Richardson gets involved in House speaker race, which both sides are now calling a dead heat

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The race for speaker of the House is nearly tied and, with the apparent entering of Gov. Bill Richardson into the fray, a lot could still happen before Monday’s leadership vote. Former Rep. Hector Balderas, D-Wagon Mound, resigned on Thursday. As the state auditor-elect, Balderas didn’t seek re-election to his House seat, and his term was set to expire at the end of the month. As I’m sure you recall, Balderas jumped into the auditor race so late that there was no one on the ballot for the House seat in November, so it will be filled by a Richardson appointee. Balderas’ resignation gives Richardson time to appoint a replacement who can cast a vote when House Democrats meet Monday afternoon to elect leaders. Continue Reading

Richardson will face tough questions in N.H.

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Gov. Bill Richardson will have to answer some tough questions about his support of an early caucus in Nevada when he travels to New Hampshire this weekend. Earlier this year, national Democrats voted to move Nevada’s 2008 presidential caucus ahead of New Hampshire’s storied primary, upsetting many in the Granite State. The changes, which also included moving South Carolina’s primary to just after New Hampshire’s, were intended to diversify the changing party’s presidential candidate selection process. The process still begins with the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 14, 2008. Continue Reading

Paul Curry says farewell to county commission

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Doña Ana County Commissioner Paul Curry, who first dreamed up the idea of the new government center on Motel Boulevard and led the city and county through a reorganization of Memorial Medical Center, is attending his final meeting today. After almost six years in office, Curry opted against seeking re-election in November, and will be replaced on Jan. 1 by Democrat Karen Perez. “Many people continue to ask me why I joined county government service,” Curry said at today’s meeting. “… Continue Reading

Share your thoughts on year’s top political stories

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In case you hadn’t noticed, 2006 is almost up, and I’m compiling a list of the year’s top 10 political stories in Doña Ana County and New Mexico. I plan to publish it late next week. Here’s your chance to be heard: Send me your thoughts on the top political stories of the year. They can be local, state, national or international stories. The list will include topics from all levels of government. Continue Reading

LCPS board to discuss superintendent search

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Members of the Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education will discuss the process for selecting an interim superintendent during a work session today. Board members John Schwebke and Chuck Davis have put together a proposal that will be discussed by board members at the meeting. Board members will discuss qualifications and how to seek applicants. Some board members have talked with educators from around the state and have a list of candidates who might be available on an interim basis. Schwebke told the Las Cruces Sun-News that “the number is somewhere under 10.” The interim chief won’t likely be selected until January. Continue Reading

Most city councilors appear to back spaceport tax

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The Las Cruces City Council was receptive Monday to Doña Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley’s presentation on the need for a 1/4-percent increase in the gross receipts tax to help fund Spaceport America. Councilors directed staff to draft a resolution supporting the increase, which will be presented to the council at its Jan. 16 meeting, according to the Las Cruces Sun-News. Contrary to what was reported by the newspaper, the city council’s resolution is not necessary. The county’s resolution calling for a special election on April 3, assuming it receives final approval next month, is all that is required for an election, but McCamley is asking the governing boards of municipalities and school districts in the county to approve statements in support of the tax increase. Continue Reading

Wilson says he and Plame are moving to Santa Fe

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FOX News got at least one thing right in its report last week that Gov. Bill Richardson said he was running for president. Former Ambassador Joe Wilson and his wife, former CIA agent Valerie Plame, are moving to New Mexico, the Santa Fe New Mexican is reporting. But the network reported they are moving here to work on the presidential campaign of Richardson. Wilson told the newspaper that isn’t true. “FOX News once again proved itself the master of make-believe,” he was quoted as saying. Continue Reading

Richardson appoints new NMSU student regent

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Gov. Bill Richardson has appointed graduate student Ed Kellum to the New Mexico State University Board of Regents. Assuming he’s confirmed when the Legislature convenes in January, Kellum, a registered independent, will replace Sherry Kamali, whose term expires at the end of the year. Kellum will serve for two years. “While Ed Kellum will no doubt be a true voice for the students at New Mexico State University, I am counting on him to bring a unique perspective to the Board of Regents,” Richardson said in a news release. “Ed wants to establish a national identify for NMSU. Continue Reading

Senators want more eyes on executive branch

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Because of the growth of the state budget and in response to actions by Gov. Bill Richardson’s administration, some senators want to increase legislative oversight of the executive branch. Sen. Leonard “Lee” Rawson, R-Las Cruces, said he’ll ask for support for the creation of a Senate Executive Committee – similar to the Judiciary Committee – when the Committee’s Committee meets Wednesday. Citing several factors, including an increase in spending, unauthorized hiring by Richardson and corruption in state government, Rawson said the Legislature has a duty to take a more active role. “I believe we ought to have a committee whose sole responsibility is to oversee the executive branch,” Rawson said. “This has been an administration that has been plagued with corruption.” For the committee to become a reality, the Senate would have to vote to approve a rule change on the first day of the session. Continue Reading

Bill to limit off-reservation casinos resurrected by GOP, then apparently dropped again

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U.S. House Republican leaders attempted to resurrect a bill late last week that might have killed the Anthony casino proposal, but have apparently abandoned their effort. Though the House has not yet adjourned for the year, the bill, according to The Hill, was too controversial to pass in the final days of Republican control of Congress, and an effort to pass it has been abandoned. The last-ditch attempt was supported by outgoing House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois and outgoing Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio. Both will be replaced in their leadership positions by Democrats next year. The bill, which would have killed most off-reservation casino proposals, was sponsored by Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., who lost his bid for re-election in November. Continue Reading

Compromise proposal has Smith, Jennings as Senate finance co-chairs, Cisneros as vice chair

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A group of state senators meet Wednesday to resolve a debate over who should be the next chair of the Finance Committee. The proposal to have Democrats Tim Jennings of Roswell become chair and Carlos Cisneros of Questa vice chair is still being discussed, but so is a compromise that would have John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, become co-chair alongside Jennings. That would be similar to the situation on the House Appropriations and Finance Committee, which is co-chaired by Henry Kiki Saavedra, D-Albuquerque, and Luciano “Lucky Varela, D-Santa Fe. The Committee’s Committee meets Wednesday to vote on committee assignments. Smith has been vice chair and basically run the Finance Committee for the last two years. Continue Reading

Commission to discuss spaceport tax Tuesday

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The Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners will again discuss a proposed 1/4 percent gross receipts tax increase to help fund Spaceport America at its meeting Tuesday. On a 4-1 vote with Oscar Vasquez Butler dissenting, the commission voted in October to let voters decide whether to approve the tax increase. An election will most likely be held on April 3. On Tuesday, commissioners must formally vote to give notice of a public hearing on the proposed tax increase. Assuming the measure passes, the hearing will be held before the commission in January. Continue Reading

State has lots of money for 2007 legislative session

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The Legislature and governor are going to have a lot of money to deal with in the 2007 legislative session that begins in January. The continuing increase in oil revenues means the state will have an unprecedented $723 million to spend on increasing the budget and cutting taxes, and $1.08 billion to spend on capital outlay, an increase from the $913 million that was available during this year’s session. “We’re fortunate to have the amount of money we have in order to address the needs of New Mexico,” Rep. Luciano “Lucky” Varela, D-Santa Fe and chairman of the Legislative Finance Committee, told the Associated Press. But he also cautioned, appropriately, that increasing the state budget too much could hurt the state if a future downturn in the economy cuts revenue to the state. “It’s very difficult for us to try to contain the appetite for spending, both by the executive and the Legislature,” Varela told the news service. Continue Reading

Cervantes wins non-scientific majority leader poll

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There were a lot of votes cast in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site about who should be the next House majority leader. Of 760 votes cast, 488, or 64 percent, went to Rep. Joseph Cervantes of Las Cruces, and 272, or 36 percent, went to Rep. Mimi Stewart of Albuquerque. A note about these polls: They’re not scientific and are intended for fun only. Here’s how they work: Only one vote can be cast in each poll from one IP address. In most cases, an IP address is assigned to one computer, but in some large offices, one address is assigned to several computers, so only one of those computers can be used to cast a vote. Continue Reading

State financial advisor and Richardson donor is under investigation by U.S. Justice Department

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The president of a brokerage firm that is under investigation by federal prosecutors gave $100,000 to political action committees formed by Gov. Bill Richardson, and his firm made almost $1 million advising the state in 2004, the financial Web site Bloomberg.com reported today. A Richardson spokesman told the news organization that the governor had no role in the selection of CDR Financial Products, which was selected through a competitive bidding process. A spokesman for the company said its president David Rubin, who gave the gifts to Richardson’s PACs in 2003 and 2004, had no comment. CDR was paid $951,566 in 2004 to advise the New Mexico Finance Authority on $420 million of interest-rate swaps, Bloomberg reported. Federal prosecutors are trying to determine whether banks and brokers conspired to fix prices on bonds bought by municipalities to invest the proceeds that weren’t immediately spent on schools and sewers, Bloomberg reported. Continue Reading