Elect Officials Fail New Mexico

When the Legislature meets during the 30 day session, the constitutional mandate is clear:

B. Every regular session of the legislature convening during an even-numbered year shall consider only the following:

  (1) budgets, appropriations and revenue bills;

  (2) bills drawn pursuant to special messages of the governor; and

  (3) bills of the last previous regular session vetoed by the governor.

(As amended November 5, 1940, November 5, 1946, and November 3, 1964.)

Yet, despite this clarity of purpose, they adjourned the session without passing a budget:

The 30-day legislative session sputtered to a stop with no agreement on a budget or tax hikes, ensuring a special session that Gov. Bill Richardson said will begin Wednesday. 

Addressing the budget deficit was the singular most important item this session, but instead of focusing on the topic at hand, hundreds of other bills were introduced.  Which means during a time of budgetary crisis, the Governor will be calling the legislature into a special session at an extra cost to working families of $50,000 per day. Almost as offensive as the failure to get the job done because of a lack of focus, is the promise to once again introduce of legislation of no pressing consequence:

The special session would be devoted almost exclusively to budget matters, with perhaps "another item or two" on the agenda, according to the governor.  

You waste our money during the legislative session by refusing to focus on the singular topic of importance, and now you promise to do the same in a special session. Anyone who is elected, or seeking elected office, and does not take issue with this, does not deserve to hold elected office.

Weak Attempt at an Alibi

We've all seen the movie plot line. It's been in every mob movie made to date. The mob boss needs an alibi.  So, he makes a point of being seen somewhere other than the scene of the crime.  After all, if he was seen by hundreds at a party, how could he possibly be linked to the crime in question.  Sure, his hired guns were there, but hey, there's no guilt by association, right?

The State Investment Council got together this week to hear what outside consultants found in their review of the agency. 

To no surprise, Gov. Bill Richardson, who chairs the council and controls it through his appointment of a majority of its members, didn't attend the council meeting.
        
As I first reported last February, Richardson has rarely attended the meetings of the State Investment Council, which invests billions of dollars in state endowment funds.
        
Now, the governor is using his absence in an apparent bid to distance himself from the scandal that has rocked the council over the past several months.
        
"The reality is I left decisions to my state investment board," Richardson told reporters Tuesday. "I hardly attended meetings. I felt that I shouldn't be part of decisions."

Now we know why the movie industry loves to come to New Mexico. We provide great inspiration for future plot lines.

Anti-Incumbent Sentiment Confirmed

When considering the polling prior to the outcome of the recent Albuquerque mayoral election, I noted that a strong anti-incumbent sentiment was in play:

In 2008, incumbents were swept out of office. Sure, it was a huge Democratic sweep. But, it was just as much an anti-incumbent sweep. People wanted new blood. They voted for "change."

The Obama administration and the Democrats now in control of the Congress misunderstood this vote for change to mean the country was endorsing a shift to the left and bigger government programs. This wasn't and isn't the case at all. The vast majority of Americans are not extremist - neither right nor left. Instead, they are firmly planted in the center.

So, the change they were voting for was against the incumbents, and the direction in which they were taking our country, which ironically enough was towards bigger government programs. Now, it seems to me that the anti-incumbent sentiment has not subsided. It is still alive and well.

My observation regarding the anti-incumbent sentiment seems to be confirmed by a recent Pew Research Group study:

According to the Pew Research Group, the number of people who would like to see their own U.S Representative re-elected has reached a low point — the same type of low point seen in the 1994 and 2006 midterms when the parties in power suffered large losses.

“About half (52 percent) of registered voters would like to see their own representative re-elected next year, while 34 percent say that most members of Congress should be re-elected,” according to Pew. “Both measures are among the most negative in two decades of Pew Research surveys.”

And, in more bad news for Democrats, Republicans are currently much more enthusiastic about voting in 2010.

I'd argue that these results also apply to the Governor's office and any swing legislative districts in 2010. Spend time talking to people about politics, and you'll see its true. Its probably the reason behind State Senator Eichenberg's recent candid observation:

He wrote that Eichenberg told the crowd at the Southwest Learning Center in Albuquerque that due to Denish's "complacency or complicity" with the ‘pay-to-play’ atmosphere surrounding the administration of Governor Bill Richardson, and standing quietly behind him," that he was unwilling to invest a half million dollars in a 'losing campaign.'

Bralley writes Eichenberg said, "I looked her square in the eye when I said that. I told her I didn’t think she was going to win.”

I'd say the numbers support his assertion.

Richardson Threatens Public Safety

There's a time to play politics, and there's a time to solve problems. Apparently, someone forgot to clue Governor Richardson into this fact:

The state of New Mexico would have to shutter two prisons, give early releases to up to 660 prisoners and lay off and furlough Corrections Department employees if Gov. Bill Richardson signs budget cuts approved by the Legislature, his office said Wednesday.

Richardson's office raised that grim possibility as his staff analyzes the impact of $253 million in spending cuts legislators passed during a special session last week to deal with a revenue shortfall.

If the real measure of leadership is how someone performs in a time of crisis, Governor Richardson is failing miserably. The Governor has always been a great campaigner, there is no question about that; however, now that we actually need an executive leader, he is seriously falling down on the job.

He's still in political spin mode, which is nothing short of ridiculous considering that he can't run for re-election. In fact, his attempt at side-stepping responsibility by choosing to threaten the public with the unleashing of criminals rather than cut fat from a bloated bureaucracy is very likely going to hurt the campaign prospects of those who wait quietly in the wings.

The Governor has been shown to be quite enamored with all things Cuban, so I can't help but wonder if his strategy is not just a bit Castro inspired:

It is true that Castro opened his jails during the 1980 exodus, flooding Miami’s streets with criminals, drug addicts and mentally unhinged people, which contributed to Miami’s skyrocketing crime rate and helped it become murder capital of the world by 1981.

Fidel Castro did it to take make a point and causes chaos for those who didn't agree with his style of governing, and it appears that Governor Richardson is doing the exact same. Worse, it looks like there isn't a single person in his administration with the backbone to step up and say, "Hey Governor, threatening to unleash criminals on the taxpaying public is not a viable option."

It is true that one Richardson Administration politician has publicly noted that "the state can only have one chief executive at a time." But, it is equally true, that a public official's first responsibility is to the public. Of course, this is a fact that seems to be long forgotten by the ruling political elite in New Mexico. They work for us, we do not work for them. We put them where they are, and we can take that away. And, if they continue to choose to threaten instead of lead, I'm sure come Election Day, we will do precisely that.

Hidden Messages

If you haven't heard about the hidden note to legislators from California Governor Schwarzeneggar, you'll definitely want to check out Steve Terrell's recent post. Coincidence? Yeah, right.

The Governor of La La Land

That's the only way to look at it. Governor Richardson has officially relocated to La La Land:

1. Los Angeles, California (often abbreviated L.A.). This expression pokes fun at the alleged eccentricities of the city's inhabitants. For example, What do you expect? Frederick has lived in la-la land for ten years and it has rubbed off on him. [Slang; c. 1980]
   
   
2. A state of being out of touch with reality, as in I don't know what's going on with Amy--she seems to be in la-la land. [Slang; c. 1980] Also see cloud-cuckoo land; never-never land.
   

No, I don' mean that he has moved to Los Angeles - although, one could only hope. But, like Frederick in the example above, it appears that Governor Richardson's contact with Hollywood's elite has altered his perception of reality:

New Mexico lawmakers on Friday wrapped up their special legislative session, sending Gov. Bill Richardson a package of measures to repair a $650 million budget shortfall this year.

“It isn’t pretty. It doesn’t solve the problem; we know that. But it’s a step forward,” Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, said before the Legislature adjourned.

The package includes spending cuts of about $253 million this year in public schools, colleges and other government programs.

Richardson criticized what he said were “excessive” cuts to state agencies, and warned they could result in layoffs and reduced services.

That is the only possible explanation for the Governor's reaction to the recently ended special session. See, when you have a $650 million deficit and growing, and you only cut $526 million, that leaves a gaping hole of a whopping $124 million. No one in their right mind would call those cuts "excessive" as they clearly fall far short of the mark of what's needed.

Then again, I guess if you're a Governor living in "cloud-cuckoo land" you're not really in your right mind.

Can't Miss the Parade

Our elected officials are struggling with how to fix an astronomical and ever-growing budget deficit without cutting expenditures or raising revenue. I'd really like to see the former versus the latter occur, and even those who want to empty our wallets, are struggling with the lack of financial restraint being shown by state government agencies in this time of economic crisis:

"Knowing that, the administration has not put the brakes on spending," said Ortiz y Pino, who is running for lieutenant governor. "There is no evidence in my mind that this administration in any way slowed down the spending in state government. Now, I've worked in administrations in the past, and as soon as there was any question that we were going to be in budget trouble, the word was out. Stop hiring, don't fill vacancies, no out-of-state travel, no contracts, no printing. Nothing, nothing, nothing, just make sure we get through this OK. Has this administration done anything remotely like that?

In related news...

New Mexico plans to sponsor a float in the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif.

New Mexico Tourism Secretary Michael Cerletti said the response from the southern Californian travel market to New Mexican floats in the 2006, 2008 and 2009 parades was tremendous, and a float is a good way to reach potential visitors.

Phew! It's a good thing we have our spending priorities straight.

Budget Cuts Shouldn't Hurt Kids

Governor Richardson's mantra going into the Special Session this weekend is a simple one: "Budget cuts shouldn't hurt kids." It's one that I wouldn't be surprised to learn had been voter tested and approved:

But most interesting was $38,353 paid for "research/polling" to a company called Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates in Santa Monica, Calif. Nearly all the money was paid in June, a much smaller chunk paid in September.

It's a simple message, and a nice diversion tactic. Governor Richardson gets to avoid taking ownership for spending New Mexico into a crisis. He gets to pretend to be the great savior of our children, while trying to turn the legislature into the big bad wolf:

Gov. Bill Richardson late Tuesday rejected legislative proposals to plug a state budget gap that's now expected to top $650 million, saying at least two of them would cut too much money for public schools.

Richardson called for lawmakers to try again before a special legislative session on the budget starts Saturday.

"Governor Richardson has studied the legislative proposals and finds the cuts to education unacceptable because of the severe impact to teachers and kids," Richardson spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said. "The governor wants one proposal from the Legislature, not three, that makes fiscally responsible cuts without hurting schools."

But, here's the thing. The Richardson Administration, and to a great extent the rubber-stamping majority in the legislature have done more to damage education in New Mexico over the last seven years, then anything some cost-cutting could ever do. They've herald one supposed "great" education reform after another without ever actually doing anything to improve education for our children. Worse yet, they've refused to ever take ownership of their repeated failures:

A new batch of testing results shows New Mexico students' math scores are among the nation's worst, with little change from previous years.

The data, released by the National Assessment of Educational Progress and often called the Nation's Report Card, shows New Mexico's fourth-graders with an average math score of 230 out of 500. The national average was 239.

The New Mexico average score for eighth-graders was 270, compared to a national average of 282.

The achievement gap between New Mexico's Anglo students and students of other ethnicities remained wide, without significant change from 2007.

Secretary of Education Veronica Garcia said the overall numbers may not provide a fair comparison because of the small sample of students tested. About 11 percent of New Mexico's fourth-graders and 10 percent of eighth-graders took the test.

Garcia also said students and teachers in New Mexico often do not take the test very seriously because scores are not broken down by district or school. She said other states use incentives to raise awareness about the test's importance.

Oh yeah, that's the problem with the test scores. We don't have a big enough media campaign to let our kids know that tests are important. They actually know all of the information, there just not taking the test seriously. GIVE ME A BREAK! Here's a novel idea... How about taking ownership for the education failures?

Look, year after year, we've thrown ever-increasing pots of money at education with ever-worsening results. How about we try something different? Go ahead and cut education spending. Let's stop pretending the children are going to get hurt. Based on the test results released year after year, it can't get much worse for them.

And, as long as we're making cuts, how about getting rid of the hundreds of governor created and appointed positions drawing down comfortable salaries for absolutely no work. In fact, let's fire everyone who can't seem to get their department to actually provide the services they are supposed to be providing.

Heck, why stop there? Let's just fire everyone who refuses to take responsibilities for seven years of failures and fiscal mismanagement. Start with Governor Richardson and don't stop until you find someone who says, "I've totally and completely messed up, and this is how I'm going to fix it." My guess is that before you find that person, the budget will actually be balanced.

Education Declines and Teacher's Union Gives Award

I didn't write about this last week, but I should have. The absurdity of the teacher's union giving Governor Richardson America's Greatest Education Governor Award is just shocking. It shows a complete disregard for student achievement as a measure of success:

New Mexico students did not improve their academic performance during the Richardson administration. The evidence suggests a very slight decline. The prestigious American Legislative Exchange Council, using many factors of evaluation, ranked New Mexico 48th in the nation in 2007, the same ranking it gave New Mexico in 2002. It ranked New Mexico 49th during most years of Richardson’s administration.

During the late 1990s New Mexico routinely scored in the low 40s, so the last few years represent a definite decline. And the U.S. Chamber of Commerce this year gave New Mexico an “F” in its report card for overall academic achievement, an “F” for the academic achievement of low income and minority students and an “F” for the return on investment per dollar spent.

I highly recommend reading the entire commentary written by Jose Z. Garcia.

Make the Call (505) 476-2200

Here's a fact. Anytime Democracy for New Mexico and I are in agreement that a bill should be signed into law, you can rest assured that it is a good idea:

Take Action: Please call Gov. Richardson ASAP at (505) 476-2200 and urge him to sign Rep. Cervantes' Open Conference Committees bill, HB 393, as he promised to do last week. The Governor has until April 10th to sign the bill. The legislation passed the House 66-0 vote and the Senate 33-8.

Governor Richardson is playing games here, and it stinks. First, he says no one cares about more transparency in government, which is a bunch of baloney. Now, he's claiming he can't sign the bill because he hasn't received it.

The governor thanked everyone for speaking [in favor of signing the bill]. He said he hadn’t received the open conference committees bill yet.

“Well, Step 1, I need to get it up here,” the governor said. “I physically couldn’t sign a bill that we don’t have.”

If you ask me, he's starting to set the stage for a pocket veto. So, here is the thing, I write day in day out and don't really ask for anything in return. But, today I'm asking.

I made the call, and I'm asking you to do the same. Call (505) 476-2200 and request that Governor Richardson sign HB 393 into law.

Governor's Rationale Stinks

Do you smell that? Near as I can tell, the strong offending odor seems to be coming from the Governor's office. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with Governor Richardson's last ditch effort to fight open meetings:

The first opening of the doors to the New Mexico Legislature's long-closed conference committee meetings might have provided a glimpse into the future — and some lawmakers say that's a good thing.

But whether Gov. Bill Richardson will sign a bill to routinely require the opening of those conference committees — where designated House and Senate members meet to hash out differences in legislation — is uncertain. A top Richardson aide said Tuesday the governor wants to carefully scrutinize several perceived "loopholes" in the bill.

Yup, this is definitely the source of the stench. Members of the legislature voted 99-8 to open the conference committee meetings to the public. That is pretty dang near close to unanimous. The loopholes giving the Governor pause:

One potential loophole identified by Gallegos was a provision in the bill that the Legislature could move to close conference committees by adopting a rule change — an action, unlike the pending legislation, that wouldn't require the executive branch's approval.

"It just seems like common sense that either you would open them or not," Gallegos said.

The rationale Mr. Gallegos puts forth is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Let's be real. The VAST majority of legislators voted to open the committee meetings. If they suddenly did an about face and opted a rule change to close the meetings, they would be crucified in the media and it would be easy to defeat them when they were up for re-election. The campaign materials practically write themselves.

On top of all this, the absurdity of proposing that the reasoning for not signing open meetings into law is that at some point someone might try and close the meetings is beyond understanding. Every law can be changed by a future law. It happens ALL THE TIME. If you bought into the Governor's rationale, well, then nothing would ever be signed into law because it might be reversed a future date.

This just stinks like nothing more than a rancid pile of political manure. Okay, I'll admit it. I'm a little more annoyed than usual.

Simply Brilliant, Tax Them When They're Down

New Mexico, like the rest of the country, is feeling the squeeze of the economic crisis. And, what priority have some legislators and the Governor come up with for this legislative session?

New Mexico legislators are considering a bill that would, for the first time, set up state controls on greenhouse gas emissions. But the change of administration in Washington, and the resulting prospect of federal regulation, has raised questions about whether the state effort should proceed.

The measure's backers say there are still good reasons to impose a state "cap-and-trade" system as part of the Western Climate Initiative, a regional effort by 11 U.S. states and Canadian provinces to place a limit on greenhouse gas emissions and set up a market to allow industry to trade emissions credits.

The system would cap the overall emissions from the state's 100-or-so largest industrial greenhouse gas emitters. A trading system would allow companies to buy and sell emissions allowances, tapping market mechanisms to find the lowest-cost way of making the needed reductions.

The ridiculousness of this proposal is mind-boggling to me. Assuming you have embraced this whole chicken-little-the-world-is-getting-too-hot-we're-all-doomed global warming nonsense, then you'd at a very minimum have to agree that it is a GLOBAL phenomenon.

Keeping this in mind, that idea the 11 Western (and for the most part sparsely populated) states are going to reverse "the global warming trend" is just absurd. Even more insane is that one of those states, our own Land of Enchantment, which heavily depends on oil and gas revenue to stay afloat, is going to consider taxing the heck out of those industries at a time when they are at a serious low.

Make no mistake, that is exactly what a cap and trade program is - a new source of tax revenue for bloated governments in need. That is the only reason that these states think "there are still good reasons to impose a state 'cap-and-trade' system" instead of waiting for a federal, or better yet, global solution.

Now, I have to admit. If New Mexico were to move forward with this, the may in fact succeed in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the state. Why? Well, because they will drive those "100-or-so largest industrial greenhouse gas emitters" to one of the 39 states in the Union that do not have this tax system in place.

Making the End Run When Legislation Fails

A pet peeve of mine regarding Governor Richardson's administration is their commitment to circumventing the checks and balances intentionally built into our system of government. And, it appears they're at it again.

In 2004, amidst much uproar, the "Electronic Government Act" was being pushed:

A bill that calls for organizing government records through a system called "e-portal" was pending at the end of the 2004 legislative session. Backed by Gov. Bill Richardson, the "Electronic Government Act" would create a pricey e-portal system that would use the fees generated from government records to manage and fund the system. In order to obtain government records, members of the public would have to use e-portal and pay according to its tiered pricing system. (HB 291; SB 314)

It was that "pricey e-portal system" (read: pricey for you and me to access public information) that had folks like the New Mexico Press Association and New Mexico Foundation for Open Government up in arms. The bill was defeated.

But, now that they think everyone is distracted by the economic crisis plaguing the state, the Richardson administration is back up to their usual backdoor manuevers. Without much fanfare, the Taxation and Revenue Department has put out an 88-page RFP to do exactly what the legislature had previously rejected.

I hope someone in the legislature calls the administration to task before it's too late.

It Sure Would Take a Lot of Chutzpah

I can't help but wonder if Governor Bill Richardson will bring up a push for ethics reform (subscription) in his State of State address today:

It's a $1.7 million mystery.

Several people who might be in a position to clear it up say they don't know anything; others aren't talking.

It all plays out against the backdrop of an ongoing federal pay-to-play investigation that derailed Gov. Bill Richardson's nomination for U.S. commerce secretary.

The first chapter began in the fall of 2003, when Richardson was collecting money for his Moving America Forward political action committee and starting another related organization called the Moving America Forward Foundation.

Both were aimed at increasing voter participation among minorities.

But unlike the higher profile PAC, the foundation mostly operated under the radar. To date, the foundation has never publicly revealed who donated the more than $1.7 million that IRS filings show it raised in the 2004-07 tax years.

Because the foundation was formed as a "public charity," it is not legally required to publicly disclose individual contributors or say exactly how those tax-deductible contributions were spent.

The PAC operated under different rules and was required to make detailed public disclosures to the state.

The foundation's board of directors reads like a Who's Who of Hispanic leaders in Albuquerque and included several Richardson political advisers.

Two board members didn't return phone calls from the Journal. Three others told the Journal last week they had no real involvement with the organization and didn't know who its donors were.

It Sure Would Take a Lot of Chutzpah

What's the Governor Trying to Hide?

I can't believe what I just read in a press release issued by the Senate Democrats:

Today I conveyed a request to the Governor asking that he reconsider his lack of support for the Senate Rules Committee's new confirmation process a process which reflects the deepening sensitivity to ethics and good governmental conduct in the State. Last year the Committee brought greater accountability and credibility to the confirmation procedure, said Senator Linda M. Lopez (D-Bernalillo-11), but our efforts were brought to a halt when the Governor ordered the Department of Public Safety to stop making appointee background checks available to the Committee.

What possible reason could the Governor have to keep the committee responsible for confirming appointments in the dark? Without checks, there are no balances.

Things That Don't Make Sense

Sometimes you encounter things that just don't make sense. Usually, they are lone encounters that leave you shaking your head and wondering. But, sometimes they come one after another.

Gary King announced today that he will support several ethics reform proposals in the upcoming legislative session, and Gov. Bill Richardson, whose administration is the subject of a federal pay-to-play investigation, promptly did the same.

Ok, let's state the obvious first. A Governor who has had to turn down a presidential cabinet appointment and retain a prominent attorney in light of the unethical pay-to-play conduct of his administration, has no business announcing his support for ethics reform. In a moment of rare candor on national television, that may come back to haunt him, Richardson admitted that donors have been able to buy "an edge" in his administration [a MUST READ ARTICLE]:

For his part, the governor, who declined to be interviewed, has maintained that campaign donations do not influence his decisions. In at least two cases, he canceled state contracts his political supporters had won after the deals became public. He also gave back a $10,000 contribution from a company that won a contract to provide health care to prisoners.

Yet in an interview on NBC in 2007, Mr. Richardson acknowledged that giving money to a politician gives the donor “a little bit of an edge.”

“I don’t give any extra access to somebody that contributes,” he said. “But I’ll remember that person, and I’ll say: ‘Jeez, that guy helped me. Maybe I can help them.’ ”

Of course, you can't conduct this style of government without the tacit consent of our top prosecutor. That's why our current Attorney General, like the one before him, should also not be making announcements regarding ethics reform proposals. Since being elected, Gary King has made a lot of noise about investigations, but any real law enforcement in the way of indictments has been sorely missing. If the Attorney General is not going to enforce the current laws on the books by putting criminals behind bars, then he has no business pushing a new set of laws.

Speaking of ridiculous new laws. Take a look at what the Farmington City Council is proposing:

The Farmington City Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to outlaw "high gravity beer" -- beer with an alcohol content of more than 7.9 percent -- and on a ban of selling "fortified" wine containing more than 14 percent alcohol in an effort to curb public drunkenness, the Farmington Daily Times reported.

Somebody please sit these folks down for a drink and explain the realities of life. A drunk is a drunk. We're talking about someone with a dependence on alcohol. They will drink until fully inebriated regardless of the alcohol content of a particular beverage.

Sometimes, you really have to wonder what these elected officials are drinking thinking.

Richardson's Economic Abilities

Ever since I read Governor Bill Richardson's withdrawal statement, something has been gnawing at me. At first I couldn't figure out what it was, but now I think I've isolated the culprit. It's this statement by Governor Richardson (subscription):

"As you might expect, I am disappointed in this turn of events. There were a lot of ways in which I thought I could help the country in this time of financial crisis. Sometimes your own dreams and plans must take a back seat to what is best for the nation.

There are three sentences in the selection above, and only one of them has an iota of truth. The part about being disappointed about the turn of events. That's completely believable. I'd be willing to believe that anyone who has had to retain legal counsel on the chance that they will be brought before a grand jury would be "disappointed in the turn of events."

But, the second and third sentences are classic Bill Richardson. Statements with no basis in reality. Does anyone actually believe that Governor Bill Richardson is one of the guys who could help the country come up with a solution to a global financial crisis. Gosh, I hope not.

Let's just look at the simple facts. Even President-elect Obama choose to announce his economic team separate from his selection of Bill Richardson as Commerce Secretary. Why? Well, there is nothing in Governor Richardson's resume which indicates that he knows the first thing about managing an economy. Quite to the contrary, during a time of unbelievablely high tax revenue, Governor Richardson has spent us into a half a billion dollar budget shortfall.

Granted, he is in good company. There are 44 other Governors who have the same miserable economic track record.

The states’ fiscal problems are continuing into the next two years. At least 38 states have looked ahead and anticipate deficits for fiscal year 2010 and beyond.[1] These gaps total almost $80 billion — 17 percent of budgets — for the 30 states that have estimated the size of these gaps and are likely to grow as gaps are re-estimated in the next few months.

Figure 2 shows the size and duration of the deficits in the recession that occurred in the first part of this decade, and estimates of the likely deficits this time. This recession is more severe — deeper and longer — than the last recession, and thus state fiscal problems are likely to be worse.

The fiscal situation is going to get worse in New Mexico, and we have Governor Richardson to thank, along with some other elected officials, to thank for the pickle in which we currently find ourselves.

As to the Governor's statement about the Secretary of Commerce job being his dream gig. Let's get real. His dream gig was to become President. That didn't happen. His next big hope was to be named Secretary of State, but that was a bust as well. Then, with an impending financial crisis in New Mexico and a threat of prosecution for rampant pay to play policies, his goal was simply just to get out of Dodge. But, I don't think anyone would mistake that for his dream.

As to putting the nation first... Well, if there is one thing Governor Bill Richardson has proved over his tenure in office, it is that putting others ahead of himself has never been his priority.

Good to Know They're Working Hard Together

With New Mexico facing a half billion dollar shortfall due to a gubernatorial spending spree the likes of which New Mexico has never before seen. It is good to see that the dynamic duo are working hard together...

Lt. Gov. Diane Denish and Gov. Bill Richardson have been trying to find time for a one-on-one meeting, but it’s been difficult.

“He’s out of town this week,” Denish said of Richardson on Wednesday. “I have a meeting scheduled next week. We are trying to maybe have a meeting this Friday. It depends on his schedule.”

Well, at least they try to fit in a quick meeting to deal with the budget crisis on those rare occasions when the visiting Governor's schedule allows.

The Backhanded Compliments Just Keep Coming

So, Barb from Democracy for New Mexico left a comment to yesterday's post about Governor Richardson failing to do the right thing with regard to vacating his position, so that Lt. Governor Denish can do the job she is inevitably going to inherit:

Plus no-one in their right mind would leave their elected post before being confirmed by the Senate for a Cabinet post.

Yeah. People who care about the company/organization/state they are leading step aside all the time to make way for new leadership before their next job is in the bag. People who believe in the leadership skills of their successor are more than willing to turn over the reins. But, therein lies the problem.

Although I am more than willing to give our soon to be Governor the benefit of the doubt that she has what it takes make the tough decisions to turn around the financial pickle in which we now find ourselves, it doesn't seem our outgoing Governor feels the same (subscription):

Both Richardson and Denish assured reporters the transition will be smooth, but said Richardson won't cede authority until he leaves.

"On some of the major budget items, obviously I'll make the decisions but she's going to have a role in them," said Richardson, who was nominated by Obama on Wednesday.

Are we witnessing an incredible display of machismo here or what? Where's the outrage Barb? This is worth repeating:

Obviously I'll make the decisions but she's going to have a role in them.

Governor Richardson is talking about our soon to be top executive the way that some people talk about incapacitated family members before putting them into a retirement home.

Denish, who was joined Thursday by her husband, Herb Denish, said she intends to make decisions on whether to retain members of Richardson's Cabinet on a case-by-case basis.

More urgent, she said, is addressing a budget shortfall that's ballooned to more than $500 million in the past three months.

"The people of New Mexico expect us to get down to business," Denish said.

Obviously, Lt Governor Denish understands the problem at hand - a half a billion dollar deficit. And, she's dead right, the people of New Mexico expect her and the legislature to get down to business. I mean who are we kidding here? The Governor hasn't been around to focus on the state for the last two years. Now, we're supposed to believe that while he's away "at least half the time" - his words - in Washington going through the confirmation process he's going to be able to "get down to business."

Although Richardson intends to call the shots while awaiting confirmation by the U.S. Senate, he said he'll mix some of Denish's proposals — such as implementing safeguards on payday lending — into the legislative agenda he'll present to state lawmakers on Jan. 20.

"We're going to have to incorporate some of her ideas on the issues she cares about in the budget," Richardson said.

He also voiced confidence in Denish's ability to lead the state.

WOW. Talk about your backhanded compliments. For goodness sake, "We're going to have to incorporate some of her ideas on the issues she cares about in the budget." Gotta love it. He has to incorporate some of her ideas. Could he be any less enthusiastic?

Let's get real here. Denish, not Richardson, is going to have to govern when this budget comes into being in June 2009. If he had "confidence in Denish's ability to lead the state," she'd be taking his ideas under advisement while making budget decisions - not the other way around.

This is a all a recipe for disaster and brings us full circle back to the heart of Barb's original comment. Whether it's okay to just let people stay in their current job while waiting for their next gig's contract to be signed.

Well, Barb let me tell you how this works in the real world. When you find out your current key employee is moving on, you wish them well and send them on their way. You don't wait until their new employer has finished crossing all the t's and dotting all the i's because it in THE EMPLOYEE'S best interest.

Make no mistake, Governor Bill Richardson works for us, the people of New Mexico, not the other way around. We hired him. We pay him. And as his employer, it's time for the people of New Mexico to wish Governor Richardson well, and show him the door. If we don't, we only have ourselves to blame when our problems are compounded because we find ourselves dealing with a key employee transition right in the middle of the most important legislative session in recent history.

The "Me First" Commerce Secretary Nominee

60 Days. That's all we have. 60 Days to deal with a budget deficit likely to exceed a half a billion dollars. 60 Days for a whole slew of freshman legislators to figure it all out. 60 Days that will have a tremendous impact on the future of public education in New Mexico. And, guess who plans to throw a wrench into the whole system?

“This is by no means an easy decision and brings with it a mix of emotions. I am proud of what we have accomplished in New Mexico during the past six years and we’re not done yet. I will be here to deliver the State of the State address when the Legislature convenes on January 20. I will present an aggressive, responsible and balanced budget plan as well as a full slate of important initiatives. I will not resign as Governor until I am confirmed by the United States Senate, and until then I will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of all New Mexicans.

Rather than step aside and let the next administration take on the challenges that face us, our outgoing Governor is going to stay in the saddle as long as he possibly can. Because... well, because he feels like it.

This will go down in history as the worse decision of his political career. Worse than the Wen Ho Lee fiasco. Worse than bankrupting our transportation system by building a train we can't afford. Worse than giving a billionaire upwards of a $100 million dollars to pursue space dreams.

Admittedly, as a partisan political player, I should be thrilled by Governor Richardson's actions. His commitment to keeping Lt. Governor Diane Denish from taking over the reigns during this time of crisis is tantamount to declaring, "the lady just can't do the job." It is the ultimate slap in the face.

The result of declining oil and gas revenues this year and into next mean that some very unpopular decisions are going to have to be made over the next two sessions, and our soon to be Governor Denish will be kept out of the loop. However, she will receive all of the blame.

So, as a partisan, I should be thrilled that Governor Richardson has practically ruined any chance of Diane Denish to become re-elected Governor in 2010. However, as a New Mexican, I am extremely dismayed. The next two years are going to be tough enough, and Richardson just made them tougher.

The "Me First" Governor's Final Snub

If Governor Bill Richardson is indeed appointed Commerce Secretary, then the big question that remains is whether for once he will put New Mexico before his own self interests:

"If the governor is called to the Cabinet, I'm ready to step in and lead. And there will be a very smooth transition," the woman who could soon be the state's first female governor said in her first news conference since word broke that Gov. Bill Richardson could be the next U.S. commerce secretary.

"It's an exciting challenge, and I'm ready for it," [Lt. Governor Diane] Denish told reporters before touring a veterans integration center in Albuquerque.

Later Monday, Richardson spokesman Gilbert Gallegos referred questions about the commerce job to aides to President-elect Barack Obama, but said Richardson and Denish have spoken in general terms during the past week about the potential for a transition.

"Gov. Richardson believes the lieutenant governor is prepared to be a very good governor," added Gallegos — though he said Richardson is looking forward to delivering his annual State of the State Address to lawmakers Jan. 20.

And, there it is. That final parting shot at the Lt. Governor, and more importantly all New Mexicans... "Richardson is looking forward to delivering his annual State of the State Address to lawmakers Jan. 20. "

Really?

January 20th is the day when all eyes will be turned toward Washington D.C. Regardless of which way you voted, there is no denying that the inauguration of our nation's first African-American President is a momentous occasion.

Equally important, albeit on a more local scale, is the fact that January 20th would be the first date in New Mexico's history that the State of the State Address would be given by a female Governor. Yet, Governor Richardson is actually considering giving his farewell address on that date. Why?

What could an outgoing Governor, who has been only an infrequent visitor to the state over the last two years, possibly have to say that is so important? His years in office have set the stage for what promises to be one of New Mexico's most difficult economic periods, and no self-aggrandizing parting words are going to alter that legacy.

The 2009 State of the State address is not going to be a time for looking back, but a time for facing the numerous hurdles ahead. The make-up of the Legislature in the Senate and the House has drastically changed - both on the Democratic and Republican sides. The budget outlook is looking bleaker everyday with oil and gas prices dropping precipitously from one moment to the next, and municipalities across the state are projecting budget shortfalls as a result of declining property and gross receipt tax revenues.

Yet, rather than giving New Mexicans a chance to hear what our new Governor plans to do about it, Governor Bill Richardson is planning to take the stage one more time. A man abandoning the ship as we head into the storm, and he wants to tell us how to navigate. If Richardson gives the 2009 State of the State, he will confirm what we've all known all along. It was never about us. It was always about him.

Town Hall on Governor Created Problems

It looks like New Mexico First will be holding a "town hall meeting" to discuss the shortfalls in addressing the state's transportation infrastructure needs:

New Mexico’s transportation infrastructure is vital to the state’s economic prosperity and integral to the quality of life, health, and welfare of our citizens. Traditional funding has been well below the actual needs of maintaining a modern transportation system. Federal, state, and local investment in transportation represents less than 40% of the actual needs of the system creating a sense of urgency for states to seek alternative funding options. Both federal and state transportation revenue has not been sufficient to keep up with inflation, the rising cost of construction, and the demands for transportation services of a growing population. Without an increase in investment, our transportation system will become more congested and the condition of our transportation infrastructure will become less safe.

The state's annual spending has grown by BILLIONS under Governor Richardson. Considering that transportation infrastructure is supposed to be one of the top priorities of any government spending, it kind of makes you wonder how we ended up in this crisis situation. Then again, I guess all you have to do is look at what Governor Richardson wants to do with the latest projected windfall of nearly $400 million to understand:

But Richardson pointed to the revenue projections in renewing his appeal to lawmakers to approve a heath care expansion. The governor has said he'll call a special session of the Legislature in August or September to consider mandating health insurance coverage for all residents. New Mexico has the nation's second highest rate of uninsured.

"We can invest in health coverage in a fiscally responsible way," Richardson said in a statement. "While cynics will no doubt complain about using revenue from oil and gas, I am confident — as I have been for the past six years — that New Mexico's economy is performing well and will allow us to expand health care coverage to all New Mexicans."

Yeah, that makes sense. Take a one time windfall and use it to fund a recurring entitlement program at a time when we are unable to meet our basic infrastructure needs. What I find most ironic is that this windfall comes from the oil and gas industry, yet the Governor is doing everything he can to increase operating costs on this industry and push them out of the state:

If the regulations are approved, Gallagher said it will add $150,000 in operating costs for every new well dug in the state.

"If industry drilled just 750 new pits next year, it would mean $112.5 million in additional costs," Gallagher said. "We hired an economist to calculate those figures, and we presented them to the OCD, the lieutenant governor, and the governor. They're not just kicking the state's cash cow in the stomach, they're gutting us."

Raye Miller of Artesia-based Marbob Energy Corp. said many operators will cancel plans to drill new wells if the pit rules are passed.

All of this just serves to bring us full circle back to that town hall meeting:

Highway construction costs are soaring and federal funding to improve roads is declining, said Johnny Cope, chairman of the state Transportation Commission. At the same time, rising gas prices are hurting many New Mexicans, he added.

"This town hall will allow us to discuss these issues and explore some viable options to address the transportation needs of all New Mexicans," Cope said.

Well, here is a thought Mr. Cope... Why don't you call the Governor and ask him to adopt a three point plan:

1. Stop adding unnecessary costs to drilling that are just going to manifest themselves as rising gas prices at the pump.
2. Stop spending oil and gas revenue on creating new unnecessary programs and instead spend it on needed infrastructure.
3. Stop unnecessary regulation on an industry that provided the lion's share of our state budget revenue.

It seems to me that if that plan were followed, we wouldn't even have transportation needs that weren't being addressed (i.e. funded).

Same Old Richardson Administration Antics

It's been awhile since we've seen ethically questionable decisions from the Richardson Administration in the news (subscription). But, it looks like old habits die hard:

After canceling a request for competitive proposals, the administration of Gov. Bill Richardson awarded a no-bid deal to a political supporter and onetime appointee to supply automated teller machines for the State Fair.

Automated Financial Technologies of Albuquerque, headed by Rafael Gutierrez, got the deal in 2004— about a year after Gutierrez resigned an appointment by Richardson to the staff of the Gaming Control Board.

Automated's machines replaced those of a competitor, California-based Mobilemoney, which had provided the service and wanted to compete for the business.

Expo New Mexico in July 2004 issued a request for bids to supply ATMs for year-round use and to bring in additional machines at fair time.

Expo officials canceled the request a month later and never reissued it. Automated took over Mobilemoney's job of supplying additional machines for the State Fair later that year— even though Mobilemoney offered the fair more money than it's getting now.

Larry Dunnwald, president of Mobilemoney, said he believes the company lost the State Fair business because Gutierrez is a Richardson friend.

Well, Mr. Gutierrez obviously didn't win the business because he offered the Fair a better deal, so it would seem Mr. Dunwald's belief has some merit. One thing to keep in mind here is that we, the taxpayers, are subsidizing the Fair's operations, so when antics like this occur, it is our pockets that are being picked.

A Man Who Knows About Monarchies

Governor Bill Richardson and Clinton strategist James Carville appear to have had an entertaining little debate on Larry King. This is by far my favorite part of the exchange (subscription):

Richardson told King that he believes Clinton was too negative during her quest to win Pennsylvania.

There's a sense of "clinging to the throne," Richardson said, clearly referring to the Clinton camp. "You know, we're America, we're not Monaco."

This coming from a man who has made a habit of tossing aside the New Mexico Constitution when it suits his needs. I hope during the next legislative session our legislators take time to remind the Governor that "You know, we're America, we're not Monaco." After all, they don't call him King Bill for nothing.

Bill Richardson's Legacy Begins

We are already beginning to feel the effects of Governor Bill Richardson's legacy of spending, spending and then spending a little more:

Gov. Bill Richardson has been a strong advocate of the spaceport.

"The governor is very hopeful the vote will be successful and the project will move forward," said Gilbert Gallegos, a spokesman for Richardson. "The reality is the state has put in a lot of actual capital and committed a lot of time and energy to the project."

The tax would add a 25-cent charge to a $100 purchase. State lawmakers also have earmarked at least $110 million in capital outlay money over several years to help with startup costs.

In recent weeks, spaceport director Steve Landeene and other officials have worked to educate voters on what they see as the project's merits.

So, let's see, the Governor is apparently two for two. The new train requires new gross receipts taxes to support it. The new spaceport requires new gross receipts taxes to support it. I wonder what else the Governor has pushed through the legislature that will require new gross receipts taxes to support it.

Where's the outcry from all you people who support buying local? I've got to tell you if gross receipts keep going up, you're going to find more and more people making their purchases tax free online. The burden of these regressive spend and tax policies are on the poorest amongst us. How come the advocates for the poor are not crying out? I don't get it.

Four Billion Reasons Against Universal Health Care

Just like there are consequences in life, there are consequences in government. The spending party never lasts forever. At some point the bill comes and then those spend, spend, spend politicians start looking at new ways to separate you from your hard earned money. But, don't take my word for it. Look at what one reasonable Democratic party leader had to recently say about the state of our state finances:

Tim Jennings warned his audience that he is a blunt speaker.

The president pro tempore of the New Mexico Senate indeed pulled no punches in addressing the attendees at the Association of Commerce and Industry's business day breakfast in Santa Fe.

"We're $4 billion in the hole," Jennings said of the fiscal challenges facing New Mexico. "But luckily we have $360 million in new dollars to solve that, so things are looking up."

$4 Billion in the hole! Ouch, that's not a pretty picture. I would suggest that any reasonable person would say, time to stop the spending. Any bill that is up in the legislature that requires new recurring funding should be dead on arrival.

In his State of the State the Governor said:

Our sound financial management of our permanent funds has allowed us to invest more than $3 billion into New Mexico schools and taxpayers. And I’d like to assure those who opposed the investment into our schools – our permanent funds have grown from $9 billion to $15 billion and our schools are benefiting from that investment.

Anyone want to bet how long it is going to take before some of our folks start planning another raid on that permanent fund? My guess is 2009.

Steve Pearce for U.S. Senate

I don't understand the thinking behind people asking Congressman Steve Pearce to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Domenici. Now don't get me wrong. I'm a HUGE fan of Congressman Pearce. I just don't see how running to be New Mexico's Junior Senator representing the minority party at age 60 makes sense for a man with such a bright future.

Think about it.

By the end of the Congressman's second term in the Senate, about the time he would be moving up in the seniority ranks, he would be 72 years old - three years younger than Senator Domenici is today. That's not to say he wouldn't want to keep going into his 80's, but why would he want to do that?

If you're thinking I'm advocating for Steve just to spend the rest of his days comfortably ensconced in his current Congressional seat, you're wrong. That may be okay for someone like Congressman Tom Udall, a career politician from a political family. But, a leader like Steve Pearce can actually accomplish so much more.

Steve's a self-made business man from VERY humble beginnings who has a net worth that had him ranked in 2005 as the 22nd wealthiest member of the House. That means he could easily throw two to three million into a political race, and I think he should.

I think Steve Pearce should run for Governor in 2010. It just makes a whole lot more sense.

Like another self-made man, who was the first to be elected to two consecutive terms as Governor in New Mexico, Steve could provide the leadership and fiscal restraint that has been so sorely lacking on the fourth floor since Bill Richardson landed in the Governor's seat. At 62 years old, with millions in the bank and an impressive political, personal and business resume Congressman Pearce could surely win the Governor's seat - no matter who the Democrats put forth.

From there, well, as Governor Richardson has demonstrated, the sky is the limit. If Hilary Clinton were to win the Presidential election next year, and somehow managed to be elected to a second term, there is one thing that could be certain. By 2016, the country would be a mess and in need of a strong conservative leader.

In 2016, Steve Pearce would be a 69 year old, accomplished, conservative Western Governor with a leadership track record in politics and business second to none. Hmm, kind of reminds me of someone else who became the leader of the free world at 69 years of age.