Answer Me This

Republican or Democrat for Domenici's Senate seat? How many more will lose their PNM jobs? Is New Mexico healthy? Why are we better than Tucson?

1) According to a poll by SurveyUSA, who beats who in a race for Senate?

a. Richardson beats Pearce.

b. Chavez beats Wilson.

c. Pearce beats Richardson.

d. Wilson beats Chavez.

e. Both a and b.

f. Both c and d.

2) PNM laid off 150 workers last week. How many more are expected to get the ax in coming months?

a. About 50.

b. Nearly 100.

c. More than 300.

d. At least 500.

3) The United Health Foundation, an independent not-for-profit group, released its annual report on the health status of the states. New Mexico is ranked 38th because:

a. Doctors are relocating to other parts of the country where business is more lucrative.

b. The rate of uninsured New Mexicans has gone up 13 percent since last year.

c. Incidence of infectious disease went up 20 percent.

d. There aren't enough nurses in the state.

4) Everyone's pumped because Albuquerque is growing faster than Tucson, even though Tucson had a whole bunch of dough to spend on revitalization. What do Tucson and Albuquerque have in common?

a. Both deal with sprawl.

b. Both have universities in the center of town.

c. Both have Air Force bases.

d. Both are run by idiots.

e. All of the above.

f. All of the above except d.

ANSWERS

1) E. Mayor Martin Chavez and Gov. Bill Richardson would beat both Republican candidates, Rep. Heather Wilson and Rep. Steve Pearce, according to the poll. Richardson would stomp his opponents by more than 20 points, though a Chavez race would be much closer.

2) C. About 350 more workers will lose their jobs as part of an effort to avoid asking for PNM rate increases. The Public Service Company of New Mexico is down millions this third quarter, coming in with $31.8. It tallied $43.8 last year.

3) B. The bad news, according to the report: Along with preventable hospitalizations going up 10 percent since last year, the rate of uninsured New Mexicans rose 13 percent. The good news: At least we aren't 40th on the list any longer. New Mexico actually climbed up two slots, possibly because our rate of infectious disease fell 80 percent since 1990.

4) F. In addition to both cities booming in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s before falling into disrepair in the '70s, Tucson and Albuquerque maintain many of the same features. Both decided to pump life back into their respective downtowns in 1999, but Albuquerque pulled ahead, even with limited resources.