Pork Chops

Further update:

After a contentious debate, the Senate voted again on Sen. Eric Griego's amendment. It passed the second time on a 21-19 vote. Several senators on both sides switched their votes.

Update:

The Senate just voted to reconsider Griego's amendment. Sen. John Ryan, R-Albuquerque, who had voted for the amendment, made teh motion to reconsider. Not sure why. They're debating now. Stay tuned for an update when the vote is final.

The Senate is debating HB17, the budget bill.

After voting down several amendments by Sen. Rod Adair, R-Roswell, the body adopted an amendment by Sen. Eric Griego, D-Albuquerque. Griego's amendment asks the Legislature to commit to cutting out $150 million in inactive capital outlay projects.

Griego purposely didn't identify the projects that would be cut. He want each lawmaker to identify a little over $1 million each in projects that haven't gotten off the ground.

The largest such projects in the Santa Fe area are listed in my story earlier this week.

Assumedly the decison on which projects to cut would be in January.

The vote on the amendment came out to be a tie with most Dems voting for and most GOP voting against. Lt. Gov. Diane Denish broke the tie, voting yes.