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PRC’s Jones will run for land commissioner, not re-election
Public Regulation Commissioner Sandy Jones (Courtesy photo)
Sandy Jones plans to run for state land commissioner next year, meaning he won’t be seeking re-election to a position on one of the most powerful regulatory boards in the nation.
Jones, a Democrat who represents District 5 on the state’s Public Regulation Commission and is the board’s chairman, confirmed in an interview that he will announce his candidacy for land commissioner on Friday. He said he plans a 12:15 p.m. announcement on that day at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe and a 5:30 p.m. announcement at the Wells Fargo Bank in Belen.
And, Jones said, he may also make an announcement in Las Vegas Friday morning. Further details will be forthcoming.
The only other declared Democratic candidate for land commissioner is Ray Powell, held the job from 1993 to 2002. In addition, former state Attorney General Patricia Madrid and Santa Fe County Commissioner Harry Montoya both say they’re considering running.
On the Republicans side, GOP activist Bob Cornelius and retired law-enforcement agent Errol Chavez are running.
They’re all battling to replace the GOP’s Pat Lyons, the current land commissioner who is term limited from seeking re-election.
Jones was born and raised in Corrales and now lives on a farm in Sierra County. For 25 years, he operated a statewide road construction company. He was first elected to the PRC in 2006, was made vice chairman in 2008 and elected chairman earlier this year.
Jones has been in the news lately for a controversy involving his office assistant. He recently placed on paid leave — and then reinstated — his assistant after a complaint that her hiring violates state law because she has twice been convicted of felony crimes. The AG is investigating the situation.
Jones was facing re-election next year, so his decision to run for land commissioner creates another race in the 2010 election that will be without an incumbent. No one had yet declared an intention to challenge Jones for the PRC seat next year.
This article has been updated for clarity. In addition, a prior version of this article incorrectly stated that Powell was land commissioner in the 1980s and 1990s.
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I think that Sandy Jones is an excellent candidate for the land commissioner. He is very in touch with the needs of the public and really gets things done. I don’t think there would be a better choice.
Mr. Jones is a great leader on the PRC and he will serve New Mexico proudly, and serve us well in the Land Commission. Good Luck to you!
Hemingway – I completely disagree with you. He is most definitely competent to run for Land Commissioner. He is extremely in touch with all of his constituents and has responded and helped me everytime I contacted his office with a concern. I never saw any response from Baca or Shaffer.
Jones definitely has my vote. He’s proven himself in both the public and private sectors in the past. He has done a great job on the PRC and I have no reason to doubt his ability to be a great Land Commissioner.
I disagree with you all. Mr. Jones has done a great job as PRC Chairman. A while back Heath wrote this about the PRC.
“The PRC has cut its budget by $1.5 million a year, or 16 percent, largely by consolidating offices to reduce overhead costs. For the first time, the PRC has hired a private company to audit the way PNM obtains fuel and power as a way to ensure the cost of wasteful spending .”
I can’t think of another state agency that has done anything close to that to help close the state budget shortfalls.
Jones has my vote and all my support.
I agree with Hemingway. My own experience is that Mr. Jones doesn’t walk his talk. He tells you what you want to hear then forgets you and your issue. Non-responsive as PRC chairman. Can’t believe he’ll be competent in another position. Sigh ….
This is the best news to come along in a long time. He has done nothing that would be of help to the people in his district since being in office. He is incompetent in the PRC for his district and he sure would not be competent in the Land Coimmisioner’s office. As Bill Richardson’s picked boy for the job he now holds, he is a joke.
This must be a joke. Mr. Sandy Jones has been so incompetent as chairman of the PRC.