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Most voters in poll don’t want long-serving legislators

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The majority of those who voted in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site said legislators should not be allowed to hold office for decades at a time because they become too jaded or corrupt. Of 202 voters, 124, or 61 percent, picked that answer, while 74, or 37 percent, said legislators should be allowed to serve that long because no one should be barred from serving the public. Four voters, or 2 percent, said they don’t know. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll, located at the top of the right column on this page. Continue Reading

Defendants seek dismissal of Foy lawsuit

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You may have read an article last week about three defendants in a lawsuit alleging pay to play in the Richardson administration filing motions to have the lawsuit dismissed. The Associated Press article details the motions from former Richardson Chief of Staff Dave Contarino, State Investment Officer Gary Bland and Educational Retirement Board Chairman Bruce Malott. Frank Foy’s lawsuit, filed on behalf of the state, alleges that Contarino ordered Bland and Malott to make investments with Vanderbilt Financial and affiliated companies in exchange for a little more than $15,000 in contributions to Gov. Bill Richardson’s 2008 presidential campaign. The state lost $90 million in the investment deals. The three men have already denied the allegations. Continue Reading

Conference committees on today’s Senate agenda

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This article has been updated.The Senate could vote today on whether to open conferences committees and other legislative meetings to the public, and it’s even possible you’ll be able to watch the debate, if it happens, online. I wrote earlier this week that the question was whether Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, would challenge an unusual procedural move and try to reassign Senate Bill 737, sponsored by Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, to the Senate Rules Committee instead of scheduling it for a vote on the Senate floor. Sanchez answered that question late Friday when he left the bill on the Senate floor. And it’s No. 25 on the agenda for today’s Senate session. Continue Reading

Bet on Richardson signing death penalty repeal

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I have nothing more than a gut feeling, but my money is on Gov. Bill Richardson opting to sign a bill that would make New Mexico the 15th state to repeal the death penalty. For the politically savvy and embattled governor, there’s nearly every reason in the world to sign the bill — from a political standpoint — and few to veto it. The Senate sent House Bill 285, sponsored by Rep. Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque, to the governor today on a vote of 24-18. It’s the most significant legislation to head the governor’s desk so far this session. Richardson put out a statement that says he’s still undecided on whether he’ll sign the bill. Continue Reading

Senate OKs video webcasting, will begin ASAP

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Members of the New Mexico Senate voted unanimously this afternoon to begin live audio and video webcasting from the Senate floor as soon as is technically possible, the New Mexico Independent is reporting. Webcasting could begin as early as Saturday following approval of Senate Resolution 4, a compromise sponsored by Mark Boitano, R-Albuquerque, and John Sapien, D-Corrales. Under the legislation, the Senate will install one camera at the back of the Senate chamber to try to replicate what a member of the public sitting in the gallery above the Senate floor can see. The resolution also sets up an oversight agency to handle webcasting. While that’s not as good as the original proposal to install three cameras and have video zoom in on lawmakers while they are speaking, it’s better than what is available in the House, which has approved audio webcasting but no video. Continue Reading

Resolving the question of sovereignty

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© 2009 by Michael Swickard, Ph.D. “I am a red man. If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man he would have made me so in the first place… We are poor, but we are free. No white man controls our footsteps.” – Purportedly said by a famous Hunkpapa Lakota Native American For a nation so full of the promise of human rights at its founding, I despair at the misery still endemic to our nation. It is not the misery of those of African-American heritage that still festers within our souls as much as it is the native populations. In no way do I diminish the shame of our slave history. Continue Reading

Cash behind TIDD ad blitz should be public now

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This article has been updated.You may have noticed the new SunCal banner ad that appeared at the top of my site on Thursday. It reminded me that, in the midst of my trip to Santa Fe earlier this week, I forgot to write about a weekend article in the Albuquerque Journal focusing on the money behind the TIDD battle in Santa Fe. The article highlighted the fact that SunCal has blanketed the state in billboards, TV, radio and internet ads and mailers; flooded the Roundhouse with a team of high-powered lobbyists; and handed out campaign contributions to a number of lawmakers. What do they want? The approval of a controversial method of financing for their development that commits a percentage of future gross-receipts tax revenue to repay them for their costs. Continue Reading

Lyons caught off guard by expansion of audit

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The expansion earlier this week of a special audit that will now look for wrongdoing in the New Mexico Land Office caught officials in that office off guard, they claim. Because of that, they’re questioning the motives behind the action. “We were completely surprised,” said Kristin Haase, spokeswoman for the land office. “… we are puzzled by the auditor’s decision and curious about his motivation.” That’s because, Haase claimed, State Auditor Hector Balderas had already notified the land office that the special audit was completed and was “clean.” Balderas announced the expansion of the special audit on Wednesday. What started as a review of policies and procedures that govern the sale, exchange and leasing of trust lands is now an investigation into whether there has been any wrongdoing in the office’s dealings related to state trust land. Continue Reading

Committee hears one ethics bill, kills it

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The Senate Rules Committee considered one ethics-reform bill today, and it sent that bill to the trash. Senate Bill 258, sponsored by Tim Keller, D-Albuquerque, would have banned all campaign contributions to statewide elected officials from state contractors or prospective contractors. It was tabled on a vote of 3-2, with several members of the committee absent. Voting in favor of tabling the bill — and effectively killing it — were Dianna Duran, R-Tularosa, Minority Leader Stuart Ingle, R-Portales, and President Pro Tem Tim Jennings, D-Roswell. Those voting against the motion to table the bill were Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, and Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe. Continue Reading

State auditor reviewing Meyners’ housing audits

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Balderas’ office is examining why the audits didn’t find the widespread problems that crippled most of the housing authority system State Auditor Hector Balderas says his office is conducting a review of why several independent audits of the state’s affordable housing system turned up none of the widespread problems that led to its scandalous and nearly total collapse in 2006. As I reported earlier this week, the five audits, completed by the firm Meyners + Company, didn’t flag any of the major problems that preceded the Albuquerque-based Region III Housing Authority’s default on $5 million in bonds it owed the state. The state auditor and State Investment Council have both since released damning reports about the operations of the housing authorities during the time Meyners was conducting its audits. Balderas said in a statement released by his office on Thursday that the housing authority special audits conducted by his office “revealed the startling extent to which bond money was misspent and the public trust was compromised.” “Certainly, I am concerned about the accuracy and transparency of the financial reporting on the regional housing authorities in the years previous to my administration,” he said. Balderas said his office has been conducting an ongoing “quality control review” since May 2008 of the housing authority audits conducted by Meyers. Continue Reading

Committee OKs conference committee bill

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The Senate Public Affairs Committee gave a do-pass recommendation this evening to a bill that would open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the public. The question now: Will the unusual procedural move by Sen. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, that made today’s vote possible be challenged or will the full Senate soon get a chance to vote on the proposal? Senate Bill 737 was approved on a vote of 7-0 this evening. The way the bill is scheduled now, that means it moves to the Senate floor. But it was an unusual move that got the proposal to this point. Continue Reading

Goose and gander, part 1

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By Carter Bundy There are many times when labor and corporations are on the same page. All unions want to see companies prosper. If you’re a private-sector union, more profits mean more ability to offer good wages and benefits. If you’re a public-sector union, more success means more revenue for the state. And presumably companies agree with unions that there should be due process for employees and that abusive managers should be reined in. Continue Reading

Senate OKs campaign contribution limits

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This article has been updated.With near-unanimous support, the New Mexico Senate approved a bill this afternoon that would limit campaign contributions beginning with the 2012 election cycle. On a vote of 40-1, Senate Bill 116 now heads to the House for consideration. It’s the most high-profile piece of ethics legislation to pass the Senate this year. Because of the slow pace at which ethics reform has moved through the Senate, many have accused its leaders of trying to kill reform. “This bill may not be perfect, but I think it’s an incredibly important first step in a direction this state needs to go,” Sen. Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, said just before the vote. Continue Reading

Senate debating contribution limits right now

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This article has been updated.The Senate is currently taking up its first debate on a major piece of ethics-reform legislation this session. Right now, the Senate is debating campaign contribution limits. It’s a committee substitute for Senate Bill 116, sponsored by Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, and several other related bills. It wasn’t originally on the Senate calendar for today but was added by Majority Leader Michael Sanchez a short while ago, then almost immediately brought up for consideration. Think it has anything to do with Feldman planning to try a procedural move to bypass the Senate Rules Committee on a proposal to open legislative conference committees to the public? Continue Reading