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Candidate for District 29 state representative

Name: Thomas A. (Tom) Anderson (i), Republican

Age: 73

Campaign Web site: TomAnderson4U (currently down for modifications)

Occupation: Retired U.S. Naval officer; designated naval ordnance engineer

Family: Six children; nine grandchildren

Education: Bachelor's, chemistry, St. Benedict's College, Atchison, Kan.; post-graduate work in physical chemistry, Kansas State College, Pittsburg, Kan.

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

I am the incumbent, currently completing my fourth year in office.

Have you ever been arrested or charged with a felony or misdemeanor? If yes, explain. No.

What is the best meal you can cook from scratch?

I have converted well over 50 turkeys into the "guest of honor" at Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter dinners.

Last book you read: "The Children's Blizzard" by David Laskin

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

Although I am far from perfect, I don't recall making any big mistakes. I try to learn from the mistakes of others.

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 remain opposed to wage and price controls. They are both best left to the economic forces of the marketplace. In spite of the allegation in this question, history has repeatedly proven that such attempts at feel-good legislation, no matter how well intentioned, never helps those that truly need our assistance for very long. The well meaning rent controls put in place in New York City have resulted in individuals of even moderate means being unable to afford to live in them. We need only look at the result of the new city ordinance enacted in Santa Fe. The citizens' group that sponsored the action immediately requested an exemption for their employees. Many employees on the lowest rung of the hotel industry suddenly found themselves part owners, or members of management, of the hotel that employed them. The owners of the newspaper that so strongly backed the ordinance moved their plant out of town, even though they were reportedly paying above the newly prescribed wage. That relieved them of the obligation to abide by the required future increases. Enough said?

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

It is still not possible to legislate morality. I believe that the biggest improvement we could make would be for the laws that we have on the books to be swiftly and vigorously enforced by those officials in positions of authority. Any attempts at ethics reform should be directed at where the lapses have occurred and not at the Legislature. Efforts to provide an income for its members on the theory that if they are paid they will not be tempted are at the very least misdirected. Our past state treasurer and his predecessor were paid, were they not?

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

No.

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

Yes, as long as the oversight actually resided with the Legislature and not the executive branch.

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

No. However, I would support legislation that would allow professional care givers to prescribe sufficient quantities of legal medications to alleviate their patients' pain without fear of intervention by the police or other authorities.

What more should New Mexico do in response to drought?

I believe that a statewide education program in basic conservation should be enacted at the community level.

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

If this refers to the schools, then accountability for the actions of those in control of planning and use of available funds and resources is an issue of enormous concern. If this is about the level and quality of education that is imparted to our children, I believe that significant improvement would result from simply returning some level of control of the process to the parents. Part of that control would be the availability of vouchers. Real parental choice is essential.

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

Current "windfall" profit notwithstanding, New Mexico is not a wealthy state. I believe that the legislator is the true "expert" on the needs of his or her own district. I would change much of how allocation is currently accomplished in order to give more authority and decision-making responsibility to the individual legislator. I would immediately codify the "one-third' rule.

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

We do indeed have an over-crowded prison system, and there are several available options. To simply build another facility might not be the best decision from the "taxpayers" point of view. A basic questions to be answered is "Which costs more: to purchase more prison beds or to return convicted criminals to the general population prior to the completion of their sentence? However, a more interesting question is why has New Mexico been recently listed as number one nationally in per capita cost per prisoner, and why then as 34th in the number of citizens per capita incarcerated.

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

I believe that the per diem rate should continue to be tied to the federal standard rate. If I were given the choice of being paid for my service as a state representative or have the aid of an administrative assistant during the interim, I would choose the assistant every time. I am opposed to public funding of political campaigns. Our citizen taxpayers are suffering too much abuse currently. Why should we deliberately add to their burden?

What is the greatest need in your district?

There are two equally important needs: schools and roads. We are currently seven or eight schools behind, and you can count the existing vital traffic arteries on one hand.

How long have you lived in your district?

I moved to the West Side in 1989.