Were it possible for a man likely to get close to 60 percent of the vote in November to have a bad week, this would be it.
First Gov. Bill Richardson’s opponent, John Dendahl, was given free airtime on an Albuquerque television station because Richardson refused to debate.
Then, the national Republican Governors’ Association announced it will run ads in New Mexico in the next couple of weeks calling on voters to ask Richardson to “tell us the truth… The White House, or us?” That’s according to the Albuquerque Journal.
And last, this from the Santa Fe New Mexican: Richardson has lost his much touted grade of a “B” from the conservative Cato Institute. It appears the group finally figured out Richardson isn’t quite the tax-cutting governor he claims to be.
As for the television ads, they’ll begin airing in the Albuquerque market (but not in Las Cruces, apparently) today. The ad, according to the Journal, takes a humorous approach to Richardson’s travels to other states.
“Haven’t seen much of him in New Mexico,” the ad states.
Though the ad doesn’t name Richardson’s opponent, John Dendahl, Dendahl said he welcomed the ads. Why wouldn’t he? He hasn’t had the money to put his own on television, though he says one is coming.
On to taxes: Richardson was rated in 2004 by the libertarian Cato group as the nation’s most fiscally responsible Democratic governor and given a grade of “B” for that year. Richardson used that ranking to convince media outlets and others across the nation that he had actually cut taxes.
He wasn’t lying. During his tenure, the state cut the income tax and a few others. But he also raised many other taxes and fees. In giving Richardson an overall grade of a “C” for his first term in office, the group cited other tax hikes and an increase in the size of state government.
“If he wants to be thought of as a ‘new Democrat,’ then he needs to actually control the size of government in New Mexico,” the New Mexican quoted the group as saying.
The group again praised Richardson for the 2003 income tax cuts, which it said “still stands as the largest income tax rate cut in the nation over the past few years.”
“But the more complete picture that has emerged since 2004 is of a governor who is eager to raise other taxes – such as the cigarette tax and the gross receipt tax – and various fees, thereby weakening his record on taxes overall,” Cato’s report states. “It has also become obvious that Richardson is happy to increase government spending. All of this has led to an overall first-term grade of ‘C.’”
Richardson’s office said he deserves an “A” from Cato, according to the New Mexican, and pointed out that he has vetoed some proposed government spending, which is true. But the reality is that Cato is finally right in its analysis of Richardson’s government spending and tax record.
It’s the grade Cato assigned Richardson that is subjective. The question is whether it’s good that Richardson has increased some spending and raised some taxes and fees. Many think it is; however, calling him a tax-cutting governor has been technically accurate, but disingenuous.
And Richardson has done plenty of calling himself a tax-cutting governor.
The Cato rating he cited as proof is gone. Dendahl got to share his views with anyone interested in watching. Republican ads attacking Richardson are on television.
Will any of this make a difference on Nov. 7?
Should it?
Were it possible for a man likely to get close to 60 percent of the vote in November to have a bad week, this would be it.