PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release:                                                                                                                                                                      Contact:       
April 19, 2010                                                                                                                                                                &n bsp;                  Carter Bundy

                                                                                                                                                             &nb sp;                                            505-463-8499

This week, AFSCME's political committee voted unanimously to recommend that AFSCME's Republican members vote for State Representative Janice Arnold-Jones in the June 1 GOP gubernatorial primary.

The committee made the recommendation based on a number of good-government issues where AFSCME and Representative Arnold-Jones are on the same page--and where workers have relied on her to help solidify Republican support in the House.  She supports transparency in our tax code, in our contracting out, in government spending, and in our legislative process.  No one appreciates that kind of clean, transparent government more than rank-and-file state employees who suffer when there are back-room deals to outsource work to powerful people or to give special tax giveaways to connected corporations.

Rep. Arnold-Jones and AFSCME also fought together at the Roundhouse for whistleblower protections, against double-dipping, and against wasteful taxpayer handouts to out-of-state mega-developers.  All three efforts resulted in bipartisan victories that will help to expose government problems where they exist and will also shore up the general fund and retirement funds.

"It's so refreshing to have someone who can be a great partner on key issues even if there are some areas of disagreement.  Rep. Arnold-Jones doesn't reflexively blame all of our problems on government, even while understanding there is a need for reform.  She takes a pragmatic approach that doesn't blame the regular hard-working rank-and-file state employees for the current crisis" said state employee and PEOPLE committee member Mary Gustin.

AFSCME endorsed Diane Denish for governor the previous week, largely for her support on those same issues and practical approach to reform.  Like Representative Arnold-Jones, Diane Denish led the fight to end double-dipping, to support whistleblowers, to bring sunshine to our legislative process, and to make government spending, tax policies, and contracting out transparent.

"Too often people in both parties are caught up in pointing out differences, making straw men of the other side's positions.  What AFSCME members care about are electing folks who are ethical, who are willing to let the public see how government operates, who support whistleblowers, and who want to end abuses like double-dipping.  We're lucky that, regardless of party and whatever their other differences may be, both Diane Denish and Rep. Arnold-Jones favor a practical, ethical, transparent approach to meeting the critical needs of New Mexicans" said PEOPLE Chairwoman Patty French.

Josh Anderson
Political Coordinator
AFSCME Council 18
1202 Pennsylvania St. NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110
505-266-2177 x 12 work
505-266-3155 fax