Senators smell something fishy, table tilapia farm bill

A number of senators smelled something fishy in a proposal that had been on the fast-track through the Legislature to fund a fish farm in Hidalgo County.

After a lengthy discussion, they tabled a bill related to the proposal on Thursday night.

Senate Bill 1130, sponsored by President Pro Tem Ben Altamirano, D-Silver City, would have set aside $30 million in state funds to back a loan for a company.

The bill, which had the backing of Gov. Bill Richardson, was indefinitely tabled.

It’s one of at least six bills that until Thursday had been moving quickly through the system. Together, the bills would build the tilapia farm with a lot of state money and very little risk to the company. According to the Albuquerque Journal, one of the directors of the New Mexico Tilapia Corporation is Johnny Cope of Hobbs, a close friend of Richardson and the chairman of the New Mexico Transportation Commission.

The company is only four months old and, senators noted during Thursday’s debate, largely unknown. Many knew nothing about the company or why the proposal was being brought before them, and raised a number of questions. Answers didn’t seem to satisfy them.

“I don’t believe it is a good idea,” the Journal quoted Sen. Joe Carraro, R-Albuquerque, as saying.

“It just sounded bad from the start,” the newspaper quoted Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, as saying.

Cope isn’t the only big name tied to the company. Lobbyists for the company include former Gov. Toney Anaya and former House Speaker Raymond G. Sanchez, the Journal reported.

House Republicans also complained about the bills in a news release that went out Thursday. It stated that bonding, funding and water were all being proposed for the company “under the guise of economic development.”

One of the bills was heard Thursday by the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the release states. The bill initially failed, but Democrats were called back to revote, and the bill passed.

Sources tell me one of those who changed her vote was Rep. Joni Gutierrez, D-Las Cruces, who was under heavy pressure from Speaker of the House Ben Lujan.

“New Mexico Tilapia Corporation is spearheading this project, yet it appears there is no private capital being provided,” the release states. “It is unclear whether those who are actively promoting this project at the Legislature are investing their own money.”

“Why is the New Mexico taxpayer being asked to bear the burden of a project that should be funded by the private sector?” it asks.

Public/private economic development projects are legal and not unusual, but normally require a great deal of public scrutiny. This project has had almost none as it has been moving stealthily through the approval process, until Thursday.