As the 30 day session of the New Mexico Legislature prepares to kick off Tuesday its time for another installment of "If We Ruled The World." Or in this case, what we would have the 112 solons (and one Guv) do when they saddle up in Santa Fe.

--Job one is a monster capital outlay bill. News that our construction industry ranks dead last in the USA should rally lawmakers to start pouring the concrete. The slight economic recovery means there will be more money available this session. Combine that with some of the $400 million in capital outlay that is stuck in the bureaucracy and not being spent and you could start some robust economic activity around here while improving the state. What is a "monster" bill? That would be north of $400 million. Will we get even half of that from overly cautious lawmakers who are all comfortably employed, unlike the thousands of construction workers and others impaled by the recession/Depression?

--Agree to limit debate on the Guv's bill calling for the repeal of the law that allows undocumented workers to get driver's licenses. Despite some movement, it is headed for failure again. Why gum up the works with it? Give it half a day and move on.

--Do pass the Guv's proposal to eliminate the gross receipts tax for small businesses that pay less than $200 a month in GRT. Even if this isn't a jobs starter, it does make the little guys more competitive. That could keep them around longer, improving their chances of becoming big guys and adding jobs.

--Get on with the generational reform the state is crying out for by passing the Constitutional Amendment that would draw limited funds from the state Permanent Fund for educational and social programs for children from birth to five years old. The measure is not a raid and would have to be approved by the public. Our sorry social state of affairs with stubborn poverty, lousy graduation rates and the rest is caused by a deadly cycle of ignorance. Here's a chance to break it. Let the public vote.

--Did you see that line a couple of months ago snaking out from the NM Expo grounds? They were lined up for an offer of free dental care. How about getting a dental school started at the University of New Mexico this session?

--Give state workers on the low end of the salary scale that measly half-percent pay raise that is being proposed for all state workers. They will be most apt to turn around and spend it, putting some money--as little as it may be--back into the economy. Besides, three years of no pay raises is demoralizing. Showing a little love for the middle class state worker isn't going to break us.

--Back to the gross receipts tax. How about repealing some of the many unnecessary big industry exemptions from the tax to finance the elimination of the tax on the little guy?

Then there's eduction and Medicaid, but that's all for today. Ruling the world can wear you out.

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