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| DA Bregman |
Our reliable sources report Bregman is prepping a run for DA next year, breaking a compact he made with MLG who announced when she appointed him in January that he would fill out the two years of the term of Raul Torrez, who was elected attorney general, and not seek the office in his own right.
At the time the Governor's office said:
Bregman will serve the remaining two years of the existing term. He will not run for re-election to the office, focusing on the office’s work to combat crime and build stronger, safer communities.
We asked Bregman and his spokeswoman via text message for a comment on the reports that he recently told several assistant district attorneys that he was going to seek election to a four year term but we were ghosted.
Democrat Bregman could face a Democratic primary next June if he is indeed reneging on his no election pledge. As for the GOP, they can't elect a sheriff countywide anymore so there's no reason to think the Dem primary winner won't win the general election as well.
Bregman received some good news Tuesday that will only encourage him to ignore MLG's wishes. A UNM study shows more of the accused are staying in jail before their trials in Bernalillo County with about 60 percent of the DA's pretrial detention requests now being granted by District Court judges.
Said Sam:
We are beginning to move the needle in this town when it comes to crime. I mean, it may not feel like it overnight, but I think if we continue to grind it out, we’ll get done what we need to get done.
We can see it now "Vote Bregman. He's moving the needle!"
It's okay to cringe, Governor.
SATELLITE DEEP DIVE
"I support it and I think it is something the state should look at," Borrego of ABQ's westside told us. As a top city of ABQ planner Borrego was involved in communications decisions involving the major providers.
She also noted the slow rural broadband rollout and said environmental and regulatory issues could continue to plague fiber and that it makes sense to have satellite internet as part of the mix.
The state broadband plan is due to be sent to the the feds by year's end so lawmakers may have to get their opinions known before the 2024 legislative session.
ABQ Dem state Sen. Michael Padilla has been in the fore of the broadband issue and we'll be interested to see if he weighs in.
There is little question that thousands of rural New Mexicans would opt for the satellite service if offered and if it were subsidized. They are worn out and apprehensive. In fact, for many satellite would suffice permanently. That's because the service continues to improve, as recently noted by PC magazine:
It's hard to appreciate just how good Starlink is compared with every other option for rural internet users until you've tried them side by side. While DSL and other satellite providers are still popular, SpaceX's Starlink network is really the best choice for people who don't have access to fixed broadband like cable or fiber. And, as our test numbers clearly show, it's a service that is actively improving. Combine the faster download and upload speeds, better latency, and growing access to equipment, and that's more than enough for me to say that Starlink remains a winner.
Starlink is very aware of the role they could play. They asked the FCC to apportion some of the $885 million from the 2020 Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to satellite internet as well as cable and telecommunications companies. The FCC initially approved but then reversed itself, citing similar reasons as those given by Kathy Schlegel, director of the NM Broadband Office, who is standing in the doorway.
She (and the FCC majority) argue the service is not as fast nor as dependable as fiber laid down by the giant telecommunications companies. But when you have no connection at all or an old dial-up "fast" is a very relative term.
POLITICS AT PLAY?
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| Musk |
We received email regarding the politics of broadband. Most of them along these lines:
Elon Musk. He’s persona non grata on the Left. In fact he’s so persona non grata when Biden held an EV “summit” at the White House, Elon was pointedly not invited. Seems odd given that if it wasn’t for Elon Musk and Tesla the EV scene wouldn’t be anywhere near where it is today. Given that Elon owns StarLink, I suspect that’s why there’s no mention of Starlink in NM’s plans. MLG and her sycophants in state government are just toeing the party line. It’s pure politics, nothing more.
Can New Mexico lawmakers dig into this and determine whether satellite internet is one of the viable solutions for our broadband woes? It is urgent.
If a 10 year old rural student unable to receive broadband but was signed up for satellite, the difference could be seven crucial years in their educational life. The fiber build out is going to take at least seven more years to complete and that's under the most optimistic scenario.
Doesn't that young student deserve to have every chance to fulfill their educational needs and pursue a better life? Or should they struggle through elementary, junior high and high school technologically handicapped as their elders argue about speed and latency?
Those are questions the Governor, her broadband director and our legislators should be asking--and answering--as young New Mexicans wait and wait some more to go to work on their dreams.
This is the home of New Mexico politics.
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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2023
(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2023