Las Cruces council sides with larger national monument proposal

Points and counterpoints were made Monday — and logic and emotions clashed with one another for almost four hours. In packed Council Chambers at City Hall, a standing-room-only crowd gathered and more than 50 people spoke for or against a resolution supporting the proposed Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. Supporters of the monument proposal made their pitch, and opponents presented equally compelling arguments that the size of the proposed monument is too big and should be scaled back. This drawn-out discussion about land that isn't even within the Las Cruces city limits lasted throughout much of the afternoon during the council's meeting. Most people were allowed one minute to express their opinions, but many of their comments went beyond the time limit imposed by Mayor Ken Miyagishima. Others in the public who made prior arrangements got to speak longer, anywhere from 6 to 9 minutes. "There is conflicting information on every point," said rancher Tom Mobley. "I have significant investment on something you're (the council) willing to bet you're right on. I'm not willing to take that bet." Las Crucen Jim Harbison added, "I'm opposed. Why would we want to restrain private land to only 12 percent? ...We should not pass control of the land on to the federal government." Victor Monjarez, a retired U.S. Border Patrol agent, said the resolution was "a bad idea today as it stands." "It's a very bad idea, not only for the residents of southern New Mexico but for middle America as well," Monjarez said...more

I'm holding fire on this for now. Might say something that would end up hurting the folks I'm trying to help.