Commentary: New Mexico House and Senate Republican leadership today called for the immediate removal of the fence blockade around the New Mexico State Capitol Complex. The letter requests that the Legislative Council consider readdressing security concerns that do not impose an image of antagonism against the New Mexico public. The current public health order already prevents the public from entering the Capitol building and the fence blockade only perpetuates the impression that public involvement in the legislative process is not welcome.
“The public has already been barred from entering The People’s House for going on a year, this fence just further divides the public from what is happening in Santa Fe,” said House Republican Leader Jim Townsend. “We are spending $33,000 a day on this blockade, with no incidents reported, I think we can reconsider security plans that are less offensive to the public.”
“New Mexicans have endured the hardest year in a generation and they should not have their hard earned tax dollars wasted,” said Senate Republican Leader Greg Baca. “The security protocols were put in place for a threat which, thankfully, never materialized. It is now time to take down the fence and deploy resources and law enforcement to other parts of the state in need.”
As of yet, there have been no public plans to change the security protocols or remove the fence blockade at the Roundhouse.