Grade D Psychics

I always figured if journalism didn't work out, I could always get a job as a roadside fortune teller.

However, looking at how we called the chances of various bills for the recent session causes me to reconsider my options for a career as a psychic.

Before the session started, my colleagues Trip Jennings, Kate Nash and myself looked at the various issues Gov. Susana Martinez wanted to be considered during the special.

We rated the chances of  each one -- "Good shot," "Long shot," "No shot." The ratings we arrived at was a consensus.

Yesterday I went back and looked at our original list and compared it to the actual results.

Of 10 issues, we called six of them correctly. That's 60 percent. By any measure, a grade of D.

O.K., D minus!

In general we we too optimistic about those issues we got wrong. Perhaps subconsciously we didn't want to be branded as doomsayers? Who knows?

One issue we didn't look at on the original list, which was late to be added to Martinez's agenda, was consolidating several state agencies. I'm sure we would have rated that "no shot" or "long shot" so that would have improved our average.

Senate Has Quit, House Heads Toward SIne Death

The Senate called it a Sine Die after passing the capital outlay bill after 1 a.m.

It's all up to the House now.

Besides capital outlay and the unemployment insurance bill, the main thing left on the House agenda is the Senate's congressional redistricting plan. The House itself was never able to get its own bill out of committee. So it's Senate bill or nothing.

For Santa Fe and other Northern New Mexico readers, there were no drastic changes in CD 3. Ben Ray Lujan is still in the district and it would remain safely Democratic in the Senate plan.

Last I looked, the House Democrats were still in caucus. Several Republicans are on the House floor.

There was talk even before the session started that the Legislature would pass the redistricting plans then wait three days before calling it quits to force Gov. Susana Martinez to sign or veto before they left.

I suppose it became pretty clear the governor will veto all the major bills -- and that there aren't enough votes to pass anything she wouldn't veto.

So the money that would have gone to three more days of the special can now go to the lawyers. Onto the courts!

A Few Things Are Starting to Move in Special Session.

Both the Senate and the House this afternoon passed their versions of the Public Education Commission redistricting plans. I can't say how the two plans differ, if at all.

At least one of the bills would have to make it through both chambers before going to the governor for signature.

The PEC is mostly an advisory board. Its major power is approving charter schools.

And just moments ago the House unanimously passed HB 28, which appropriates the rest of the state's stimulus money (currently at $6.2 million) to the state's Medicaid program and $450,000 from the general fund to shore up the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

This bill was part of Gov. Susana Martinez's agenda -- and is the only non-redistricting bill that's been considered so far.

These are the easy bills. The big fights over redistricting should come in the next few days.

Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez dropped by the news room earlier this morning. He confirmed what several other Democratic lawmakers have said -- that the Legislature will pass the redistricting and stay in session three days, so the governor will have to sign or veto the bills while they are still there.

During those three days, Sanchez said, some of the governor's other bills will be debated.

FORE!

There was an interesting little exchange on the House floor a few minutes ago. Rep. Paul Band, R-Farmington, announced that he and a few other Republican lawmakers spent part of yesterday afternoon at the Santa Fe Country Club playing golf.

Actually Bandy said he's not much of a golfer. He really only likes sports that involve horses. So, he said, he was caddy for Rep. Anna Crook and House GOP Leader Tom Taylor.

Speaker Ben Lujan, in a scolding tone, said that he doesn't think any House Democrats have had time to play golf during the special session.

Bandy replied that because none of the House committees he serves on were hearing any bills, there was nothing wrong in spending the afternoon on the links. House Republicans have been complaining all week that there's nothing to do at the session because the only bills being heard so far are redistricting bills.

When Crook announced that Republicans would caucus after the floor session, Lujan asked whether that caucus meeting would be at the golf course.

The session is costing about $50,000 a day. Lawmakers are paid $171 a day during the session.

I don't think we've heard the last of this.

Today's Scripture

Rep. Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, reponded on the floor of the House a few minutes ago to yesterday's complaints from Republicans about the slow pace of the special session.

He accused Republicans of reciting "talking points" from the 4th Floor and political party chairmen (Republican, I presume.) He said he had "talking points from a higher power."

Then he read from the New Testament, Matthew 6:1 to 6:4

1 "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Is Anything Happening at the Special Session?

That question seems to have become a partisan issue.

House Republicans are accusing House Speaker Ben Lujan and other Democratic leaders of dragging their feet because there haven't been any committee hearings scheduled on bills except those dealing with redistricting. Lujan and others say it's true that redistricting is the priority but there will be time to consider most of the other bills.

My story on that is HERE.


One thing that is happening is that the subcommittee working on the possible impeachment of PRC member Jerome Block Jr. is scheduled to meet in about 30 minutes and hopefully they will announce that they've hired a lawyer for the task. Watch this space.

UPDATE: 11:15 am The Block impeachment panel did not hire an attorney today. Co-chairman Joe Cervantes said there are about a half dozen attorneys under consideration and that more names could be added to the list of possibilities. There might be a selection by Thursday's meeting, he said.

Speaker Names Impeachment Subcommittee

As expected, House Speaker Ben Lujan named a panel -- a subcommittee of the House Rules Committee, actually -- to look at possible impeachment charges agains Public Regulations Commissioner Jerome Block, Jr.

The panel will be co-chaired by Reps. Joe Cervantes, D-Las Cruces and Zach Cook, R-Ruidoso.

Members include Democrats Al Park, Debbie Rodella, Eliseo Alcon, Gail Chasey and Republicans Anna Crook, Larry Larranaga, Don Tripp and Dennis Roch.

The subcommittee will report its findings by the end of the special session.

The Proclamation

Here it is.

2011 Special Session Proclamation

SINE DIE!

Some said it was a band-aid. Some said it was too harsh on state agencies giving services to children and the poor. Some said it didn't do nearly enough to solve the ongoing deficits.

Whatever the case, the Legislature just passed HB17, the budget bill.

The House agreed to all Senate amendments but one -- which was sponsored by Sen. Tim Keller, which was meant to protect certain schools.

Keller agreed to take off the amendment. So now both chambers have agreed.

The Senate just agreed to Sine Die. They called it quits.

I'll explain more in tomorrow's paper.

SENATE PASSES BUDGET BILL

After about six hours of debate and after adding six amendments, the state Senate passed HB17, the budget bill by a vote of 31-9.

The bill now goes to the House, which will consider the amendments. What I'm hearing is that the House might reject some of the amendments. If that happens, and the Senate doesn't agree to drop those amendments, there will be a conference committee on the budget bill.

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.

Battlin' Bill the Blogger

Some legislators have said that Gov. Bill Richardson hasn't seemed all that personally involved in the current special session.

They're obviously not reading his blog

Most politicians' blogs are pretty worthless. Basically just cut-and-paste press releases. (The same goes for most politicians' Twitter feeds -- though at least with Twitter the 140-character limit per Tweet keeps it short.)

But in recent days, Richardson, who has been something of a punching bag in floor debates since the session began, is using his blog not just to brag about his "bold initiatives" and accomplishments for the working families, but to push back at some of his critics' rhetoric.

(Actually it's not Richardson himself doing the blogging, as the governor is referred to in third person.)

Take the latest entry on Thursday in which the blog responds to oft-repeated criticism over the administration's hiring freeze .

the mere suggestion that the Governor’s hiring freeze has been ineffective was good enough for those legislators to rush to the media to say: “We told you so.” Unfortunately, they didn’t bother to verify their facts.

That's pretty much the tone of the previous two entries this week as well. If it keeps going like this, I wouldn't be surprised too see the Richardson blog calling out "the media" as well, maybe even naming names.

Some reporters have complained about having trouble getting comment from the governor's office. (I'm talking about New Mexico reporters, of course. Richardson usually finds time when the national media calls.)

Perhaps from now on when we call with questions we'll be told, "just check the blog."

House Passes Budget Bill

In a debate that lasted past 11:30 p.m. the state House of Representatives on Thursday voted 37 to 31, to pass a budget bill would slice $257 million from state agencies and public schools and colleges, all in an effort to eliminate the $650 million-and-growing deficit in this year’s budget.

I don't have the roll call yet for House Bill 17 but the bill passed with most Democrats voting in favor and most Republicans voting against. The bill goes on the Senate, which though controlled by Democrats is more conservative than the House.

The cuts in the bill range from 2 percent to 7.6 percent. However, the measure would soften the blow to public schools by using other revenue, including federal stimulus funds, to replace state money.

Rep. Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, said the budget bill contains a provision that would allow school districts to get reimbursed for their property insurance premiums from a school building fund. Egolf said the premium for Santa Fe Public Schools is about $2.4 million. This, he said, would more than offset the $2 million budget cut in the bill. This provision is similar to SB24, which passed the Senate on Thursday.

Egolf said the provision is designed to keep the schools afloat during the current school year. He said it will be necessary for the Legislature to come up with new revenue sources — such as tax increases — in the regular session that begins in January.

The budget bill contained a slap to Gov. Bill Richardson. It would require the governor to cut salaries and benefits of 80 so-called exempt employees. The bill calls for reductions of 7.6 percent for agencies under Richardson’s control.

Hopefully this circus will close its tent tomorrow (Friday.)

I bid you goodnight.

Day 6 Special Session: Where We Are Now

Things seemed to be humming when I left this building last night. The Senate past a $100 million plus revenue bill. The House Appropriations & Finance Committee recommended a budget bill.

But now -- about 2:30 p.m., the House has yet to act on its budget bill and the Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez has said the Senate will do its own budget bill.

House just recessed a few minutes ago for committee meetings. The Tax & Revenue Committee will begin working on a capital outlay bill.

Meanwhile, the Senate has been out for more than an hour. They're waiting, supposedly for a fiscal impact report on its own capital outlay bill, one that would use short-term "sponge" bonds to fee up $140 million in capital outlay money (which then would could that much of the general fund deficit).

House Speaker Ben Lujan said the next House floor session probably will start between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. The House Dems are about to go into caucus. House Republicans too.

It's gonna be another long one.

Roundhouse Roundup:Blue Ribbon Deja Vu

A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
October22, 2009

When Gov. Richardson announced this week that he wants to start a “working group” to look at tax changes before the next regular legislative session, it brought back some blue-ribbon memories to some longtime Capitol observers, myself included.

I’m talking about the 2003 Blue Ribbon Tax Commission, a 23-member panel appointed by Richardson, set up to propose sweeping reforms of the state tax system. The Blue Ribbon gang, headed by former state Rep. Jerry Sandel, labored for months to make a lengthy set of recommendations.

People in government often talk about reaching consensus. That definitely was reached in this case. Practically everyone agreed they didn’t like the commission’s final product.

The ink on the commission’s report, which was finalized only days before a planned special “tax-reform” session of the Legislature, had barely dried before it was promptly disowned by the governor.

Richardson said the panel had come up short of his goals of simplifying the tax code and providing some tax relief for working families. But he wasn’t the only one unhappy with the recommendations. Liberals didn’t like it because it didn’t include elimination of the gross-receipts tax on food (an idea eventually approved the following year) or an increase in liquor taxes. Conservatives were upset because the recommendations included a gas-tax increase, motor vehicle excise tax and registration increases, and a higher gross-receipts tax.

Richardson proposed his own tax-reform bill in the late October special session. Oh, but it was no longer a “tax-reform” bill. It was an “economic-growth package” — all 188 pages of it. Whatever its handle, that bill died a lonesome death with virtually no support from any quarter.

In his announcement this week, Richardson said between now and January, “I will convene a working group consisting of legislators, executive staff, members of the business and education communities, and other interested parties to analyze such a package.

“Already in this session there have been some intriguing proposals introduced. However, I believe these must not be injected piecemeal without serious analysis into the present budget calculation but rather should be part of a well-crafted and mapped out package in January.”

The recession-ravaged, busted-budget situation our state government is in now, of course, is far more serious than the situation back in 2003, when the economy was in better shape.
But you have to wonder — will the “working group” fare any better than the blue-ribbon commission?

Best tirade of special session: In the absence of Sen. Shannon Robinson, D-Albuquerque, who was defeated for re-election last year, the intensity and number of good, fun, fiery floor speeches in the Legislature has dwindled to nearly nothing. But on Wednesday, Sen. Richard Martinez, D-Española, engaged in a tirade that would even give Robinson a run for his money.

During a debate about a measure that would create a mechanism to allow legislators to return 10 percent of their per diem payments from the state, Martinez became passionate.

“Before we nickel and dime everyone for $15 a day, we should look at the abuse of per diems,” Martinez said.

Referring to interim committee meetings, for which lawmakers are paid per diem (currently $159 a day) to attend, Martinez said, “There are some who come in right before lunch, sign the voucher, get their free lunch,” then leave.

This goes on among both Democrats and Republicans, Martinez said. And even freshman legislators “have gotten real good at it,” he said.

Martinez even made a not-so-veiled threat: “I’ve been here nine years,” he said. “I’ve collected a list (of legislators who have abused per diems). It would be very embarrassing if I released this list to the media.”

Martinez declined my request for a copy of that list.

But When We Get Behind Closed Doors ...

One of the most frustrating things about this special session, especially today, (Day 5) is that virtually any action has been behind closed doors -- party caucuses, meetings between small groups of legislative leaders and the governor.

Is it my paranoid imagination that this session has seen more this way than others? Some of us thought that opening conference committees would put an end to much of the secrecy here. Hah!

Sure there's been some interesting little floor fights and public steam blowing here and there. But those are the sideshows. It looks like a major portion of the real decisions are still going to be made behind the scenes and out of the public eye.

48 Money-Saving Ideas from House Republicans

House Republicans earlier this afternoon held a news conference to announce 48 ways the executive branch could save money -- without relying on legislation.

Some are pretty sweeping ("Ask all agencies to cut operations by 20% but improve productivity by 10%") while some speak to waste I never realized was a problem ("No more mailing of single 8.5 x 11 sheets in a 10 x 13 envelope. Fold! Fold! Fold!")

Several are clearly tweaking Gov. Bill Richardson. (reduce exempt employees , sell the state debt, and "Suspend executive agency trade missions, out of state conferences, or trips to chat with CEOs. Use phone conferencing and webinar as a replacement," etc.)

And there's one that truly surprised me: Early release for non-violent prisoners within three months of their release. That idea was floated during Richardson's first year in office to ease prison crowding, but nobody in power seemed to like it and Richardson eventually decided against it.

I tried to unscramble a few examples of alphabet soup here. But I've got to plead ignorance to some acronyms used here. (Guess I didn't do very well on my NMSBA and NMHSCE tests.)

Here's the list of ideas

1. Pull back appropriations for all unfilled (full-time employee positions.)

2. Suspend compliance requirements in all agencies unable to respond fully to filling within 14 days.

3. For students who are a discipline problem in school, or who choose to leave school, provide mandatory supervised community service work in city, county and state maintenance programs (especially parks) where facilities will be neglected as a result of cuts. Provide exemption for academic credit and access to GED materials.

4. Repeal the pit rule. Implement a moratorium on all new rules by all agencies.

5. Order (Public Education Department to limit testing requirements to federal standards. Examples of current tests include: NMSBA (5), NMELPA (5) Short Cycle (3), DIBELS (3), and NMHSCE (2); estimated days in parentheses.

6. Require all paper reports by state agencies to be sent by e-mail, unless specifically requested in paper by legislators.

7. Stop the contract on Rose Bowl Parade Float.

8. Eliminate Intensive Support Coaches for (Developmental Disabilitywaiver programs and fund DD waivers so that services reach the individuals in need.

9. Authorize school districts to create and maintain sufficient cash balances to meet emergencies without having to apply for supplemental funding.

10. Audit all attorney invoices of plaintiffs suing the state.

11. Require carpooling by all state employees traveling to the same destination.

12. Cease all Game and Fish Department expenditures in support of the wolf reintroduction program.

13. Release 2008 Special Session funding for (Developmental Disabilty) Waivers.

14. Within 30 days, layoff all employees (usually exempt) who are not fully contributing to the agency mission.

15. Ask the Obama Administration to improve processing of federal education reimbursements. The reimbursement process is very slow resulting in school districts carrying excessive money in accounts waiting for reimbursements.

16. Of the 423 exempt employees: lay off half or cut the salaries by half.

17. If the Secretary of Human Services receives an appointment in the Obama administration, name a deputy secretary as interim secretary with no pay increase.

18. Ask employees to volunteer for up to 30 days unpaid leave.

19. Ask all agencies to cut operations by 20% but improve productivity by 10%. Provide incentive bonus pools for employees of agencies meeting this goal.

20. Suspend all contracts that only augment agency expertise.

21. Implement a true hiring freeze.

22. In grades 5 through 12, review class size standards. Ask schools to determine which classes could function well or better with more students.

23. Reduce school bus transportation costs by cutting back on very long routes and making city bus routes start farther from schools.

24. Review energy use policies. Unplug or turnoff anything not required over night such as chargers, printers, etc.

25. Cut back on high cost printing projects such as the NMFA annual report, the $40,000 New Mexico Wildlife newsletter.

26. Suspend executive agency trade missions, out of state conferences, or trips to chat with CEOs. Use phone conferencing and webinar as a replacement.

27. Review and reduce Public Safety Weed and Seed programs, that increase load on legal and corrections system for which there is not funding.

28. Review all unfunded federal mandates and cease compliance.

29. Review professional mediation services to reduce costs.

30. Ask psychologist and mental health professionals which programs produce consistent, positive results, then phase out and eliminate less successful programs.

31. Provide early release to non-violent prisoners within three months of release.

32. Ask employees to identify programs, processes and tasks that they perform that contribute little or nothing to the mission of the agency. Cut those activities..

33. Review, combine and reduce travel in state vehicles. Schedule trips to take place during non-peak driving hours.

34. Require all agencies to follow uniform procedures act and subject all proposed new to an economic impact review.

35. Ease work rules for teachers to concentrate on teaching.

36. Check out other cost savings ideas implement by other States that can work in New Mexico

37. Terminate employment of all employees on administrative leave longer than 90 days.

38. Use the correct sized envelope for correspondence. No more mailing of single 8.5 x 11 sheets in a 10 x 13 envelope. Fold! Fold! Fold! Better yet, use e-mail!

39. Turn off air conditioning or heat in buildings during mild fall days. Open windows, or use fan only settings.

40. Turn off lights when not in use.

41. Eliminate instructional teaching coaches and mentors.

42. Delay High School Redesign strategies such as a) Increased Math Requirements; b) Upcoming requirements of ACT or WorkKeys/Career testing (about 40 to 50 dollars per Junior – unbudgeted)

43. Delay or suspend selected education reporting requirements including suspending contracts for reporting software (at state level) such as: OBMS, STARS, Web-EPSS, and Certiclear (Federal Stimulus Reporting). This step would reduce or eliminate the staff hours (and FTEs) districts need to comply with reporting.

44. Ask CPA professional groups and accounting and MBA students to volunteer to perform audits on school districts unable to comply with audit requirements.

45. Sell the state jet.

46. Suspend all contracts and new expenditures on the spaceport.

47. Suspend all non-essential advertising by state agencies.

48. Reduce executive staff at Governor’s mansion.

"That money's safe."

My story in Tuesday's New Mexican is an example of how a news story can change with every person you interview.

The story is about Santa Fe area capital outlay projects that might be in danger of losing funding due to the budget crunch.

Early in the afternoon I got the "Capital Changes for Solvency" list of all such projects in the state from Rep. Jim Trujillo, D-Santa Fe, who recently became the chairman of the House Capital Outlay Committee. I went back to my office and went about the tedious task of separating the Santa Fe projects and typing them up.

As I wrote in my story most of the projects are those that somehow never got off the ground as well as a smattering of long-completed projects that have cash balances remaining.

I got down about the same time the Senate adjourned in the late afternoon. I went downstairs to see if I could find any of the local delegation to fill me in on some of the projects on the list. I spotted Peter Wirth, who told me he was concerned about the Santa Fe Youth Shelter and Family Services on Airport Road. Wirth said he was going to try to get that project's $450,000 appropriation off the list.

I called Karen Rowell, the executive director of the shelter to ask her what was going on with the project. She was shocked. This was the first she'd heard of the project in jeopardy. The shelter's new building, she told me, was about a third of the way done.

Wow, I thought. This could be a story. I was fairly confident that the Legislature wouldn't really de-fund a project already under construction. And Rowell said besides Wirth, Trujillo has been a big supporter of the shelter -- as have Governor Bill Richardson and First Lady Barbara Richardson.

But weirder things have happened.

So after I started writing the story with a "Shelter-in-trouble" type of lead, Trujillo returned an earlier call. I initially had called him about a minor detail about a different project on the list. But now I had something important to ask.

Trujillo was already familiar with the youth shelter situation. "That money's safe," he said. "It was just a mistake."

So I had to rewrite a few paragraphs of the story, which now wasn't as big as I'd thought. But I'm happy the shelter and the homeless kids it serves won't have to worry about this headache.

My Brilliant Observations: On the Radio

I was interviewed this morning by Harvey Twite on KEDU in Ruidoso. (Yes, I play the Devil's music until midnight on KSFR, then I'm up talking on Christian radio in the morning,)

There's an MP3 of the interview HERE. (Right click to download, click to stream)

Richardson Wants to Study Revenue Proposals

The special session isnt over yet, but Gov. Bill Richardson is looking ahead to the regular session in January. He's calling for a "working group" of legislators, staffers and others to study possible revenue bills for next year's 30-day session.

Will this be different from the "Blue Ribbon Tax Committee" that crashed and burned in the fall of 2003? Hopefully. The economic situation is a lot more dire.

He mentions some "intriguing proposals" from the special session, but doesn't say which ones.

Here's his statement the governor's office e-mailed a few minutes ago:

“Given the fiscal realities facing the state I am prepared to consider a comprehensive, well-reasoned revenue package for the regular legislative session in January 2010. Between now and then I will convene a working group consisting of legislators, executive staff, members of the business and education communities, and other interested parties to analyze such a package.

“Already in this session there have been some intriguing proposals introduced. However, I believe these must not be injected piecemeal without serious analysis into the present budget calculation but rather should be part of a well-crafted and mapped out package in January. Accordingly, I agree with action taken by committees in both the House and Senate that supports this view.

“In the meantime I urge the legislature to quickly address the immediate budget needs at hand in a way that preserves jobs, does not harm the economy, and protects students and teachers.”