The Tribune of the People: Virgil Martinez

“Ample sectors of the political class have established regional alliances with criminal actors,” wrote Alberto J. Olvera of the Veracruzana University. “The regime can’t and doesn’t want to reform itself. A gigantic mobilization is necessary of a united civil society focused on the fight against impunity.” (Editor’s Note: This piece above about Mexico reminded me of the corroboration among various government entities, utilities, etc. in Taos.)

According to reports from deep inside the Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, Inc., the Taos Rural Electric Cooperative, a Roosevelt era project meant to bring electricity to isolated areas of the United States, is, allegedly, owned by those it serves. Today the Coop is better known by the members as those who serve the board of trustees, who recently voted to raise the rates on electric meter service.

Due to falling demand, the closure of Chevron Mining’s Molybdenum mine, CEO Luis Reyes announced that rates must go up. Of the eleven trustees, only one had the courage to vote “no,” Virgil Martinez, left, the trustee from Cerro (near Questa). Taos Friction nominates Virigil, the man from Cerro, as “Citizen of the Year.” Virgil once told this reporter that if the truth were known all the trustees should be in jail. Turncoat Peter Adang, who once sued the Trustees in court is not pictured below. But you can just see Virgil in the background, wearing a “white hat.”

Under Mr. Luis Reyes’ leadership the board of trustees has engaged in expanding the number of high-paid “traveling trustees” from seven to eleven even as they laugh (above) all the way to the bank.

Luis expanded the Coop’s business into a long-term losing Propane venture and built a useless and unused E911 Command Center for emergency purposes while paying a preposterous sum for a site in a floodplain. Then he spent some $60 million for a “fiber optic” communications system that serves a miniscule number of folks so far, half a decade later.

The images above and below, grabbed from the current KCEC web site are not only “out-of-date” but the prose underlying them presents the triumph of “public relations” and “advertising” (lies) over the sure-fire failed enterprises (reality). Check out the web site.

Now statewide and national organizations dub the CEO a national leader in alternative energy and progressive ideas, a man who has made his chops on the backs of Native Taosenos, senior citizens, and the poor while a board rubber stamps his whims so that they, too, can enjoy the “gravy train” to Las Vegas, Hot Springs, New Orleans, Denver and Disneyland.

At home in the Taos Valley, CEO Reyes pulled the strings above the last Mayor and Town of Taos Council by offering up contracts and/or offering special advertising and payment plans to key officials. Today he pays a substantial salary to a Town councilor who holds the swing vote on the council and keeps the Mayor’s unpopular manager wired in to town hall. So guess who else dances to his tune? Eh? Why is Cruz Alta getting paved?

In his genius Luis brushes aside personal attacks and responds to constituents during emergencies as if the spark of compassion and divine light emerges from within. Bankers, news editors and reporters, trustees and journalists all bow before the “Man Who Would Be King.” Luis giggles and laughs when reproached, his eyes twinkle, and he nods, as if saying, “You know how they are.”

Luis has plundered the minds of the Coop Cult and persuaded bankers to loan the broke cooperative some $100 million to keep the lights on, the Propane spigots flowing, the “fiber optic” a profane promise, energized for the few, while making sure the trustees have pockets full of air tickets to hot spots.

Now Luis will go before the Public Regulation Commission and ask for a rate increase, thanks to the “Testy Ten” who are spoon-fed from the trough. Besides you don’t want your hitos and hitas to suffer the ignominy of reading by candlelight or get their TVs turned down lest they miss the latest version of “Dancing to the Stars” or Donald Trump’s run to the roses.

In Taos Luis plays the pipe and the trustees dance, except for the tone-deaf Virgil who never saw a bandido or trustee he could truly trust. As Virgil has always said, “I feel sorry for Taos County.”