Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Vol. 123, No. 195 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
August 14, 2014
Duffey has fundraising advantage over Ortega BY JEFF TUCKER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Four years ago, Republican James Duffey defeated Democrat Eloy Ortega Jr. by a single vote to win the District 1 race for Chaves County commissioner. Duffey and Ortega, both of Roswell, will square off again this November for the District 1 seat in the only contested race for a county office on the Nov. 4 general election ballots. Neither Duffey nor Ortega was challenged in the June primaries, when Duffey received 417 votes and Ortega received 194 votes. The winner in November will earn a four-year term on the five-member county commission, with an annual salary of $26,257.
THURSDAY
www.rdrnews.com
GOP dominance
Ortega is attempting to break the Republican Party’s domination of every county of fice in Chaves County, including all five commission seats, although he faces a big challenge in fundraising. Duf fey’s campaign, Friends of James W. Duffey, had nearly a 27-to-1 advantage in campaign funds, according to the latest campaign finance reports filed by the two candidates with the New Mexico Secretary of State’s office. Duffey’s campaign had $3,295 in his campaign cof fers as of June 28, while Ortega had just $123. Duffey said Wednesday he has not raised any
money since June 28.
“We’re fixing to start,” Duffey said. “We’ll try and raise a little bit more for the campaign. I think I spent less money than Mr. Ortega last time. I will try and keep my campaign conservative as far as the money spent again this time. I’m kind of frugal spending money, just like I’m not going to wastefully spend tax dollars. I’ll look after it like it’s my own money. That’s people’s hard-earned money that I’m entrusted to spend with my fellow commissioners.”
Duffey’s re-election campaign thus far is largely funded by the Chaves County Republican Party, which on May 12 donated $2,600 to Duffey’s current
campaign. “The first time I ran, I really didn’t get anything from the party,” Duf fey said. “Everything I raised, I raised on my own. It was all small contributions.” Asked if he expected more money from the GOP, Duffey said he did not know. “It’s hard to say,” he said. Duffey’s only expenditure so far has been $50 paid to the county clerk’s office for the filing fee. Duffey, in March, transferred $745 of carry-over funds left over from his 2010 race to his 2014 reelection campaign. Duf fey, the current chairman of the county
Udall lauds Job Corps students
See COMMISSION, Page A3
Steve Stone Graphic
BY JEFF TUCKER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Jeff Tucker Photo
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall addresses Roswell Job Corps students Wednesday. Udall told the students that Job Corps is one of the best employment programs in the country.
Twice defeated before winning an election, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall told Roswell Job Corps students Wednesday not to give up on their dreams. Udall, D-N.M., toured the Roswell Job Corps Center Wednesday and spoke with students. Earlier Wednesday, New Mexico’s senior senator toured an energy technology program at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs and hosted a roundtable discussion in Hobbs on oil and natural gas development in southeast New Mexico. Udall, elected to the Senate in 2008 and up for reelection in November, toured
the Job Corps’ auto shop Wednesday and met with Job Corps staff before speaking to an assembly of Job Corps students and staff. “I really believe the Job Corps is one of the best programs in the country,” Udall said. “One of the most important things we can do in America is make sure we have jobs.” Udall said local residents know best the types of jobs that are in demand. He said oil and natural gas development is big in Hobbs, where skilled oil field workers are needed. Udall said he ran for Congress twice before getting elected New Mexico attorney See UDALL, Page A3
IRS repeats warning Report: Arts, culture have $5.6B impact about phone scams
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) continue to hear from taxpayers who have received unsolicited calls from individuals demanding payment while fraudulently claiming to be from the IRS. Based on the 90,000 complaints that TIGTA has received through its telephone hotline, to date, TIGTA has identified
approximately 1,100 victims who have lost an estimated $5 million from these scams.
“There are clear warning signs about these scams, which continue at high levels throughout the nation,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “Taxpayers should remember their first contact with the IRS will not be a call from out of the See SCAMS, Page A3
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — New Mexico’s uninterrupted vistas and intertwined Hispanic and Native American cultures have long been a draw for tourists and artists. However, a report commissioned by the Department of Cultural Affairs shows more needs to be done to capitalize on the state’s creative assets as art and culture markets go global and high-tech. The report, released Wednesday by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University
Randal Seyler Photo
HIGH 90 LOW 69
TODAY’S FORECAST
The arts and culture industries also employ more than 76,000 people. That’s more than the state’s construction industry, said Jeff Mitchell, the lead researcher. He told the crowd gathered at the National His-
See REPORT, Page A6
AP Photo
Jeff Mitchell, the director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of New Mexico, details the findings of a comprehensive study of the economic impacts of New Mexico's arts and culture industries during a news conference in Albuquerque, Wednesday.
New El Capitan Elementary school welcomes students
When students show up at El Capitan Elementary School today, they will be enjoying a brand new school, thanks to Roswell taxpayers and state matching funds. Teachers, administrators and residents toured the facility during an open house on Monday, and Tuesday night, the Roswell Independent School District Board of Education heard a report on the numerous ongoing con-
struction projects around the district. “With the local bond elections, we ask the people if they want to keep doing construction,” said Chad Cole, assistant superintendent for finance and operations. “We work to get the best matching funds from the state for the projects we submit, and we’ve been successful.” Cole said that the percentage of construction costs the state has paid for local school projects has risen from 66 percent to 72 percent paid on the current
projects. “We have to have the local support, that is so very important, and the community has always been good to support us,” Cole said. “Without the local support, you don’t get the state funding.” The new El Capitan Elementary School is an example. One of four ongoing projects, local bond issues paid for $4.75 million of the cost of the new school, while state Public School Capital Outlay Council funds paid for $11.68 million for a total
• RIKEY RAY REID
• DOMINGO PEREZ
CLASSIFIEDS ..........B6
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2
FINANCIAL ..............B4
LOTTERIES .............A2
BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Chad Cole, assistant superintendent for finance and operations, at left, discusses ongoing construction projects with the Board of Education while board members Peggy Brewer, Mackenzie Hunt and Superintendent Tom Burris listen on Tuesday in the Roswell Independent School District board room. The district is finishing up $49.1 million in construction projects, including the new El Capitan Elementary School.
of New Mexico, says the state’s museums, art galleries, libraries, performance spaces, festivals and farmers markets have a combined economic impact of about $5.6 billion.
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A6
COMICS .................B5
project cost of $16,437,692. Local general obligation bonds are authorized on a four-year community election cycle, which currently accounts for 28 percent of the funding resources for ongoing school construction, Cole said. The PSCOC maintains a separate state appropriation of funds used to match qualifying school construction project costs. The PSCOC matching funds are awarded based on local
HOROSCOPES .........B6
See RISD, Page A2
OPINION .................A4
SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ..............A8