT | |
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Please join the Veterans and Military Families Caucus as they host a guest speaker series on the Pact Act provided by the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services
May 17th 5-6:30 pm.
Online Zoom Meeting
What is the Pact Act?
The PACT Act is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances.
The PACT Act adds to the list of health conditions that we assume (or “presume”) are caused by exposure to these substances. This law helps us provide generations of Veterans—and their survivors—with the care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve.
Tune in Wednesday to find out more!
https://nmvetscaucus.org/dvs-pact-act/
nmvetscaucus@gmail.com
https://mailchi.mp/9694f82ce69a/spring-into-change-new-leadership-legislative-report-card-15816453?e=000152cf24
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Electrify New Mexico: 350NM Website unveiling
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Tired of high heating bills? Wondering what a heat pump is, and which kinds are best for New Mexico?
Want to know why waiting until the end of the year is a bad time to install solar in New Mexico?
Concerned about health-harming gases in your kitchen?
Want an EV, but don’t like the choices available for purchase?
Join us as we introduce our new Electrify New Mexico website. It will answer these and other questions about how going electric will save you money, clean your air and reduce carbon emissions. Find out how to optimize generous, but confusing, rebates and tax credits so that these efficient, high-performance appliances will cost you a lot less – for some people, nothing at all.
The webinar will be recorded.
May 22nd 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Register here to receive zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsd-iqrjIsEt31XDb4ny1LST7j0sAoIy27
https://350newmexico.org/calendar/
weisburd@mac.com
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West Side Dems - Monthly Meeting | |
Cheryl Harris Farewell Open House | |
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Come celebrate our mentor and friend Cheryl Harris!
After volunteering for progressive politics for over a quarter century in Bernalillo County, NM, Cheryl is leaving the state for her next adventure in life. Join us as we send her off with a fond farewell!
Day/Date: Sunday, June 4
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: 2211 Saxton Ct. NW, Albuquerque. 87104 (Flora & Dimi's house)
RSVP: https://bit.ly/Cheryl-Harris
In lieu of gifts, Cheryl would like guests to bring a children's book which will be donated to Albuquerque Housing Authority.
(If you would like to donate some money to making this event happen, send via Venmo to @Patricia-French-48 or email patriciajfrench@yahoo.com for more details).
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11th Annual Senator Michael Padilla Job Fair | |
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June 14, 2023 - 10am - 2pm
You are invited to participate in my 11th annual job fair. This is a free event. Results have been amazing every year!
Our family, friends and neighbors need jobs. I want to help you find your next top team members! Register for this free job fair today. This job fair is for W2 employers only and is a free public service I have provided for eleven years. Register here.
Please help me spread the word by forwarding this email. Our largest job fair featured 126 employers and had over 5,500 job seekers. This job fair attracts potential employee candidates with a wide array of skillsets.
Job Fair provided by Senator Michael Padilla. Funded by Michael Padilla for State Senator, Sylvia Molinar, Treasurer.
Harrison Middle School
3912 Isleta SW
Albuquerque, NM 87105
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Register for National Democracy Summer School | |
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Recruiting high school and college students to be Stansbury Scholars in the National Democracy Summer SchoolRep. Melanie Stansbury's campaign will be participating as an affiliate in the 2023 National Democracy Summer School! This one-of-a-kind Democratic program—founded by
Congressman Jamie Raskin and expanded across the country in an historic partnership with the DCCC—is dedicated to training and educating the next
generation of political activists and visionary leaders.
This virtual six-week program will take place from Monday, June 26, 2023 - Monday, August 7, 2023 and requires a commitment of about 4 hours per week. We’ll host live educational sessions with unmatched leaders and facilitate in-depth discussions and activities over Zoom.
Past Democracy Summer School speakers have included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Professor Laurence Tribe, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Rep. John Lewis and Civil Rights leaders Bob Moses and Rev. William J. Barber II, and other distinguished speakers and experts in their field.
Finally, Scholars will also host at least one voter registration or voter education event in collaboration with other participants. More information is available at dccc.org/democracysummer
Please share this information with high school and college students! Applications are due by April 14. For more information contact Donna Lockner at melanieforcongress@melaniefornm.com.
Virtual meetings via Zoom
Approximately 4 hours per week June 26-August 7
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Help us grow our social media presence | |
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Our social media team has been working hard since January 2023 to create eye-catching, informative TikTok videos about Democratic accomplishments in New Mexico. These videos are pushed to other platforms, including Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
We've gained 308 followers thus far, but we need to reach 1,000 TikTok followers in order to improve page functionality. You can help!
- Click on the video to check out all our awesome content
- Give us a follow!
- Share with your networks
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Go-to websites for BernCo politics | | | | |
