THE WORD SPARRING in the Councilor Felton/Steiner letters to the editor need a little clarification about Wildlife West and the music festival. The committed festival funding was removed shortly before the event was to happen and it happened before any talk of anti-donation law concerns. The anti-donation law issue was brought up after the decision was made and was used to justify the decision. However, the town of Edgewood attorney stated that there were ways of funding the event, but Councilor Felton and some in the administration chose not to pursue any of those means to help the music festival.

A lawsuit was not threatened but the town government was given notice that I had contacted attorneys about the anti-donation law. The results of my investigation were in agreement with the town attorney. The town of Edgewood could have funded the event in several different ways but chose not to help with the funding they had committed to in the budget.

Councilor Felton suggested that we withdraw from the marketing help available through the town of Edgewood. Wildlife West has a good relationship with the town of Edgewood staff and we did receive and are grateful for the marketing funding provided.

ROGER ALINK

Wildlife West Founder

Still Time To Give Funds to KXNM

THE KXNM FM 88.7 MH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION wants to acknowledge our supporters for their enthusiastic response to the match grant challenge announced in December. A Torrance County family that wishes to remain anonymous pledged $50,000 to the construction costs to get KXNM 88.7 FM completed and on air prior to August of 2011.

To date Torrance County residents have contributed approximately 25 percent of the necessary funds to match this grant. Thank you so much for your generosity and support of this effort to bring community-based public radio to Torrance County. Every penny counts and no donation is too large or too small. Checks should be made out to the KXNM 88.7 FM Community Foundation. The deadline on this match grant is June 30, 2010.

PAT LINCOLN

Estancia

Benefit for Sick Man Was Success

I wanted to send a note to all of you thanking all of you in the community for helping out in the ways that you did to make our benefit for Jim Magnarella a success. It was a great event that made almost $9,000 for him!

If you didn't get a chance to attend you should know that Low Spirits was full from the beginning to the end of the night! Legally, only 150 people could be in the place at one time, and over the course of the day/evening we had about 465 paid entry tickets.

Jim, as well as those of us who put this together, was really happy with the turnout. Jim said on a channel 13 news broadcast that the event — and having all the musicians and attendees coming together in his support — is "probably one of the highlights of my life ... so far. I'm really looking forward to the camaraderie, the friendship, and the love, and the hope!" So, it wasn't all about the money, either.

I want you to know that, not only do we appreciate your efforts getting out the word for this event, but all of us musicians really value your continuing efforts to support live music, which contributes to making events like this a success. Not to sound trite, but we truly couldn't have done it without you!

Thank you all so much,

WENDY BEACH

Albuquerque

Flattered To Be Target of Letters

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PUBLISHING my letters, as well as those of Mr. Felton. While I might take issue with some of his variances in veracity, I defend his right to express himself.

With regard to Mr. Felton's referring to helping move the library as one of his two "tangible" achievements, I do give him credit. The staff at the rental location is doing a magnificent job. I had previously written several blog articles advocating that the town should erect a building on town-owned property on Section 16 where the new town center will eventually be located. The council chose to go with an interim location for which we are now paying rent. With the economy deteriorating, I just pray that the Legislature will not cut back on the funds allocated to the town and we will be able to continue to meet our rent obligation.

As to his other "tangible" accomplishment, the creation of the Edgewood Police Department, he did serve on the hiring committee that selected Chief Daniels. In referring to this, he points out that he had to use vacation time to be available for this board. While his sacrifice of vacation hours may be commendable, this just emphasizes what I have already stated in past articles. Mr. Ring and Councilor Simmons have no "over the hill" employment commitments and are readily more available than Mr. Felton to conduct the town's business on short notice, if needed.

Looking at Mr. Felton's other "conceptual" (his word, not mine) achievements, I would leave these for the reader to find and evaluate. I would also suggest looking at the significantly greater accomplishments achieved by the other two candidates during their many years of service to our community. Citizens having specific questions for Mr. Ring can route them to him at 263-3268. Councilor Simmons can be contacted at 281-1826.

In closing, being just a low-level member of Mr. Ring's election team, I am quite flattered to find myself being addressed directly by Mr. Felton in his writings. I would have thought that he would have focused more on Mr. Ring. In any event, I do wish him well after March 2.

BOB STEINER

Edgewood

Endorsement By Mayor Was Unfair

ON FEB. 3, MAYOR STEARLEY ENDORSED Glenn Felton for re-election to the Town Council in both of our local papers. When I pulled up the Edgewood Code of Ethics for our governing body this is some of what it says regarding my concern:

"The proper administration of democratic government requires that public officials must be independent, impartial, and responsible to the people."

If Mayor Stearley had only signed his name to this endorsement it probably would not have been a problem. But, Mayor Stearley chooses to sign it "Bob Stearley, Edgewood mayor." This is unethical from my view point because it appears that Mayor Stearley is using his title to get Felton elected.

The Code of Ethics also states, "The public must have confidence in the integrity of its government." How can citizens have integrity in our mayor when he represents the mayor's office in this way? We need our mayor to be independent, impartial, and responsible to all the people as he said he would do when he became mayor.

We have to demand that all of our governing body lives up to what they swore to when they took office. This isn't a small issue to me. It's just another example of government doing what they want without regard to what is right. Who is going to take action with what the mayor is doing? Council?

SUE WEST

Edgewood

Business Can Buy Our Politicians

IN RESPONSE TO JERRY CARROLL'S letter regarding corporations and freedom of speech in last week's Telegraph ...

I doubt that our Founding Fathers shared Mr. Carroll's confusion as to what a "person" is. It is a perversion to invoke "legalese" to redefine the concept in such a bizarre manner, as the Supreme Court has done.

Every individual human member of a corporation has full First Amendment rights of freedom of speech. I agree that "by belonging to Exxon or the Sierra Club, they do not forfeit their right as Americans to that freedom of speech."

But I totally disagree with the idea that "when a corporation speaks, it is not the actual legal construct that speaks, but the American citizens freely associated with it." When Exxon spends part of its billions in profits to influence our government, are they speaking for me because I bought some gas? Hardly! The corporation exists solely to make money, and all its lobbying efforts are focused on that goal.

Mr. Carroll misinterpreted what I said about corporations' morals. They are, by definition, "amoral," meaning that they have none. I did not say they are "immoral." Morals are a human concept, and corporations are not human. To give full citizens' rights to an amoral legal construct designed for the sole purpose of making money will destroy what little is left of our democracy.

Consider this: the total amount spent on federal elections in 2008 was a bit over $5 billion. Exxon's profits in 2007 and 2008 were $85 billion. Considering how our elections have turned into a sound-bite-ridden media show, it should be obvious that an unregulated corporation such as that can elect any politician that will suit their purposes.

Lastly, consider this. A CEO of a wealthy corporation has freedom of speech, as a citizen, just like you and me. Now, should they have the right to a second, totally unregulated, often incredibly well-funded proxy voice through their corporation?

BOB CLANCY

Sandia Park