Guest Commentary by Miguel Tittmann – As firefighters and union members, we have a simple belief: the people closest to a problem should have a voice in solving it. That’s why I’m publicly supporting Constitutional Amendment 4 and the New Mexico Professional Firefighters is endorsing Vote for Change, the campaign to finally create a limited income for our state legislators.
Miguel Tittmann is a longtime Albuquerque firefighter and president of the New Mexico Professional Fire Fighters Association and IAFF Local 244, representing firefighters in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County.
When decisions are being made about emergency response, public safety or the working conditions of firefighters, we want the people who actually do the job at the table. Not because we have all the answers, but because experience matters.
I believe the same thing should be true of our state Legislature.
The Legislature is full of dedicated community leaders who step away from their everyday lives to serve their neighbors in Santa Fe. But our current system makes it harder than it should be for more New Mexicans to serve. Those elected to serve make tremendous sacrifices, but the biggest sacrifice of all is doing it all for a modest per diem allowance.
Serving in the Legislature today requires weeks and months away from your job and your family without a paycheck. And the responsibilities don’t end when the legislative session does. Legislators spend the rest of the year meeting with constituents, studying issues, attending committee hearings and preparing for the next session. For many working New Mexicans, that simply isn’t realistic.
The Professional firefighters that I represent in New Mexico can’t tell their mortgage company that they’ll catch up after the legislative session. They can’t put their bills on hold for two months. Many of our Fire Fighters are also small business owners that can’t necessarily walk away from their business for weeks at a time.
When public service requires that kind of financial sacrifice, we shouldn’t be surprised when many qualified people decide they simply can’t afford to serve.
That’s why it’s time to Vote for Change. We should have a Legislature where working people can serve. Where firefighters, nurses, educators, tradespeople, small business owners and working parents can bring their experiences to the Roundhouse.
Because those experiences matter.
I’ve spent years representing firefighters and advocating for those who answer the call when New Mexicans need help. I’ve seen firsthand what happens when working people have a voice in the decisions that affect them. When firefighters are part of the conversation, policymakers hear perspectives they might otherwise miss.
Our Legislature should benefit from that same diversity of experience. Voting Yes on 4 means removing barriers that keep everyday New Mexicans from serving. It means giving legislators the time and resources to understand complicated issues, listen to their communities and make thoughtful decisions about the future of our state.
Paying legislators a limited salary isn’t about giving politicians a perk. It’s about who gets the opportunity to serve. Right now, our system asks people to choose between public service and earning a living. We can do better.
I want a firefighter finishing a 48-hour shift, a teacher grading papers at the kitchen table, or a small business owner locking up at the end of the night to be able to look at the Roundhouse and think: I could serve there. My experience belongs there.
That’s the kind of Legislature New Mexico deserves. This is our opportunity to open the doors to more New Mexicans, strengthen our Legislature and make our government more representative of the people it serves. It’s time to Vote for Change, and to vote YES on Constitutional Amendment 4 this November.