Transparency in government is critical right now. Creating a transparent government helps to overcome the growing mistrust people have with government at all levels. One way to reverse the skepticism many feel toward state government is to open the financial data and the decision making process to citizens. Armed with real and accurate data, and given the time to consider it, citizens will be more confident and better able to work with elected officials – and if appropriate – challenge some of decisions being made with regard to government investment and spending.

Much significant – and previously largely unavailable -- information will be in a user-friendly format on the Sunshine Portal. Here is just a brief list of the information the public will be able to find:

• A directory of all political appointees working in state government by state agency, showing each position’s title, salary and political appointee’s name.

• State agency contracts with a total value of more than $20,000, naming both the recipients and purposes of the contracts.

• State cash balances by account or fund.

• Monthly summaries of the state’s investment accounts managed by the State Investment Council.

• Annual operating budgets for each state agency with monthly expenditures by category.

• Appropriations for capital projects, identified by location, type, and funding source.

• Links to an open meetings website where each agency will post all scheduled open meetings.

• An annual summary of the state’s fiscal health, including the state budget, revenue projections, and expenditures for the previous fiscal year.

The Sunshine Portal will also provide additional information that will assist the public in understanding state government operations and management of taxpayer dollars. For the first time, the public will have the opportunity to find out how every state agency is managing its budget and contributing to – or being detrimental to -- the state’s fiscal health.

With the economy staggering, every dollar state government spends matters. The Sunshine Portal will also provide an opportunity to evaluate whether tax dollars are being spent efficiently and effectively.

The Sunshine Portal is a powerful tool. But like any tool and not a magic bullet, it must be utilized by the citizens to be truly effective. As citizens, we must re-commitment ourselves to the true nature of democracy and make real Jefferson’s notion. We must equip ourselves with the information that allows us to effectively oversee the efficiency and effectiveness of government. When fully operational beginning in July of 2011, the Sunshine Portal will provide the first step in this process.

If the hail has knocked off a lot of leaves all you can do is fertilize properly and water properly and wait and see what branches die and which ones survive. In a month or so prune dead branches out.

Branches should be pruned from the tree if excessive damage has occurred. This is best done by cutting the tree branch as close to the where it connects to the next larger branch or trunk. Do not cut the callus bump around the base of the limb because it makes the wound size larger. Always use the correct tool. You should never try to force pruning shears through a branch. If shears won’t cut a branch easily, use a pruning saw. When using a saw make an undercut slightly further from the branch or trunk then your final cut. Then cut just ahead of the undercut. This is done in order that when the branch falls it does not tare the bark all the way to the ground. Once the branch has been removed make your final cut in the appropriate place. Do not paint the pruning wound with paint or tar. Most pruning paint sealers are black and in our part of the world this builds up heat and fosters disease and fungus, causing more harm than good. The best treatment is a 10% bleach solution, 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. Wash the tool blades in this solution prior to make the cut to sanitize them, you would not want a surgeon operating on you without do so right? You can also remove any dead branches as well. The result may make an unbalanced tree, do not try and balance the tree now but wait until dormancy to finish the job; this is just emergency stabilization right now.

If branches or the trunk has split what can you do. Do not tape or wrap it back together for a long term treatment. The best thing to do is to pull it together the best you can drill a hole no lager the 25% the diameter of the branch or limb. On large branches and limbs I would not use less than a ½ bit. Obtain a large bolt or all thread shaft and place through the hole with large washers on both sides add the nut. Tighten until the bolt is secure, think of these as stitches and place as many as are need to pull the pieces together. Treat the wound with insecticide to prevent insect occupation and damage. Prune off about 25 to 30% of the weight to reduce stress. The tree should grow around the bolts and assimilates them into the tissue. Be sure and remove the extra length of bolt so as to prevent injury to people and pets. Make a drawing and from the ground or main trunk of where this was applied and keep in your files, if you sell the house give this to the next owner. It will be handy to have if the tree has to be removed; bolts are hard on chainsaws and people operating them. Something that is not in the research but my grandfather did was before pulling the wood together he used wood glue then pulled them together with the bolt.

If a tree has blown over you have to consider a few things before proceeding. The first thing to consider is the current location really the best place? If it falls again will it damage property or endanger people? If so remove the tree. Next is the tree otherwise healthy, if it is unhealthy it will have a harder time recovering and will be more susceptible to insect and disease from this stress. What species of tree is it? Some species recover have a higher success rate then other. Once you have determined it is worth the time and expense to try and save this tree you may precede. First clean out the hole the roots came from and enlarge that hole by about a third. Place the chains or rope you are going to use to pull the tree back upright at least one third the height of the tree, the higher the better leverage you will have but the trunk has to be able to hold the weight as well. Do not place yourself or other where the tree may fall on you!! Have at least two anchor points to pull the tree up with a 30 to 40 degree angle. Using whatever power source you have chosen hoist the tree in place and back fill all the way around the tree and pack the fill. Then stake the tree to hold it in place for about one year. Be sure and pad whatever you use to tie on to the tree and do not leave it for more than one year. You may chose to stake the tree when sever wind is expected, but if you leave it staked all the time the root will not develop to hold the tree up.

This brings to the question why did it fall in the first place? Unusually hard winds will do that, but most trees should have a good enough anchor in the roots to sustain most winds. If a tree is staked for a long period of time when planted the roots will be stunted in their growth. Stunted the roots are always stunted and the tree can suffer from blow over 20 years later. If a tree is watered shallowly the roots stay at the surface and do not move deep in to the soil to anchor the tree. The root mass should be 30 % larger than the above ground mass. Often trees are planted on to shallow of soil which results in poor root development these trees should not be attempted and should be removed. Large trees should not be attempted. A professional landscaper may be able to help you decide what to do and could possible do the work for you and do it safer. BE CAREFUL a tree even a small tree weighs tons and it is not worth getting hurt. Eddy County Extension Service, New Mexico State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. All programs are available to everyone regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, or national origin. New Mexico State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Eddy County Government Cooperating.

What’s driving the market?

• Oil industry analysts say two major factors continue to be the primary influences over the direction of oil prices: the state of the economic recovery and the strength of the US dollar. As the economy improves, typically demand begins to pick up. Oil earlier this week briefly reached $83.00, but less than a month ago, oil was trading at $70.00 a barrel.

• Additionally, seasonal factors are at play, with refineries in the process of switching over to summer blended fuels and investors counting on the potential for increased vehicle travel as the weather improves. The change-over in gasoline typically adds five-to-ten cents per gallon. This can be clearly seen in the recent trend in wholesale gasoline prices that ended last week at their highest point since the end of September, 2009.

• Motorists have no doubt been noticing the steady climb in retail gasoline prices in recent days. Over the past week alone, retail gasoline prices have increased between five and ten cents on the national average. However, supplies remain vast and demand, while improving, remains somewhat soft. Gasoline usage is down, depending on region, between 6% and 8% percent compared to the highs in 2007 and 2008.

“This is the third week in a row gasoline prices have increased. We’re following a similar trend that took place last spring and summer when gasoline prices began to increase as the weather gets warmer. Granted, prices were starting in the late winter and early spring of 2009 at a much lower level, $1.94 nationally and $1.84 statewide. However, between March 2009 and June 2009, the cost of a gallon of gasoline jumped by seventy-six cents in four months. Consumers are noticing the difference. One month ago a typical 14 gallon fill up in New Mexico and nationally was $37.00,” now motorists are paying more than $39.00,” said AAA New Mexico Corporate Communications Manager Dan Ronan.

House Bill 24, which was signed by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, is a national initiative to help military children as they transition between schools when moving from state to state.

“The Interstate Compact is basically an agreement designed to increase the educational opportunities for military children and what it does is remove barriers on educational success imposed on the children of military families because of their frequent moves and their parents deployments,” said Heather Miller, 49th Force Support Squadron school liaison officer. “There are many criteria that make up the compact and it covers a wide number of transitional issues for these kids.”

The legislation addresses numerous issues that military children face when moving to a new school to include class placement, records transfer, course availability, graduation requirements, redundant or missed entrance or exit testing, age of student enrollment and extra-curricular activities.

“[The compact will] facilitate timely enrollment and ensure that military kids are not placed at a disadvantage because of the difficulties of these transfers,” said Ms. Miller. “Some of the difficulty I’ve seen for parents -- and actually the compact addresses this -- is kids who come in the middle of the year and then they miss tryouts for a seasonal sport and now they are ineligible to play that sport.”

Along with easing the transition to a new school, the compact covers power of custodial parents when parents deploy and could grant military children additional excused absences when their parent returns.

“As long as it’s not going to be detrimental to their education, they’re able to take more time than what is normally allotted out of school so that they can spend time with their parent that just returned,” Ms. Miller said. “I know from the school’s perspective it’s difficult to have kids absent, but on a personal side, as a military family, it’s very important to spend that time with the parent once they get home.”

The Interstate Compact became effective in August 2008 when the first 10 states adopted the agreements -- Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and Oklahoma. In New Mexico, the bill was sponsored by Rep. Nathan Cote, D-Las Cruces, and gained the support of community and military leaders throughout the state.

“State legislators, base leadership, concerned community members and liaisons all throughout the region have been passionate in trying to help [this bill] get pushed through,” said Ms. Miller. For more information on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children or to monitor state legislative actions across the country regarding the adoption of the compact, visit the Council of State Governments website at www.csg.org/programs/ncic/EducatingMilitaryChildrenCompact.aspx.