Author Archives: merilee

Do your research before you vote

“We need bold solutions, drastic overhauls and serious reforms,” writes a candidate for the legislature in op-ed article. Bold, huh? Boy, that’s new and exciting. Oh, wait. It isn’t. It’s a standard cliché for everybody who runs for office. This … Continue reading

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Regulations must consider the smallest businesses

The man was said to be the only electrician in Mora, and my agency forced him out of business. This was around 20 years ago. I learned about it in a staff meeting. The assistant general counsel who told us … Continue reading

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The primary election is coming right up

New Mexico’s primary election is a few weeks away, on June 4. As attentive voters know, in New Mexico the primary election is at least as important as the general. Depending on your district, you might have a little work … Continue reading

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A medical cost you didn’t know about

Most of us have never heard of independent medical examinations. We might need to know a little more about them. An independent medical examination (IME) is an exam performed when there is litigation related to a sick or injured person’s … Continue reading

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Regulating yourself doesn’t work

On October 29, 2018, a passenger airliner crashed into the sea less than 13 minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia. A few months later, a second plane crashed over Ethiopia. In total, 346 people were killed. Both planes were the … Continue reading

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Nine stealth city elections

Nine municipal governments around New Mexico held local elections a couple of weeks ago. If you did not know anything about this, you’re in good company. For these municipalities, according to the Secretary of State, there were a total of … Continue reading

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A small change for better schools

Back in the era of Susanna Martinez’ governorship, there was a push for a law that would allow New Mexico public schools to hold students back in third grade if they couldn’t meet reading criteria. I wondered why there was … Continue reading

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Medical leave might not work for ranches

Do you think there is workers’ comp insurance coverage on the Yellowstone Ranch? What about paid family and medical leave? The fictional Yellowstone Ranch is the spectacular starring location of the “Yellowstone”TV series, now running on CBS after first being … Continue reading

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Family leave bills are not quite ready

If you get injured at work and need time off for your injury, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits that compensate you for most of your lost wages. What if the legislature passes the bill to provide paid family … Continue reading

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Affordable housing is not affordable enough

If you want to buy your first home in New Mexico, and you are of low to moderate income, you probably should not count on buying a new one. According to one of the state’s leading experts, New Mexico builders … Continue reading

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