“I wanted to dedicate myself to the campaign,” said the LaPuebla resident.

  Block, 30, is also ready to dedicate himself to the com­missioner’s post. “This is the only job I’m going to do. It will be full time,” he said.

  The Public Regulation Commission’s task is compli­cated and he has been attend­ing commission meetings to become more familiar with the cases being heard, Block said.

  “No one can be an expert on everything right off the bat. You have to allow yourself time to study the issues,” he said.

  Block would like the com­mission to do more to educate the public about the work­ings of the regulatory agency. “I think the meetings should be held in different parts of the state so that it’s easier for the public to attend them,” he said.

  “The PRC decisions affect people in the pocketbook,” Block said. Stronger participa­tion by the public in the deci­sion mak­ing of the commis­sion is the best way to meet the needs of the peo­ple.”

  If elected to the commis­sion, Block promises to meet with residents throughout the district aside from the regular public meetings to listen to their concerns about the regu­lated utilities.

  “The public needs to be more familiar with the PRC and the commission needs to be responsive to the people,” he said.

  If the commissioners make themselves more available to the public, people will “feel comfortable” enough to tell the PRC how the regulations being developed effect them, he added.

  Block’s father, Jerome Block Sr., was a commissioner for the district. Block Sr. served a two-year term on the Public Regulation Commission when its was first created in 1996 and was later elected to a four-year term. New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid chal­lenged the senior Block’s attempt to run for a second four-year term in the state Supreme Court and prevented Block from running again.

  Ben Ray Lujan won the Public Regulation Commission District 3 seat, but is running in the state primary election for the Congressional seat cur­rently held by U.S. Rep. Tom Udall. Udall is running for the U.S. Senate seat opened when Sen. Pete Domenici (R­NM) announced he would not run for reelection because of a serious illness.

  Block Jr. is concerned that the only thing the public has heard about him is that his father had served on the Public Regulation Commission.

  “I’m young, I’m energetic and I have a financial back­ground,” he said. “Finance is important to people of all walks of life. With my back­ground, I can give consumers the protection they need.”

  He has worked as a bank executive for First Community Bank and First National Bank in Santa Fe and is a gradu­ate of Anderson Western States School of Banking at the University of New Mexico. The school has since moved to New Mexico State University.

  Working as a banking exec­utive has also given him expe­rience in managing people, Block said. “That’s also impor­tant when you are working with the staff at the commis­sion,” he added. Block said he work has allowed him to take a hiatus to work full-time in the position.

  “I’ve always wanted to be involved in politics and this is a prime time for me to do it,” Block said.