Alan Martinez

Alan Martinez was born in Española, New Mexico. Martinez earned a B.A. in education and religion from Southern Arizona Bible College in 1986. His career experience includes working as a manager at Rio Grand Sales and as a state benefits director with the New Mexico Department of Veteran Services.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Alan Martinez, lifelong New Mexican, and I served the veterans of this state for 25 years. Serving others has been my passion and I want to continue that passionate service for the people of District 23. I am a problem solver and we are facing problems created by bad policy, high gas prices, high cost of living, rising crime rates and horrible education rankings.

New Mexico has so much potential and the state leaders have to have the political courage to make these changes. Our businesses suffer from a burdensome GRT tax system that discourages small businesses from starting or expanding. We need to fix how we tax businesses.

We must return the honor and respect due to our law enforcement and 1st responders instead of making calls to defund these departments. Funding for new equipment, training, and salaries is a must, not just a choice.

Our education system is obviously broken and the policies of the past need to change. Focusing education dollars on the classroom instead of administration must be the driving policy. Higher teacher salaries and funding for classroom and student supplies should be the first priority.

Open minded conversation with each other regardless of political affiliation is the best way to tackle the issues facing New Mexico. The exchange of ideas with the hope of solving problems instead of simply carrying on political debate is the way to move this state forward.

I want to be the problem solver choice for D23.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Small business is the backbone of the economy and the community, tax and regulation reform is a must.Law Enforcement and 1st Responders must get the funding they need to keep us all safe.Education reform starts with prioritizing teachers, students, and the classroom not the administration

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Taxation in regards to small business, law enforcement and 1st responders funding and support, and education reform are the keys to a thriving community. Without changes in these three areas, there are no jobs, no public safety, and an undereducated workforce. New Mexico should be at the top of all qualify of life, public safety, and education national lists. We have a great State and our elected officials need to have the courage to make the policy changes needed to reach our full potential as New Mexicans.

No more electing candidates who will simply go along with the failed policies of the past, but candidates who will fight for New Mexico every day, not just make promises to get elected.

New Mexico deserves leaders who will put others above themselves, be true public servants, and make decisions for what is best for the State of New Mexico and not just what will ingratiate them with one political party or the other. We are elected to serve all New Mexicans and we need to make policy decisions based on that alone. Together we can and we must move our state forward.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My first heroes were my father and my grandfather. My dad opened a small furniture store when I was 13 years old and I learned the value of hard work and helping others. My grandfather was a minister and served in churches in Northern New Mexico. He served as a full time pastor serving the members of our church, as well as working a full time job with the Los Alamos School District in order to provide for his family. He taught me the importance of serving others, working hard, and determination. At the time of his death at 98, he had served 75 years in the ministry and to his last day, made others the priority. In my eyes, that is what made him a success as a minister, a husband, a father, and a grandfather, serving others is my legacy.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

The United States Constitution and the New Mexico State Constitution.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The desire to serve is the most important principal of a public servant or elected official. The desire to be thoughtful and open to discussion is also important. Although, the principals of accountability and transparency must be the overall principal of government.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am a worker. I believe that hard work, being honest, being accountable, and being persistent will make me a successful state representative.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibility is the understanding that my job is to serve the people of this district. To work hard to make this state better for all New Mexicans, not just the privileged few. Good policy will raise the bar for everyone.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Hard work will bring success. Mistakes should not hinder your but should be an opportunity to learn to be a better person. No one is perfect, it doesn't matter how many time you fall as long as you keep getting up and moving forward. The past cannot be changed, today is all we have, plan for the future.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

My first historical event that I have clear memories was the Bicentennial Celebration in the summer of 1976. I was 12 years old and it was then that I really started to understand what a wonderful country I lived in. Reading the historical documents like the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights in school and hearing the stories of the Founding Fathers and the struggles they went through in order to secure our freedoms inspired me to get involved in service to others. I started to talk to the veterans in my family to learn about military service and the struggles that my uncles went through after coming back from Vietnam.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Furniture delivery from 1979 to 1982.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Bible first, it is the guide to becoming a better person. I also enjoy historical biographies, but my favorite is Bully Pulpit, the story of Theodore Roosevelt.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

I would like to be Sherlock Holmes because he was thoughtful, determined, and was able to look at different angles of a problem before solving a case.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Amazing Grace

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I have, at times, struggled with letting go of past failures and learning from them in order to make better decisions.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

No matter the party affiliation of the two entities, there has to be a semblance of partnership in order to establish good policy statewide. I realize that there will not always be an agreement in the details but at least a atmosphere of open conversation on major policies while maintaining the separation of powers.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

New Mexico has many challenges ahead, turning around the economy may be the greatest of these. People want to be able to live a good life, raise their families in a safe environment, have good schools that provide a quality education, this is all driven by a good economic policy that give the best opportunity to all.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

A unicameral state legislature can stymie open conversation that is the key to good policy. The more voices heard the better the final product. A bicameral allows for more debate and if used properly can bring more definition to policy by allowing for more participation in the debate.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I think that a wide variety of experience is best, although having prior experience with the process is valuable in developing policy and navigating the process of getting good policy enacted.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

I feel that the best way to have good and open conversations about policy is to develop strong and honest relationships with as many fellow legislators as possible.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

I favor an open and accountable redistricting committee is best. Free of political interference, discussion and research into various subsets of the communities to identify the needs of the community not only the raw numbers of political parties is what is needed most. In New Mexico there are very different communities, we have a couple of very urban areas, but we are a mostly rural state that includes Native American communities that must have commensurate representation. Overall, I believe that our citizens deserve a process that is transparent and unfettered by political pressure.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

I hope to serve on the House Appropriations Committee, with my experience in building yearly budgets for a state agency would be very valuable to the committee. I would also like to serve on the Labor, Veterans, and Military Committee, as well as the Consumer and Public Affairs Committee during the session. During the interim season, I hope to serve on the Economic Development and Policy Committee, the Legislative Finance Committee, and the Military and Veterans Committee. I feel that my experience best lends itself to these committees.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

I have a couple of legislators that I would like to model myself after, first the late Democratic Representative Edward Sandoval. He understood the need for good economic policy that was fair and forward thinking.

The second is Republican Senator Stuart Ingle. Senator Ingle is a great example of honesty, determination, and cordiality. He has been able to hold his ground on important policy decisions while being respectful and cooperative.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

no

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

One of the first doors I knocked on was the home of a Korean Veteran who had been trying to get help for a couple of years. He and his wife had called the local VA hospital as well as a few veterans organizations seeking assistance. As I listened to their story, I asked if he would allow me to make a few phone call to seek assistance and he agreed. I called a contact at the local VA Hospital and asked help in getting this veteran an appointment for hearing aids and a full health assessment. I put this veteran on the phone and he gave his information to my contact. As I was leaving, we exchanged phone numbers and told them to contact me if they needed further assistance.

A few days later, I called them to check up on them and the gentleman told me that he has an appointment for both the audiology department as well as his assigned physician. I told him that I was happy that he finally was able to get in. As we were about to end the conversation he told me that if that was the way I served people that he was going to vote for me and that he would tell all his family that lived in my district that they should think about voting for me, even if I was from a different party.

That conversation humbled me and made me realize that I will be elected to serve people, not a particular party.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Way too many to choose from.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

I believe that the legislature should have a voice in these decisions in order to maintain separate and equal powers as written into out state constitution.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Good policy is well thought out, looking at all sides of the issue, thinking about the unintended consequences, open discussion with those who agree as well as those who may disagree. Good policy necessitates compromise as long as the compromise does not negate the entire policy.