Checking the list
We're making a list and we're checking it twice, but it's not the one we're sending to Santa. This list reveals one of the best kept secrets in New Mexico--but fast becoming one of the worst kept: Who are the 59 political appointees Big Bill let go as part of the state's effort to balance the deficit choked budget? The Guv has refused to release the names saying it would not be dignified to do so. Media efforts to get the names released have been met with a legal stiff arm, but our reliable readers and Alligators have so far pegged 15 of the 59. We asked them to keep the names coming (email in any you have) and they delivered. Here's the latest from our exclusive list:

One of the highest paid exempts to be given the axe is Stephen Easley. He earns about $95,000 a year as the chief information officer for the Department of Public Safety. One Republican legislator told us on background that Easley's departure is a "big loss." This legislator also complained that most of the exempt employees they are hearing about losing their jobs are mid-level state workers, not the big kahunas making over $85,000 a year and whose jobs are not "mission" critical.

Attorney Pilar Vaile, deputy director of the Public Employee Relations Board, is another exempt losing their job. She made about $62,000 a year. Our insider says Vaile has been an independent director and wonders if the Guv's list targets exempt employees who have not been as loyal to him and his minions as he would like. It's reasonable speculation because by not releasing the list, the Guv is acting as if the state has something to hide.

Shanon Riley makes the hit list. She's is a lawyer for the NM National Guard, paid about $70,000 a year. Riley is a former prosecutor in the Bernalillo County District Attorney's office. She didn't have much longevity in her current post which may have made her vulnerable to the axe.

Darla Aiken an administrative assistant in the ABQ office of the NM Commission on the Status of Women is another of the exempt employees who will receive their last paycheck at the end of the month. She was making about $39,000 a year.

We blogged Monday that former ABQ State Rep. Delano Garcia was one of those taken out, but we did not know his position. Now we do. Garcia was a $61,000 a year military liaison with the NM National Guard.

Schultz, Berry & White
You're a new mayor with no executive experience and the culture of City Hall looks about as familiar as a map of Slovakia. So what do you do? In the case of ABQ Mayor-elect RJ Berry you keep around a lot of old faces who know plenty about government geography and let them map out the details of what's to come.

Maybe you really do want a lot of change, but not before you at least learn where the bathrooms are, so you keep ABQ Police Chief Ray Schultz on the job, give Darren White, the Sheriff turned public safety director, a beefed up portfolio and keep Mayor Chavez's Chief Administrative Officer, Ed Adams, but bump him down to Chief Operating Officer (That word from KOB-TV).

Mayor-elect Berry says he is a big believer in experience, and through these appointments seems to readily admit he has yet to accumulate enough of it to make any bold strokes.

"He is sending a signal that he is not going to micromanage. These are experienced personalities who know their way around. He will not be a hands-on administrator. I think we will see him much more in the figurehead role than we did Mayor Chavez," analyzed Mike Santullo, communications officer under ABQ Mayor Ken Schultz (1985-89).

But by design or happenstance Berry has formed a team of rivals that will keep power in check while he's off cutting ribbons or addressing the Rotary Club. The new chief administrative officer, David Campbell, will be checked by the old CAO and now COO Ed Adams. If David screws up, Ed is ready to take over. And if Ed screws up, David will be ready to call him out.

For White, who it appears will be more deeply involved in police department operations than previous public safety directors, the check on him will be that increased power. He is going to own police department failures and infighting as well as successes. There will be plenty of both.

And checking all of the above is the nine member city council where grumbling broke out only moments after it was announced last night that Schultz and Adams--both Republicans--would be retained.

THE CRITICS CORNER
Councilor O'Malley
Councilor Brad Winter scored the new mayor on KOB-TV for not delivering on the change he had promised. The powerful police union leadership signaled approval of the Schultz retention, but Winter warned that is not an opinion shared by many rank and file cops.

Councilor Debbie O'Malley wasn't pleased with the possibility of Adams becoming COO, saying the culture he represents needs to change

And Alligators were snapping at Berry, chiding him over his campaign TV spots that unloaded both barrels on Chavez for the runaway property crime rate in the city, yet he retains the chief who presided over what Berry said was a failed policy? In that regard, Chief Schultz, who tried to position himself as an agent of change as his reappointment was announced, was doing the big stretch.

Then there were those West Side serial killings of young women that have dominated news of the department. Wouldn't now be a good time for some new faces at the APD?

Well, who is to say that Schultz, chief since April '05, and Berry's Team of Rivals on the 11th floor will be there a year or two from now? While Schultz is the first chief to be retained by an incoming mayor in the modern era, the long knives are out for him and one big mistake will have the peanut gallery calling for his ouster. How long he wants to live with a sword over his head is anyone's guess.

Berry was as surprised as anyone over his first round election victory and while he may have been caught unprepared to fully take the helm, he is smart enough to know it. The question is does he grow from here and gradually take back some of the power he is so generously doling out, or is what you see what you get for the next four years?

ANOTHER SPINNER?
T.J. Wilham
While Berry is talking about running a tight fiscal ship, that isn't stopping him from creating a new public information slot. In fact, in addition to keeping the police and fire department PIO's, incoming Public Safety Director Darren White will get his own communications staffer. That's a new position and to be held by ABQ Journal police beat reporter T.J. Wilham. He will do spin patrol for the city’s public safety departments such as police, fire, emergency management and the Safe City Strike Force.

Observers immediately asked why the job was necessary. To help White garner more publicity? He sure doesn't need much help doing that. And It seems the responsibility of the APD and fire department PIO's is being substantially reduced with the addition of Wilham, so will self-described fiscal conservative Berry also reduce their salaries or working hours?

The ABQ Journal says Wilham will make $75,000 and that that is less than his predecessor, but Wilham has no predecessor. There has never been a PR flak to oversee public safety agencies. Chris Ramirez, who will handle PR other than public safety for Berry, will also make $75,000. That is less than Deborah James who held the job under Mayor Chavez, but together the two new PR spinners are making $150,000, considerably more than James and, I believe, her one assistant.

Well, Mr. and Mrs. Albuquerque will look the other way on this and other patronage plays---for now. But tight economic times--and a more grouchy city council--should keep the leash from getting too long.

RJ'S DOUBLE DIPPERS

Mayor-elect Berry also isn't showing any fiscally conservative stripes when it comes to the issue du jour---double dipping by government employees. Tito Madrid, his pick to become constituent services director, has been retired from the state environment department for 10 years, drawing a monthly retirement check. Now he will add his $75,000 city hall salary to that retirement.

(What about other new mayoral appointments? Double dippers? Maybe the newspaper can give us a story.)

Double-dipping has become a red flag for the electorate who see the retirees taking the jobs of a new generation and also costing taxpayers money because the retirement contributions for these jobs are paid by the government agency they work for, not the double dipper.

During the campaign Mayor Chavez asked his double dippers to make a choice--either city employment or retirement. We did not see Berry quoted on the issue, but we watch what they do, not what they say. In this case, that appears to mean the green light for double dippers, unless the Legislature flashes the stop sign.

THERE ARE FIVE

With the death of Bruce King last week, there are now five living former Governors. They are: David Cargo, 80, (1967-71); Jerry Apodaca, 75, (1975-79); Toney Anaya, 68, (1983-87); Garrey Carruthers, 70, (1987-91) and Gary Johnson, 56, (1995-03).

There have been 26 men who have served as Governor since statehood in 1912. We had Spanish Governors from 1598 to 1822, Mexican Governors from 1822 to 1846, Pre-Territorial Governors from 1846 to 1851 and Territorial Governors from 1851 to 1912.

A records check shows that since 1598, Bruce King, who served three, four year terms, served longer than any New Mexico Governor under any flag.

THE SHERIFF CHASE

The jockeying goes on for the Sheriff's chair. The Bernalillo County Commission will meet Nov. 30 to name a replacement for Republican Darren White who resigned to become the city's public safety director. From our email:

...You have neglected to mention the candidacy of Manny Gonzales for Sheriff. When he announced September 26, there were over 400 supporters on hand...Manny is a lifelong resident of Bernalillo County...served honorably in the military, and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Management...He is a Captain with the Sheriff’s Department...Manny has spent his entire career in public safety...He is an effective administrator, a knowledgeable and first-rate police officer..Make no mistake about it, he is a strong contender.

The commission--three Dems and two R's--will pick someone to fill out the remainder of White's term. It runs until 2011. Gonzales and others are lining up for the 2010 election to go after the next four year term.

WINSTON'S WAY
Brooks
ABQ Public Schools Superintended Winston Brooks and APS School Board President Marty Esquivel disagree with those who argue that NM public school districts are top heavy with administrative costs. But the latest edition of the Legislative Finance Committee newsletter makes the case:

New Mexico spends less of its public school dollar on instruction than the national average and, while it spends about the same on school-level administration, it spends 40 percent more on state and district-level administration, according to the Digest of Education Statistics. Nobody wants to cut classroom spending but maybe we can save on spending outside the classroom.

But administrators and school board members are going to have to reckon with reality if we are going to trim the administrative ranks. It isn't easy. Superintendent Brooks claims only 1 percent of the billion dollar plus APS budget is for administration. Just what does the Super consider administrative costs? Sounds like good subject for a legislative hearing.

BEHIND THE NUMBERS

When stats were released on attendance for the 2009 NM State Fair, they showed a slight increase over last year. But that is far from the story. Again, from the LFC newsletter:

Attendance at this year’s State Fair increased by 1.5 percent but paid attendance was down 20 percent. Overall total revenue for the 2009 fair was down 8 percent...

The persistent recession is the obvious factor for the decline, but the fair may have been remiss in not cutting prices enough.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2009
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News coverage of the state capitol took a major hit this week as industry insiders passed word that longtime Associated Press reporter Deborah Baker was included in the national layoffs the AP announced. Baker had been on the Santa Fe scene some 20 years. Her departure means bureau chief Barry Massey is the lone Santa Fe staffer for the storied AP which started distributing news over 160 years ago (An editorial assistant in the ABQ bureau also was also laid off).

We were struck by Baker's sudden departure because we had only recently mentioned to friends the obit she had written of former Governor Bruce King. It hit all the high points, had just the right pitch--and important to the AP--was on the wires within a couple of hours after the announcement of King's death.

And there was an AP piece she penned on complicated capital outlay issues. We leaned on that for our own analysis.

The AP is the main link for government news for many New Mexicans outside the ABQ/Santa Fe media market, and Baker's departure will have particular impact there.

But it's not just the AP hurting. The ABQ Journal now has only one full-time capitol staffer. They do send up troops for the legislative session and at other times when needed, but they used to have several full-timers up there. The Journal has protected its franchise by not dismantling its investigative reporting division which often finds itself uncovering government shenanigans. But if the shoe drops there, the politicians will have even more free rein.

The AP has proven irreplaceable, even as new sources of "journalism" appear. The wire service is the one source that you know is not agenda driven. There seems to be a school of thought these days that it's how you write a news story that matters, but we all know the decision of what to write is a key editorial decision.

What we are now getting as a replacement for traditional newspapers is "agenda driven" journalism financed by philanthropy from individuals and institutions on the left and right (More on that below). Which is fine. But it's not always objective news gathering. No way. No how. On the other hand, the AP is financed by fees from subscribing newspapers and other media outlets. It is not out to save the world, but just report about it.

The AP covers the news without ideological concerns. It does not advocate. And going into this new information paradigm, we are going to need that more than ever. That's why these layoffs here and elsewhere are unsettling.

WATCHDOG GROWLS AT DI

Critics have pounced on the Legislature's latest effort to police itself, calling an interim committee's proposed ethics commission an over engineered scheme resembling a Rube Goldberg contraption that will end up being a toothless sham. Their main complaint is the composition of the commission. Eight of the eleven members would be legislators. The Guv would appoint the remaining three members. What would it take to have a really independent ethics panel? A reader with a long background in ethics enforcement and elections comes with this:

Joe, I read the proposed bill and was struck by the same thing you mentioned-- the appointment process. All you have to do is see how the Federal Election Commission has turned into a partisan and toothless entity because of the so-called bipartisan appointment process. What happens is that each party protects their own from any penalties.

What New Mexico needs is along the lines of the Wisconsin Governmental Accountability Board. That state's Court of Appeals appoints retired judges to the board and these appointees are prohibited from engaging in any political activity. The Board has supervision of ethics and elections as well as some review over state contracts.

I think that those who have endorsed the proposed commission here don't believe they can get anything tough passed and signed by the Governor...The rationale is that something is better than nothing, but I don't really see the composition of this commission as serious...

So what will come out of the January legislative session? A milquetoast commission? A strong Wisconsin type panel? Or nothing? Don't bet a lot of money against the third option.

WHO PAYS?

Now that it appears Congress is about to pass a health care reform bill, supportive lawmakers have started their spin patrol. ABQ Dem US Rep. Martin Heinrich came with a twist in a recent newsletter to quiet concerns over the cost of the measure. He said the costs are fully covered:

Half through eliminating waste, fraud and abuse and half through a surcharge on the income of the top 0.3 percent of the wealthiest individuals...which includes 590 households in our district and excludes 99.81 percent of our residents...

You mean all those folks concerned that their Medicare is going to be slashed to pay for the reform have nothing to fear? Look to hear more about that in the 2010 campaign.

GOP governor candidate Doug Turner will know soon enough whether his decision to unveil TV spots on Thanksgiving Day was a turkey. He says he will do follow-up polling to measure the impact of the commercials unveiled on Thursday on statewide cable and which he says will be on at least until the end of the year. (Video here.)

The TV--coming nearly a full year before the 2010 election--is the earliest veteran observers can recall for a governor’s race. Presumed Dem nominee Diane Denish is appearing more frequently in public service TV ads, but has not yet aired any campaign spots.

Turner, 40, is making his first bid for elective office. His 60 second spot centers on his biography as a business and family man. He owns an ABQ public relations firm. He also makes use of his previous foray into politics, noting that he served as a key aide to the election bids of GOP Guv Gary Johnson in 1994 and ‘98. Turner does not identify himself as a Republican in his TV, even though he is seeking the GOP nomination.

"We are going on the air to build name ID and let people know who I am," Turner said.

Turner believes the audience can tell from the ads that he is a Republican, especially since he references Johnson's Guv wins.

He will also air 30 second and 15 second versions of the bio spot. The buy will be about $10,000 a week or about $40,000 to $50,000. He says the ads will also air on broadcast TV, but the main buy is on cable. Turner recently loaned his campaign over $200,000.

Whether Turner will stay up on the air after this initial run is undecided. The GOP pre-primary convention is expected to be held in mid-March. That's where it will take 20 percent of the delegates to win a spot on the June primary ballot.

THE RACE TO DATE

The field so far also includes former NM GOP Chairman Allen Weh, Dona Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez and ABQ State Rep. Janice-Arnold-Jones. 2002 GOP Guv candidate John Sanchez told me recently he was weighing a run. Other names are also being mentioned as possible candidates before the final GOP field is set.

The GOP race rapidly deflated when former ABQ GOP Congresswoman Heather Wilson decided not to make the run. She was seen as the party's best bet to take on Lt. Governor Denish, the only announced Dem Guv contender. Sanchez floated his name after Heather demurred.

Turner's main challenge is getting the 20 percent at the pre-primary. He is not as well-known or as connected with party insiders as his foes. No candidate who has failed to get on the ballot at the pre-primary has gone on to win the nomination.

Insiders, wall-leaners, Alligators and analysts see Weh as the early front-runner because his demographic profile--an Anglo male with heavy military and business experience--best matches the make up of the small GOP. He also has no financial worries. He is using his personal wealth to finance his campaign. Martinez, with backing from national Republican types in D.C., is seen as Weh's main rival. Fund-raising is one of her main challenges.

Turner wants to upset this early conventional wisdom and begin to break the race open. He is gambling that the Turkey Day TV will help him do the trick.

THE NEW MAYOR
Berry with son (Journal)
He likes to hunt and fish, do some woodworking, plays the guitar but not very well, has a Jack Russell terrier named Skip and is a season ticket-holder to University of New Mexico football and basketball games. During a recent interview Mayor-elect Richard "RJ" Berry said of his family: "We're very much regular folks. Berry married Maria Medina in 1990. They have a 13 year old son, Jacob.

Berry, 47, will take the oath of office at the ABQ convention center ballroom downtown at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Also being sworn into office for four year terms will be City Councilors Ken Sanchez, Ike Benton, Dan Lewis, Michael Cook and Don Harris. They were all elected or re-elected along with Berry in the October city election.

The inauguration is open to the public and a reception will immediately follow. Maybe if they need music at the reception Berry can whip out the Fender Stratocaster he keeps hidden away in his spare bedroom.

The Berry transition team has announced no other inaugural events.

NO COO FOR NOW

A suggestion made here by the Alligators--that Berry not hire a chief operating officer to save money--will be taken up by the new administration--at least for now. New city hall spokesman Chris Ramirez says the COO position will not be immediately filled. It will be determined next year if it is needed. The position is one of those paying well over $100,000 a year.

Current chief administrative officer Ed Adams was being mentioned for the post. It will be interesting to see where he ends up. My City Hall insiders said City Councilor Debbie O'Malley went ballistic when she heard that Berry was considering naming Adams COO. Not only did she publicly complain, but our sources report she took her concerns directly to Berry and told him that if Adams was shifted to the COO post, the mayor-elect's nomination of David Campbell as the city's chief administrative officer would be put in danger when it comes up for a council vote.

THE OLD MAYOR

It is indeed out with the old and in with the new as 12 year ABQ Mayor Marty Chavez--the man Berry upset---prepares for private life. KOB-TV did an interesting exit interview with the 57 year old Chavez who seems undecided about what his future may hold.

THE BOTTOM LINES

We gave a wrong number Wednesday in blogging on the median sale price of an ABQ home. It recently fell below $180,000 to $170,000.

US Senator Tom Udall is touting his new Web site, and it does look pretty spiffy, incorporating all the new bells and whistles of the Internet circa 2009. The Democratic lawmaker says: "I'll even give you a tour of the Web site."

The first year lawmaker is the envy of the three freshman congressmen. They all have to stand for re-election in what may be a very hostile environment next year. Udall doesn't face voters again until 2014. Now that's something to give thanks for.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2009
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If you've got a government job, keep it, because the private sector around here is running in place. Not that anyone is down in the dumps about Intel's announcement that it will put in $2.5 billion in upgrades at its Rio Rancho plant over 18 months. Trouble is, while those improvements mean a nice pop in temporary construction employment--up to 1,500 jobs--there will be no additional permanent staff hired at Intel. The semiconductor plant has been shrinking before our eyes the past two years. Intel now employs just 3,300 full-time permanent workers down from a peak of about 5,200 and headed toward the 3,000 mark in the wake of another round of recently announced layoffs. That's a 40 percent reduction in the permanent work force. Many of the temp jobs are highly skilled and may have to be imported.

The Intel investment is welcome and will come at the same time that the state starts to get a nice first jolt--in the $950 million area-- from the Obama stimulus package. But this is going to be a one or two year deal. Economy watchers also wonder if Intel will require less manpower at Rio Rancho once the upgrades are completed.

We hate to be a party pooper but major segments of our state's private sector economy are shrinking, not growing. That's the reality of these times.

JOIN THE PACK?

Meanwhile, at the Roundhouse, lawmakers have to decide if they want to give Hewlett-Packard up to $12 million in capital outlay funds to help them build a customer support center at Rio Rancho. HP says it would employ over 1,300 by 2013. But the capital outlay pie has shrunk like a cotton shirt in a hot dryer. Insiders say $12 million looks like a stretch. Also, computer giant HP reported only last year that it had $10 billion cash in the bank. And they need Santa Fe's help?

Another blue-chip company--or at least one that isn't black and blue in this brutal bear maker--General Mills--recently said it will add 60 jobs at its ABQ plant now that the city has approved industrial revenue bonds that provide tax relief for the company. We wondered how many of those positions would be claimed by area workers. Turns out 90 percent of them. That leaves six jobs filled from the outside. Hope they're not the ones that pay the most.

As it has since the 40's, a government job remains the best bet for stable employment in our state, but this nasty recession is scaring even government employees as hiring freezes are in effect and talk of layoffs surface. How much of state resources should be diverted to private companies promising jobs is a hot topic. Nervous government workers want to make sure there is enough to pay them first.

SCHMIDLY AND THE WEB

This being the Internet Age, the controversy over University of New Mexico President David Schmidly is swirling on the Web. Students have posted an electronic petition asking the UNM Board of Regents to remove the president. The organizer says they have collected over 140 signatures, verified electronically by the signers' e-mail.

Schmidly is fighting a no-confidence resolution pending before the UNM faculty.

As far as Schmidly agreeing to include himself in the unpaid furloughs he is urging employees to take to make up for the state budget shortfall, one reader opines:

Why doesn't Schmidly stay on the job for those 15 days he plans to take as furlough and just forgo the pay? That would be a much smarter move on his part. If I were University President I would not want to give the idea that the ship could sail just as well without me for three weeks.

HEAVY INTEREST
Schmidly
The turmoil at UNM is generating heavy interest. UNM Professor of Biology Maggie Werener-Washburner had this column in the Daily Lobo:

UNM needs a new management model, a leaner administration, and representation at every level that understands what it takes to make a university work. Most, if not all, faculty and staff do not want UNM to be about money and big salaries. We want UNM to be about lifting New Mexico up, helping people make a living in small towns, cities and pueblos, providing a great education while supporting the students...

But the Regents are of no mind to doubt one of their own--Chairman Jamie Koch, nor Schmidly or Excutive VP Harris. In the face of the no-confidence move by faculty, the regents voted to commend the trio.

Some might say the regents are pouring gasoline on the fire. If they want a blaze, they got one--a three alarmer.

IN THE CITY, TOO

Out-of-sight salaries are also making news in ABQ city government as City Councilor and mayoral candidate Michael Cadigan questions the $272,000 salary being pulled down by Chris Baca, executive director of Youth Development Inc. That's a nonprofit that gets $1.7 million of its $23 million budget from the city. The city's chief administrative officer, Ed Adams, defends that salary saying Cadigan is "continuing his personal agenda." But Cadigan's agenda seems more populist than personal. Analysts say Cadigan's hit on Baca could hurt the mayoral hopeful on the Westside. But how much support will it get him elsewhere? Mayor Chavez may want to gauge that before he puts Ed back out on the campaign trail.

VIETNAM REDUX
Kilmer
We were cavalier with the Val Kilmer Vietnam vet remarks on our Tuesday blog, says Jim Belshaw, a Vietnam vet and now retired columnist of the ABQ Journal.

Your analysis of the GOP press release was on the money. Any port in the storm for these guys, I suppose. Val Kilmer says something stupid, pals around with Bill Richardson and voila! a Republican press release...I am one of those "near-criminal punks" to which Kilmer referred. I am not outraged, only astonished at such ignorance displayed in public...

Some Vietnam veterans re-live the war every day...Like veterans of other wars, it was the highlight of their lives...But most get on with their lives...finding other great adventures, or maybe just quiet lives. They indeed are "over 60 years old."...Most Vietnam veterans, 60 or not, are not hard-right Republicans. But they are members of a brotherhood. They shared an experience unlike anything they will see again and it stays with them...You really shouldn't dismiss them so cavalierly.

Thanks, Jim. We did not mean to diss the vets. We said we saw the appeal of the GOP's Kilmer attack as being confined to hard-right R's over 60. We suppose that includes some Vietnam Vets, but we did not intend to single them out. As for what is on the minds of voters, Belshaw says: "It ain't Vietnam, even if the voter is a Vietnam veteran."

We'll be out of the breaking news loop the next couple of days. We'll post some special blogs for you.

E-mail your news, comments and insider info, anonymously if you wish.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2009
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Dunn attack piece
The first volleys of negative fire have been heard from the congressional campaigns now that we are less than 90 days away from the June 3rd primary. In the GOP battle for the Southern US House seat, war cries of "Santa Fe Liberal" are being shouted at Lincoln County rancher Ed Tinsley from fellow rancher Aubrey Dunn, Jr. Tinsley's campaign, citing Dunn's penchant for changing his voter registration, retorts that Ed is a Republican of "conviction" and Aubrey is a Republican for "convenience."

The hand of Roswell State Senator "Lightning" Rod Adair is present in the Dunn campaign where our Alligators say he is serving as a consultant. Dunn's hit pieces against Tinsley (click on the image to enlarge) were recently mailed to southern GOP voters. It calls him a Santa Fe liberal because the Lincoln County rancher also has a second home in Santa Fe. Dunn also claims Tinsley, a former head of the National Restaurant Association, is soft on the hot button issue of immigration. Tinsley's camp says:

"Given Dunn's lack of commitment to the Republican party and the operatives he hired to sling mud, it's no surprise that he has chosen to divide the party with a false and negative personal campaign."

They say Dunn was registered as a Democrat in 1983, a Republican in 1996, an independent in February of 2007 and back to Republican in October of '07. They also point out Dunn gave money to Big Bill's Dem Prez run. Dunn says he did that because he was hoping Bill would beat Hillary.

Dunn and Tinsley have each given their campaigns hundreds of thousands in personal loans. Meantime, the camp of Hobbs Mayor Monty Newman is enjoying the food fight. They say he has now raised about $150,000 and can now present himself as the peaceful GOP alternative. The same goes for affable Earl Greer, another well-known R wanting this one.

Tinsley and Dunn have the money to go the distance and are the leading hopefuls for the June primary. Newman and Greer need to raise more if they are going to compete on television in May.

JOLTIN' JOE

The R's seeking their party's nomination for the ABQ congressional seat are also making some hay. State Senator Joe Carraro, running against Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White, is claiming that there was "vote-buying" at the recent Bernalillo County GOP convention which selected delegates to the March 15th statewide pre-primary nominating convention. Carraro indicates that it was White and US Senate candidate Heather Wilson doing the alleged vote-buying, but he has produced no hard evidence to back up the charges. White told KKOB-AM radio: "(Carraro's) allegations are "nutty charges from a sore loser." To the delight of Democrats, Carraro has been urging an official investigation by the attorney general.

Meanwhile, politicos on the West Side are still talking about the possibility of Carraro again seeking his state senate seat. Carraro has repeatedly said he is leaving the senate and even gave a farewell speech. But that and the fact that two Republicans have already announced for the seat hasn't quieted speculation that Carraro could decide to fold his congressional effort and on March 18th--filing day for the legislative seats--announce that he will run for re-election to the senate. In this case, time truly will tell the tale.

ADAMS ANNOYED

And if you think things are getting wild on the GOP side, how about Dem northern congressional candidate Jon Adams accusing rival Don Wiviott of holding "bribery dinners" for delegates going to the March 15th state Dem pre-primary convention?

"(Today) at 6:30 p.m. at the Hill Diner in Los Alamos, there is going to be yet another one of these "bribe the delegates" dinners. Apparently Wiviott has invited all 22 delegates elected at the Los Alamos County Convention to a free dinner." Informs Adams.

Wiviott's campaign says it does not take the charge seriously and it is another in a series of what they call "bizarre" accusations. But being the intrepid investigative reporter you know me to be, I explored further. We determined that the most expensive item on the Hill Diner's menu is the $10.99 double chicken fried steak. Now, Friday night is "Rib Night" at the Hill Diner and we don't know the price for that.

Would you sell your vote for a $10.99 double chicken fried steak? OK. You don't have to answer. (Please call Don or Jon, not us, for directions to tonight's dinner.)

And, depending on the source, it was either $30 a vote or $35 an hour that Carraro says someone was giving to buy votes at the GOP county convention. Heck, on that amount a Republican couldn't get past the appetizer menu at the Hyatt.

DEMOCRATIC HEAT

It has been kind of quiet as former city councilor Martin Heinrich has collected over $500,000 for his Dem run for the ABQ congressional seat. He has four challengers who have been low-key, but Heinirch foe and trial attoney Robert Pidcock is ready to break the ice. He told us that he has examined Heinirch's employment history and background and concluded:

"Martin Heinrich is unqualified to be a congressman. He lacks the necessary employment history and life experience. That needs to be said now because if he is the Democratic nominee the Republicans will tear him apart limb by limb."

Voters can look at the candidates' respective Web sites to make up their minds on who is or isn't qualified. For Pidcock and the other challengers--Rebecca Vigil-Giron, Michelle Lujan Grisham and Jessica Wolfe--time and money are fast becoming issues as they work to upset Heinrich's chances.

E-mail your news and comments on the latest politics as well as your ruminations on the greater meaning of things. :)

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2008
Not for reproduction without permission of the author

This "rain gauge" sent in by a reader sums up New Mexico's drought conditions pretty well. The summer Monsoon season has been a bust and rain totals for the year remain far below normal.

As for the political news, the cup around here always runneth over. Here we go...

The Jerome Block, Jr. nightmare should be over soon. The universal opinion is that Jerome will resign from the Public Regulation Commission by the end of the month, sparing us impeachment proceedings in the state House during the upcoming September special session.

PRC member and Dem Jason Marks wants the Guv to appoint a middle of the road commissioner to replace Jerome when he finally does head toward the exits. He says if a conservative Republican gets named they might immediately join with the other two R commissioners and try to repeal stuff like how much renewable energy utilities are required to produce. He says Block's northern district is not conservative, even if Block often does vote with the R's.

But it's the Guv's call and having a more conservative commission for a year before Block's northern seat goes up for election just might be to her liking. Don't you think?

Maybe the creative mind of Santa Fe's Jim Terr will come with an update of this well-received "Rock Around The Block" video that we posted here a few years ago. (Yes, Jerome's problems go back a long way.)

THE FINALISTS

How about those finalists for the plum job of Bernalillo County Manager? Here they are:

Ed Adams, Albuquerqe; Deanna Archuleta, Arlington, James B. Bitzer, Albuquerque; Melinda Carlton, N. Myrtle Beach, S.C, Bruce Perlman, Albuquerque, Oscar Rodriguez, Riverdale Park, Md; Tom Zdunek, Albuquerque.

Zdunek is the current interim manager. Adams and Perlman are former ABQ chief administrative officers and Deanna Archuleta used to hold the county commission seat now held by Dem Maggie Hart Stebbins.

Will the three Dems on the five member panel stick together to pick the new manager who will be paid close to $160,000? If not, one of the Dems could join with the two R's and make the pick.

DAYS OF DARREN
White & Blanchard
Our Thursday blog had the Alligators reporting former ABQ Public Safety Director Darren White had landed some kind of gig over at Expo NM. The specifics are now in with the press reporting that Darren is consulting the Downs at ABQ which is located on the Expo fairgrounds.

He will consult the Downs as it prepares a request for proposals to provide security at the track. The Dem Party immediately came with the hit, accusing the Governor of playing a role in Darren's new deal and calling it old fashioned political patronage:

Darren’s buddy is steering sizeable government contracts his way with a security consulting contract at Expo NM. Once again, Martinez’s actions don’t measure up to her words, and New Mexicans are left holding the bag. Despite her crusade against cronyism and corruption in her campaign for Governor, in her short time in office Martinez has perfected the fine art of political patronage. The biggest beneficiary of Martinez’s kindness has to be Darren White, who has been relying on political favors for jobs since he was first appointed by Gary Johnson.

But State R's say the Dems got their facts wrong, pointing out that the party erred in stating exactly who Darren had a contract with:

...The Democrats falsely claimed Governor Martinez's administration awarded Darren White a contract to do security at Expo-NM (State Fair) and that the Governor is "steering sizeable government contracts to White."

Fact check: Darren White does not have a contract with Expo NM, nor does Darren White have any contract with the state of New Mexico.

"Governor Martinez is focused on turning New Mexico around by tackling real issues and that's why New Mexicans are standing solidly behind her....

In their release, the New Mexico Republican Party also attacked unnamed bloggers who "wake up every morning to push rumor-based narratives to advance a bitter, personal agenda."

Since we tend to do our blog at night, we know they can't be talking about us. Right? And how could we be bitter when we're having so much fun? Well, we love you no matter what, Monty. (You too, Jay).

Now back to the action...

No word on how much Darren's contract is for. It's interesting to note that the Downs at ABQ owner is Paul Blanchard, a major friend of Dem Guv Big Bill who gave the ex-Guv thousands in campaign dollars and palled around with him. Blanchard also served as Big Bill's appointee to the State Board of Finance from 2003-2006. He was later named to the State Investment Council where he served from January 2007 until April 2008.

Now the R's are in charge and Paul's munificence is being showered upon Darren, whose close friend Dan Mourning was named interim Expo NM chair by Governor Susana. Expo NM decides who gets the racetrack/casino lease.

But none of this, of course, is connected or has any politics involved. It's all just the "bitter" musings of an unnamed blogger. Who the heck is that guy, anyway?

NO CONSPIRACY

Reader Mark Rosenblum writes:

I find the set of pictures of the Democratic Senatorial primary candidates at the top of your Thursday column disturbing. There is a formal portrait of Heinrich taken at some distance and quite dim and a close up of Balderas which is much brighter...Am I noticing a purposeful visual effect? If not, please correct.

Nothing purposeful, Mark. Those happened to be the formal portrait shots we had available. But we do appreciate a fellow conspiratorial mind. Hey, maybe Martin darkened that photo to appeal to Hispanic voters and Balderas lightened his up for Gringo appeal.

Okay, now we're really looking for trouble...

MATH LESSON

Reader Loyola Chastain says UNM President David Schmidly has left a math question in the wake of his message about UNM vice-presidents that we carried on Thursday's blog:

I thought I was pretty good at math, but Schmidly's claim that they have reduced the number of VPs and overall salaries just doesn't make any sense. If one divides the 2008 salary budget of $4.3 million by 16, the average salary was $268,750. And he is so proud to tell us that the number has been reduced to 12 with an overall salary budget of $3.4 mil. Average that out and they are making $283,333 each. I thought salaries were frozen at UNM...

And an anonymous reader came with this:

Those 16 UNM VP’s average salaries were $269K in 2008, and for the 12 were $283K in 2009. UNM VP David Harris’ salary, at last count, was around $435K! By the way, student tuition for the Fall Semester increased an average of 6% per year from 2003 to 2011 compared to the CPI average of 2.6%. No wonder students and parents are mad as hell!

But reader Mitch Jones says Schmidly has it right:

If the 4 VP slots that were eliminated were at the lower end of the totem poll, which the $900,000 reduction in salary for 4 positions suggests (that's some $225,000 per position which is below the average for 2008), then it's certainly possible that the "new" average would be higher. The people left in place had, it appears, higher salaries to begin with, those higher salaries now account for an even larger percentage of the total of the VP salary budget, thus the average increases, but that does not mean that the salaries changed at all. It's basic math, and the problem isn't David Schmidly's, it's your readers'.

IT'S UP

Lots of back and forth here recently over the web site of SoulRio Church. Dan Lewis, the pastor of SoulRio, as well as a city councilor and a GOP candidate for the ABQ congressional seat, reports:

The site is back up and has the same exact content as it has been for years. In fact, you've linked to it before over the last few years. Nothing has changed. By they way, I've never downplayed my faith or my church, and I've also never used it politically for some kind of advantage....

Thanks, Dan. He is being opposed for the GOP nod by former State Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones.

OUR TOWN

From the city of ABQ:

...It's a small, weathered California Mission-style building lodged between the Alvarado Transportation Center and the Amtrak/Greyhound depot...This is one of the last surviving buildings from the grand old Alvarado Hotel that once graced the area. And it’s about to become relevant again...

Once known as the Alvarado Hotel’s Indian Curio Store the building at 214 1st St. SW is being renovated as offices for Amtrak...Craftspeople are reapplying the exterior’s famous pebble-dash stucco, which once covered the old Alvarado Hotel...

“This project allows Albuquerque to preserve a piece of its history, both from an architectural and cultural standpoint,” said Mayor Richard J. Berry. “It’s also gratifying anytime we can take an historic, but dilapidated, older property and redevelop it for new use...

That's a start, Mayor. Now about all those vacant lots dotting Central Avenue since the city tore down all the old motels...

That's all for this week, folks. Thanks for stopping by.

Reporting from Albuquerque, I'm Joe Monahan.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2011
Not for reproduction without permission of the author