In this edition of Other Voices we welcome former longtime NM political reporter Steve Terrell who is now putting his considerable talents to work for government watchdog group Common Cause. 

The group is closely following the proposal to raise the state booze tax a quarter a drink in order to cut into the exceptionally high alcohol-related death rate in the state--the worst in the nation. A tiny tax hike was approved at the last session but then MLG stunned supporters by vetoing even that. 

As Terrell writes, because of an exceptionally powerful lobby raising the alcohol tax at the next session in January won't get any easier. 

Here's his column: 

Raising the tax on alcohol in New Mexico will hurt small, locally owned businesses like local brew pubs and wineries and neighborhood bars. And raising those taxes will hurt the tourism industry, which is crucial to New Mexico’s economy.

Lobbyists for the liquor and hospitality industries make these and similar arguments during the New Mexico Legislature any time a bill calling for an alcohol tax increase is discussed. We heard it all again during the 2023 session, in which some legislators unsuccessfully tried to pass a 25-cent-per-drink tax increase on the state’s alcohol excise tax.

But think about it.

If you and a bunch of friends go out and you each were going to have three drinks  — whether at the fanciest restaurant or the darkest little dive bar  — would the fact that it’s going to cost you an extra 75 cents that night really stop your party plans?

Back in 2010 when then-state Rep. Brian Egolf unsuccessfully sponsored a bill that would have raised the alcohol tax, he scoffed at the idea his proposal would hurt tourism.

"How many people look up the tax rate on alcohol before they decide where to go on vacation?" Egolf told a reporter. "You'd have to be the most degenerate alcoholic!"

NEVER A BAD SESSION

A recent report by Common Cause New Mexico – written by former state Sen. Dede Feldman and myself – looks at how the alcohol lobby and its allies have for years been successful in thwarting in any increase in the tax on alcohol.

This despite the fact that the state not only is the highest in the nation for alcohol-related deaths, it’s three times the national average. One in five deaths of working-age New Mexicans between 2017 and 2021 was caused by alcohol consumption, according to state Department of Health statistics.

Our report cited a recent study by the University of New Mexico Department of Economics that showed taxpayers here shell out $2.77 per drink for the health costs of alcohol. These costs include deaths, other health costs, underage drinking, and drinking while pregnant.  But that study suggests this figure probably is low because it doesn’t consider other costs such as domestic violence and traffic accidents.

Just looking at the last decade, Common Cause determined that the alcohol industry spent more than $2.6 million on political activities in New Mexico between 2013 and the spring of 2023. This figure includes:  • Nearly $1.8 million in campaign contributions by industry lobbyists to legislators and statewide candidates
• More than $456,000 spent by industry lobbyists to wine, dine and entertain policymakers
• More than $800,000 in campaign contributions to candidates from alcohol companies, retailers, distributors, breweries, wineries and affiliated individuals.
• More than $180,000 spent by industry PACS and allied organizations, including the New Mexico Restaurant Association.

This industry wisely has hired some of the best-known and best-liked lobbyists to make its case to lawmakers and wisely allowed the owners of small, local brewpubs, wineries and distilleries, rather than large international companies, become the face of their legislative effort.

Alcohol interests don’t provide nearly as much political money as, say, the oil industry in this state. But considering all the failed efforts to increase the tax on their product, the Common Cause report concludes that the industry has never had a bad session in the New Mexico Legislature.

We’ll be interested if they keep this streak going in the upcoming session.

BELOW THE BELT?

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First things first. ABQ District 6 City Council candidate Jeff Hoehn has not been charged with sexual harassment by "multiple women." He does not engage in discrimination" against people of color trying to buy homes" and he certainly did not have to pay a $1.8 billion jury verdict for "inflating the price of homes sales commissions."

Voters receiving the attack mailer from the Real NM Leadership PAC supported by labor unions and others backing Dem Nichole Rogers in her next Tuesday election run-off against Hoehn would know that if they looked below the accusations and read the very fine print that explained how Hoehn came to be associated with the sensational charges. That fine print states:

KRQE and The New York Times have reported on housing discrimination, sexual harassment claims, and price inflation involving the National Association of Realtors.

But most voters in the SE ABQ district are not going to look that far and that raises the question of whether this hit was below the belt. 

Hoehn is supported by the Help ABQ PAC that received money from real estate interests but he does not have any control over what the PAC says or does and he can't stop them from supporting him--although he has not rejected their support.

The hit on Hoehn does say at the top that the charges being leveled are against "Hoehn's biggest backer" but it's the guilt by association headlines next to Hoehn's photo that will grab most voters' attention. So on a below the belt scale of one to ten this one scores an 8. 

In another campaign finance note, we reported exclusively that Hoehn, who bills himself as a "progressive Democrat," accepted a $1,500 contribution from conservative Republican City Councilor Trudy Jones. Hoehn has yet to explain how that doesn't conflict with his self-awarded description of being a progressive Dem.

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Is it time for the ethics lobby to do some navel gazing? Sure seems so. This week--for the tenth year running--the bill to establish an independent ethics commission went down with a whimper. The House passed it but it died in the Senate.

Ethics reform is a cottage industry with groups like Common Cause on the full-time ethics watch.  But after a decade of high-profile political scandals, the frustration over the rejection of the commission is worse than ever. Adding insult to injury this year, even a bill to strip elected officials of their pensions if they are convicted on corruption charges (think Dianna Duran)--is dying a slow death.

You can have 90 percent of the public with you (as a Common Cause poll showed) but if you can't get the legislative leadership on board, you're going nowhere. Obsessing each year over an ethics commission that has no chance of passing may be at the expense of ignoring other ways to get reform. Our Alligators had the commission at the top of their list this year for legislation that was DOA.

Is it time for an ethics reboot, time for another big idea that is not so shopworn and keeps ending up in the legislative graveyard? That's where that navel gazing comes in.

GASSING UP

We saw at ABQ's Costco this week that gas prices there have plunged to $1.27 a gallon. Against that backdrop, increasing the state's gas tax to bail out the state budget may be the most acceptable revenue enhancer. Reader Mark Saavedra (not to be confused with lobbyist Marc) has this take:

Joe –Unless there is a provision made in any proposed gas tax hike that allows for the tax to be rescinded should the cost per gallon of gas rise above $2.50, as an example, then any gas tax hike would become a permanent addition to an already fiscally overburdened consumer. Do your readers actually believe the cost per gallon of gas will remain as low as it is currently? Already, OPEC nations have been discussing ways to reduce the glut of oil in the market by cutting back production to shore up oil prices worldwide. Any action by OPEC and other oil producing nations would surely cause an immediate spike in gas prices here in New Mexico and for the rest of the nation.

If lawmakers are forced into a special session later this year to deal with the state's feeble financial outlook--as a number of insiders suspect they will be--the gas tax could get a serious look. It is one of several measures that the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee has floated.

On the other hand, if the legislature moves to reimpose the tax on food, there will be an intense battle. That tax has the most impact on the lower income brackets who spend a larger percentage of their income on groceries than the higher brackets.

The oil bear market that has been causing so many budget problems in Santa Fe is a mere cub compared to the giant natural gas bear that has been mauling Farmington and the Four Corners:

The Farmington area, which is suffering “extreme economic duress,” had the largest increase in its unemployment rate among 387 metropolitan areas nationwide in 2015. The northwestern New Mexico city saw its unemployment rate rise 2.1 percentage points last year, to 7.3 percent, according to a U.S. Department of Labor report.

San Juan County has been losing population and remains in a world of hurt.

PINTO SUPPORT

Sens. Pinto & Campos

We said this week that it was time for 91 year old State Senator John Pinto to retire his famous potato song and not seek re-election. But fellow Dem Senator Pete Campos says not so fast:

Senator Pinto endorsed me Monday for re-election to the Senate. He has been a mentor, confidant and wise leader. He is a father figure, staunch supporter and bursting at the seams with legislative institutional knowledge. He has the boundless energy, Roundhouse experience and natural prowess of a well-seasoned legislator whom we can all admire. These are not just words but facts! I’ve served with Senator Pinto for 26 years and share his deep passion and optimism to make New Mexico great again. He serves Northwest New Mexico and I serve Northeastern New Mexico, both areas with high Native American and Hispanic populations respectively. As the number one State Senator in Seniority, Senator Pinto’s senate district and the state of New Mexico are well served by his leadership.

Thanks, Pete. We assume that means Pinto will seek another four year term this year. We'll know for sure March 8 when all legislative candidates file for the election.

ROAD WATCH

A reader writes of our coverage of the March 1 Rio Rancho election where voters are being asked to approve a $9 million bond issue to improve roads:

Joe, thanks for calling out (Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg) Hull on the road bond question. It is highly ironic that the tea party types that defeated the last road bond --which would not have required a tax increase--now are required to propose a tax increase. If they had not defeated the last bond question, RR would have had a bond cycle in which bonds rolled over indefinitely to pay for critical infrastructure. Good work, Joe!

Mayor Hull says he personally supports the tax increase but is not taking that stand officially as mayor.

OLD SCHOOL LUNCH

Speaker Sanchez

We got a call from former House Speaker turned lobbyist Raymond Sanchez Tuesday. He asked what we meant when we wrote that Raymond, brother of Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, should "step aside for a moment" so Leader Sanchez could pass a freeze of the latest corporate income tax cut so money could be raised for the cash-strapped state treasury. Raymond said he has no clients regarding that issue. We didn't think he did and our effort at humor may have come up a bit short on that one. . .

When Raymond called he was having lunch with two of the staunchest politicos of La Politica and fellow lobbyists--Steve Anaya and former House Majority Leader Michael Olguin. Those fellas also have famous relatives. In the case of Steve, he's the nephew of former Dem Governor Toney Anaya and in Michael's case it's Buckhorn Tavern owner and brother Bobby Olguin. We're sure the flies on the wall were listening intently to the conversation during that old school lunch. (Olguin picked up the tab but the ex-Speaker let him off light. He ordered soup).

We made a mistake in the first draft of the Tuesday blog when we said the constitutional amendment on bail reform had been approved by both houses and was headed to the voters. It has one more Senate vote to go and then it will be ready for the November ballot.

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AG Balderas

Attorney General Hector Balderas ended the legislative session battling with his own Democratic Party. Two of his staffers stormed out of a Senate committee that was making changes to a child porn bill that were not to the AG's liking and later two AG staffers were escorted off the Senate floor when a Republican Senator objected to them as expert witnesses over the bill. Then the AG told interviewers he was disappointed that the Democratic-controlled Senate did not approve an independent ethics commission and that a bill to revoke the pensions of public officials convicted of felonies was left to die.

Balderas, a possible '18 Dem Guv candidate, has a very frosty relationship with Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez and that was only worsened this session. Not surprisingly, the AG was coming under sniper fire after his office's legislative antics and his comments.

If Balderas is so concerned about ethics, declared a Senate Dem sympathizer, why doesn't he bring charges in the alleged corruption cases that State Auditor Keller forwarded to him dealing with the city of ABQ's purchase of Taser police cameras and possible favoritism in the Taxation and Revenue Department. (The AG  has reportedly brought the Taser deal before a grand jury).

And if he is so concerned about revoking pensions for corrupt public officials, why didn't he get aggressive when he had the chance and move to end the pension of Secretary of State Dianna Duran when she pleaded guilty to corruption charges? (Balderas argued the statute governing the pensions was too vague for him to take action)

Even former Dem Attorney General Patsy Madrid surfaced to criticize the AG staffers for walking out of that committee hearing.“I wouldn’t have done it that way, but I’m not the current AG."

Balderas and attorney Brian Colon, his BFF and a likely candidate for ABQ mayor in 2017, have been know to make overtures to the Republicans as they go about their business. It seems Hector's relationship with the R's may be better right now than the one he has with his own party.

CRAZY, RADICAL OPTIMISTS

The thought expressed here that groups like Common Cause might look for an alternative to an ethics commission after ten years of legislative failure brought this from Heather Ferguson of NM Common Cause:

This year, after a series of high-profile corruption cases, the best ideas from the other 42 states who have ethics commissions were put together along with a constitutional amendment idea that was introduced in the 2015 session by Rep. Zack Cook (R-Ruidoso) and Sen. Peter Wirth, to create HJR 5 sponsored by the tenacious Rep. Jim Dines (R-Abq) and Rep. Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces). A draft of this legislation was emailed to members of the legislature and discussed in meetings with individuals this fall and again this winter by staff of our organization. This isn’t some trite, worn-out idea, it was one that has been shown to work – in 42 other states.

This isn’t some exercise in insanity where we are building a “cottage industry” around trying a failed idea over and over again. When someone states that this idea is “DOA” from the get-go, that does not illustrate the futility of this initiative, but instead shows the hopelessness and apathy for changing “the way things have always been here.” Those hopeless pessimists have lost faith in anyone’s ability for our state to turn itself around after the string of scandals that have garnered our great state unflattering national news coverage. Moreover, those mopey individuals don’t even bother to inspire our elected officials to work to affect the changes our citizens need.

This, “why bother” mentality doesn’t faze the optimists who know our state is better than this and we can show it. . . So yup, all of us Crazy Radical Optimists will be bringing reform back again next year because we know that persistence pays when it’s the right thing to do. 

The ethics commission passed the GOP controlled House but bit the dust in a Dem dominated Senate Committee. So what if the R's take over the Senate this year? Would the ethics commission finally win? Don't bet on it. Senate Minority Leader Stu Ingle would likely become Senate Majority Leader and he is dead-set against the idea.

ENVIRO CORNER

There were some environmental issues in the legislative session, including an extension of the solar tax credit which could not make it out of the gate. Conservation Voters of NM came with a recap of that and other enviro legislation.

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Governor Martinez's approval rating of 55% among registered voters in a poll conducted for NM Common Cause is nothing to sneeze at, but gone are the heady days when she polled well north of 60%.

Pollster Brian Sanderof advises that a poll of "likely" voters--not registered voters--would mean more Republicans would be polled and would probably put Martinez's approval rating a couple points higher, but she is still far below the lofty levels she peaked at.

Martinez peaked in public polling at a hefty 69% in September 2012 in the immediate aftermath of a well-received speech before the Republican national Convention.

Martinez has completed 3 years as Governor and like her predecessors has gradually accumulated baggage. She also faces the challenge of being a Republican in a Democratic state as well as deflecting blame for one of the worst economic stretches in state history.

An incumbent is considered vulnerable when they poll below 50%. This survey shows that the worst is over for the Dems when it comes to Martinez's popularity, but they have their work cut out for them to bring her below 50% and get the '14 Guv race in play.

Still, if the Democratic nomination for Governor traded on the stock exchange at 10 bucks a share and you bought it early last year, today those shares would be worth modestly more.

Since Martinez has not been subjected to any significant paid media attacks in the past 3 years analysts will be watching to see what the first wave of attack ads does to her standing. Are there any hints of a glass jaw or is her support solid?

On the plus side for the Governor in this survey is her 55% approval rating among Hispanics who are predominately Democrats. Also, she scores 61% approval among men, many of whom are Republicans. She also nabs 53% of the independent voters. Dems have an opening with women as only 50% of them approve of Martinez's performance.

The poll was conducted Dec. 20 thru Jan. 2 by Research and Polling which also conducts political polls for the ABQ Journal, a part owner of the firm. This survey was commissioned by Common Cause. The MOE is plus or minus 4.5%.

THE BIG STORIES

Some sensational news stories involving the Governor have erupted since that poll was taken. There's the horrific abuse death of 9 year old Omaree Varela, allegedly at the hands of his mother. That the Governor and her Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD) taking major heat. Then there's this week's school shooting in Roswell where two youngsters were wounded and the story vaulted into the national headlines. More now on both....

Coverage on Omaree continues with journalist Wally Gordon coming with a piece that examines the huge caseloads at CYFD:

Omaree had been on the CYFD radar for four years before he died, and the department had twice opened a file on him, once when his mother went to prison on drug charges and again in 2012 when Omaree showed up at school with wounds he said his mother had inflicted on him. 

Although the governor insisted nobody could have prevented the boy’s death, the former CYFD worker disagrees. CYFD had options, he says, and he doesn’t understand why they were not utilized. He said there needs to be a full investigation of this failure.

The reasons people don’t want to work at CYFD seem to begin with problems of salaries and management but focus even more heavily on the huge caseload. The typical caseload in one office is 30 to 45 clients a month, and many of those are emergency cases that must be resolved within six hours. In other words, the typical case worker has to deal with about two new cases every working day.. . .

Governor Martinez has proposed an additional $600,000 to hire 10 more CYFD social workers, but couldn't the Legislature in its upcoming session easily triple that to $1.8 million and hire 30? With these burdensome caseloads and Omaree's death in the background would government austerity hawks still carry the day? Would Martinez risk vetoing such an increase?

DATELINE ROSWELL

Chief Kassetas

Just as coverage of Omaree's death was winding down, the shooting that wounded two middle school students in Roswell brought us back to the state of the state's children.

The 12 year old shooter apparently came from a family that is well-off, but still that ranking of New Mexico last year as the worst state in the nation for child well-being haunts us each time something like this happens.

The shooting had Governor Martinez and top state law enforcement officials rushing to the Roswell middle school to offer assistance and to take charge of dispersing information.

The NM State Police which has had a dreadful run of public relations in recent years was finally seen in a positive light. That was mainly due to State Police Chief Peter Kassetas, a 20 year veteran of the department, but who only assumed the chief's position last August.

Kassetas offered concise, professional briefings and stood patiently for questions as the national spotlight fell on him. He came across confident, open and informed--key traits to alleviate worry in a panicked public.

With the state police and ABQ police department both surrounded by so much controversy of late, it was a relief to see that the ball was not dropped during this most emotional and tender moment for New Mexico.

OPEN A WHAT?

Ferguson

A newspaper? In this economy? And aren't they supposed to be going the way of the horse and buggy, anyway? Well, hope springs eternal for veteran NM reporter Dan Vukelich and longtime ABQ personal injury attorney Will Ferguson. Vukelich, a stand-out from the old ABQ Tribune, says he will start a new ABQ weekly newspaper and Ferguson says he will provide the financing for the venture--at least $500,000.

Vukelich tells us more about the "ABQ Free Press:"

It's not news, as in chasing events, but analysis, investigative and interpretive reporting. Chasing issues would be a better description. Pieces will be written by paid freelancers who show me they can write with authority. . . We’ll be covering politics, the economy, civil liberties, privacy and things that actually affect the lives of people. . . I have seen the need for a more centrist and inclusive voice in the media in this town.

The paper hopes to hit the street in May. Like the Weekly Alibi, Vukelich says the Free Press will be...well...free.

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The state GOP went down swinging Monday, criticizing the NM Supreme Court for allowing to let stand the new map of the 2nd Congressional District that will soon be the scene of another political brawl between the two major parties. 

After the high court Monday upheld the ruling of a Republican district court judge approving of the new district, the state GOP said: 

The court leaned heavily on the closeness of the last election. Without the specific factor of the previous election that included a popular Republican incumbent and an unknown Democratic challenger, the effects of the (Democratic) entrenchment would be prominent. 

In 2022 Republican US Rep. Yvette Herrell was defeated by a tiny 0.7 percent margin by Dem Gabe Vasquez. The two are now preparing to square off in a 2024 rematch. All major nonpartisan Congress watchers rate that rematch a toss-up, favoring neither party.

The problem with the GOP argument that legislative Democrats gerrymandered their way to power in the southern district is that the Dems only accomplished a partial gerrymander. The legal standard to throw out a map is an "egregious" gerrymander. In other words, essentially the door would have to have been slammed shut on any Republican victory in order for the boundaries to be unconstitutional. 

Those doors were far from shut for Republican Herrell in '22. Now in '24 she is leading Vasquez by a point--46 to 45--in the first public poll of the race. 

The court can't involve itself in the personalities of the day and entertain speculation that a weaker Republican would have no chance. That's political analysis not legal doctrine. The evidence shows Republicans have a very realistic chance of victory. The court has to look for signs of an obviously unfair playing field and make a long-term decision that will stand ten years until the next redistricting.

This new map has now delivered two of the most competitive congressional elections in state history. That's not to say that swapping out parts of the oil counties from the old district and replacing them with sections of ABQ's South Valley doesn't improve Democratic chances. It does. But the law is realistic and allows for political parties to partake in the spoils of victory--just not to gorge themselves at the table.

RULING REACTION

Full GOP reaction statement to Supreme Court ruling is here. Democratic Party reaction here. 

Good government group Common Cause said:

The redistricting process was more accessible and transparent this time, due to the involvement of the Citizen Redistricting Committee, but we can make it better. Common Cause continues to support a truly independent--not advisory--redistricting commission with binding authority.

So how is New Mexico doing? Not so good, according to a polling tidbit found in the latest Common Cause survey on ethics issues:

Just three-in-ten voters--30 percent statewide--believe that things in New Mexico are headed in the right direction, while over half (52%) believe things are off on the wrong track. Eighteen percent did not offer an opinion. Voters in the North Central region (64%) and those with a graduate degree (70%) are more likely to say things are off on the wrong track.

The poll, conducted by Research and Polling, asked 495 registered voters for their thoughts.

Gov. Martinez's approval rating in the SurveyUSA conducted last last year was 36 percent, a bit above the small minority of 30 percent who think the state is headed down the right path.

And where are people finding out about New Mexico politics and the legislature? Well, a good chunk of them rely on websites like yer little 'ol blog. Twenty percent of the poll's respondents say they are blog readers. Of course, the mainstream media dominated with 58% relying on TV news for political info, 50% on newspapers and 32% on social media like Twitter and Facebook. The poll broke it down this way:

Two-thirds of voters age 50 and over say they rely on television to get their information about New Mexico politics and the state legislature compared to 49% of those under the age of 50. Nearly half of voters under the age of 35 and 39% of those between the ages of 35 and 49 say they get their information from social media.  Seniors (63%) are most apt to say they get their information from newspapers.

SPEAKING OF NEWSPAPERS. . . 

There's a new boss at the state's largest. Karen Moses, 61, who has been at the ABQ Journal for 35 years, takes over as editor of the paper this week as Kent Waltz, 66, who has held the post for 22 years, retires and becomes a senior editor.

The Journal has been undergoing significant belt-tightening in recent years as it fights the digital encroachment into print which continues to die a slow and painful death. The Journal's older readership combined with a tight economy are major challenges. Some see the paper in the years ahead reducing its seven day a week print schedule to perhaps four or five.

Others wonder if the new editor, in a move to build readership, will veer away from the agenda driven journalism that has put the paper squarely and somewhat unabashedly in the corner of Republican Governor Martinez and Republican ABQ Mayor Berry. That has caused many Democrats and independents to steer clear of it. It's not likely the conservative publisher is going to allow a major tonal change but Moses could do some welcome tweaks.

The paper's abandonment of adversarial journalism could haunt them in the months ahead as creepy crawlers that have been hiding under the Martinez-Berry carpets start surfacing as they usually do in the final years of administrations. As they do, the question will be asked: "Where was the Journal?"

Still, as the Common Cause survey shows, with more than half the public now getting political news from blogs and other social media, there is less reliance on the mainstream media. And, unfortunately for the Journal, that also applies to advertising.

Those of us involved in public affairs all want a healthy, vibrant and balanced daily newspaper but when journalism presented as objective reality is actually being shaped to bolster a particular political agenda the product becomes less valuable and relevant.

THE BOTTOM LINES

Senator Martin Heinrich gave a speech to the state House and Senate Monday:

It is long past time to put our Permanent Fund to work for early childhood education. . . Inaction is moral failure for a state with the third largest permanent fund ($15 billion) in the country and far too many children who show up to their first day of kindergarten without the skills they need to succeed. . . A failure to invest in early childhood education compounds the problem of poverty we all know must be addressed. 
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Secretary Chu
Mr. and Mrs. New Mexico, already watching their economy battered by the energy price crash, the real estate and stock market busts plus ever-rising unemployment, could take no comfort from the first NM visit by new Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. He offered no assurances that the backbone of the state's economy--Sandia and Los Alamos Labs--will go unscathed in the budget battle waiting to commence on Capitol Hill in only a few short months.

Chu sported a sunny, but ambiguous disposition during his Thursday and Friday visits to Los Alamos and Sandia, offering the headline that the core mission of the labs--maintaining the safety and reliability of the nation's nuclear stockpile--will remain job one for the giant facilities. However, as we used to say back in our newsroom days, "He buried the lead."

That lead is the intense argument at the top echelons of the US Government over funding of the national labs. Only a day before Chu arrived in New Mexico one of the first public shots over future funding was fired by Deputy US Secretary of State James Steinberg. He sent chills down NM's economic backbone when he mused out loud at a Boston conference about how money for Los Alamos and Sandia could be diverted to beefen up the arms control bureaucracy. It doesn't sound like a pipe dream, either. After all, our new President is calling for the eradication of all nuclear weapons, not building more of them for the national labs to safeguard.

CHUING IT OVER

Yes, Dr. Chu gave the new party line about "diversifying" the labs' mission into such things as global climate change so they could survive in this new world order, but even he seemed to sense the long shot odds of such new programs replacing a gutted weapons budget. From the AP:

Chu said his biggest fear is that the nation won't realize the importance of having the labs work on research outside nuclear weapons and security. Not doing other research, he said, would ignore "an incredible resource for the country."

You got that right, Mr. Secretary. There are plenty of senators and congressmen who could give a hoot about diversifying the labs. They want our loot after enviously watching for decades while it was stockpiled by then-Senator Pete Domenici. And don't forget the left-wing of the Democratic Party. They have some new found membership in the Congress and the Administration and have never been gun-ho over funding the labs.

Sandia's huge economic impact on the ABQ metro area seems more like a threat than a boast in this environment where the wheels seem to come off something with disconcerting regularity. The lab says on its Web site that it employed over 7,000 and had a $500 million payroll in 2008. The total budget is about $2.249 billion. (Sandia's budget was flat for fiscal year 2009). That gargantuan payroll--plus cash to contractors--is to Albuquerque what blood is to Dracula. If the worst occurs, it seems we won't get sucked dry all at once, but the slow bleed--like the one already underway at Los Alamos---appears to be on the table.

It is New Mexico's chief conundrum: How does its five member congressional delegation keep the nuclear weapons labs fully funded even as we reduce nuclear weapons?

SOLACE IN SOLAR

After Dr. Chu's abstruse Duke City appearance, perhaps our Daily Trumpeter was justified in looking for some relief by blaring across its front pages the news that ABQ is in line for 225 solar energy jobs. This was touted as a sprouting of the "green" economy, but there may be a problem--the Greens may not be playing in the garden.

Not that they don't love solar jobs and all that cool stuff. But the Bernalillo County Commission, as part of its package of "incentives" to attract Solar Energy Ventures, promised it would float a $15 million revenue bond backed by "environmental gross-receipts" to build a water and sewer line to the facility to be located way out on the West Mesa. Who else would use that line? (Answer: More people.) Making the greens turn more green was the tidbit that a portion of the land that the solar panel manufacturer could occupy in the future could be land owned by developer SunCal. That's the dreaded arch foe of the greens who they see as the progenitor of more urban sprawl but whose supporters see as providing a responsible template for the future.

And who was a key player in attracting the new company?. How about outgoing Bernalillo County Commission Chairwoman Deanna Archuleta who has confirmed that she'll become the assistant secretary for land and science in the Obama Interior Department. She is also a manager for the the Wilderness Society.

DIP IT, DIP IT GOOD

Bill vetoes the bill to restrain the government double-dippers and they are off and running again in Rio Rancho. John Castilllo, who left the city of ABQ when Mayor Chavez said no more double-dipping starting at year's end, has landed a plum post with the city of Rio Rancho courtesy of City Manager James Jimenez, Mayor Tom Swisstack and a compliant city council. Castillo's pay? $102,000 a year. Pension? $5800 a month. The total? $171,600.

Santa Fe State Rep. Lucky Varela's bill would have made most government employees wait one year before they returned to work--not 90 days--and restricting them to making $30,000 a year or be forced to give up their pensions. Double-dipping may not be illegal, but critics say it is unethical because it violates the original intent of the retiree plan. Not only that. The double-dippers don't pay into PERA--the state employees retirement fund--making the state pay their contributions. But hey, let's party like it's 1999. Only it isn't. Richardson had a tin ear on this one as well as his eye on the 2010 election ballot--he isn't on it.

OGLING OGLE

Former ABQ GOP State Rep. Rory Ogle put the needle in the liberals here Friday when he opined that the indictment of Public Regulation Commissioner Jerome Block over alleged misuse of the public financing he used for his 2008 election campaign demonstrates that public financing encourages corruption, not discourages it. Steven Allen of NM Common Cause
was quick to fire back:

...Public financing is the best way to eliminate the unfair influence—or appearance of such influence—that large campaign contributions can have on policy making. In Block’s case, it looks pretty clear that he tried to abuse the system. Last year, Common Cause urged the Secretary of State to investigate and punish him if the allegations turned out to be true. Appropriately, he was fined....The public financing law specifically states that if a person ‘willfully or knowingly violates’ the provisions of this law, they’re guilty of a fourth-degree felony and they ‘shall return to the fund all money distributed’ to them. (Sec. 1-19A-17). If Block did this, then the result of this case must be the return of the public funds he received from the state of New Mexico.”

MOVING ALONG
Rep. Teague
Bill Gomez, the district director for Dem southern Congressman Harry Teague, is apparently the first high-profile casualty among the state's new congressional members. Insiders report Gomez of Las Cruces "was not a good fit" for Teague. The search is on for a replacement so get your resumes in.

This won't be the last of the staff shuffling. It will take time for the state's three brand new congressman to get a feel for what works for them. Turf battles between district directors and the DC chiefs of staff are not uncommon and staffers often stay on the Hill for only a year or two to bolster their resumes before heading to higher-paying private sector jobs. And don't forget the congressional wives. Don't get along with a Rep's better half? You may find her opinion of you is more important than that of the boss.

ABQ Dem US Rep. Heinrich gave a speech recently in which he commented on the history of clashes between district directors and their DC bosses:

Unlike many representatives, he decided to have more staff in his Albuquerque office than his D.C. office because he wanted people on the ground for constituent services. The 1st District might be the smallest congressional district (geographically) in the state, but it’s one of the larger districts (based on population) nationally. So, he has staff people assigned by geography and by issues.

“I’ve seen the corrosive impact some congresspeople fall into with the D.C. and local staff who rub each other the wrong way and who compete,” he said. “That’s bad for constituent services.”

Point taken. But a healthy competition that doesn't get out of hand can be helpful to one interest--the voters who put the congressmen in office.

THE BOTTOM LINES

We thought reader Greg Lennes of Las Cruces incorporated the titles of all of actor Val Kilmer's movies in his tongue-in-cheek analysis of Val's possible 2010 NM Guv run, but apparently not. From a Santa Fe reader:

Although a gifted actor, immortalizing a dead rock star is unlikely to prepare Kilmer for politicking his way through “The Doors” on the fourth floor of the Capitol. Perhaps, the erstwhile actor should spend more time under a “Willow” pondering his future in public office.

E-mail your news and comments.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2009
Not for reproduction without permission of the author

Advocates for city ballot proposition "Democracy Dollars" report "in-kind" contributions of tens of thousands of dollars in staff time. The coalition pushing the proposal includes Common Cause NM and the NM Working Families Party. They have also been hitting the mailboxes trying to educate and persuade voters. A recent mailer is posted here.

Democracy Dollars (DD) would give each eligible voter--not only registered voters--a voucher worth $25 that they in turn could donate to any candidate who has qualified for public financing. One idea behind it is to try to bolster the publicly financed candidates in races with those receiving robust private financing.

It's a tough sell because campaign money floods into elections in the form of outside PACS which are lightly regulated and can freely spend what they want. That means DD would be trying to  catch up to a pile of seemingly unlimited campaign money. Still, Common Case believes it's worth a try:

A review of donations from individuals to mayoral and city council races in 2017 shows that those who contribute to campaigns. . .  do not reflect Albuquerque’s diverse population. Instead, the donor class is whiter, older, and higher-income than the general population. As a result, people of color, young people, and middle- and working-class residents are underrepresented in the city’s politics and policies. Our elections are fairer—and our democracy works better—when politicians listen to the entire public instead of only to a few, unrepresentative big donors.

At first blush Democracy Dollars is not easy to understand. That leads Dem political consultant Sisto Abeyta, who is not an ally of the progressive Dems leading the effort for DD,  to believe it will be defeated at the November 5 election:

Agree of disagree, it is hard to understand without considerable voter education. Most of the voters confronted with this will vote no, not necessarily because they don't like the idea, but because they don't understand it or never head of it. 

Critics say some voters will turn thumbs down because of the possibility of fraud with the hundreds of thousands of $25 vouchers that would be distributed. It's another interesting issue to watch on Election Night.

BENTON AND QUINTERO

As expected, the battle for the District 2 ABQ city council seat has narrowed to Councilor Ike Benton and Zack Quintero, his chief challenger in the six person race. Quintero, making his first run for office at 29, was ridiculed in a mailer financed by an independent group and posted here last week. Quintero backers were none too happy. Here's one that we heard from:

Joe: The mailer going after Quintero was more humorous than effective. Voters understand the attempt to wordsmith a job description versus Ike's record of voting for A. R. T., the closing of businesses and the rampant crime in District 2. The so-called "progressive PAC" responsible for the Zach attack needs to up their game to be taken seriously. Benton is making a last ditch effort to stave off a run off but many folks are hearing from him for the first time in his long tenure on the council. The race is about getting a new set of eyes for the district. This is the opportunity for a new generation of leadership with a long term vested interest in the future of the city. 

If Benton can't make it to 50 percent Nov. 5  he will face a Dec. 10 run-off election for the Downton/Barelas/N. Valley district with the second place finisher. That would likely be Quintero.

BEATEN BONDS

Bond issues are rarely defeated in ABQ elections, but former GOP BernCo County Commissioner Michael Wiener thinks we could see that rarity this election:

I honestly feel quite a few of the bond issues will be voted down. I have spoken to many friends and neighbors and they tell me they voted against the bonds to send a loud message to City Hall. There appears to be a lot of unrest and unhappiness over increasing crime, the outrageous number of stolen cars, proliferation of homeless panhandlers, rising tax bills and the overall direction Albuquerque is heading. (You heard it here first).

We'll see soon enough if Wiener, a former ABQ city councilor who once represented the NE Heights, is mainly getting blowback from fellow Rs or whether that discontent has seeped into the Dem column.

Mayor Berry prides himself on being a solid money manager and fiscal conservative but with the police department drama costing us millions in lawsuit settlements--nearly $25 million since 2010--do those labels hold up under close examination?

The city will soon add $2 a month to your garbage bill and water bills are set to go up another $3 a month. That's $5 a month or $60 a year for all homeowners.

What if we only had to pay out $5 million in lawsuit cash instead of $25 million? Could we have used those funds to forestall these rate increases? Sure seems that way. And would not a true fiscal conservative get in front of the APD runaway train and stop it before it cost taxpayers so much?

And get ready for it to get much worse. With another three fatal police shootings in the past five weeks drawing close scrutiny, the lawyers are lining up.

We think it's making these kinds of connections that keeps blogging so relevant to our community. . .

TIME TRAVEL

Campaign '14 is doing some time travel.....

Among the Dem candidates for Governor Alan Webber has the most cash in the bank so it's not a stunner that the camp of Governor Martinez has him in their sights. They've been shopping a story about how Mark Rudd, a long ago (very long ago) member of the radical group Weather Underground has given a donation to Webber and let his house be used for a Webber fund-raiser.

Rudd also gave a donation--$250--to Dem Guv hopeful Howie Morales. Rudd also gave donations to Dem State Auditor candidate Tim Keller and Dem Sec. of State candidate Maggie Toulouse Oliver (more on that below).

Rudd long ago denounced his ties to the Weather Underground and its call for the violent overthrow of the US government that was heard in the din of the 60's Vietnam protests. He has lived a quiet life in ABQ since 1978, retiring as a math instructor from CNM, not exactly conjuring up the image of a terrorist about to fly a plane into the Roundhouse. Of course,  the GOP portraying Rudd as a terrorist implies that Webber is an extreme leftie not fit to be governor.

SHIFTING GEARS

The Martinez camp is happy to shift the political conversation away from those controversial leaked audio tapes of Martinez in 2010. In them her top campaign aide Mark Kennicott refers to former House Speaker Lujan as a "fucking retard."

We're hearing from both R's and D's that Martinez erred by not quickly apologizing for that comment and others that ruffled feathers and them moved on. Without an apology there is the potential for TV spots and more backlash. (We are also being told by our Alligators that there is a good chance we will be hearing more leaked audio tapes of Martinez in the days ahead).

Meanwhile, Webber, who along with the rest of the Dem candidates have been tiptoeing ever so quietly through this campaign may be getting the hint that the best defense against the Martinez assault is a strong offense. Otherwise, they are going to be defined (and maybe defamed) before the Fourth Of July fireworks are fired off.

NEED A POLL

Martinez is the only Guv candidate up with TV ads and they should serve to contain possible damage caused by the leaked audio tapes. But they have made the snoozy primary season more interesting, Whether they are having any impact on her approval ratings remains to be seen.

A Common Cause December poll had her approval rating among registered voters at 55%. A late March PPP poll had her approval rating at 52% positive and 40% negative. Not bad, but no longer in the stratosphere. We await new polling.

NOT IMPRESSED

It was KRQE-TV that first bit on the Rudd-Webber story, but veteran ABQ Journal reporter Mike Gallagher was not impressed. He said on his Twitter account @MgallagherMike:

"Isn't there a statute of limitations on relevancy?" Voters will have to look him up in Wikipedia
to know who he once was."

Slate magazine came with this defense of the Santa Fe businessman who has loaned his campaign some $450,000:

The TV version of the report is even rougher—Rudd is introduced as a "well-known American terrorist." But all Weather Underground members are not Bill Ayers. KRQE blithely notes that Rudd had criticized the group "in recent years." He'd been doing that since 1990, at least. Rudd has long been the most apologetic of the Weather Underground's leaders, a fact not lost on his peers (Bill Ayers doesn't even mention him in his memoir.

ALLIGATOR ANALYSIS

One of our Dem Alligators has this insightful take on the battering of Webber by the Martinez operatives:

This hit on Webber is an indication of what's to come. People sometimes forget that this is a low turnout off-year election. Republicans are out to motivate their base and grab some independent men. They will attempt to define Webber early as ultra-liberal.

And What do all the probably Dem statewide candidates (besides AG hopeful Hector Balderas) have in common? They are white and they are liberal. If Webber is the Guv nominee and  Martinez can define him early and end her race early, Republican operatives will move to take down Auditor candidate Tim Keller and Sec. of State contender Maggie Toulouse and maybe some more.

THE GLOBAL DETECTIVE

Webber

Did you know? Alan Webber fancies himself  "The Global Detective." A description of a book by that name that Webber authored is on Amazon:

Meet Alan Webber, aka The Global Detective. If you've ever wondered how business is changing, where you can find new thinking and innovative start-ups, if you're troubled by global competition or have a hard time making sense of this next generation of young people in the work place, you've come to the right place. The Global Detective is on the case.

Hmmm. The Global Detective hooks up with Mark Rudd.

Governor Martinez, we may have something here for you. . .

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2014. Not for reproduction without permission of the author