Pain at the pump redux
Political leaders have taken the low-ride over the past week, ramping up a partisan fight over whether or not drilling for oil will solve our energy crisis while regular people are just worried about how to afford the gasoline they need to get around.
And our governor hasn't been shy about wading right into the thick of it in his capacity as an Obama surrogate. On CBS' Face the Nation Sunday he charged that John McCain was following the policies of George Bush--"drill, drill, drill"--a refrain he used multiple times while championing renewable energy development and conservation strategies. Of course, McCain's positions are a little more nuanced than Richardson would have one believe, but McCain surrogate Carly Fiorina did a pretty good job of getting those across.
Outside the national spotlight and back here in New Mexico, to his credit Richardson has been pursuing conservation strategies, taking steps last week to address rising fuel costs in the short term, at least for state employees. On Friday he issued an Executive Order creating the State of New Mexico Telework and Alternative Work Schedule Program, with the goal of reducing the amount of time state employees spend commuting by car.
"Rising gas prices are hitting New Mexicans hard and as the largest employer in the state, I am directing state government to alleviate some of the costs associated with soaring fuel prices," Richardson said in a press release. "I have established a statewide program to help reduce fuel use and taxpayer costs while still putting the public's access to state government first."
The order sets a deadline of September for adoption of a written policy that results in a decrease of commutes by state employees to and from work, or allows them to possibly work from a location closer to where they live. It also calls for a reduction in the use of state vehicles and programs to encourage public transit, as well as the improvement of technology so that productivity can be maintained.
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