A Dramatic Week

SB12

Domestic Partnership has hung over this legislature since before the session began. We have wrestled with many issues, the budget, the death penalty, ethics reform and others, but always hovering over this body has been the fundamental question of “What is the definition of marriage?” This single issue has produced the majority of e-mail, letters and phone calls. I firmly believe in Traditional Marriage and was prepared to fight for it. I did not have to defend the institution, as the battle was won in the Senate. On Thursday, February 26th the Senate voted against SB 12 by a vote of 25-17. I was fortunate to actually be present on the floor of the Senate when the vote occurred. Those Senators who stood strong to defend Traditional Marriage are all heroes.

State Worker’s Pay

On that same day, I am sorry to say, the House was not as noble. First the House passed HB 854 which takes 1.5 % of the gross pay of teachers, state policemen, and other state workers. The pay cut is diverted into the worker’s retirement, and the state’s contribution from the General Fund is reduced by the same amount. This is done to save the state $40 Million in FY2010. There has been NO other effort to reduce spending. I voted against this bill.

The Budget for FY2010

Also on Thursday, we voted on the state budget for FY2010. If I am not mistaken, it was the first straight line party vote of this session. The debate was long and serious. Rep. Don Bratton (R-62), one the most respected members of the House Appropriations Committee, spoke extensively against the bill. The FY 2010 budget cuts into our reserves in the amount of $136 Million. The projected price of oil and gas products is way too optimistic. Except for the 1.5% cut from the paychecks of state workers, there is no reduction in State spending. These and many other problems make this a flawed budget. I joined all of the other Republicans and voted against this budget.

Budget Transparency Bill

My HB 452 which puts the State’s “checkbook” on line, made it through the first committee, Health and Government Affairs, on Tuesday, February 24th. I had meetings with individuals representing the State Department of Finance, municipalities and counties who suggested some changes. I was pleased to be able to work with these folks and put forward a better bill. The next stop is House Appropriations. That is a tough committee, but I am hopeful.

A Questionable Bill

On Saturday, HB 864 “Voting System Budget Adjustment” was brought to the floor for debate and vote. This bill was sent to ONLY one committee and had the “Emergency Clause” which means if it passes the Legislature, and the Governor signs it, it goes into effect immediately. The Fiscal Impact Report (FIR) has this brief explanation:

The federal auditors reviewing Secretary of State spending of a Help America Vote Act federal grant has rejected $6.3 million spent on advertising with media consultant A. Gutierrez and Associates … A possible resolution to the audit finding is to make an accounting shift of the unaccepted expenditures… However, this shift requires the Legislature to expand and reauthorize the $11 million appropriation made in 2006…

The entire FIR is here: http://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/09%20Regular/firs/HB0864.pdf

The Attorney General is investigating this whole deal, but only AFTER the Feds said this money was misspent. Along with Reps Arnold-Jones and Larranaga, I asked a lot of questions during the debate. Many of us feel this is being done to protect the former Secretary of State. This is another example of the problems in this state that NONE of the proposed ethics legislation addresses. I hope the news media digs into this.

The bill passed, but without the “Emergency Clause,” so the soonest it could take effect is July 1, 2009.