Archuleta, Cutter, others endorse Papen for Senate

Mary Kay Papen has always been a woman of boundless energy. Her skills and insights have established her as a knowledgeable and reliable leader. She is widely respected by her colleagues and is only the second woman to serve as President Pro Tempore of New Mexico’s Senate, a position that significantly enhances her ability to advocate for all of us in southern New Mexico.

A complete list of Sen. Papen’s accomplishments would far exceed our space here, but we can offer highlights. As a recent editorial in the Albuquerque Journal noted, Mary Kay is actively improving mental health services for New Mexico residents. When our former governor upended key providers in favor of out-of-state interests, Sen. Papen worked to restore order and pursued due process for local providers and clients. She helped establish assisted outpatient treatment services to address critical mental-health needs, earning a national award. Recognizing a long-term shortage of psychiatrists, especially in rural areas, Sen. Papen led the way for trained psychologists to obtain prescription privileges, another effort that earned national recognition. She guided legislation to allow purchase of drugs from Canada to reduce prescription-drug costs. And New Mexicans who rely on legal regulated access to medical marijuana need to know that Sen. Papen is one of their supporters.

During her tenure in the Senate, Mary Kay has improved New Mexico’s way of doing things through her attention to complex issues. She championed an act that has brought $33 million to our county’s 37 colonias for much-needed infrastructure. She co-sponsored legislation making the Early Childhood Department a cabinet-level entity and has worked to clean up corruption in the New Mexico Housing Authority. Santa Teresa is a safer and more efficient port of entry because Mary Kay addressed border-trucking concerns. And all of us are safer thanks to Sen. Papen’s success in passing “Katie’s Law” requiring DNA testing in certain circumstances. This law is now a national model, providing a tool for law enforcement and for families seeking justice for victims of violent crime.

The ability to secure funding for infrastructure projects and quality-of-life enhancements is an essential measure of a senator’s effectiveness. Mary Kay Papen is consistently a star in doing this. She is able to balance many interests and needs while dealing with often limited funds. A list of Doña Ana County projects that Sen. Papen has supported includes roads, community centers, skateboard parks and water systems. City entities that have benefited include the Amador Hotel Restoration, Community of Hope, Klein Park, Pioneer Women’s Park, Veterans Memorial Wall at Veterans Park, Regional Aquatic Center, Henry A. Benavidez Community Center, Frank O. Papen Community Center, amenities for bus-riders and improvements to downtown parking and many local streets. Sen. Papen has secured funding for many elements of New Mexico State University: safety (crosswalk lighting, NMSU police cars), public service (Water Research Institute, Speech and Hearing Clinic, autism-testing program), academic resources (new facilities for arts programs, accreditation for psychology programs, hospitality/tourism kitchen lab, KRWG public-media equipment now being used to broadcast classes), and sports (upgrades to therapeutic riding facility, enhanced soccer field lighting, renovation of women’s locker rooms). Quite a list!

As the coronavirus hits New Mexico and oil prices plummet, it is essential that we have people like Sen. Papen in office working for us. Her wealth of legislative experience, her fiscal responsibility, combined with her deep humanitarianism, will safely guide New Mexico through these perilous times. Re-electing Sen. Mary Kay Papen is critical to the welfare of Southern New Mexico, and indeed, our entire state.

Dolores C. Archuleta, Glenn Cutter, Joseph W. Pollard III, Suzanne Quillen, Maria E. Saenz, Edward Sweetser and Cecilia B. Yanez are residents of Doña Ana County.