By Bill McCamley
“‘No’ is such a simple word…. only two letters. Yet saying ‘No’ out loud is harder for most people than saying, ‘I’ll be glad to…’ (11 letters) or ‘When do you need me to…’ (17 letters).” – Linda Tillman, PhD
When I joined the student government at New Mexico State University in 1999, there was a senator named Jeremiah Johnson. No, he isn’t the character from the movie AMC showed over the weekend, or the running back who had 219 yards and a touchdown in Oregon’s win over Oregon State on Saturday. This guy was a student at NMSU for nine straight years, many of them spent in the Associated Students’ Senate. He was a controversial character on campus and I disagreed with him fiercely on a number or issues. The role in which he was least notorious, however, was the one in which he was probably the most effective.
Jeremiah sat as the head of the Senate’s Finance Committee for many years. He viewed his role as simple: Keep spending to a responsible level through the establishment of reasonable policy and make sure every appropriation follows that policy. In this process, he had to turn some applicants away with either less money than they asked for or none at all.
There was a reason for these actions. The Associated Students had gone bankrupt in the late 80s because no one in the government took on the responsibility of judiciously appropriating money. Therefore, nothing was left in the tank as the year went, leaving no funding for any programs. During Jeremiah’s tenure, spending continued responsibly, but the reserve fund (established after the bankruptcy fiasco) grew to a very high level.
When I hear propositions for funding on the county commission, I sometimes catch myself thinking, “What would Johnson do?” The thought brings a sense of reality to the process, and helps to focus my vote on what priorities truly need the funding.
Having this type of person is necessary for a government because, to put it bluntly, few people have the intestinal fortitude to say “no” to constituents in a democracy. Recent examples of belt-tightening in recessions because of overspending are fairly common. They range from the state level (where the governor of Massachusetts recently announced $1 billion in spending cuts and the dissolution of 1,000 state jobs) to the local level (the city of Vallejo, Calif. actually declared bankruptcy in May).
A necessary role
In the New Mexico Senate, one person has been able to step up to the plate and take on this necessary role: Senate Finance Chairman John Arthur Smith. In fact, he is so known for this trait that Bill Richardson called him and a few others “Dr. No” last summer for not supporting his ambitious health-care reform plans for lack of money. However, there has been speculation that with a new, more left-leaning voting-block in the Senate, he will be removed from his position as chairman because of his conservative views on many social issues.
To be frank, I know John Arthur fairly well and like him. I worked for him when he ran for the U.S. Congress. He is extremely honest and never makes a promise that he can’t keep. He is very intelligent. I remember having lunch with John and an old professor of mine from the university during the campaign to talk about U.S.-China relations, and John was able to ask intelligent, in-depth questions. He has also been involved with the state budget process for an extremely long time and knows it like the back of his hand. Though I do not agree with him all of the time, I have an enormous amount of respect for his judgment.
Though John has a reputation for being the person who stops projects, he is no Gary Johnson. Johnson was a typical libertarian, viewing almost all aspects of government spending as wrong. Do you remember how he both privatized prisons and tried to legalize drugs to save on corrections costs? John, on the other hand, does not have this philosophy. He approves spending when funding can be provided in a responsible manner. Money for both the Rail Runner and Spaceport America made it through his committee. He says no when he can’t find a reliable funding stream.
The truth is simple: Government needs both people like the Bill Richardson and John Arthur Smith. If big projects (like the ones Richardson is famous for backing) were never proposed and pushed, great things would never happen. Think the Hoover Dam, the Tennessee Valley Authority or the Interstate Highway System. But too many of these projects mean a fiscally irresponsible government that can end up failing.
Yes, John is more conservative than many of his contemporaries who just got elected, and there will be a temptation to get rid of him in an attempt to clean house. But he fulfills a vital role in the Senate and should be allowed to keep his position.
McCamley is the District 5 Doña Ana County commissioner.