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Candidate for District 15 state representative

Name: Teresa Zanetti (i), Republican

Age: 48

Campaign Web site: teresazanetti.com

Occupation: Former educator

Family: Husband, Greg Zanetti; two sons

Education: Valley High School graduate; bachelor's, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.; master's, St. John's College, Santa Fe; half of an MBA, Boston University overseas branch; post-graduate fellowship, Stanford University.

Please list the experience you think would make you a good state representative.

Former classroom teacher, test administrator, state Board of Education member, small-business owner, mom.

Have you ever been arrested or charged with a felony or misdemeanor? Thankfully, no.

What is the best meal you can cook from scratch?

Ravioli, including the pasta.

Last book you read: I'm in the middle of several, but recently finished "Truman."

What was your biggest mistake in life and what lesson did you learn?

Starting a business without fully understanding all the costs involved. Lesson learned: Read the fine print and check the numbers. This has been a good lesson for serving in the Legislature, too.

A recent report by the Fiscal Policy Institute found that states with a minimum wage above $5.15 have had faster job growth in the small business and retail trade sector than states with the federal minimum wage. Given that, would you support a statewide minimum wage of $7.50 Why or why not?

I firmly believe that a minimum wage should be set by the federal government and not by state government.

The Legislature in 2007 will consider some ethics reforms. What one change would you make to improve ethics in our state government?

Make the state treasurer an appointed position, thus making anyone who serves accountable to the governor.

Would you vote to repeal the death penalty in New Mexico?

I have voted to repeal the death penalty in the past, with the strict proviso that a criminal in this category would spend life in prison with no chance of parole.

Would you support and fund a way for the Legislature to keep better tabs on public building projects?

Absolutely. I've just begun serving on the new Capital Outlay Subcommittee, where we are looking at a number of ways to improve the process.

Would you support a measure that would allow chronically ill patients to use marijuana?

There have been too many potential loopholes in the measures I've seen. I don't support it at this time.

What more should New Mexico do in response to drought?

Water policy should be a top priority for both the Legislature and the governor. With our recent surplus revenue, we must set aside funding off the top for statewide and regional water projects.

What can be done to improve the state's public schools?

Our emphasis should be placed on student achievement in middle school and in high school, not on early childhood. At-risk students lose interest and drop out in the secondary grades. Too many enter the work force without basic skills, and therefore earn lower wages. Over half of our college-bound students require some remedial education. Employers and/or universities should not have to teach basic skills.

Is the current system for allocating the state's capital improvement money working? Why or why not? What specifically would you change?

No, this system is not working well. In 1971, only four capital outlay bills were introduced during that session. During the 2006 session, we had over 6,000 capital outlay bills. There are numerous problems, but here are a few of the worst. First, there isn't really a formal way to prioritize projects. Secondly, matching money is often not available, so money sits, and sometimes must be reauthorized, before enough is available to complete a project. Thirdly, after collecting the pot of money for a given project, construction materials or labor costs sometimes increase so much that the project is once again rendered unaffordable. These are general, and do not take into account the coordination between the state and local governments, or issues such as the Zuni lawsuit that so fundamentally affects school building projects. As a start, I would focus on the prioritization of projects with the emphasis that they be construction ready, and not merely project ready.

Should the state build another prison to deal with the increasing inmate population?

No.

Would you support an increase in lawmaker per diem or a salaried Legislature?

That is a question for the voters to decide!

What is the greatest need in your district?

We still need basic infrastructure, most importantly better roads, and traffic improvements (noise, flow, safety measures).

How long have you lived in your district?

Eight years within the current boundary lines. I grew up in the North Valley and have spent most of my life here, with the exception of college and my husband's years of military service.