The Much Sought After Billionaire Vote

It's a pretty rare occasion that I can find anything on SWOP blogger worth linking to, but I have to admit, this SWOP post did give me a chuckle:

That's where in steps Bill Richardson with a tax increase [to support the Spaceport], not to the billionaires who don't even live in NM, but to Doña Ana County Residents. They had to flip the bill.

Now let's visit today's paper. Front Page news "Governor won't back rail tax." This tax would be for the expansion of the RAIL RUNNER which means PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION for NM residents that we so desperately need. I would GLADLY pay that tax.

I ask you Mr. Governor Richardson: Where are your priorities? Are you trying to appeal to the billionaire vote? The republican "no taxes, smaller government" party? Or the NM families that need a public transportation system that will get them to and from their jobs in an affordable way?

Well SWOP, let me assure you that its too late for Governor Richardson to appeal to the "no taxes, smaller government" folks. He blew that when he grew the state budget by nearly $2 billion over the last couple of years. The tone of your post suggests he has done himself any favors with the public transportation enthusiasts. So, I guess the answer to your questions is that Governor Richardson is in fact trying to appeal to the billionaire vote.

Ouch. Good thing he is term limited as Governor, I don't think there are enough billionaires in New Mexico to help him carry the next election.

The Making of a Political Animal

After reading a post over at Duke City Fix about Joanie Griffin, I was ready to write Ms. Griffin off as a viable candidate:

Joanie Griffin failed to disclose. She fibbed to the Albuquerque Journal -- exactly what's she's been attacking her opponent for doing. Welcome to Council District 6.

On Griffin's Journal questionnaire published September 19, she answered "No" to the question: "Have you or your business, if you are a business owner, ever been the subject of any state or federal tax liens?" The answer should have been "Yes." In 1994 Griffin and her husband were issued a state tax lien for $1,057.67.

After reading that, how can you feel anything but disgust? Then, I decided to read the Journal article Coco sourced (subscription), and I found that Coco was not entirely forthcoming with the facts:

The lien lists the Social Security number of Griffin's ex-husband, Charles Griffin. The unpaid taxes date to 1987— two years before Charles and Joanie Griffin were married [empahsis added].

The lien, however, was filed after the two were married and jointly owned property in Albuquerque. It was filed in January 1994 and repaid by March 1994, according to county records.

Now, it can be argued that Coco is "technically" correct, and Ms. Griffin's answer should have been "Yes" to the Journal question. But, the fact remains that Ms. Griffin never did anything to cause a state or federal lien against herself, which I'm sure is the intent of the question. Moreover, I believe it is entirely plausible that she may not have been aware of the lien against her husband for his tax issues, especially a lien he paid off within three months of it being filed.

So, where does this leave us?

Well, Coco is obviously upset (probably an understatement) by the recent push polls and campaign literature coming out of the Griffin campaign against her own favored candidate for the City Council seat, Rey Garduno. So, in an effort to "hit back," Coco is trying to equate the actions of Mr. Garduno's attempt to hide his conviction of shoplifting at 45 years old (subscription) with the failure to disclose a three month state tax lien against Ms. Griffin's deceased ex-husband, which happened before she married the man.

Sorry, but that's just not going to fly.

Worse, this really is an example of Coco becoming politically intoxicated in the late hours of a campaign and transforming into the type of political animal she is going to hate to see when she looks in the mirror on the morning after the election.

The Eye's Got It

Ok, this is becoming a habit, but I'm going to link to Eye on Albuquerque again. I sure could have used the Eye in my ear this morning when I was on the KUNM call-in show discussing the affordable housing bond:

The tricky part [of the affordable housing bond] is the last part, that says "this program maintains affordability by limiting the amount of equity that accrues to owners and keeping the sales price below the market level for subsequent buyers." The ordinance creating this affordable housing "opportunity" is O-06-8 and was passed just a little over a year ago. The Ordinance explains it this way:

"In a neighborhood with increasing housing prices the goal is to preserve a mixed income environment and avoid the dislocation of low income residents by creating a reserve of permanent workforce housing protected from price increases and danger of converting to market rate housing, allowing renters to own their housing, and otherwise financially insulating low income residents from financial burdens of gentrification while accruing its benefits."

What that means is that the city will use our tax dollars to help "low to moderate" income families buy homes that are "protected" from the market, making them "permanently" affordable. In other words, these "owners" will be paying a mortgage on a property that they don't truly own because they won't be getting the equity that is naturally created through time and the free market increase in property value. In short, their financial position will be only slightly better than renters because most of the equity they receive would be the equity that they put directly into the property through their payments.

Yeah, that's what I meant to say this morning. So, I'm beginning to wonder... can we draft the Eye to run for office - maybe as a publicly funded candidate. I'm sure Eye readers would be happy to donate $5.

Another Reason to Love The Rail Runner

I guess, if the additional $250 million (are we over budget yet?) doesn't bother you, the longer commute to Santa Fe ought to have you cursing (subscription):

Work has started on a $250 million project to extend commuter rail service to Santa Fe, and motorists on portions of Interstate 25 near the city will have to slow down because of the construction.

The speed limit on I-25 between Santa Fe and La Bajada, which is south of the city, will drop from 75 mph to 55 mph in construction zones while work is under way on the rail project, Secretary of Transportation Rhonda Faught said Wednesday.

The speed limit will be 65 mph in sections of the highway when construction isn't going on in the median. Construction will occur during the day and even at night.

Is it my imagination, or have I been sitting in traffic ever since Governor Richardson took office? Gosh, it would be nice to just drive for a change without going through a construction zone.

Bill Richardson Attempts Blogger Counterspin

Some of the biggest names of the left wing blogosphere panned Governor Bill Richardson earlier this month for his performance to date on the campaign trail. For example Daily Kos' founder, Markos Moulitsas, had this to say about Governor Richardson:

Richardson is really becoming the buffoon of this campaign... I can't believe I ever flirted with voting for the guy. He's now down in Kucinich/Gravel territory on my list.

Update: Ooops, I forgot about Richardson's other epic pander -- claiming that he's both a Yankees and a Red Sox fan.

Now it looks like the Governor is attempting to do some counterspin by releasing this video:



Unfortunately, for Richardson's campaign the ship has sailed on this one. He is finding himself in the same place as another Governor four years ago, who made just one mistake too many.

Sitting Through a Candidates Forum

I attended the Albuquerque City Council Candidate forum organized by the Albuquerque Metropolitan Board of Realtors, the Apartment Association of New Mexico, the Commercial Association of Realtors New Mexico, the Home Builders Association of Central New Mexico and the National Association of Industrial & Office Properties.

You can read about it over at the New Mexico Business Weekly online. Overall, it was pretty unexciting. For the most part, people said exactly what you would expect them to say on some of the hotter topics:

Affordable housing was a hot topic given the pending $10 million general obligation bond that will be on the ballot Oct. 6. The Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce has come out in opposition to the bond question, arguing the bill could prevent implementation of the workforce housing ordinance.

Katherine Martinez, director of government and community affairs for the Home Builders Association of Central New Mexico, who is running against Debbie O'Malley for the District 6 seat, said there should be a focus on keeping housing affordable across the city by evaluating legislation that puts additional fees on the building industry that are then passed to homebuyers. Her comments were echoed by Harris and Jones, who preached incentives rather than mandates for creating such housing, and Brad Winter, the incumbent in District 4. His opponent, Paulette de'Pascal, added that there should be input from all stakeholders when creating mandates for things like affordable housing -- a stance she reiterated often during other questions. De'Pascal owns Success Group International, a marketing, public relations and consulting firm.

Yup, as reported, Ms. de'Pascal was very fond of using the phrase "input from all stakeholders." So, I'm guessing that must have been something she learned during her studies.

This is not to say there weren't a few amusingly bizarre moments. For example, Joan Griffin commented that she was in part motivated to run because she was tired of hearing about "men picking up men in public restrooms." I kid you not, she did say that line.

Then there was Paulette De'Pascal's claim that she has "no enemies other than her ex-husband as widely reported in the Albuquerque Journal."

Oh, and I almost forgot, Councilor Debbie O'Malley decided to try and "discredit" her opponent Katherine Martinez by pointing out that O'Malley's family has deeper roots in the North Valley. How backwards is that? Maybe Councilor O'Malley would like to pass a city ordinance barring any recent migrant from another state from voting or seeking public office until their family has been in New Mexico for two or more generations.

I'm glad I live in the East Mountains. If you want to experience what I sat through, radio station KANW-FM 89.1 will broadcast a recording of the forum Sept. 26 at 6 p.m.

Not a Smart Move

The Albuquerque Journal has reported that Lt. Governor Diane Denish has decided to endorse District 6 City Council Candidate, Rey Garduño (subscription):

While [Mayor Marty] Chávez wouldn't comment on Denish's motivation for the endorsement, he said in reference to Garduño's conviction in a 1988 shoplifting case, that "given his background, it's unusual."

[Lt. Governor Diane] Denish said she was aware of the shoplifting case— in which Garduño pleaded no contest and was found guilty— but said it didn't dissuade her.

Garduño didn't reveal the incident on his initial response to the Journal's candidate questionnaire.

This seems just plain foolish to me. First, you've got to wonder what the Lt. Governor is thinking by stepping into this fight. Second, could she have picked a worse candidate to endorse? As near as I can tell, partisan politics aside, Mr. Garduño has two strikes against him.

First, you've got a guy running for office, on the taxpayers dime I might add, who was caught shoplifting. Sure, it happened almost 20 years ago. But, he was 45 years old at the time... FORTY-FIVE YEARS OLD AND SHOPLIFTING (subscription):

A police incident report said a Sears store employee accused Garduño of putting a $200 telephone in his bag and leaving without paying for it.

The charge was a misdemeanor and he was issued a citation.

Garduño said the incident was a misunderstanding. He had bought light bulbs and a lamp at Sears and was looking at the phone, he said. He didn't intend to leave the store without paying, he said.

"It's not something I planned to do," Garduño said. "It was a mistake."

Garduño said he didn't recall being found guilty. He thought the charge was to be dismissed if he agreed to go to school.

We're not talking about the mistake of an immature kid. We're talking about a man, who at 45 years of age, gets caught trying to walk out of a store with a $200 phone. Then, he makes matter worse by running for office and not owning up to his petty theft until he is caught again:

He said Tuesday that he misunderstood the question. A campaign spokesman said Garduño would submit an updated response to the questions. The campaign had thought the 1988 citation was akin to a traffic ticket, not a misdemeanor, the spokesman said.

I'm sorry. We're supposed to believe shoplifting is "akin to a traffic ticket?" Yet another great example of the caliber of candidates we get when the taxpayer is footing the bill for the election.

U.S. Flag Code

The desecration of a Mexican flag at UNM has drawn some quite a bit of media attention. However, Eye on Albuquerque brings up a point about the U.S. Flag Code which is worth noting:

You know, we're all for freedom, liberty and being able to fly whatever flag you want. However, UNM is a state school paid for with American tax dollars. It is wholly inappropriate for the UNM administration to allow the Mexican national flag to be flown in place of the flag of the United States. In fact, the act is against the U.S. flag code.

No person shall display the flag of the United Nations or any other national or international flag equal, above, or in a position of superior prominence or honor to, or in place of, the flag of the United States at any place within the United States or any Territory or possession thereof...

- U.S. Flag Code

Should an armed forces veteran, who took exception to this disregard of the U.S. Flag Code, face repercussions, or should the University be held responsible for failing to follow a very clear code. Personally, I'm leaning toward the latter.

Obesitiy is Now an Epidemic

People come in all shapes and sizes, and I don't think anyone should be discriminated against because of their weight. However, I'm really struggling with Governor Richardson's latest "great" idea (subscription):

Gov. Bill Richardson said Wednesday that if elected president he will push for a federal law protecting obese Americans from workplace discrimination and vowed to use the power of the White House to "fight obesity every day."

A large-framed former athlete who has admittedly battled his own weight problems, Richardson said the stigma of obesity is unfair.

"We must help people understand that obesity is a disease, not a behavior," Richardson said. "Those of us who may be overweight or obese are not lazy or undisciplined. We cannot allow Americans to be taken in by the easy comfort of stereotypes."

Ok, so if we follow this logic, that obesity is a disease, then apparently it must be contagious airborne disease because the article goes on to point out that:

According to the Centers for Disease Control, obesity among adults in the U.S. jumped from 15 percent in 1980 to nearly 32 percent in 2004.

Obesity is considered a leading cause of serious ailments, including heart disease, diabetes and strokes. Obesity in children is also increasing, according to CDC.

But wait, with a little bit of Wiki research it only gets better:

Approximately one-third of the adult population [in the United States] is obese and an additional third is overweight;^[163] the obesity rate, the highest in the industrialized world, has more than doubled in the last quarter-century.^[164]

Sorry folks, I'm not buying what the good Governor is selling. There may be a genetic disposition for some people to be obese, but that does not account for the soaring obesity numbers.

The problem is simple... we are becoming an ever more sedentary society that over consumes with little regard to the consequences. This is a problem that can only be fixed by taking personal responsibility for our actions. The sooner people realize that this, the better off we'll all be.

Of course, Governor Richardson doesn't see it that way. By his logic, we should reward the behavior, which is a contributing cause of the health care crisis, by offering universal health care to all Americans. This way you can pony up more in taxes to pay for your neighbors' over indulgence.

Anyone still think this Governor Richardson is a conservative?

Gotta Love Publicly Funded Campaigns

It's amazing the caliber of candidates we can now enjoy in the City of Albuquerque - now that taxpayers get to foot the campaign bills. Let's take Council District Four for example where the incumbent, City Councilor Brad Winter, is enjoying a strong challenge from an opponent with an "impressive" record of academic achievement, Paulette De'Pascal (subscription):

City Council candidate Paulette de'Pascal claims she has a B.S. and an M.B.A., but she acknowledged Tuesday that she never took any classes for either degree.

The degrees de'Pascal listed as part of her education in a Journal questionnaire were obtained through Almeda University, an online university that gives clients credit for "life experience."

De'Pascal listed other educational programs on the questionnaire but acknowledged she didn't complete all of them.

Isn't it just grand how we're now allowing "qualified" candidates to run for office? You know, candidates who might otherwise have not been able to run because... well... because no one in their right mind would have given their campaign any significant level of funding support.

In attempt at fairness, I thought I'd see what Ms. De'Pascal had to say about this fiasco on her blog - oops, that didn't last too long, did it?

Would someone please explain to me again how publicly funded elections are supposed to make politics more ethical? Matt???

I'll Second That

Look, I'm partisan. I make no bones about it. I'm a Republican and proud to be a Republican. I support our elected Republican leaders. I proudly stand with our President, and I support our military efforts in the Middle East.


I'm the Chairman for the RNC's 2008 Victory efforts in Bernalillo and surrounding counties. I'm proud to welcome the Vice-President to Albuquerque from the tarmac, and I don't think twice about hamming it up to raise money for the New Mexico State GOP as a "celebrity" waiter (that's me as John Lennon, NOT Sonny Bono).


But, I'm also a guy who started this blog almost three years ago as an experiment. I wanted to stay involved in politics after I lost my bid for a seat in the State Legislature, but I also wanted to get in on the ground floor of the social media discussion. I wanted to learn about the marketing potential of blogs and understand the social media revolution from the inside out.

Along the way, I've had an opportunity to "meet" some terrific folks. I've had people comment on this blog or link to me from their own website who agree with very little, if anything, I have to say. And you know what? My life is richer for it.

Does this sound like my goodbye post? Don't worry, it's not. I'm not going anywhere. I'm having too much fun. Sure, I've had more than a few people who have wondered aloud if it is really a wise business decision for me to continue to write this opinionated, partisan blog day in and day out. Some may even think I'm doing more harm than good if I ever want to run for office again. But you know what, if I'm not electable as me, then I don't want to be elected.

Along those lines, I think we really need more WYSIWYG people in politics and in business. That's why, I'm going to join Eye on Albuquerque in tipping my hat to Sheriff Greg Solano, who recently commented:

Not only will I continue to blog, I have even started a new blog which will detail the run for Lieutenant Governor in a personal and honest way that I believe has never been done in New Mexico politics. One thing I vowed when I first ran for office was that "politics will not change me, I will change politics".

There is no chance, I'm ever going to vote for Sheriff Solano - our views on almost everything just don't line up. But, I can't help but think that if more candidates on both sides of the aisle began an honest discussion to put their thoughts and opinions out there three years before an election the world would be a better place.

What can I tell you? I guess I'm an idealist at heart, albeit a partisan one.

Illegals Impact on Tight Elections

The State of New Mexico has issued an estimated 30,000 drivers licenses to foreign nationals - a large number of which we can assume are illegal immigrants. These licenses can be used as identification to allow these folks to vote.

The State Republican Party has been in a legal war with Governor Bill Richardson's administration over the right to inspect those public records in order to compare them against the voting rolls to ensure that only those eligible to vote are in fact registered to vote. They're losing the battle on what appears to me to be a partisan legal decision (subscription):

District Judge Valerie Mackie Huling of Albuquerque ruled recently that state and federal anti-stalking laws trumped public records arguments and the GOP's attempt to make sure non-citizens aren't voting.

So, why am I saying this has the appearance of partisanship?

Robert Johnson, executive director of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, said in an interview prior to his death earlier this month that he was puzzled by the ruling because "the state argued that these records are sacrosanct.

"These records are not locked away," Johnson said. "There are at least two data collection companies that offer access to these records to a wide range of entities willing to pay for it."

The State won't allow the GOP to use the public information to verify the integrity of our voter rolls, but they'll turn a profit by selling it to a third party who can in turn resell it again. There is something seriously wrong with this logic - some may even find it unethical.

Completing the Ethics Hat Trick

So, what's ethical behavior look like? Well, I recommend you read this recent post by Heath Haussamen in it's entirety. Here is an excerpt:

[House Minority Leader Tom Taylor, R-Farmington] and his sisters have owned five acres of land next to the county’s DWI Treatment Center for years. They decided against selling the land for $240,000 some 15 years ago, hoping to someday do something with it.

The day has arrived. County officials were planning to turn an old detention facility in nearby Aztec into a meth treatment facility with the help of a $2.9 million grant from the state, but the jail was deemed unfit. As officials searched for a new location, they decided the best option would be adding on to the DWI center, the newspaper reported.

That meant they’d need land owned by Taylor. The lawmaker told the newspaper he didn’t want anyone to think he and the county were doing anything underhanded, so he didn’t want to sell the land to the county.

So he convinced his sisters to agree to donate it.

Funny, Representative Taylor didn't need a commission to advise him what might be ethical behavior. He didn't need new laws passed in order to determine what would be the right thing to do.

You know what folks? We don't need more laws. Instead, we need more leaders like Tom Taylor.

The Perfect Follow Up

Pass all the "ethics laws" you want, and it is not going to make a difference. Why? For the answer, one needs to read no further than today's Albuquerque Journal (subscription):

[Metropolitan Court Judge Theresa Gomez] judge who [while earning more than $93,000 a year] lived rent-free for 20 months in a $172,000 home owned by an affordable housing agency and dismissed traffic tickets issued to the agency's head has agreed to be reprimanded and pay $17,000 in back rent.

Mind you, that DOES NOT read "former" Metropolitan Court Judge Theresa Gomez. That's right, someone who ripped off taxpayers to the tune of $17,000 is still sitting in a position to render judgment.

Well, maybe she is truly repentant for her crime...

The judge has blamed the housing authority for a situation that she says has damaged her "professional reputation and perhaps my livelihood."

Uh, maybe not. Oh, and did I mention:

In an interview for that story, the judge said she had also dismissed traffic citations and canceled a related arrest warrant for Vincent "Smiley" Gallegos, then head of the housing agency.

It's good to know all is well in the Land of Enchantment. Maybe tomorrow we can talk about GO Bonds to support Affordable Housing.

Legislating Ethics

Big SIGH... An Albuquerque Journal poll has 88% of Democrats supporting stricter ethic laws.

You can't legislate ethics. Sorry, it would be nice if you could, but you can't. Why? Well, it's pretty simple. Ethical behavior is how a person acts when they think no one is looking and they believe there is no chance of them getting caught.

Somethings can be legislated, some can't. Ethics is one of those things that can't. Sure, you can pass new laws that make you feel better, but they won't make people behave ethically. Which leaves us with the question of whether or not we need new ethics laws?

Stop and think for a minute and you'll realize that we don't. Several elected officials have been indicted in the last couple of years under current laws, so we know there are laws on the books to punish those whose unethical behavior is illegal.

Now what's scary about this argument is that it puts me in agreement with New Mexico House Speaker Ben Lujan (subscription):

House Speaker Ben Lujan, D-Santa Fe, said he thought his chamber will endorse additional proposals next year, although he was hesitant about establishing a state ethics commission.

"The issue here is ethical conduct," he said of the proposed commission. "You're never going to be able to legislate morals. You have those rules in Congress and look at what is happening there."

And, you know what? Speaker Ben Lujan knows of what he speaks. So, where does that leave us? If we really want ethical politicians, then we as voters need to take the time to care enough to vote out those who do not act ethically. That's the solution, plain and simple.

A Quick Reality Check

It's been said before, but it is worth repeating. Mayor Martin Chavez has virtually no chance of beating Lt. Governor Diane Denish in a race for the Democratic nomination for Governor in 2010. What is amusing in this week's Journal poll is not how low he polled, but Mayor Chavez's response to the poll (subscription):

The election is almost three years away and one of the candidates hasn't even committed to running, but just for fun let's ask the question:

What if Lt. Gov. Diane Denish and Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez faced off in a Democratic primary for governor today?

The results of a Journal Poll of New Mexico Democrats indicate Denish would win. And maybe by a bunch.

Half of those surveyed— who said they're likely to vote in a 2010 primary— said they would vote for Denish. Chávez had the support of 30 percent. The rest said it was too early to say.

Chávez, who is raising political money but hasn't said yet whether he'll run for governor, on Saturday called his numbers "remarkable."

"She's been campaigning full time for almost a year and I'm not even a candidate, so I'm very pleased. Those are good numbers," Chávez said.

Did Mayor Chavez actually say that with a straight face? We're talking about a guy who has held as many as 57 news conferences in 69 days. Mayor Chavez gets a lot more statewide press than Lt. Governor Denish, yet it's just not working for him.

Paying for the Governor's Follies

It was bound to happen. New Mexico has "enjoyed" a Governor who likes to spend, spend and then spend a little more. Governor Bill Richardson has given us expensive trains that hardly anyone takes and spaceports that no one uses all on the public dime. Time and time again we were assured that this was not going to take away funds from other transportation projects. Well, it looks like the bill has arrive (subscription):

Increasing New Mexico's 17-cent gasoline tax by 6 percent a year— or about 1.3 cents a year for the first decade— could go a long way toward building and repairing the state's roadways, leaders of a highway construction task force said Thursday.

Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, D-Gallup, and state Transportation Commission Chairman Johnny Cope head up a group looking for ways to pump extra money into the state's financially troubled highway construction programs. They both said they like the idea of automatically raising the gasoline tax each year.

Each additional penny to the tax would generate roughly $6.8 million a year for spending on state roads.

A second revenue-raising idea has also caught their fancy, the task force leaders said: a new state fee of an undetermined amount on vehicles based on weight.

Have these folks lost their mind? They've allowed the state budget to almost double over the last few years, and now they want to bring in more money by increasing taxes and fees. How much more money do they need?

Richardson Working on New World Record

It hasn't yet been made public, but I believe that Governor Bill Richardson may be working on setting a new record for the Guinness Book of World Records. Richardson has already been widely recognized for his record breaking handshaking. Now, he diligently working on setting the record for the most retractions made by a candidate during a Presidential campaign (subscription):

Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Richardson said today that his comment about it being God's will that Iowa votes first was off-the-cuff as he defended the state's primacy in the nomination process.

Campaigning in south-central Iowa, the New Mexico governor faced questions about his comment Monday in which he suggested that there was a more serious reason for Iowa to lead the nomination process with caucuses.

"Iowa, for good reason, for constitutional reasons, for reasons related to the Lord, should be the first caucus and primary," he said Monday.

Governor Richardson's campaign trail gaffes seem to be occurring with greater and greater frequency, which can only mean that he is very serious about securing this place in the record books.