History will record Bruce King as New Mexico's longest-serving Governor, a successful politician who united the diverse cultures of the state into an effective governing coalition and for the infamous 1980 state penitentiary riot. But he will be most remembered in the hearts of New Mexicans for his authenticity, integrity and love of people. King died Friday morning. He was 85. 

BULLETIN: BRUCE KING DEAD. HELD GOVERNOR'S OFFICE FOR THREE TERMS; WAS 85

The Guv
Brutal economic reality has been stalking Bill Richardson and it finally forced the chief executive to pronounce the "F" word. He has now laid the groundwork for furloughs of state government workers in the budget year we are in and for the one that starts next July. (Guv's complete budget release here).

It was a major change in tone and substance for the chief executive who has continually said furloughs and layoffs were off the table, even as the budget shortfall skyrocketed to shocking heights.

The mantra was beginning to grate on the nerves of a state where unemployment has soared and business has soured. Richardson's insistence on protecting the government classes, while most everyone else suffered, was becoming politically untenable.

The mandatory five day furloughs cover nearly 20,000 state workers and are to be taken by June 30. However, there will probably be exemptions for public safety and other critical need employees.

It is salaries and other personnel costs that make up the bulk of state spending and where savings will have to be extracted in the years ahead (Yes, we said years).

The Governor started us down that road by announcing that he will permanently keep vacant up to 1,000 positions in state government that have gone empty because of the hiring freeze. Of course, there is no money to pay for those positions, but the Guv's acknowledgment of the need for a permanent downsizing of the state work force was, for him, a step in a new direction. That should be helpful when the Legislature convenes Jan. 19.

However, there was some grumbling heard about the furloughs around the Roundhouse. Wall-leaners point out that the Governor still has under his control $58 million in unspent federal stimulus money. The furloughs are estimated to save about $10 million. Couldn't Bill use some of that stimulus to avoid the furloughs? He probably could, but what about next year?

Lawmakers will have to cut at least $400 million in recurring revenue from next year's budget. While tax increases are in the mix, large swaths of the public is not going to want to shoulder this burden without state government sacrifice. Those furloughs and the 1,000 employee reduction is going to appeal to them. Maybe it will give a couple of tax boosts a fighting chance--even in an election year like 2010.

A WHIFF OF POPULISM

The whiff of populism in the air also moved the Guv to announce he will kill off some of those hot potoato political jobs, known as "governor exempt" positions. And he previously said he is reconsidering his position on double dippers--workers who get a retirement check, but then go back on the state payroll.

The Alligators and wall-leaners were quick to point out that many of the exempt positions he says he is cutting are currently vacant and that many of their previous occupants have found classified positions elsewhere in state government. And they also note that the several thousand double-dippers currently on the payroll would not be impacted by the Guv's new anti-dipping proposal.

For all his wailing and gnashing of teeth prior to his Thursday budget announcement, in the end Bill agreed to much of what the Legislature passed.

Which brings us to the other key word now in play in New Mexican politics: Flexibility. Richardson is starting to show some--and even if there is really no other choice--it is still welcome.

Call us optimists, but we're still hoping to someday see a photo of Bill and the conservative state Senate leaders congratulating each other on solving the state's budget crisis.

BLOGGING UNM: OUR READERS

We had some tough love for the University of New Mexico on our Thursday blog as we took a trip down commentary lane. And we received a lot of email in response. Here's a sample:

Virginia: I can only say that your suggestions (instructions) for righting the UNM ship are right-on, and in a perfect world they would indeed set the sailing of the ship on a correct course. But I fear there are too many oars in the water to get them implemented, and the ship will be rudderless until the captains are replaced...Maybe God (Big Bill) needs to reach down and set everything right (make it perfect Bill!).

Sylvia: I so wish that what you suggest could happen. The cancer of conceit, greed, back-stabbing and bald-face lying at UNM is awful! The departure of David Harris, along with Schmidly would be the best thing ever for UNM!!...I cannot tell you how refreshing it was to see the right thing in print! Thanks, Joe, just reading what you wrote eased, for a time, the sense of depression I have about UNM these days.

UNM professor: Thanks for your strong call for change at UNM and for your accurate assessment of where things stand. I agree that a reset of UNM's athletic aspirations are in order and that employing New Mexicans as coaches--and selecting them as players--is a healthy idea. Perhaps that might involve dropping football down to a lower division. Why not have a UNM football team composed largely of New Mexicans?

An issue that arose in the general faculty meeting last week is money taken from general funds to support the athletic programs...We learned of one small but significant item at the meeting: $175,000 for Mountain West Conference dues. You'd think that with all the money the athletic department has to pay coaches, furnish their offices, etc., that they could afford this fee, but according to (UNM) President Schmidly that fee was paid out of “general” university funds.

Anonymous: I have followed you for a long time...I grew up here and knew of you before the Internet. About half the time I don't agree with your politics which I guess is ok, that makes you in the middle...kind of like me. In any case, I applaud and totally support today's position on the University of New Mexico. You are absolutely correct and while they are at it they should get a new Human Resources Vice President.

EVEN MORE UNM BLOGGING

Loyola Chastain: My father was a Regent for Highlands University from 1968- 1970--back when Regent's were not necessarily political appointees. My father was not a political contributor and was a Democrat, when the governor was a Republican. He was the superintendent of Taos Municipal Schools. Governor Cargo appointed him because Taos was a feeder school to Highlands. He thought a superintendent might have a vested interest in ensuring the University met all standards to educate students from our district. This is how it should be done today. Thank you for your blog. It warms my heart that there are others out there that are not afraid to bring to light what others try to keep in the dark...

Michael Barnes: Great posting. Very courageous. Hopefully you have started what is needed to clean up UNM. Congratulations.

Mike English: I'm with you on the need to clean house, up to but not including your proposal for Alford to serve as Athletic Director and your point about resetting the bar on Lobo athletics. (Alford) would be no good as AD, wouldn't want to do it, and whether or not he's overpaid as basketball coach is a separate issue. But I also suspect you had your tongue in your cheek as you wrote that part.

As far as the expectations of Lobo athletics, I would argue there is an economic base in this growing city for the aspirations of winning programs. For basketball that history is already there. The lavish upgrade of the Pit will be looked at as a good thing. For football, well that's a jaw-dropping train wreck right now, but the potential to build a winning/financially sound tradition exists.

I think that ESPN report on (football coach) Locksley sealed the fate of Schmidly and (Athletic Director) Krebs. The lame cover up was exposed. Local media was embarrassed by getting scooped, and they are mad. There is no more slack in that rope. Your post captures the mood and the reality very well.

Hollie: Interesting analysis. I agree wholeheartedly. There was also an interesting blurb in the news about UNM's graduation rate. Something about a exercise in failure. Have you heard anything? As an employee at UNM, I desire to see the regents become elected, rather than political appointees. The atmosphere is definitely one of fear and distrust among the staff.

The news article Hollie refers to details the latest UNM graduation rate--42.7 percent--and quotes UNM President Schmidly as being "extremely disappointed."

UNM student parent: Really enjoyed your blog on UNM's failures and controversies under Schmidly and Harris. While you call for resignations and clean up of the UNM mess all around, everyone knows nothing will be done as long as Richardson is in office--nor by anyone else in the future. Unfortunately, politics, scandal, and corruption in New Mexico go hand-in-hand, and political cronies, pals and supporters, most of them inept, get the cushy jobs. After all, this is New Mexico.

Arthur Olona: Joe: You hit a major league home run on the problems at UNM! The column was factual, concise and to the point. The only way changes are going to be made is if all of us make noise. I’ve done my part in emailing the Regents, the UNM President, the Athletic Director. and friends of mine in the Lobo Club. Let’s hope your readers do the same. We need to save UNM, a New Mexico treasure. The present scandals make the Ellenberger scandal look like a cupcake in comparison.

Thanks to all who took time to email. We appreciate the insights. UNM has a lot of friends out there.

Have news? A comment? Email it in, anonymously if you wish.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2009
Not for reproduction without permission of the author

The slow motion destruction of the credibility of the University of New Mexico continues inexorably. It seems no one can or will stop it. Not the UNM Board of Regents. Not the Governor. Not the Lieutenant Governor who would be Governor. Not the powers that be in the Legislature. And not depressed university boosters who remain silent.

The university sails alone in troubled waters, captained by the politics of cronyism. The ship is listing badly, struck by too many torpedoes--the coach Locksley scandal, the faculty vote of no-confidence in the UNM president, the hiring of multiple Governor-backed political appointees and the blatant politicization of the UNM regents.

The leading figures at the helm of the university are locked so deeply in politically incestuous relationships that no one will check the other's actions. What is to be done?

THE PRESIDENT
Schmidly
The time for bashing university president David Schmidly is past. This administration is effectively over.

Now we can only beseech him to announce that he will resign his position within a year and spend that time attempting to clean up the mess (Ditto for Schmidly's right hand man, the politically connected executive vice-president David Harris). The president's best chance to preserve any legacy is to acknowledge that his has been a very troubled tenure, but that in the end reality was recognized.

Once his resignation is announced the president will need to dismiss UNM athletic director Paul Krebs and his key associates. He will also have to hand walking papers to UNM football coach Locksley which could mean a large severance payout, but there is no choice. The damage is done, and irrevocable if the same players remain. The cover-up culture must be purged and with it the elitist salaries and perquisites.

After securing Krebs' resignation, the president should then consider giving the title of athletic director to UNM Lobo basketball coach Steve Alford. Through this violent storm he has retained his credibility nationally and locally. Paid $1 million a year, Alford should have no problem handling both jobs on a temporary basis.

The search for permanent replacements for Locksley and Krebs should be confined to New Mexicans. There are many fine coaches and administrators at area high schools. UNM alumni, athletic boosters and the sports media cheerleaders need to have expectations dialed down.

In short, the bar needs to be reset on the aspirations of Lobo athletics. Student athletes--especially those in the football and basketball programs--have been subjected to unreasonable expectations which in turn leads to the chaos we now confront. Basketball coach Alford seems to be finding a balance--another reason why we see him as a prime choice for an interim athletic director.

THE GOVERNOR

There is apparently no chance that Governor Richardson will take any action to acknowledge the manifold messes strangling UNM. His forceful political personality, so effective in other matters, overwhelmed the institutional strength of the university and set in motion the events that are consuming the school. But if he were to see the light, he would call for the regents' resignations and begin replacing them with appointees who are not from the world of politics. (Is that possible?)

THE SENATOR

There is still a chance for the Legislature to prevent a complete shipwreck. We warned during the 2009 legislative session that the decision of state Senate Rules Committee Chairwoman Linda Lopez not to hold an intensive confirmation hearing on the reappointment of regent Jamie Koch and the turmoil-ridden campus sent a signal that legislative oversight of UNM was not to be. Lopez could still hold that hearing in January and appropriators could start demanding change in exchange for dollars.

THE HOUSE

In the state House the current leadership is so deeply entwined with regent Koch and regents president and former longtime NM House speaker Raymond Sanchez, we don't know where to look for reform. But university area state representatives and senators are a start. That would be Sen. McSorley and Rep. Chasey. They have safe seats for life. Where are they?

THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish has made education a banner issue, but she has yet to wade into the UNM waters. That will come when the campaign for Governor begins in earnest. But she needs to know now that deep concern is being expressed among major donors and supporters of UNM about her long political relationship with former Democratic Party chairman and regent Koch. It is causing worried speculation that her election as Governor would be more of the same--which in this case means an endless spiral of controversy, cronyism and damage to UNM's reputation. Will she have the political will to break with the past? Will she send any early signals?

THE OTHER REGENTS

And where are the regents you hear little from--Santa Fe attorney Gene Gallegos, car dealer Don Chalmers, attorney Carolyn Abieta and Farmington's Jack Fortner? These are all distinguished volunteers, but the time for being bumps on the log is long past. They have the power to pressure the UNM president and even the governor who appointed them. Being an "honorific" regent in the breaking point year of 2009 is not an option.

Change must and will come, but this rudderless ship is headed into the sandbars. How much more damage it will suffer before the rescue party arrives is the dreaded unknown hanging over the home of the Lobos and those who fret over its future.

KENT'S CRAVING
Sen. Cravens
Alligators are reporting that ABQ/Sandoval County GOP State Senator Kent Cravens is ready to take a free ride and toss his hat into what is becoming a competitive contest for the 2010 GOP nomination for lieutenant governor. They say he is poised to announce soon. The two termer is not up for re-election until 2012. He has owned and operated Alphagraphics with wife Melanie for ten years. She continues there, but Cravens also recently took a job as a broker with Vaughn Co.

This looks like a good move for Cravens. He is the only candidate in the race from the vote-rich ABQ area. His main challenger will likely be former State Rep. Brian Moore of Clayton. Santa Fe's J.R. Damron is also in the race.

We blogged last week how 2002 GOP Guv candidate John Sanchez told us he is now weighing a bid for the '10 GOP Guv nod. He also mentioned a light guv run. John is a former neighbor of Kent's. If they ended up on the GOP ticket together, that's one neighborhood they should carry big, unless they've kept the neighbors up with those loud Republican parties.

(P.S. Be the first to name all the Republicans who have served as lieutenant governor since 1965 and we're buying you a New Mexican lunch.)

This is the home of New Mexico politics. Email your news and comments, anonymously if you wish.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2009
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Judging by the behind-the-scenes action, you would think they are picking a pope. The Bernalillo County Commission now says it wants to have three candidates to consider for sheriff who would pledge not to seek election to the office and three who would run. You might ask when the commission received the power to dictate what a sheriff can or can't do when he takes office. The answer is they can't and the option of naming a "placeholder" to fill out the term of GOP Sheriff Darren White who will resign Nov. 30, is purely their own invention.

The sheriff is an elected office and if someone takes the job with the pledge not to seek a full year term in the 2010 election, but then changes his mind after taking office, there's nothing the commission can do about it. They have no power to set qualifications for office, yet that is what they appear to be doing.

The three Democratic commissioners on the five member commission--Art De La Cruz, Alan Armijo and Maggie Hart Stebbins--have the power to name a sheriff who would not be a placeholder--but who would serve the remainder of White's term and try to do a good job because they would soon be seeking approval from voters.

Insiders are saying De La Cruz and Armijo are starting to come across as terrified of making a choice by forming a committee to narrow the 20 candidates to six. They say so many prominent politicos from the Valley want to be Sheriff that the two commissioners fear making enemies unless they appoint a placeholder--something that has never been done---and something that legally can't be enforced. And why does the commission have to have a panel outside the commission narrow the field for them. Even more fear?

Pressure from Dem Party types will increase on the D commissioners in the weeks ahead. Their concern is not necessarily ours--that the commission is overstepping-- --but that a placeholder would increase the chances of the R's retaining the position.

LET THERE BE PEACE

The peace has been made. After some over-the-top accusations leveled against one another and publicized on our Tuesday blog, Republican Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White and Republican Bernalillo County Commissioner Michael Wiener say they are on the same page. White has agreed to resign at 5 pm November 30, rather than 2 pm, allowing Wiener, who will be traveling that day, to take part in the meeting via telephone. Wiener issued this apology:

I apologize for leaving a heated message on your voicemail and for sending a letter to a blogger before giving you the opportunity to address my concerns about the timing of your resignation...

White did not need the dispute to drag on and hit the papers and TV news, so this resolution has to have Mayor-elect Berry, who White will soon serve under, breathing the proverbial sigh of relief.

DRIP, DRIP
Diane Denish
If there's anymore surprises lurking on how she spent federal stimulus money from five years ago, Light Guv and likely 2010 Dem Guv nominee Diane Denish might want to get it all out. The first drip came last week when it was revealed that Di had used some of the $225,000 on PR, including work on a Christmas card. Now there's a second drip:

Lt. Gov. Diane Denish’s campaign fund will reimburse the state for money paid to a public relations officer who wrote press releases in 2004 related to election-year politics. The total amount of the reimbursement is less than $800 but a spokesman for Denish said Tuesday it’s important that there be no perception questionable political activities. The money spent was from federal funds allocated to the state as part of a 2003 economic stimulus package. Denish was state chairman of the John Kerry 2004 presidential campaign.

She received her share of the stimulus money from Big Bill, and it seems to be the gift that keeps on giving (Don't say he never gave you anything, Di). The amounts are small, but the news comes against a backdrop of numerous ethics scandals.

LAND RUSH

It appears Matt Rush, a fifth generation cattle rancher from Roosevelt County, has made official his run for the GOP nod for state Land Commissioner. We blogged last month that he was being introduced around the recent NM Oil and Gas Association conference in Santa Fe as a candidate. Now, the Bernalillo County Republican Party lists Rush as a candidate and says he will speak at the party's Friday morning breakfast.

Rush joins Lea County's Bob Cornelius and Dona Ana's Errol Chavez in the GOP race.

THE FUND RAID

Speaking of the land office, that blog we came with Nov. 2 on a controversial proposal from State Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez drew comments from several of the land commission candidates. Sanchez floated the idea of taking $2 billion out of the state's Land Grant Permanent Fund to get New Mexico over the budget hump for the next several years.

Republican Errol Chavez:

The intent may appear to be the solution to resolving New Mexico’s deficit, but taking this money is like taking a family’s savings intended for the children’s college education. The Congress of the United States created the Permanent Fund for the benefit of New Mexico’s Public schools. The interest that it realized from the investment of the Permanent Fund is mostly dedicated to the public schools and some public institutions. The duties of the Commissioner of Public Land are simply established to generate revenues that are invested by the State Investment Council. If we divert money from the Permanent Fund it can be devastating to the educational system that today needs all the help it can get.

Democratic land commission contender Ray Powell, Jr., who held the office previously, describes himself as "extremely cautious" when it comes to the withdrawal proposal:

I would be extremely cautious about using the permanent fund to pay for recurring government expenses. I strongly suggest that we first look at how we re-prioritize our spending, reduce high-salaried political jobs, rejuvenate our ailing employee merit system, institute strong ethics reform, and increase transparency and accountability of our state investment policy. If we don't look at a comprehensive reform of state government, we risk squandering our precious limited resources without creating real change.

Unlike the revenues generated from non-renewable resources on state trust lands, which go to the permanent fund, revenues generated from renewable sources go directly to the beneficiary institutions. Therefore, if we generate more money through a comprehensive commercial development and renewable energy program at the land office, we can aid the public schools and other beneficiaries directly.

Republican Bob Cornelius also chimed in:

Democrats would rather tax us more for food, than give state employees a pay cut. Instead of spending education dollars efficiently and effectively educating our children, New Mexico Democrats would rather rob $2 billion from our children’s Land Grant Permanent Fund to pay for planes, trains, and automobiles!

Unwise budgeting decisions and failure to adjust to projected revenues has put us in this situation. The last thing we need to do is mortgage our children's future to pay off these debts. Let's see some commonsense measures implemented first. These hastily drawn up plans to raid the Permanent Fund "because the money is there" should be the last thing the Legislature considers, if it is to be considered at all.

Have some news? A comment? Email it in.

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2009
Not for reproduction without permission of the author

Around noon Tuesday, Bernalillo County Commissioner Michael Wiener and Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White made their peace. The Nov. 30 county commission meeting to name White's replacment will now be held at 5 p.m, not 2 pm

Wiener said: "I apologize for leaving a heated message on your voicemail and for sending a letter to a blogger before giving you the opportunity to address my concerns about the timing of your resignation. I was unaware that you agreed to change the time prior to me leaving the message."

This report was written prior to those developments.

White & Wiener
All hell broke loose Monday night between Republican Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White and Republican Bernalillo County Commissioner Michael Wiener. The battle lines were drawn when White refused to change the hour of his November 30 resignation so Wiener, who will be traveling that day, could take part in the county commission meeting that will be called at the hour of the sheriff's resignation. The scrap has White consulting his private attorney over a phone message Wiener left him and Wiener unloading both barrels on White. It's all a reminder to Mayor-elect Berry that White, who will become the new public safety director December 1, is a media lightning rod that can strike at anytime. Let's start it off with Darren's email to Wiener that was released by the commissioner:

Commissioner Wiener: I received your phone message on Friday night where you threaten that if I do not change the time of my resignation from 2PM to 5PM (on November 30th), that the “consequences are not going to be good.” I have shared your phone message with my private attorney. Despite your demand that I “change the hour or my resignation” by today’s date in order to ensure that “everything goes away,” my attorney has advised me not to respond with an answer to your e-mail dated November 5th, pending a further review of the content of your phone message.

You think that's over the top? Let's take it over to Wiener who takes it doubly over the top in his email response to White:

Dear Sheriff White,

Not only did I not threaten you in anyway, but I offered you a face-saving way to get out of this hole you have dug...Unfortunately, you have chosen to keep digging! You are the one who bullied and threatened me...when YOU told me..."You don't want to pick a fight with me Michael!"

I was willing to "move on" with this once you realized that the 2 pm time you had chosen to vacate your office was preventing the residents of District 4 from having a voice in the selection of the next Sheriff. I thought you would be reasonable..Either 4:30 or 5:00 pm--the time we ALWAYS have our meetings--would be perfectly acceptable.

As you now know, I will be on a flight at 2 pm Nov 30th and unable to vote by telephone until I reach my hotel in Manila at 5pm (Mountain time). I scheduled this trip on May 14th to visit my daughter on her 10th birthday. Changing my flight would cost me over $1,000; changing your letter of resignation cost you nothing ...and is the right thing to do. I had hoped we could get past this matter as it can only serve to diminish your legacy and possibly "hurt" the incoming Mayor's administration as his selection of you to oversee the Public Safety of Albuquerque may be called into question once all these facts are made known.

There has been previous bad blood between White and Wiener over sheriff's department policy. This latest episode doesn't seem to make either look good. However, it would seem Darren (and Berry) have much more to lose by playing at this level.

It's more Republican fratricide and comes on the heels of three Republican ABQ city councilors saying they will defy Berry and vote against his choice as chief administrative officer.

Alligators and insiders immediately commented on White's high-octane personality when Berry selected him for the top city job. But we've already passed high-octane and are at the Molotov Cocktail stage. What's next?

MORE SHERIFF ACTION

Meanwhile, the five member county commission will form a committee to comb over the several dozen resumes submitted for the sheriff's job and narrow the list down to a handful. They didn't say how many.

The meeting to pick the new sheriff is slated for 2 pm November 30th, unless Sheriff White has a change of heart. Commissioners do not want to leave the office vacant for any period of time, which is why they are scheduling the meeting to replace White at the moment he resigns.

MAYOR WATCH
Mayor-elect Berry
You can read about the appearance of Mayor-elect Berry and new city councilors Lewis and Cook before the ABQ Press Women here and here, and you can read the take of a Senior Alligator who was there:

Berry is very smooth. Lewis is pretty smooth, and Cook is rough. Lewis said he supports a West Side school district. No one asked about the chief administrative officer. (The ABQ Journal's) Dan Mayfield asked about (incoming public safety director) Darren White and immigration. RJ was able to defer responding until his transition team reports are turned in.

The questions from the audience, in this order: arts, tourism, meeting with the legislature, police dept, balloon park, climate action task force, TIDDs, downtown arena, Darren White and immigration, education, water & growth.

There is cautious good news on the city budget. We have a $12 million projected shortfall for the rest of this budget year, but a top city finance official is saying layoffs or furloughs can be avoided. That prediction is based on tax collections not getting worse.

DI AND THE JOURNAL

It was a mild rebuke, but a rebuke nonetheless to Light Guv Diane Denish from the editorial pages of the ABQ Journal, and it may signal the tone of the coverage going forward in the 2010 Guv battle. The Journal scored Denish for how she used federal stimulus money in 2004 given her by Governor Big Bill some six years ago. The amount of money involved was relatively small--less than $250,000--but she did use a contractor for several hours to design a Christmas card--a fact the R's have relished pointing out.

The editorial did not single Denish out for cronyism or corruption, as her R foes are trying to imply, but said the stimulus money she was handed was to be used for job creation, not the PR and other purposes she used it for.

The newspaper has of late had a bitter relationship with Big Bill, after years of mutually satisfying back scratching. It was the various pay to play scandals that seemed to move the paper away from their previous support.

More often than not, the paper endorses the GOP candidate for Governor, but they did endorse Bill four years ago. The landscape, riddled as it is with corruption cases, has changed since then. We anticipate a continued cool and skeptical reception--if not overly critical--to Denish's Guv candidacy from the state's largest newspaper.

THE HEALTH BEAT

We failed Policy Wonk 101 Monday when we blogged Monday that federal subsidies for low income New Mexicans to buy health insurance would be tied to the controversial public option provision in the proposed health care reform bill. They are not. NM Senator Jeff Bingaman's office clarifies:

Subsidies are not tied to the public option. In fact, regardless of what becomes of the public option, we expect that the vast majority of New Mexicans who currently don’t have health care insurance will benefit from subsidies...Keep in mind we won’t be able to describe the precise impact of reform until the proposals are finalized over the next month or so; and, even then, the exact degree to which our state takes advantage of reform is somewhat uncertain and will be dependent on many factors that are extrinsic to the bill.

Bingaman is long gone from the 101 level on health care and is now in advanced studies He may be there a while. It remains uncertain if a final Senate vote on a reform bill will take place this year.

This is the home of New Mexico politics. Email your news and comments.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2009
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John Sanchez
You mean they're not all in yet? Maybe not. 2002 GOP Governor candidate John Sanchez made us do a double-take when we ran into him in the ABQ North Valley over the weekend and he casually dropped the news that he was considering a bid for either the 2010 GOP Guv or Lt. Gov. nomination.

"I'm meeting with friends and supporters to decide which way to go." He said.

That way could include no way, but the 46 year old, well-off roofing contractor who took a drubbing from Big Bill in 2002, seemed excited by the prospect of renewing his political career.

We wondered why Sanchez would consider running for the Light Guv position, given his previous stint at the top of the ticket. The GOP Guv field is so jumbled, a run for the top spot seems to make the most sense. Sanchez has his own wealth to kick-start a campaign and has remained active with the front-lines of the GOP by hosting numerous fundraisers at his sprawling ABQ NE Heights home. If there's a move, it looks like Guv, with the Light Guv bid floated to keep the dogs off his trail for a while.

Sanchez came to political fame in 2000 when he ousted then-House Speaker Raymond Sanchez from an ABQ North Valley seat. But Sanchez served only one term before running for Guv, too soon to take on a heavyweight like Richardson. Maybe he runs this time with recitals of state budget woes and taunts of "I told you so."

THE SANCHEZ FILE

Sanchez was the only Hispanic GOP Guv nominee in the modern history of the GOP. This year, Dona Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez is seeking the Guv nomination and Sanchez's entry could have particular impact on her. One of Sanchez's early consultants, Jay McCleskey, now of Lincoln Strategy Group, is working for Martinez as are other segments of the party that once backed John. And Sanchez still has some bad blood from his 2002 GOP Guv primary battle when he went nuclear on then Lt. Governor Walter Bradley.

But Republican analysts said a Sanchez candidacy would be a threat not only to Martinez, but also to Allen Weh. Sanchez's wealth and approval from conservatives puts him toe-to-toe with Weh. And a Sanchez bid, they said, could make things tight for Weh at the March 2010 GOP pre-primary convention where it will take 20 percent of the delegates attending to win a party-approved spot on the June primary ballot.

Even though he went underground after his trouncing from Bill, Sanchez probably has name ID surpassing the GOP field, and the party is in such a state of flux that a Sanchez bid, far from seeming quixotic, could find its footing and fast.

A run for Guv would pit him against Weh, Martinez, Doug Turner and Janice Arnold-Jones. The latter two are considered moderate. Sanchez is a conservative, but he's been gone for eight years. Will his loss nearly eight years ago make him more pragmatic if he takes another shot?

If Sanchez goes for the much less exciting Light Guv nod, he would face former Clayton area State Rep. Brian Moore and Santa Fe physician J.R. Damron.

The retirement of Senator Domenici, the decision by Heather Wilson not to run for governor, the '08 defeat of the Bush forces and the continued inability of NM R's to gain traction have set the party adrift, but also created opportunity for new and old faces alike. Who has the strength and character to captain this shaky ship? Who owns the GOP's future? Stay tuned.

HEALTH POLITICS
Speaker Pelosi & Teague
We blogged last week about how Dem US Rep. Martin Heinrich isn't giving much of anything away to the Republicans. His votes and politics have seemed to align, for the most part, with his centrist district. But will his vote this weekend on what the R's call a too liberal health reform bill change that? It will probably help the GOP's Jon Barela consolidate R support in the ABQ NE Heights. R's will have to do polling to find out if they can take it deeper. There may be an opening fpr them on Medicare which R's say could suffer under a public health option. Heinrich is taking it seriously enough that he held a telephone town hall on that topic alone. Still, Heinrich is going to satisfy his left-wing base with this vote, and that is a base that has been a bit antsy with him of late.

For southern NM Dem Congressman Harry Teague, the analysis is a no-brainer. He voted against the health care bill, depriving Republican Steve Pearce of a key issue on which to take his fellow Hobbs oilman out of the seat. The R's did score Teague for voting to allow the bill to advance to the floor, but on the plan itself he joined with the conservative Dems and said no. The reform measure passed by a narrow five vote margin. But the vote is not without grief for Teague among Dems. Some of them were e-mailing to us this page from his 2008 campaign Web site that outlines his purported commitment to health care. They accuse him of coming up short.

Northern Dem US Rep. Ben Ray Lujan did not have much political risk in his vote on the measure. As expected, he voted yes.

THE BINGAMAN VIEW

Meanwhile, NM senior Senator Jeff Bingaman was telling constituents in ABQ over the weekend that survival of the health bill in the Senate in its current form is "unpredictable." It needs 60 votes for the public option to survive and the Dem lawmaker, a key national player on this, indicated it's still anyone's guess on what kind of bill, if any, emerges from the Senate.

THE CHAVEZ LEGACY

He's been gone 47 years, but his legacy is large and few disagree that Democratic US Senator Dennis Chavez was the most significant Senator in state history. And that legacy will now be a permanent fixture at the University of New Mexico School of Law. The Dennis Chavez Foundation has donated $100,000 to the law school to establish an endowed lectureship/symposium on law and civil rights. The check presentation was made by Chavez grandson Jorge Tristani and Chavez foundation president John Cordova to UNM Foundation President John Stropp.

Senator Chavez introduced civil rights legislation as far back as 1947 that was similar to the landmark bill passed in 1964. He died in 1962, but is given a large slice of credit for the '64 act.

If 20th century New Mexican civil rights was about integrating the Spanish and Native Americans into a state under the flag of the US and ensuring their equal status, the 21st century civil rights challenge may be the inequality gap in public education between Hispanic and Native American children and their Anglo counterparts. Governor Richardson and others have begun to awaken to the challenge. He's proposed a high school drop out program and today will headline a solutions summit in ABQ on the Native American issue.

The new dean of the law school, Kevin Washburn, tells us the Chavez lecture and symposium will feature civil rights issues. We don't want to be presumptuous, but we think "El Senador" would consider the ethnic education crisis appropriate for the annual law school event bearing his name.

THADDEUS AND LAWRENCE
Lucero
My Alligators were snapping at me over the weekend, wondering if we had heard that Bernalillo County Manager Thaddeus Lucero was high on the list of possibles to head up the Mid-Region Council of Governments, replacing Lawrence Rael who will resign soon to campaign full-time for the Dem Light Guv nomination. Lucero just signed a fat renewal contract with the county (about $150,000 a year) but insiders say the MRCOG post is a real plum. Rael is making about $140,000 or so and he doesn't have to deal with a demanding five member county commission.

If Lucero did hit the exits to head to MRCOG, that would leave the county manager position open. Let the speculation begin. Or not, if the Gators are getting ahead of themselves.

THE FIRST ONE

Likely Dem Guv nominee Diane Denish seemed to escape major damage from the recent brouhaha over her use of federal stimulus money from six years ago. The amount was not large and she answered most of the issues completely, but she could not entirely close the door when it came to a contractor doing work on a Christmas card, apparently for a holiday open house party. That will be enough for the inevitable 30 second TV spot showing "Santa Di" handing out presents to her cronies and contractors. It might not sway many voters, but the imagery should be amusing.

A sidebar on this one: It appears former ABQ GOP Congresswoman Heather Wilson has the self-assigned role of attack dog on Denish now that she has declined the lead dog role by ruling out a run for Guv. Wilson jumped on the Di stimulus story like a duck on a June bug:

A full federal audit needs to be done to find out whether Lt. Governor Denish has misused federal tax dollars for personal and campaign purposes.

Come on, Heather. Now you're shooting from the bleacher seats? If you want to party with us, put on those dancin' shoes. We'd love to have you. But doesn't this soiree require a formal invitation titled: "Declaration of Candidacy?" Otherwise, don't you get to enjoy that "private life" you said you pined for?

THE RJ BEAT

It will soon be a very public life for ABQ Mayor-elect RJ Berry. For past mayors that included frequent clashes with the nine member city council. RJ has already clashed with three of his fellow R's on the council over his nomination of attorney David Campbell as chief administrative officer. We expect everyone to be on their best behavior today when Berry appears with two of the new councilors who seem intent on giving him a hard time--Republicans Dan Lewis and Michael Cook. The trio will appear before a noon lunch sponsored by the ABQ Press Women. No need for green chile on the plates, ladies. These guys are already heating things up.

THE BOTTOM LINES

Some readers were confused by our reference to the Hotel Anadaluz in downtown ABQ, where VP Biden will appear, Nov. 16, as an original Hilton. They remember it as La Posada which it became in 1984. But the hotel was originally built in 1939, and was the fourth in the Hilton chain whose founder, Conrad Hilton, was born in San Antonio, NM. It's perhaps best known as the honeymoon headquarters for Hilton and his starlet wife Zsa Zsa Gabor...

Anthony Gonzales wanted to clear up any misunderstanding about a portion of our obituary last week of former Suprme Court Chief Justice Gene Franchini:

The scholarship fund for mock trial students was established by the Center for Civic Values in Justice Franchini’s honor as he is known nationally as the “godfather” of the New Mexico High School Mock Trial Program. Funds were contributed by numerous people.

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