Judi Cantu: ‘I would love to contribute my never welcomed ideas’

I am grateful for the recent actions as it finally got the attention of the people to question the happenings at town hall. People need to ask themselves if the cancelling of cable and the Taos Live streaming is working to keep the public un-informed. It has also been said that this administration is better than the old guard. I say; the citizens need to become better informed.

Something of deep concern to me is domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, addictions, and youth on youth violence resulting in murder within our community. I wanted to work at organizing things to empower the youth. I envisioned creating and coordinating something in Taos similar to Warehouse 21 in Santa Fe, so that we could work to effect positive change for our youth through empowerment and positive-peer and community/greater-world-at large-influences (similar to TED Talks).

I envisioned edible/self-feed-gardens, recycling manufacturing/industries, mulching at the landfill, guaranteed green belt/spaces, renewable-energy, planning of feasible community self-sufficiency and transparency. I wanted to be allowed to do my job. I have never been allowed to bring anything to the table, to effect positive changes and be taken seriously.

I am concerned with violence, period. I envisioned working with Councilor Hahn, who is a licensed counselor, closely on this issue — but other things seem more important to him now.

I wanted to work diligently to attract industries to Taos. Industries that can hire people who so desperately need employment, to bring home Taoseños employed elsewhere. Affordable housing is something I see should be viewed as a high priority, and have ideas attained through “out-of-the-box thinking.” 

I would love to contribute my never welcomed ideas and be allowed to participate in town government as an elected official. Unfortunately, I have never been allowed a voice in municipal happenings. The only time my fiduciary duties are allowed, is to vote — or when I can offer discussion while in session (if they do not ignore me or attempt to humiliate me, or bring up things under comments from council). 

I have been treated with a type of disdain by the administration since the Jan. 16, 2015, fiasco. I have been forbidden to talk to any department heads, or I have had scrutiny in what they have allowed me to put on Town Council agendas, except to make sure I have not been supported. There is a strange atmosphere when I walk into town hall. The question being, why? Where is this coming from?

Because I have been treated as a pariah since elected, my input is never allowed. Blocked of any abilities I am supposed to have has been of constant trouble since being elected, although the greater community supports me. This seems especially multiplied since newly elected people have taken seats. Other than me being threatened and forbidden to communicate with any department heads or staff, not being allowed to be put on agendas, an approximately 11 month blackout of any important/pertinent documents sent to every other councilor but me, if it weren’t for the resolution to censure me, I would not be recognized as an elected official at all. This is yet another attempt to stifle my abilities.

Isn’t it interesting to know that when I received notification of a special meeting, I was not sent the resolution as an attachment? If not for a conscientious citizen who emailed me the resolution, I would not have known what the wording was, much less that it was all about me.

Town business seems severely limited to spending money on far more important things than community needs. Money on concerts, promoter/marketers, more expensive staff to support the promoter/marketers, concert equipment, electric bills, pro-development schemes and mostly town-funded parties. Do these community events mimic early campaigning of sorts?

Ask yourselves, why did it take this special meeting and resolution to finally wake up the people? Is this evidence that something is trying to be suppressed? Who authored that resolution, and why? The integrity to use business days for a 72-hour notice would have been fair play had they not used the weekend. But in this administration, ask yourselves, can anything be considered fair play? Could the only reason things seem quiet is because there is not enough public access to keep citizens informed?

Cantu is a town of Taos councilwoman.