If by chance I get elected I will be your voice

I spent several hours over a couple of days at the Kit Carson Electric Cooperative parking lot talking to people as they went in to pay their electric bill. It was the first of the month — pay day for people on fixed incomes. That’s when the check comes in the mail. It goes to priorities like food, gas, and yes, the light bill.

I watched as a car drove up with an elderly couple inside. They parked, but no one came out. As I strained to look I noticed that he was getting a few crumpled dollars from his pocket to give to her.

She took the money with one hand as she looked in her purse for more money. I could see she was even dipping into her coin purse for a few coins. They looked over what they had between them, counted it again, then got their electric bill and went in to make a partial payment.

The scenario repeated itself several times: People driving up in beat up cars with bald tires; cars with plastic sheeting that replaced the broken window, and minivans with several kids strapped in the back; and there was the little red car that we had to push smart card.

The handicapped spaces were at a premium because so many of the vehicles had handicapped stickers. There were many vet plates too. I could also tell that many people were carrying disconnect notices.

I spoke to almost all of them and most were kind enough to acknowledge me and accept my card indicating I was a candidate for trustee in the upcoming election. Many of those paying their bills were dutiful sons and daughters bringing their parents and grandparents from the pueblo. Others spoke only Spanish, but I assured them all that they too had a voice. By the end of the first day in that parking lot, I had a new perspective. 

I knew that Taos was a poor community. But I didn’t realize how poor we were. I knew none of us wanted our electric rates to increase, but I didn’t know how much people were struggling even with the current rates.

I knew that times were tough everywhere, but I didn’t fully appreciate that they are particularly tough for those on fixed incomes. I went through eight years of college, but this week taught me something that no university or business class could ever teach me: Those entrusted to run a company must know the reality of the daily lives of those they serve.

I am David Torres, candidate for Kit Carson trustee. Those three days I spent in the parking lot last week impacted me more than you know.

Now I see how difficult it is for you to pay your bill; how you have to scrape together your pennies, and how sometimes notices from the “REA” bring bad news in the mail of your delinquent bill. Now I see how some have to choose between food on the table or paying the light bill.

I am David Torres, and if by chance I get elected I will be your voice; I will make sure that we pinch pennies in our expenses, just the way you pinch pennies to pay your bill; I will fight to make transparency the rule. I won’t make unrealistic promises and I won’t talk big, but ask anyone who knows me and they will say that I’m the man who never gives up and gets things done.

Axion Polymers has developed a new variant of its high-grade recycled polymer – Axpoly r-PS01 - derived from waste fridge plastic that is delivering extra user benefits in toys and other similar applications.

Recent substantial orders for the 100% recycled polymer are testament to the award-winning Salford-based plastic recyclers’ ability to satisfy stringent British Standard testing to BS EN 71-3, which covers the specification for migration of certain elements from within the plastics used to mould components of toys.

The BS EN 71 Toy Safety standard deals with every aspect of toy safety from flammability and toxicity, to their potential to trap clothing or injure a child physically. The standard also provides the detail which underpins the new EU Toy Safety Directive. Axion’s polymer has been externally tested to verify its compliance with the ‘chemical migration’ tests that form part of the standard.

Having already successfully used its PS01 post-consumer fridge polystyrene in millions of plastic extruded pencils, Axion has recently supplied 120 tonnes to a Far Eastern producer for a moulding application in the promotional gift industry. The items included a spinning top and collectable grocery miniatures. While the individual items are low in mass, the sheer number of units being placed onto the market creates a significant need for a specialist polymer to satisfy the application.

Speaking after a recent visit to their customer in Dongguan, Axion Director Keith Freegard said: “Proving the EN 71 standard had been met was the key order winning aspect for the ultimate customer of the moulder, a large supermarket chain in central Europe. They had insisted that the moulder used a plastic that was both ‘recycled’ and able to meet the European toy standards. Axpoly r-PS01 was the only material available that ‘hit the spot’ on both counts, so we won the order on that basis.

“As a result, we have high hopes that our recycled white polymer, which can be coloured to any desired shade, will gain wider acceptance and welcome enquiries from other product manufacturers in the toy or promotional gift market,” he added.

Steve Bell, Axion’s Commercial Operation Manager, said Axion is now working to satisfy the revised specifications for the Toy Safety standard, which are due to be announced in July.

He said: “When we supplied Axpoly r-PS01 to a global stationery product manufacturer for its range of sustainable splinter-free pencils, we had to satisfy the toy standards because people put them in their mouths and chew them.

“It was also important to meet this specification for Marks & Spencer as PS01 was used as a direct replacement for virgin ABS in their new Solutions gift range. Because the polymer is sourced from fridge linings that come into contact with food, it would never have contained any potentially harmful heavy metals from the outset, making it ideal for ‘closed-loop’ re-use in new items, such as toys, gifts and gadgets.”