Here's a list of the pay for the new cabinet secretaries.

THE SPACEPORT

To no one's surprise Rick Homans is out as executive director of the Spaceport. He was a close ally of Big Bill and Martinez's move was expected. Homans who was making about $175,000 a year, was asked to resign and did so.

Spaceport supporters remain nervous over Martinez's attitude towards the southern NM project. She wants to audit the contract between the state and Virgin Atlantic, the spaceport contractor that aims to launch flights into space for civilians at $200,000 a pop. But the Governor has not been cheerleading the project, a potential economic boon for her home area as well as the entire state.

Big Bill was buddies with Virgin's charismatic leader Richard Branson and they made a splash. We hope that relationship is not making Martinez reticent. She should and can have her own relationship with Branson and advance what could be one of the most significant projects in state histiory.

The new Governor's emphasis on how the taxpayer approved dollars for the Spaceport are being spent is merited, but it's being done at the expense--so far--of her sorely needed support and full embrace of this project.

Homans nailed it as he said going out the door:

She has to believe in the project and its massive potential to create jobs and impact education. She has to become its biggest champion and rally her administration to support this effort. There is no middle ground.

A hiring of a dynamic new executive director for the Spaceport is a must. And how about a statement of support from Susana for the mission--not cautious rhetoric? That would help light a candle down there that much quicker and rocket New Mexico into a whole new era.

INSIDE SOS OFFICE
Ken Ortiz
It appears Dianna Duran, New Mexico's first Republican secretary in state elected since the 1920's, has selected a solid bunch to help run the office. That's the word from a Senior Alligator who monitors such things. He reports that her main appointees should go a long way in restoring order to what was a chaotic office under SOS Mary Herrera.

Duran selected Ken Ortiz, a Democrat, as her chief of staff. He has a reputation as a good government mechanic, helping to straighten out the problem plagued Workforce Solutions Department where he was secretary. He also earned kudos for his performance at the motor vehicle department.

Bobbi Shearer is a paralegal from Capitan who has worked as a legislative analyst with the House Voters and Elections Committee. She now takes on the important task of Bureau of Elections Director. She also has other government experience in SE NM.

There was speculation that GOP Roswell State Senator "Lightning Rod" Adair, who managed Duran's campaign, might end up in the elections post or another. However, Adair and Shearer are friends, giving him a pipeline into the bureau as well as the SOS. (We previously blogged of Adair's friendship with Gov. Martinez chief of staff Keith Gardner).

Mary Quintana is deputy chief of staff. She was Otero County Chief Deputy Clerk. She is also being well-received by those who will need to work with her. SOS Duran is a former Otero county clerk.

Ellie Ortiz, no relation to Ken Ortiz, is going to handle the financial department at the SOS office. She was the analyst for the SOS budget at the Legislative Finance Committee, giving her a leg up.

Former State Senator Duran has been an ardent advocate for a voter ID program. It has been controversial and a favorite of national R's. She will probably try to push it again but its chances of winning legislative approval remain iffy.

Our Senior Gator says that Duran's staff will be viewed as competent. The danger for her is coming off too political and hard-right. He believes if she plays it down the middle, the first GOP SOS could win another term in four years. Sounds about right. And having Democrat Ortiz around may help.

LAURA BUSH IN HOBBS

The former first lady will give a lecture at Hobbs High School March 29.

I don't think I will ever forget Election Night 2004 on KANW-FM. We were getting a report from veteran New Mexico political expert Bruce Donisthorpe who said President Bush had gone over 80 percent in Lea County where Hobbs is located. We asked Bruce to double-check. He did and it was true. We then wondered aloud if the Democrats would have done better in Lea with a Green Party candidate. Now that's what you call "Bush Country."

ROUNDHOUSE PREP

Legislators are going to get an earful as they prepare for yet another round of budget cuts. Some of it will start tonight as a group of ABQ lawmakers hold a town hall meeting as they prepare for the legislative session that begins Jan. 18.

Senator Cisco McSorley, Senator Tim Keller, Representative Gail Chasey, Representative Al Park, and Representative Sheryl Williams Stapleton will be at the African American Performing Arts Center on the Expo New Mexico Fairgrounds 310 San Pedro NE, tonight from 6:00 pm until 7:30.

This is the SE ABQ legislative contingent. There's a lot of seniority in this group. With the exception of freshman Senator Keller, this gang has been around a long time. They ought to be able to hold their own with the new GOP Governor and then some.
The achievement gap between Hispanic students and their Anglo counterparts has widened and narrowed by very little over the past six years. The achievement gap is pronounced in math and reading at all K-12 grade levels.

New Mexico’s first Hispanic Education Status Report analyzes all data available to identify what is working and not working for the state’s Hispanic students. The report was a requirement of the Hispanic Education Act, passed by the 2010 legislature and went into effect on July 1, 2010.

About 56 percent of the state's public school students are Hispanic.

And in case you were wondering, the census reports that Hispanics are currently 45.6 % of the State population, or 919,410. Whites (not Hispanic) are 40.9%; Native Americans are 9.7%.

THE VETTING