Candidate Q&A: Agnes Arellano

Editor’s note: The following candidate is running for the four-year term of city commissioner for District 2. Candidates for the seat include incumbent Jimmy R. Sandoval, Howard D. Littell and Amy J. Gutierrez.

Candidates were asked the same questions and asked to keep their responses to 100 words or less.

The municipal election is March 6. Tuesday is the first day for absentee voting. Feb. 15 is the first day for early voting.

Agnes Arellano

Age: 69

Occupation: Retired

Please list previous or current elected offices or other organizations you feel prepare you for a commission seat: Canddiate did not answer.

Q: What are your goals if you are elected and how do you plan to implement them?

A: To better the community in every way I can with the help of my fellow commissioners. In the past I have been to several commission meetings and I am not happy with what I have seen. I am a senior citizen living on a fixed income, as are many other residents in Tucumcari. We cannot afford to have our rates for services increased. Other residents can adjust their income for the increase; we cannot.

Q: What is something the city commission has done well over the last four years?

A: I am saddened to say this, but not much at all. I moved back to Tucumcari in 2007 and what I returned to was not the Tucumcari I remember. I moved in 1985 and when I left Tucumcari was thriving with business. We had more than one grocery store and our boulevard was lined with businesses. Now you look and we have closed and vacant buildings along Tucumcari Boulevard and Route 66. It is a shame how much we have let this town decline.

Q: What is something the city commission has not done well? How do you intend to correct that if elected?

A: We are at a standstill economically. We have not brought new industry into our town; the only industry thriving in Tucumcari are the fast food chains, gas station and hotels. They also failed to reach out to community on matters which will affect the town as a whole. The rate increase may have been advertised to the extent of the law, but for those of us who didn’t read the paper or understand what the ordnance number, we had no idea what was going on until it was too late.

Q: What do you feel the city needs to focus on as a whole?

A: Bring in new businesses to the community. A business like the Racino would help our community in so many ways. It would impact every part of the business world. From constructions, housing of workers, restaurants feeding the workers and right down to those who are employed to operate the Racino.

Q: What do you feel the city needs to focus on in your district?

A: Our streets need to be repaired and maintained. The city needs to work on the infrastructure in my district. They need to work together, like it was in the past when all of the city worked to make our city look beautiful. They can not fix it and ignore it until it breaks down again.

Q: Last question: 150 words, whatever else you want to say.

A: I urge everyone to get out and vote. The only way our community is going to improve is if we act. For to long I have heard people complain about the city, yet do nothing about it. We need to stand up and speak out about what is going on in our community. Once we all begin to work together and get things rolling, everything will fall into place.