Ethics reform bills to be introduced Thursday

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A package of ethics reform bills crafted by House Democrats will be introduced Thursday. Kathleen MacRae, spokeswoman for the House majority leader’s office, confirmed that this afternoon. The bills come from the recommendations of the governor’s task force, the governor’s own recommendations and negotiations with other legislators, Majority Leader Ken Martinez has said. Martinez, who served on the governor’s task force, spent much of today working to finalize the bills before they are introduced. As I reported Tuesday, Rep. Mary Helen Garcia will be the House sponsor of the bill that would create a state ethics commission. Continue Reading

Richardson returns to Las Cruces on Thursday

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Gov. Bill Richardson will be in Las Cruces on Thursday to talk about his support for three multi-million dollar infrastructure projects in Southern Doña Ana County. It will be his second trip to the city this week. Richardson will discuss the projects during a news conference at 2:45 p.m. at his Las Cruces office, located at 505 South Main Street. Few details were released, but Richardson spokesman Jon Goldstein said the governor would discuss three capital outlay proposals – two for Sunland Park and a third that deals with colonias – that total several million dollars. The governor was in Las Cruces on Monday to promote passage of a proposed gross receipts tax increase to help fund Spaceport America. Continue Reading

Legislators seek criminal probes of housing scandal

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The majority of Doña Ana County’s legislators have signed a letter asking the state attorney general and U.S. attorney to investigate the operations of the state’s housing authority system, and to specifically probe the Region VII authority based in Las Cruces. The Las Cruces authority ceased operations last year in the midst of the scandal that toppled the state’s housing authority system. The attorney general’s office is already investigating the situation in part because the Region III authority based in Albuquerque defaulted last year on $5 million in bonds it owed the state. “We know each of you are aware of the serious allegations of possible wrongdoing, including potential criminal wrongdoing, at the regional housing authorities in the state. We urge you to investigate these allegations fully,” the letter states. Continue Reading

Richardson appoints Lovejoy to state Senate

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Gov. Bill Richardson today appointed former Public Regulation Commission and state House member Lynda Lovejoy to the state Senate, making her the first American Indian woman to serve in that legislative chamber. She replaces former Sen. Leonard Tsosie of Crownpoint as the District 22 representative. He resigned earlier this month to serve on the Navajo Nation Council. “Lynda Lovejoy’s career has been marked by a strong commitment to her constituents in northwestern New Mexico,” Richardson said in a news release. “In her more than 15-year public service career, she has exhibited the leadership and judgment to make an excellent senator. Continue Reading

Garcia wants to stop ‘power hour’ binge drinking

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Sen. Mary Jane Garcia, D-Doña Ana, has introduced a bill aimed at stopping a binge-drinking tradition that led to the 2004 death of a New Mexico State University student. Senate Bill 622 would change the legal drinking age from midnight on a person’s 21st birthday to 7 a.m. on that day, unless it’s a Sunday. In that case, the legal time would be noon. Violators – those who serve people before the legal time on their 21st birthday – would be guilty of a fourth-degree felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison. The tradition among many involves taking a friend out for 21 drinks beginning at midnight on his or her 21st birthday. Continue Reading

Sen. Rawson questions legality of governor raising presidential cash during legislative session

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State Sen. Leonard “Lee” Rawson, R-Las Cruces, has asked the attorney general for an opinion on whether Gov. Bill Richardson can legally raise funds for a presidential campaign while the Legislature is in session. In a letter sent Tuesday to Attorney General Gary King, Rawson asked whether a law that prohibits the governor from soliciting contributions for a “political purpose” from Jan. 1 until 20 days after the end of the session applies to Richardson’s federal campaign. You can read Rawson’s letter by clicking here. The same law prohibits lawmakers from soliciting funds from Jan. Continue Reading

LCPS board approves controversial sex-ed policy

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Following a lengthy discussion that was notably respectful in a time of turmoil and infighting in the district, the Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education approved Tuesday night a policy that will allow for the teaching of sex education in schools unless parents specifically opt out of the program. Board Member Leonel Briseño cast the only vote against the policy after arguing that the board should also consider a proposal that would require parents to opt in to the program, rather than opting out. But district administrators pointed to a state statute that requires an opt-out policy. Briseño’s vote followed numerous public comments that the opt-out policy would isolate students whose parents decided they would not participate in the program. That, they argued, would pressure those students to want to participate. Continue Reading

Ethics reform bills almost ready to be introduced, won’t give disciplinary power to new commission

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A package of ethics reform proposals that comes largely from the recommendations of the governor’s task force could be introduced as early as Wednesday, and Rep. Mary Helen Garcia will be the House sponsor of the bill that would create a state ethics commission. Garcia, a Las Cruces Democrat, had fought for the commission to have disciplinary powers that include the ability to fine, censure and reprimand public officials, state employees, lobbyists and contractors – the same recommendations made by Gov. Bill Richardson – but the bill that will be introduced will not give the commission that authority. Garcia said the proposed legislation is a compromise that came out of a meeting of some House Democratic caucus members. She said she fought for disciplinary powers, but lost. “Hopefully this will at least begin to address the situation, and if it proves to not be strong enough, then in years to come, maybe we can add language to it,” Garcia said. Continue Reading

Denish to forgo stipend while Richardson is away

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Lt. Gov. Diane Denish announced today that she will voluntarily forgo the $250-per-day stipend she is entitled to receive when Gov. Bill Richardson is out of the state for the duration of his campaign for president. The announcement is certain to alleviate some of the criticism that Richardson is running for president at the expense of state taxpayers. It also promotes a selfless image of Denish during a week in which her campaign has been battling that of Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez, who like Denish is raising money for a potential 2010 gubernatorial run. Chávez’s first fundraiser is tonight. Denish’s campaign leaked a poll earlier this week that shows her with a comfortable lead over the mayor in a potential 2010 Democratic primary. Continue Reading

LCPS District 4 candidates discuss finding a new superintendent and healing the community

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The candidates seeking to replace John Schwebke on the Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education both agree that a national search led by a headhunter isn’t the way to find the district’s next superintendent. Larry Garcia and Bonnie Votaw are vying to replace Schwebke, who is not seeking re-election, as the board member representing District 4. Early voting is underway for several seats on Doña Ana County’s three school boards, and polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 6.The new board members will take office at the beginning of March. In Las Cruces, the focus of the election has been the district’s inability to find a match for the superintendent job since former Superintendent Jesse Gonzales left amid scandal in 2001. Continue Reading

Richardson raises $60,000 in El Paso; poll reveals that he’s going to need all that cash and more

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Gov. Bill Richardson raised about $60,000 during a quick campaign stop in El Paso on Monday, the El Paso Times is reporting. Meanwhile, a national survey done by Rasmussen Reports has Richardson getting trounced in a presidential election by Republican Rudy Giuliani, but polling close to even with Republican John McCain. Richardson made the trip to El Paso following a visit to Las Cruces. About 100 supporters of his presidential campaign turned out at a private home on the city’s east side. The governor continued campaigning this morning before flying back to Santa Fe, the Times reported. Continue Reading

GOP attempt to open conference committees dies

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An attempt by House Republicans to open legislative conference committees was killed by Democrats on Monday. The House Rules and Order of Business Committee voted 11-7, along party lines, against House Resolution 2, a proposal by Minority Whip Dan Foley of Roswell to change the rules and prohibit House members from participating in closed conference committees. Such committees meet when the House and Senate pass different versions of bills. They are composed of two Democrats and one Republican from each chamber and are charged with reconciling the differences, so often the most important discussion takes place behind closed doors. Foley argues that his resolution would kill closed conference committees because, without House members, they can’t meet, regardless of whether the Senate wants to open conference committees. Continue Reading

A changing primary calendar has many campaigns scrambling, but doesn’t worry Richardson

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Though politicos across the nation are rethinking presidential campaign strategy following the news that four large states will likely move their primaries up to Feb. 5, 2008, Gov. Bill Richardson said he isn’t worried. California, Florida, Illinois and New Jersey are likely to move their primaries up to that day, making it a “single-day, coast-to-coast battle in some of the most expensive advertising markets in the nation,” the New York Times reported last week. The fear among many is that such a change would make winning a presidential primary even more expensive and would favor the most popular candidates. It also makes the four, smaller January primaries – in Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina – less significant, many political analysts are saying. Continue Reading

Candidate Richardson finds love in Las Cruces

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There was nothing but praise for Gov. Bill Richardson today during his first visit to Las Cruces since announcing himself as a candidate for president. In his speech endorsing the proposed spaceport tax increase, Richardson made no references to his national ambitions, but the event was colored by the comments of others and lots of applause. Two middle-school students who introduced Richardson read off a list of accomplishments provided by the governor’s office. Las Cruces Mayor Bill Mattiace, a Republican, was the first to mention the presidential race by saying, after Richardson concluded his speech and it was his turn to speak, that “it’s hard to follow the governor.” “In the future, we may be following the next president of the United States,” Mattiace said. That elicited a loud round of applause from the hundreds in attendance. Continue Reading

Richardson promotes spaceport tax increase

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Gov. Bill Richardson was one of a number of high-profile public officials who urged residents of Doña Ana County to approve a 1/4 percent gross receipts tax increase to help fund Spaceport America during a pep rally today at Vista Middle School in Las Cruces. “I’m here to ask all Doña Ana County residents, voters, to support this spaceport initiative,” Richardson said. “The spaceport is about creating opportunity, research, creating jobs, creating a reason for our young people to graduate from high school and college and find good paying jobs and exciting jobs here in Southern New Mexico.” Richardson said the project will also help create a better future for America through the commercialization of space. “It’s America’s future, and it’s going to be here in Southern New Mexico,” he said. “We’re making history here in Doña Ana County.” The event was sponsored by People for Aerospace, the group formed to promote approval of the tax increase on April 3, when the question will be asked of voters. Continue Reading