Richardson promotes spaceport tax in Las Cruces, but signs of nervousness and dissent color rally

Gov. Bill Richardson made one last stop in Las Cruces on Thursday to push for approval of a 1/4 percent gross receipts tax increase to help fund Spaceport America.

He was joined by a bipartisan group of local public officials at the rally, held at his office in Las Cruces. Not all of them expressed support for the tax increase, however.

“You can vote for a new industry – 5,000 new jobs – or you can vote for the status quo,” Richardson said. “… This is a vote for the future.”

The election is Tuesday on whether to raise the tax in Doña Ana County. It would provide about $49 million for construction of the facility.

Las Cruces Mayor Bill Mattiace joined Richardson in urging approval of the tax increase.

“We all need to vote ‘yes,’ to think of our children’s future,” he said.

Doña Ana County Commissioner Kent Evans called a “yes” vote “a no-brainer.” Commissioner Bill McCamley said the vote “is the simplest vote you will ever take in your entire life.”

“This is a vote of stagnation, which is ‘no,’ or progress, which is ‘yes,’” he said.

State Rep. Joni Gutierrez, D-Las Cruces, wore a sticker on her shirt calling for approval of the tax and spoke about the spaceport with enthusiasm.

“I’m anxious to see this to fruition,” she said.

Worry behind the smiles

But the smiles of dozens of public officials and others who attended the rally couldn’t hide the fact that many supporters are worried about Tuesday’s election. The tax represents about 25 percent of the funding for the spaceport, and the project is in serious jeopardy if it isn’t approved.

Officials expect the vote to be very close – perhaps as close as the 2003 special election in which voters approved, by 195 votes statewide, a proposal to allow the state to spend more money on education from the permanent fund.

The rally capped off two weeks of announcements designed to fill the media with positive headlines about the spaceport, and, not surprisingly, it was a rally of spin. During his speech, Richardson embellished the facts a bit – a sure sign a politician is worried he might lose a battle.

In saying that local voters need to pitch in “a little help” for the state project, he said the state has provided $140 million.

That’s not an accurate number. At time of Richardson’s speech, the state had agreed to fund $114.5 million, which was approved in the 2006 legislative session. Later Thursday, the Senate approved another $10 million that still has to be approved by the House.

On top of that $10 million, Richardson wants another $15 million, but there’s no certainty he’ll get it. Lawmakers from around the state have fought hard against giving additional money to the spaceport this year.

A bill signing, or a rally?

Richardson’s administration also fudged a bit on the details of the rally, most likely in an effort to draw lawmakers to it. Many lawmakers are cool to the project and the tax proposal.

Richardson’s office originally called local lawmakers to ask them to attend what would be a bill signing, but didn’t mention the spaceport rally. Later, his office put out a news release announcing the event as a rally for the tax and a bill-signing ceremony.

I called to ask for the bill numbers, but his office refused to release them. Lawmakers didn’t know either, but some didn’t want to chance missing the signing of their own legislation.

Senators were meeting in Santa Fe and couldn’t attend, but Gutierrez, a strong supporter of the spaceport tax, arrived early and stood next to Richardson.

Reps. Mary Helen Garcia and Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, arrived late and stood near the back of the crowd, but, as Richardson prepared to sign bills before the rally for the tax started, he asked them to come forward.

“I came because I was told you were signing all my bills, governor,” Cervantes said.

It turned out none of the five bills Richardson signed were sponsored by lawmakers from Doña Ana County. No other legislators attended the event.

Garcia stood between Richardson and Gutierrez during the rally, but Cervantes stood off to the side of the group of elected officials. Though both clapped when speakers were introduced, neither clapped when speakers, including Richardson, promoted the spaceport tax.

Their lack of enthusiasm was especially apparent when others at the rally cheered loudly in response to Las Cruces Mayor Pro-Tem Dolores Connor saying she believed “everyone in this room is a ‘yes’ vote for the spaceport.”

New Mexico Economic Development Secretary Rick Homans asked Garcia to speak. She appeared surprised, then said a few words, but didn’t endorse the tax. She said she wanted to work harder on getting people out to vote, but had to spend time in Santa Fe because of the special session.

“Hopefully, we will be able to get this vote out,” she said.

Homans gestured to Cervantes to speak. He refused.

After the rally, I asked both if they oppose the tax. Neither would comment on that.

“I came because I was told to come for a bill signing, and the governor signed some bills we worked very hard at,” Cervantes said.