District 39 Representative Candidate Questionnaire: Terrazas and Begay – Part One: Luis Terrazas

By Frost McGahey

terrazas 2024Luis Terrazas
[Editor's Note:The Grant County Beat asked Candidates questions so voters can determine who they want to vote for. Early voting starts Tuesday, October 8th and Election Day is Tuesday, November 5th. The replies are posted in the order received. Part Two will come tomorrow.]

Luis Terrazas

1. If a local, how long has your family been here?
Terrazas: I was born and raised here in Grant County; it’s always been my home. My wonderful wife, Mandee, and I raise our kids in the place we love and grew up. The people of District 39 are not just my constituents, they’re my friends, family, and community.

2. This is an unpaid job that requires a long day’s commute, why did you decide to run?
Terrazas: This is my home. I have a deep love for New Mexico and our strong western values – the freedom to work, live, raise a family, build our community and our region’s natural beauty. When problems are left unsolved, our community struggles to make ends meet, and our neighbors feel unsafe- that’s personal to me.

I am a father and a grandfather- it’s important to me that my kids and grandchild feel that New Mexico is a safe and affordable place to not only raise their own families, but also for the safety and security of our community. Over the last few years, our state has been hit with hard times, driving prices and crime up to dire levels.

Mandee and I decided together that we can do more for our community. The commute is a small price to pay to personally ensure the voices of Catron, Grant, and Hidalgo counties are heard in Santa Fe.

3. Why do you think voters should vote for you?
Terrazas: One of the most important responsibilities as a legislator is investing Capital Outlay dollars where it is needed most in our communities. Since 2021, I have brought home millions of dollars for projects in our schools, hospitals, abused women’s shelters, law enforcement, transportation infrastructure including Highway180, water systems, recreational areas, and more.

I also championed bipartisan bills like the Public Safety Retirees Returning to Work bill that will help our retired public safety officers get back to work without losing their pension, a bill to provide $45 million in support of rural hospitals to help ensure folks in rural areas aren’t left behind when they need medical attention, and helped pass a bill to reduce payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PIT) tax brackets to lower 2025 taxes for many New Mexicans.

I also personally secured a budget increase of $100 million for the Highway 180 improvement project with unanimous support from the Transportation Committee. I believe my legislative record speaks to my dedication to District 39. I look forward to being sent back to Santa Fe this November to continue fighting for my community.

4. What would be your number one priority if elected?
Terrazas: Reducing the cost of living. Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, your bottom dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to. Families are being forced to make tough decisions and ration their way of life to get by. There are plenty of places where our state can cut our own spending and waste on programs that aren’t working.

I am eager to work with any legislator interested in challenging poorly functioning government programs and prioritize where your hard-earned dollars are spent. Cleaning up our streets, investing in our schools, and removing red-tape from small businesses is the place to start to get our state economy back on track.

5. Number Two priority?
Terrazas: The crime epidemic in New Mexico is only worsening and our communities in southwestern New Mexico are certainly not immune. This July, I went to Santa Fe to fight to fix our revolving door justice system to keep repeat criminals from being released back into our neighborhoods time and time again, defend homeowners from increased residential theft, and protect our children from fentanyl.

I will continue doing everything in my power to ensure our kids feel safe enough to one day raise their own families in this state and I hope to see my colleagues join me in that fight on a bipartisan level in the future.

6. Addressing the crime issue is a big concern of voters. Some of the proposals that came up in the Special Session may come up again. One was allowing a judge to mandate outpatient treatment including involuntary commitment. Where do you stand on that?

Terrazas: I support the concept of court ordered outpatient treatment as one of many needed reforms to help reduce crime in New Mexico. Outpatient treatment will give the courts another tool for treating people who suffer from severe behavioral health issues (mental and substance abuse) who are otherwise unlikely to comply with needed treatment.

Unfortunately, we face again a real shortage of providers and infrastructure to meet these needs, which was one of the reasons it failed to pass this special session. For this type of program to work we need more providers, psychiatrists, nurses, mental health counselors, substance abuse counselors and other licensed social workers. Simply put, we need more behavioral health resources, especially in rural parts of New Mexico.

I am committed to working to improve access to this field across the state. It is important to note however that until the legislature gets serious about stopping our revolving door criminal justice system, New Mexico is going to continue to be plagued by high crime rates. Behavioral health services and mandated treatment will help, but we need to attack the crime issue from every angle, not just one.

7. Some legislators believe that eliminating cash bail has caused an increase in crime and are trying to get it re-implemented. Where do you stand on that?
Terrazas: I am in support of re-implementing cash bail on a sliding scale. Removing bail requirements entirely allows repeat criminals to brazenly commit a crime and be back on the same street within a few hours with the opportunity to commit again.

Repeat criminals are a small portion of the state-wide judicial docket that is bogging down our system with multiple offenses that may have been prevented if their release was contingent on paying bail. Like all legislative decisions, we have to bring common sense back to the table to do the most good for the most people, with affordability and safety top of mind.

8. Many businesses are having a hard time hiring employees because no one is applying. Do you have any solutions to that problem?
Terrazas: Businesses in New Mexico are having a hard time all around. Red tape and government mandates are crushing their ability to compete for skilled employees and new clients. Without avenues for growth, these businesses are struggling to create better-paying and high value jobs which, in turn, improve workforce participation. We also need to address the corruption and waste infiltrating our welfare programs to ensure that this assistance is difficult to abuse and safeguarded for families who need it most. As a local business owner, I know the importance of investing in a skilled workforce and am proud to continue the fight to bring a regional vocational school to southwest New Mexico.

9. Are you a member of any organizations?
Terrazas: The New Mexico Funeral Service Association, Foundation Board for Western New Mexico University, Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce and Deming-Luna Chamber of Commerce. I also have the privilege of serving as Ranking Member of the House Rural Development, Land Grants and Cultural Affairs Committee, House Labor, Veterans’ and Military Affairs Committee, and the following interim committees: Military and Veterans’ Affairs, New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight, Land Grant, Mortgage Finance Authority Act Oversight, Tobacco Settlement Revenue Oversight, and Legislative Finance Committees.