Thursday, July 06, 2023Biden's Infrastructure Boss Slates Two Day NM Visit To Tout Historic Investments; Can We Talk Broadband, Mitch? Plus: Businessman Decides No Go For Moores SeatBefore we get to today's edition, an update on Monday's where we had ABQ businessman David Doyle prepping for a GOP primary race for the ABQ state senate seat of Mark Moores who is not running again. Doyle has now rejected that planned candidacy, according to his spokesman, because of his workload as a construction company executive. That leaves former state Senator Michael Wiener and businesswoman Nicole Tobiassen, who officially announced her candidacy Wednesday, as the two Republican competitors in the District 21 June primary. We'll continue to keep a close eye on the comings and goings in the only remaining GOP senate seat in ABQ. Now on to today's blog. . . TOUTING SCRANTON JOE
A Republican presidential candidate hasn’t carried New Mexico since 2004 and that streak is likely to continue in 2024. But that doesn’t mean the White House is taking the state's five electoral votes for granted. Today and Friday, the state's two US senators and Governor MLG will be joined by former New Orleans Mayor and White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu to tout President Biden and the benefits of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as well as the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act that commit over $1 trillion for infrastructure and clean energy but have yet to translate into improved popularity for Biden. High speed broadband, of course, will be a topic high on the agenda of Landrieu and company. In particular they will discuss with media the $675 million broadband investment coming to New Mexico because of the Biden bills approved by Congress. They will also tour Santo Domingo Pueblo where $13 million in federal money is about to be rolled out for internet expansion. The trio will conduct another news conference in Tijeras to discuss a $49 million project "to expand middle and last mile internet access in rural New Mexico, including in communities along NM Hwy 14 in Santa Fe, Sandoval, Bernalillo, and Torrance Counties." A TIMELY VISIT  So with Coordinator Landrieu in our backyard we go back to the readers for follow-up on their experiences with satellite internet. David Strip outside of Llaves, NM in Rio Arriba County starts us off. Starlink is indeed a marvel for the right subscriber, but it has its limits. It can be expensive and in the 15 months I've had it (after 14 months on the waiting list), the price has gone up twice. Starlink should undoubtedly be part of the solution in NM, but how widespread that should be requires a lot of analysis. I'm 8 miles from the nearest power line or phone line and have no cell phone signal. Installing any kind of wired connection to my house could easily exceed $100K, would require permits to cross the National Forest, and would serve exactly one customer. That's clearly a case for satellite internet, be it Starlink, Viasat, HughesNet, or something else. Although my neighbors are typically a mile or more apart, they have access to landlines and electric power. In addition, a well-located cell tower would serve dozens of households. So even though these homes are rural by most any standard, satellite internet is not the obvious solution. A further limit in Starlink's case is that it can service only 300 or so customers in a cell, which is a hexagon about 15 miles across. As the cell fills, service quality declines. Once full, Starlink puts customer requests on a waiting list. This is not an issue for isolated ranches and such, but small towns and surrounding properties could fill a cell. As to the suggestion that the current administration is locking out Starlink as some sort of political payback because Starlink is owned by Elon Musk, that seems like the usual projection by supporters of the current Republican candidates who are running on platforms explicitly calling for payback against their perceived enemies. Musk's SpaceX continues to launch missions for NASA and has continued to receive additional licenses for Starlink satellites. Other than not inviting a particularly unpleasant individual to the White House, there is no evidence of payback again Musk or his companies. Thanks, David, for that pragmatic assessment of how Starlink is positioned as an important alternative and not meant as a replacement for new fiber networks. Also, while satellite can be expensive (just like cable provided internet) there is a federal subsidy of $30 a month available to low income internet users and the state could employ some of that $675 million in federal money to further subsidize bills. MORE BROADBAND BANTER  My son and family moved to Ft. Collins, CO. last month. Their internet should be hooked up soon. They went with the cheaper service at $70/month. That gets them 1 gigabyte/sec in both directions plus Wi-Fi. This is provided by the city like a utility similar to water and garbage collection, a concept suggested by politicians here in Las Cruces years ago but never acted upon. My other son has it at our cabin in the Gila National Forest. It is currently $120/month for speeds that vary between 60 and 400 megabits/sec as compared to no non-satellite service at all. Yes. Starlink is a reasonable alternative for New Mexico as in other parts of the 3rd world. Reader Jim McClure writes: Joe, you’re right on the money in raising questions about the fiber-optic money pit of rural broadband. Fiber is the way to go if the objective is to spend as much money as possible no matter how long it takes. This may be the digital version of that high-speed train they’ve been building in California since 2008. As you point out, another generation of digital-deprived kids will grow up before a fiber network can be installed throughout the state. As others have noted, satellite technology is cheaper and can be deployed much faster. So can 5G cellular broadband, which already is available from major cellular carriers such as Verizon and T-Mobile. This technology delivers internet service from an array of mini-cell sites to a home antenna. While optical fiber is the gold standard, wireless technologies are in no way inferior. The best way to connect all of New Mexico is to use a mix of technologies rather than favoring one over others. I hope New Mexico’s broadband project will have a feature we seldom see: accountability. Employing "a mix of technologies" to help deliver high speed internet today is the essence of the message to be sent to Mitch Landrieu, Kathleen Schlegel, head of the NM broadband office, our US Senators, the Governor and the Legislature. Thanks for the email. We continue to learn how governments can better serve citizens shut out of broadband, particularly the younger generation who should not have to wait years for a chance to pursue their dreams. This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.   (c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2023 Wednesday, July 05, 2023Race For Moores ABQ Senate Seat Entices Another Contender; Businesswoman Joins Fray For Only Remaining ABQ GOP Senate Stronghold
Tobiassen, a longtime business coach, obviously sees an opening with Wiener's past baggage already becoming a campaign issue. Winning that nomination next June would set up a likely successful campaign in the November election as this Senate district, the only one in ABQ controlled by the R's, continues to lean R. Tobiassen, 53, kept her announcement statement generic, not touching on the hot button social issues she and other hopefuls will face in the now three way contest: As a longtime member of the New Mexico business community, I have seen firsthand the ways in which our state needs fresh ideas, innovation, and a commitment to advocating for the voices of the people. I’m honored to run to represent the values of my constituency and be their voice in Santa Fe. . . We need solutions that require common sense, innovation and hard work to correct. On her website the mother of two and a native of Clearwater, Florida does take on abortion: The majority of New Mexicans don’t agree with our extreme abortion laws – the most extreme in the country – which permit a full-term (40 weeks) baby to be aborted at birth. We are often told by people who advocate for this law that “it never happens.” If it never happens, why should it even be an option? I will advocate for laws that align with values and opinions of the majority of New Mexicans, not the extreme left of the Democrat Party. Her background: She moved to New Mexico in 2006 to take over the Southwest Region for Enterprise Rent-A-Car, where she led the corporate and government sales team from last to first in the global rankings in one year. In 2008, she and her husband Mark founded ActionCOACH, where they provide invaluable insight and leadership to hundreds of New Mexico businesses. In a first draft we had businessman David Doyle also in the race but a spokesman for him said he has decided not to run. WOMEN AND SENATE
The female Senate success has been mainly with the D's. Democratic women now have nine Senate seats out of their party's 27. Republican Crystal Diamond was a new addition in 2021. She and retiring Sen. Gay Kernan are the only two women among the 15 Republicans in the 42 member Senate. Kernan's seat is expected to be filled by Hobbs state Rep. Larry Scott soon, leaving Diamond as the only female GOP senator. Former GOP Sen. Candace Gould is seeking to return to the chamber from the new District 12 centered in Sandoval County. She was defeated for re-election in 2020 in an increasingly Dem District 10 in the ABQ North Valley. Gould faces a June primary with Sandoval County Commissioner Jay Block. If Gould were to eventually win the seat, Diamond was re-elected from Elephant Butte and Tobiassen replaced Moores that would make a class of at least three GOP Senate women. "If" being the operative word. LEAVING SANTA FE Longtime ABQ Journal capitol reporter Dan Boyd is moving on. He said on Twitter Monday: Some personal news: After 16 years, today is my last day at the Albuquerque Journal. I’m planning to spend a year abroad with my family and then decide what’s next.
It’s been quite a ride keeping New Mexicans informed on state government and political issues. Thanks for reading! The Journal has been shedding veteran staff members in recent years as it struggles with a new economic reality. Boyd's institutional knowledge and ability to let the passions of the day play out without inciting his own will be missed. Well done, Dan. Hasta luego. . . This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. (c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2023 Monday, July 03, 2023Our Blog DA Scoop: Bregman Confirms He Will Run Despite Pledge Not To; Plus: Black Hat Is Back As DA Gets Tough In Announcement Video, Also: Backstory On MLG And Sam Smoothing Things Over
Bregman's not wasting time hitting the campaign trail now that he's in. He released a website and 90 second digital ad touting his service thus far and asking voters to join him because his fight against crime is "just getting started." He is also back with his black cowboy hat, filmed strolling thru the city like a sheriff from rural New Mexico, ensuring the DA campaign will be nothing if not entertaining. As for that pledge made when MLG appointed him in January that he would not run and only fill out the remainder of the term of DA Raul Torrez who was elected attorney general, he cited progress he is making in the office as the reason for the change of heart. He added that he had informed the Governor of his decision. When she appointed Bregman, 60, in January, MLG affirmed that he would not seek election to the job. Bregman's decision is a mild embarrassment for the Governor. Whether she endorses Bregman in the Democratic primary is another story. However, so far he has no announced opposition. Her office said in reaction to his reversal: Gov. Lujan Grisham wanted to. . . appoint a Bernalillo County DA (who) would be squarely focused on the work of the office and not a re-election bid. KOAT reported Bregman registered his candidate website May 25 and registered his candidacy with the secretary of state on June 1. BREGMAN HISTORY  Bregman, however, does not have a winning record as a political candidate. In 1994 he unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for state land commissioner, losing to Ray Powell in a three way race, 60 to 25 percent. In 1995 he was elected to the ABQ City Council from NE Heights District 4 but lost his 1999 re-election bid to Republican Brad Winter. In 1997 Bregman sought the ABQ mayor's office, placing fourth in a seven way initial election which was won by Jim Baca who went on to win the run-off election. In 2000 he ran for the Dem nomination for the ABQ congressional seat. He was defeated in a three way race with John Kelly getting 43 percent to his 34 percent. Bregman served as NM Democratic Party chairman in the 2014 election cycle but did not seek re-election. That year the GOP took over the state House for the first time in 60 years and Republican Gov. Susana Martinez was re-elected in a landslide. A CHALLENGER?  Alligators opine that Bregman is expected to be well-financed and note his high name ID. They think he would be most vulnerable to a Hispanic challenger who appeals to the party's progressive base. Progressives were quick to criticize Bregman's maiden campaign video as being over the top in presenting him as what they saw as a very conservative crime fighter. That Bregman may have smoothed things over with MLG was evident when Assistant District Attorney Diana Garcia, who also applied to replace Torrez and whose sister has served in MLG's cabinet, told us that she would not be running for DA next year. She even heaped praise on Bregman, saying he is doing "a very good job." At that news conference Bregman, a trial attorney who was born in Washington, DC and is a UNM School of Law grad, cited statistics that he says show the success he has had in fighting crime in his first six months on the job. He confidently opined that when it comes to crime Bernalillo County is "headed in the right direction." That statement was eerily reminiscent of then DA Torrez who after his first year in office called reporters together to announce that crime was on the decline. It was not to be. MLG AND BREGMAN  Joe, Sam was at the May 15 memorial service for former Governor Jerry Apodaca at the Roundhouse where MLG gave a eulogy. The DA race came up in conversations among Sam and their politically active mutual friends. What I heard is that Sam checked with MLG and his wife Jackie before discussing it with potential supporters and that MLG (and Jackie) are not only agreeable, but strongly supportive of his running next year. We don't doubt it but next time the Guv might be more careful in publicly announcing someone else's election plans. Meanwhile, a pat on the scaly backs of our Alligators for assisting with the DA scoop as well as their help in breaking the news out of Lea County on the scramble set off over Sen. Gay Kernan's resignation. Happy Fourth! This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. (c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2023 |
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