Tuesday, February 18, 2020Crack In The Coalition; Sen. Clemente Sanchez Switches On Early Childhood Amendment; "We've Got To Do Something," Faces Primary Foe; Analysis And Context Up Next
The crack occurred with conservative leaning Dem Senator Clemente "Meme" Sanchez of Grants switching his long-held position and voting in the Senate Rules Committee to support a constitutional amendment to tap the state's nearly $20 billion Land Grant Permanent Fund for early childhood programs. As a result of Sanchez’s switch and that of Dem Sen. Bill Tallman of ABQ, who also previously opposed the amendment but does not caucus with the coalition, an amended measure was approved by the full committee.
It was Sanchez’s unexpected switch that packed the punch and could be an important portent of what is coming to New Mexican politics.
The amendment has been defeated for nine years, with the votes of all Senate Republicans combining with those of conservative coalition Democrats. The amendment (HJR1), which again this session passed the full House, still faces long odds for full Senate passage, but first. . . Sanchez is hearing footsteps. He faces a June primary challenge from longtime Dem activist Pam Cordova of Valencia County. And conservative Senators walking out of a Saturday hearing of Senate Rules to deny a quorum when discussing the amendment, didn't help. That ignited a mini-firestorm on social media that Sanchez cited as he announced his switch. The Senator also cited New Mexico's last in the nation ranking in child well-being rankings, repeatedly saying, "We've got to do something." The amendment is a scaled down version. Instead of asking voters that they allow one percent of the Permanent Fund to be diverted annually for early childhood it now asks for half a percent. That would still be over $75 million a year. But if the fund grows as projected the appropriation would be near $100 million in several years when the amendment kicks in, says supporter Allen Sanchez of CHI St. Joseph's. In contrast to the Early Childhood Trust Fund adopted by the legislature this year, a constitutional amendment approved by voters would guarantee annual funding for early childhood while the trust fund could be tapped at any time for other purposes. Also, the trust fund would only provide about $30 million a year. As we said, the amendment still faces a high hurdle in the person of Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith who calls the amendment "irresponsible" and says it would stall the growth of the giant Permanent Fund. The amendment now goes to Smith's committee. But the Clemente crack in the dam puts "Dr. No" in a perilous position. That's based not only on the possibility that a Dem coalition senator or two could be defeated by progressive primary challengers but the R's losing a seat or two. If the coalition is busted the amendment next year could get the one percent and the votes to pass.
(Smith, like Clemente, faces a progressive primary challenger).
The retirement of coalition Senator John Sapien and the prospect of him being replaced with an amendment supporting Democrat also echoed off the Roundhouse walls Monday. Did Senator Sanchez save himself from a primary defeat? At a minimum it deflated his opposition for a while. At its maximum it did save the two term banker/lawmaker. The Sanchez vote comes on the heels of another significant vote from a conservative leaning coalition senator. Dem George Munoz of Gallup did an about face and supported the Red Flag gun law, yet another crack in the coalition that has lately thwarted a more liberal House that now has a huge 46-24 Democratic majority. The footsteps of a new state political order are being seen and heard on the campaign trail and in major policy votes in Santa Fe. How loud will they get? That's the big political story in New Mexico and we're on it like a wet blanket. QUIET OR CROWING? MLG will sign the early childhood trust fund legislation today. She could give a shout out to the constitutional amendment for early childhood. She's been quiet on the amendment this year after suffering defeat last year. Will she put some last-minute pressure on Senate Finance to approve the amendment? Well, what good is the power if you don’t use it? BLAST JOB If, as expected, Smith sits on the amendment in the final hours of the 30 day session that ends Thursday at noon, a rare option could be employed--a senator moving to blast it out of the committee and onto the full Senate floor for a vote. If that happened, it wouldn't be a crack in the coalition, it would be a cannonball through the wall. THE BOTTOM LINES We blogged in a first draft Monday that the McKinley County coal-fired Escalante Generating Station is in the district of Rep. Patricia Lundstrom. It is in the district of Rep. Harry Garcia. McKinley County is Lundstrom's home county. 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 2020 |
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