Working the Beat

This is surprising. Whether it's prudent is another matter:

Employees at the federal government’s only underground nuclear waste repository resumed disposal work Wednesday after a nearly three-year hiatus prompted by a radiation release that contaminated a significant portion of the facility. Two pallets of low-level radioactive waste were emplaced in one of the underground disposal rooms at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southern New Mexico, the U.S. Energy Department confirmed.

Reader Ezra Spitzer disagrees with our take and doesn't think imposing the state's gross receipts tax on big online retailers like Amazon.com is the way to go when it comes to raising badly needed revenue for the state:

I'm not a no tax yahoo and consider myself a progressive, but totally disappointed seeing you and others jumping on expanding the gross receipts tax to Internet sales as a "fix" for all that ails us. The gross receipts is a horribly regressive tax...just about as bad as they come and I hate to see folks arguing for its expansion. We should be trying to get the dang thing lowered and fewer things taxed by it instead of expanding what it touches. I also fail to see Macy's or Big 5 or any other big box as a "local business." Amazon just beat them at their own game. There are so many tax solutions that would fix our problems and I refuse to believe any expansion or increase of a regressive tax is the right solution.

In the old days, before today's radicalization of tax policy in which no tax increases whatsoever can be entertained, the short-term solution to the state's budget crisis would be relatively easy. The liberals give by supporting that Internet tax, the conservatives give by agreeing to a freeze on the recently enacted corporate income tax cut and to an increase in the capital gains tax. Both sides agree to a nickel or dime a gallon boost in the gas tax (for a specified time period) and some selective government cuts. And you are on your way. But radicalization has led to gridlock and a never ending crisis. In other words, Susana Martinez is no Garrey Carruthers.

SMILE, TOM

When we first posted this pic of Susana and a forlorn looking bystander, we did not know it was Tom Church, the secretary of the state's transportation department. We joked that he looked as if he were in mourning and that perhaps he was thinking that soon he would have to be looking for a new job as Susana's final two years commence. All in good fun, of course, but this reader, who in the past worked with the secretary, says Church may look sad but he's not turning in a sad performance:

While I appreciate the need for humor (especially these days), I'm a little disappointed that it came at the Mr. Church's expense as he is among the few outstanding appointments made by this administration. Under Mr. Church's leadership, the NMDOT has dramatically increased the number of projects under construction, made progress in delivering big projects on time and under budget (think Paseo del Norte), and has resisted the old patron system of project selection in favor of prioritizing road work based on citizen safety and need. Also, Mr. Church came up through the ranks, he was not placed there as an act of political patronage. We, as a state, would be lucky to have him remain the head of NMDOT after Susana is long gone. 

Well, that ought to give Church a needed grin.

Thanks for stopping by this week.

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com)

Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2017

Journal/Brose

That big podium from which Gov. Martinez announced yet another round of anti-DWI proposals seemed to swallow up the compact chief executive, much like the events of the day that have left her administration limping into its final two years.

Talk about all-crime-all-the-time:

A recent study by Yahoo Finance said Albuquerque leads the nation in car theft with nearly 700 per 100,000 people in 2014. FBI crime data said more than 6,600 were stolen in 2015.  Albuquerque police said they're doing all they can to keep cars out of the hands of thieves but they need some help. “We'll arrest these guys but they'll literally laugh in our face and say 'I’ll be back out tomorrow doing it again,” APD said. APD said people can keep their cars safe by not warming them up in the mornings, they said they had 30 stolen cars in one day.

Sure, we'll warm up our cars but how about warming up the cop recruiting effort so we have enough of them on the streets to discourage the car thieves? APD remains severely understaffed.

Retired APD sergeant and longtime APD critic Dan Klein said his jaw dropped, along with the rest of the city, when it was disclosed over the holidays that the city was preparing to ink another deal with Taser to supply lapel cameras for APD officers. Yep, that's the same Taser that's involved in an alleged corruption caper with former APD Chief Schultz to get its first contract with the city:

Only in Mayor Richard Berry's world would allowing a company that your staff admits had inappropriate ties to the past chief of police, and is now under criminal investigation for that contract, to have the winning bid on the current multi-million dollar camera contract! We don't have common sense, we don't have rule of law, we just have an AWOL mayor. And once again a shout out to Attorney General Hector Balderas--please make a decision on the Taser investigation. So far the City Auditor, City Inspector General and the New Mexico State Auditor are all alleging criminal pay-to-play between Taser and APD Command Staff. Hector, you need to do something.

Your move, Hector.

SCRAPHEAP?

Here's one reason the idea of reinstating the tax on food to raise money for the state budget may end up on the Roundhouse scrapheap:

Advocates say Santa Fe Archbishop John C. Wester is forcing New Mexico lawmakers to reconsider various proposals related to fighting poverty in one of the nation's poorest states. Less than two years into his tenure, Wester has been outspoken on issues ranging from early childhood education and immigration to income inequality. He recently denounced a tax proposal that critics say would unfairly raise grocery prices for low-income families. He hosted an immigration forum earlier this year and criticized the Obama administration for not giving due process to detained migrant children from Central America. He also spoke out against an effort to reinstate New Mexico's death penalty. 

The food tax, aka, "The Tortilla Tax," is being prominently promoted by Sandoval County GOP Rep. Jason Harper who is grabbing all sorts of headlines. But, hold on. Didn't Harper lose his chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee when the GOP lost control of the state House at the November ballot box? Yes, he did. So why is the Democratic legislative leadership letting the minority representative hog the public microphones with his Tortilla Tax and not putting out their own spokesmen to counter Harper's view? Did the Dems forget they won? Just wonderin'.

THE BOTTOM LINES

In the Tuesday blog we called Republican Wayne Johnson, who is a possible '17 mayoral candidate, a former BernCo Commissioner. He is an incumbent serving his second term. And we misspelled the first name of mayoral candidate Eddy Aragon.

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com)

Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2017

Quezada takes oath

Welcome back, kids. We've got you covered in 2017. . .

Celebrity offers a powerful entree to the political stage as we are seeing with the election of Donald Trump and even a glimpse of it here in ABQ. There stands "Breaking Bad" TV star Steven Michael Quezada on New Year's Day being sworn in as a new Democratic Bernalillo county commissioner.

Quezada, 53, was previously elected to the ABQ School Board but his November election as commissioner did not come without controversy. His GOP opponent accused Quezada of being a "no show" school board member and cited his multiple past DWI arrests in an effort to paint him as reckless and not serious. But Quezada overcame those attacks--no doubt in part because of his celebrity--and now gets the chance to prove that he is more than a bit player when it comes to the complicated stage of La Politica. The commission has a 3 to 2 Democratic majority so Quezada will be able to lean on veteran Dem Commissioners O'Malley and Stebbins.

MAYOR 2017

When it comes to ABQ Mayor Richard Berry let's pick up in the new year where we left off on the last day of the old one--mulling over his low approval rating. We received some more tidbits from that poll conducted before Christmas on behalf of one of the possible mayoral candidates. The survey was conducted among voters 55 and over. They are the most likely to cast ballots in the October city election. Berry's approval rating surprised some, plunging to 43 percent, far below the important 50 percent mark. Political consultants say his approval among other age groups likely mimics that among those with the highest voter turnout.

Despite his increasingly dangerous political standing Berry is still trying to position himself for higher office. He was tagged positively by a WaPo reporter for his program for the homeless and was seen having fun over the weekend (and garnering publicity) by taking part in A swimming pool polar bear plunge." (Plunge being the operative adjective in Berry's new political lexicon.)

Berry's path to the '18 gubernatorial nomination remains harrowing as does a run for the '18 GOP US Senate nod. His fellow Republicans are enraged over the controversial ART transit project tearing up Central Avenue. And then there's the #1 issue in the city. . .

That, of course, would be the crime wave. In that poll that measured Berry's popularity among the 55 and older set, crime was named the top issue by 30 percent of the respondents. Hardly surprising given the nonstop crime headlines and the increasing boldness of the criminal element here. Berry will be forever saddled with the APD mess and crime wave. If and when he seeks higher office he will have plenty of 'splainin to do.

While the ABQ economy stagnates and will be an important issue, many people are voting with their feet and taking job opportunities outside the state. That lessens the intensity of the econ debate even though it sadly indicates that many Albuquerque residents and New Mexicans have given up on the economy improving anytime soon.

But crime will be a hyper hot button issue as those who remain here see a severely understaffed police department unable to make much of a dent in the mayhem that routinely startles the public.

There will be plenty of mayoral candidates, at least in the early going, to talk about that and other issues facing the city. The list of wannabes grew over the holiday break to include a second tier of contenders, including ABQ radio station CEO, ardent Trump supporter and independent talk show host Eddy Aragon, 66 year old Stella Padilla, an education management professional, and Michelle  Garcia Holmes, a retired APD officer who once worked in the attorney general's office.

The problem the relatively unknown contenders face is not only raising money but getting at least 3,000 petition signatures from registered voters that are required to be placed on the ballot. That process starts in mid-February and ends April 28. To ensure they get that many valid signatures, political consultants say a candidate should plan to collect about 5,000. So come March 31 the burgeoning mayoral field will likely narrow.

Currently in the first tier of candidates and positioned to raise some money as well as get those signatures are GOP City Councilor Dan Lewis, Dem City Councilor Ken Sanchez, (if he doesn't run for Congress instead) Dem State Auditor Tim Keller, ex-NM Dem Party Chairman Brian Colon, former Dem BernCo Commissioner Deanna Archuleta and '13 Dem mayoral hopeful Pete Dinelli and BernCo GOP Commissioner Wayne Johnson who is indicating a run. Councilor Lewis and Garcia Holmes plan to make formal entries into the race this Sunday.

Former State Treasurer James Lewis has decided against a mayoral run, although he did take a stab at it in 2001. We recall his slogan back then and we think it might be fitting for this year's campaign: "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired of being sick and tired." Amen, James.

TRIPP REPLACEMENT?

Armstrong

Republican insiders are talking about Gail Armstrong, wife of TLC Plumbing company owner Dale Armstrong, as a very strong possibility to replace GOP State Representative and outgoing House Speaker Don Tripp.

Tripp, who loses the speakership as the Dems take over the House, plans to resign his seat before the legislative session begins later this month. His district goes across three counties--Socorro, Valencia and Catron. County Commissioners from those counties will send a list of possible replacements to Gov. Martinez to choose his successor from. Each of those commissions have Republican majorities.

Gail Armstrong, 50, describes herself on Facebook as the "Chief Cook and Bottle Washer" at the family ranch in Magdalena in Socorro County. She is from Datil in Catron County and graduated from Quemado High School.

TLC is based in the city and is one of the contractors for the ART project on Central Avenue. Dale Armstrong has for years been an active contributor to GOP candidates. The Tripp district is ranked safe Republican. The appointee, if they choose, would stand for election in 2018.

JACK STAHL

We take note of the passing of former NM Lieutenant Governor Jack Stahl. He died over the holidays at his ABQ home at the age of 82 after suffering a stroke. He was a major power player in the ABQ real estate industry (Hooten-Stahl) and GOP politics before and after serving as Lt. Governor under Gov. Garrey Carruthers who he was elected with and served one term starting in 1987.

Stahl commanded quiet authority as he presided over the state Senate where he served before becoming the state's second in command. He was also a former member of the NM House and had a stint as NM GOP chairman. He was a Reagan conservative in the 70's and 80's in a town then filled with Republican moderates. His side eventually won, with GOP moderates now an extinct species.

Jack Stahl was a heavyweight business leader during the city's go-go years from the 60's into the 90's. He leaves behind a city trying to regain its footing. His full obituary is here.

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com)

Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2017