Already a Drain on the Budget

It sure didn't take long for Spaceport America to start costing taxpayers more than originally promised. Governor Bill Richardson's generous gift to British billionaire, Sir Richard Branson, is the gift that just keeps on giving.

Last year, Governor Richardson spent $100 million of our hard earned tax dollars on a billionaire's dream instead of new schools for our children. This year, he wants to to take 10% of the state's road budget and build a nice ramp for Sir Branson. This is on top of the increased local gross receipts tax being trust upon Southern New Mexicans.

Oh yeah, this trip just keeps getting better.

How NOT to Plan for a Budget Shortfall

According to a Journal article back in January (subscription):

On balance, the city needs about $22 million in cuts, additional carryover or revenue, according to the report. That's the equivalent of 4.5 percent of the projected spending.

Chief Administrative Officer Bruce Perlman said the city will be able to come up with the money and is looking at ways to cut expenses in the current year.

"We're scrutinizing hiring very carefully," and departments have been told that their budget requests for next year should not call for net increases, except in critical areas such as public safety, Perlman said.

He said the city is hoping for additional economic growth that will provide tax revenue.

Perlman said revenue is difficult to forecast precisely. "It is not an exact science. It's like meteorology: '20 percent chance of snow.' It's not a certainty." [Hat tip: Eye on Albuquerque]

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it scary that the Chief Administrative Officer for Albuquerque is comparing revenue forecasting to meteorology? I wonder how many businesses could survive if they operated under the same premises. And this is the administration that wants to run our schools? But, I digress.

Here's the thing, I'm trying to figure out how with a $22 million shortfall, this is even close to a priority (subscription):

The city's plan to install a 210-foot reflecting pool at the Albuquerque International Balloon Museum isn't holding water with some folks.

Critics say the money would be better spent on permanent restrooms and other infrastructure at Balloon Fiesta Park, and question how much water the 18- to 36-inch-deep pool and fountains would use.

"Evaporation is a huge problem," said City Councilor Michael Cadigan, who calls the reflecting pool an "evaporating pool."

"You might as well run water down the street," he said.

Proponents of the estimated $2.5 million project, which would include the pool, a park on the north side of the museum and landscaping between the museum and the Balloon Fiesta Park, say the area would be open to the public year-round.

Wait a minute. What I'm thinking? The city is probably counting on the pennies that people will throw into the reflection pool as a key component of that "hoped for economic growth."

Public Financing of Statewide Campaigns

Yesterday, the House voted to pass HB818, Public Financing of Statewide Campaigns. I was up in Santa Fe on business, so I had a chance to wander over to the Roundhouse and listen to some of the debate that took place on this bill.

Specifically, I caught Minority Whip Dan Foley make some very solid points against the bill. Points like, and I paraphrase:

1. Public financing means that any hate monger can run for office and get their message pounded home at taxpayer expense.
   
   
2. The bill gives unchecked power to the Secretary of State to determine who does and who does not qualify for public funding. Leading to the potential for more, not less corruption.
   

Others also spoke out including Representative Kathy McCoy, who made the point of correcting Speaker Ben Lujan's assertion that the bill had been unanimously endorsed by the ethics task force created by Governor Bill Richardson.

Just What Exactly Have I Been Doing?

In October of 2000, Roxanne, the kids and I moved to New Mexico. As is mentioned in the "About Me" section on the right hand side of this blog, we moved here to be near family. We were married in New Mexico in 1995, but continued living in California until a job opportunity opened here.

That job opportunity was to serve as the President of Junior Achievement of New Mexico (JANM), and what an opportunity it was! It was truly amazing to get paid to work with business and community leaders, as well as parents, volunteers and educators to teach students to value and understand business, economics and the free enterprise system, which is a cornerstone of our Democracy.

During my tenure, between November 1, 2000 and July 31, 2004, I worked with extraordinary people throughout the state to build the organization from reaching approximately 7,000 students a year to reaching over 14,000 students every year. The efforts of our ever-growing number of volunteers and sponsors garnered national attention. But more importantly, it achieved local goals.

It was my six years with JA (two in CA and four in NM) that taught me a lot about building and running a volunteer driven, privately funded, mission focused organization - much like the Bernalillo County GOP.

My time as a paid staff person with JA came to an end in July of 2004. At that point, I had come to the conclusion that I would rather be in a position to donate my time and money to various organizations and causes than to work as a paid employee. So, I launched a business venture three years ago, but to this day, I still continue to volunteer in New Mexico classrooms for JA, as well as donate money and time to this and other very worthwhile causes.

Below is a partial list of my political activities since arriving in New Mexico:

• Heather Wilson for Congress, Finance Committee 2005 - 2006
• Member of the NM Delegation to 2004 Republican National Convention
• Bernalillo County Small Business Coalition Chairman, Bush/Cheney 2004
• Appointed by the U.S. Treasury Secretary and the IRS Commissioner to be New Mexico's representative on the National Taxpayer Advocacy Panel 2002 - 2005
• Chairman of Small Business E-filing Committee
• Vice-chairman of the Region 6 Committee (representing the West)
• Member of the Executive Committee
• 2004 Candidate for State Representative, House District 22
• Political Blogger 2004 - present
  

And some other community commitments:

• AYSO Soccer Coach 2004 - Present
• Albuquerque Del Norte Rotary Club 2001 - Present
• United Way Young Leaders Society
• Association of Commerce and Industry
• Vice-chair of the Education Committee 2002-2004
• Member of the Taxation, Economic Development and Education Committees 2006-07
• Middle Rio Grande Business Education Collaborative 2002-2004
• New Mexico Business Roundtable for Educational Excellence
• 2004 NM Business Weekly 40 Under 40
• March of Dimes, Walk-a-thon Fundraising Committee 2005
• Popejoy Hall's Primavera Ball, Marketing Committee 2006 - Present

This is by no means a complete list of all the activities I've been involved in over the last six and a half years in New Mexico. However, I think it provides a good indication of the level of my commitment to our community, our state and our future.

Where to Spend All the Money?

The legislative session is more than half over, and it is always amusing to see where our legislators think our tax dollars should be spent:

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS TO ATTEND SEMIPROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL GAMES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. APPROPRIATION.--One hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the public education department for expenditure in fiscal year 2008 to purchase and distribute tickets to school students for semiprofessional basketball games. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2008 shall revert to the general fund.

I like a good basketball game as much as the next guy, but isn't this a little silly? Exactly who asked for this legislation, Tingley Colosseum, Albuquerque ThunderbirdIs, or the schools. And Mayor Martin Chavez wants to build an arena where and for how much? I wonder how much we'll have to appropriate to send school children to that arena.

Remove the Veil of Secrecy

Heath Haussamen has a post on opening the legislative conference committee meetings to the public that is worth reading.

It's Official - I'm Running

With the encouragement of my family and friends, colleagues and grassroot activists, I've decided to run for Chairman of the Bernalillo County GOP. Over and over again, I've heard from folks that a new generation of political activists must stand up and give their time and energy to continue moving our party forward and to build on the efforts of those who have already selflessly served.

Any volunteer driven organization that wants to grow needs a constant infusion of new people, fresh ideas and unbridled enthusiasm . It is my firm belief that it should never be in with the new and out with old. Instead, those who are already involved should be kept engaged, so that an organization and new leadership can take advantage of the invaluable knowledge that only experience can provide.

I'll write more over the weekend and the coming weeks about my motivation for running, my qualifications for leading, and my plans for moving the Bernalillo County GOP forward, but for now, here is the information to get on your calendar:

It was determined by the Bernalillo County Republican Party Executive Officers that the location, date, and time of the 2007 Bernalillo County Republican Party Ward/Precinct Caucuses, Central Committee Meeting, and Biennial Organizational County Convention will be:

Albuquerque Fraternal Order of Police Lodge
Sunday March 18, 2007
2:00pm-5:00pm
5900 Jefferson St NE Albuquerque, NM 87109

If you'd like to talk to me about helping out with my campaign, becoming active in your Ward or being added to the growing list of those endorsing me, please email me at ClearThinking@gmail.com or call me at 401-2010.

Eminent Domain Redux

You probably remember how eminent domain legislation sailed through committees last year and was unanimously presented to Governor Richardson to sign into law - only to be vetoed. You remember that, right?

Then chances are that you will also recall that Bill Richardson was one of only two Governor's to veto this type of legislation. And, of course, no one can forget that he tried to divert attention to his support for continuing eminent domain by convening - yes, you guessed it - another task force.

Well, the rubber is going to meet the road this year for Governor Bill Richardson. Continuing his Kelo loving ways is just not going to play well on the national campaign trail. And there is just no way he is going to be able to turn his back on one of the few hot issues actually alive and well in the Legislature this year.

According to one press release from the Institute for Justice, the House Judiciary Committee was supposed to consider several eminent domain bills when it met today including one standout:

Among the most important legislation the Legislature will consider is House Bill 393, which would remove the power of eminent domain from New Mexico’s Metropolitan Redevelopment Code.

“HB 393 would in no way affect cities’ ability to use eminent domain for traditional public uses, such as the construction of roads, or to protect the public’s health and safety,” explained Jennifer Perkins, a staff attorney at the Institute for Justice who testified several times before the Task Force. The Institute for Justice litigated the Kelo case before the U.S. Supreme Court and the organization has been leading the nationwide effort to reform eminent domain laws. “Cities could no longer, however, seize entire neighborhoods only to hand the property over to a private developer for the purpose of private economic development. The bill would no longer allow them to justify a massive taking on the fact that one small street needs widening.”

Let's hope this legislation moves as swiftly as last year's. If so, I don't see any way for the Governor not to sign it this go around.

UPDATE/CORRECTION: Received this update and correction from Jennifer Perkins at the Institute for Justice and forgot to post it:

By way of update, apparently the committee discussed legislation last night and Chairman Al Park has now decided they should somehow work to combine the various bills. So there's been no vote yet, and the committee will take the issue up again next Wednesday (apparently).

I'll keep you posted if I hear any updates, but I'm not sure this is a good sign.

Oh, one other thing. Technically, three Governors vetoed eminent domain legislation last year: Arizona, Iowa and New Mexico. In Iowa, the legislature came back in for a special session and overrode the veto; in Arizona, the citizens passed a fairly sweeping ballot initiative last November to solve the problem. So New Mexico's the only one remaining where the Governor stood in the way of reform and nothing has yet changed that...

The Right and Wrong Reasons

I support the death penalty. Yesterday, the New Mexico House of Representatives voted to repeal the death penalty. I don't hold it against those who voted for the repeal because I believe that this is one issue on which the individual must vote based on personal values.

With that said, I find the excerpt below to be an interesting illustration of the difference between Democratic and Republican values when it comes making an important decision:

Chasey said she hopes to persuade Richardson that opposing the death penalty would enhance his international stature. She also said signing a repeal bill could “distinguish” him in the Democratic primary. Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia Center for Politics made a similar statement in a recent interview.

During the hourlong House floor debate, Republican Whip Dan Foley of Roswell pointed out that since 1960, New Mexico has executed only one person — child rapist and killer Terry Clark of Artesia. Clark was lethally injected in November 2001 for the murder of 9-year-old Dena Lynn Gore of Artesia.

“The system in New Mexico is working,” Foley said. “We have been very cautious, very careful.”

Republican Representative Foley is clearly and thoughtfully evaluating the merits of continuing the death penalty on the performance of the system to date. By contrast, Democratic Representative Chasey is making the argument that Governor Bill Richardson should abandon his stated values, he is on record as supporting the death penalty, for political gain.

There are many good reasons to support or oppose the death penalty; however, neither "enhancing international status" nor "distinguishing oneself in the Democratic primary" qualify as good reasons. The fact that Representative Chasey would put these forth as motivating factors for the Governor says one of two things:

1) Representative Chasey believes political gain trumps personal values when it comes to making a decision.

AND/OR

2) Representative Chasey thinks that the easiest way to persuade Governor Richardson to abandon his values is to demonstrate political gain.

Either way, it's pretty sad.

Just Doesn't Seem Just

Back in college, I worked for about eight weeks as a bartender to fill in for a friend of mine who was off making his student film. It was in the East Village in New York City, so it was an interesting experience to say the least. DWI was not a problem because just about everyone was walking or taking public transportation when they stumbled out of the bar in the wee hours of the morning - last call was close to 5:00 a.m.

Keeping that experience in mind, I find this to be very troubling:

The state began focusing on bars because studies show that about half the people arrested for drunk driving recently left a licensed liquor-serving establishment, Alcohol and Gaming Division director Gary Tomada said.

But often, citations are issued in cases that don't involve drunken driving or any other kind of illegal behavior by drinkers [emphasis added].

I strongly recommend you read the whole article in the link above. The gist of it is that:

1. no law was broken
2. the agents confirmed that the individual in question had a designated driver
3. the bartender is looking at up to a $1,000 fine, and/or a $2,000 legal bill

This is worth repeating, "no illegal behavior by the drinker occurred." Something is terribly wrong with the way that this playing out. There is absolutely no way for a bartender to determine that an individual who walked in off the street and ordered their first drink is already drunk.

These citations need to stop.

Beating the Cameras

Just found a new ABQ blog, check out it out here.

Looks Like a Duck, Smells Like a Duck

It's getting worse. First, in clear disregard of state law, Governor Bill Richardson sent out an email blast to 300,000 people asking for their financial support. This may be legal - the Attorney General recently weighed in - but it is doubtful whether it can be considered ethical. Worse, it seems to make a mockery of the proposed ethics legislation currently being considered.

Now, we have this (subscription):

The Washington Post in a political blog entry reported that the Dozoretzes hosted a "fundraising event" for Richardson on Friday and noted the couple has been chummy with the Clintons in the past.

The blog didn't point out that Ron Dozoretz has major business interests in New Mexico.

He runs the parent company of ValueOptions, which last fiscal year oversaw $300 million in mental health and substance abuse services under contract with New Mexico state government.

Richardson presidential campaign spokesman Pahl Shipley said the event was a "meet-and-greet" and not a fundraiser, adding he didn't know if anyone wrote checks to the Richardson camp.

Which raises the question... which is more unethical:

1. The fact that Bill Richardson is unquestionably raising money from those with business before the legislature during a legislation session.
   
   OR
   
   
2. A campaign spokesman who says, "he didn't know if anyone wrote a check."

I'm thinking #1 is unethical, and #2 is just plain insulting.

A Paycheck By Any Other Name

A paycheck is a paycheck. You can call it something else (subscription), but it is still a paycheck:

The measures would give each New Mexico lawmaker $16,000 a year for legislative expenses, establish an independent ethics commission that could recommend disciplinary action, and place limits on gifts and campaign contributions to state public officials and political candidates.

It is ironic that ethics legislation would begin by doing something that is contrary to the state constitution:

Sec. 10. [Compensation of members.]

Each member of the legislature shall receive:

A. per diem at the internal revenue service per diem rate for the city of Santa Fe for each day's attendance during each session of the legislature and the internal revenue service standard mileage rate for each mile traveled in going to and returning from the seat of government by the usual traveled route, once each session as defined by Article 4, Section 5 of this constitution;

B. per diem expense and mileage at the same rates as provided in Subsection A of this section for service at meetings required by legislative committees established by the legislature to meet in the interim between sessions; and

C. no other compensation, perquisite or allowance. (As amended November 7, 1944, September 15, 1953, November 2, 1971, November 2, 1982 and November 5, 1996.)

And here I thought only the people could vote on changes to the constitution. Oh well, I guess once the legislature decided that big retirement bonuses were ok, it was only a matter of time before they pushed for paychecks.

Interesting Straw Poll

I've told candidate after candidate that they should consider blogging. This is especially true if they are the financial underdog. Usually, my advice falls on deaf ears. Governor Richardson is not one of those candidates whom I've advised. However, he has fully embraced the blogosphere, and it will be interesting to see what impact, if any, that has in the Democratic Primary.

As near as I can tell, Governor Richardson's name ID is not where he needs it to be on an a national scale, but this straw poll (hat tip reader KJF) would seem to indicate that he is either:

1. doing very well with political junkies.

OR

2. already has an active base in the blogging world.

My guess is that it is a little of both. I'll be tracking the poll in the coming months, and will probably add the widget to my site when it becomes available.

In Case You Missed It

Governor Richardson's questionable fundraising activity got quite a bit of ink last week in the Albuquerque Journal (subscription). It was first discussed by the Wednesday Morning QB here, with my two cents added here. Then, I had a chance to discuss it when I was on the Insight New Mexico program. If you missed that show, you can download the podcast here.

Parents Should Have Rights

If the school nurse wants to give your kids an aspirin, you need to give them permission. If your kids are truant from school, you can be taken to court and held personally responsible. However, if your teenage child wants to get an abortion, the state's current position is that you don't have the right to know. There is something wrong with this, and according to Steve Terrell, at least one legislator is trying to do something to rectify the situation:

The [House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee] panel is scheduled to discuss abortion (the parental-notification bill, House Bill 239, which would require abortion doctors to notify parents of teenage girls seeking abortions, sponsored by Rep. Larry Larranaga, R-Albuquerque).

It will be interesting to see which legislators don't support a parent's right to know.