TAXES AND SPENDING Jon Barela wants to stop the wasteful spending spree in Washington and believes the rate of government expansion is out of control.  Sometimes government is the problem and not the solution.  It is time for our elected officials to be held accountable and to understand that sinking our nation further into debt only creates more problems, not solutions.   Increasing taxes on hard-working New Mexicans is unfair.  It is time for the government to control their spending and make cutbacks rather then increase taxes.  One of the first steps Jon Barela took upon making his announcement to run for Congress was to sign the Americans for Tax Reform Taxpayer Protection Pledge and Jon intends to honor that pledge in Congress.