3-5 Bumps in Road Won't Be Fatal

By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist
SANTA FE -- As the 2007 Legislature approaches its March 17 deadline, several bumps in the road lie ahead. But none of them are likely to block the path toward an on-time finish.
This is the point in the session when train wrecks traditionally begin to be predicted but they seldom actually happen. And this year, a train wreck is even less likely because we have a governor who can't afford the time for a special session.
Gov. Bill Richardson has some initiatives he would like to see passed so he can brag about them on the presidential campaign trail. But the worst thing he could do is have a stormy session that would cast doubt on his well-publicized negotiating skills.
So the governor must use those skills to get what he can from a Legislature that realizes its hand has been strengthened by Richardson's need for peace at home.
That focus on the need for peace was dramatized by House Speaker Ben Lujan, a close ally of the governor, when House Democrats held firm and picked up six Republican votes to pass the big general appropriations act.
During the friendly debate, Lujan observed, "We still have a love affair going on."
Richardson's first legislative session was characterized by most as a honeymoon. Lawmakers approved sending constitutional amendments to voters calling for shifting control of education to the governor's office and designating more of the state's big permanent fund for schools.
During the campaign that secured passage of passage of those two votes and a subsequent special session, Richardson used the remainder of his honeymoon good will. The next three years were marked by what many lawmakers called bullying tactics.
Richardson showed a side of himself that few had seen while he was in Washington. The first signs came when Richardson strong-armed Democrat opponents out of his gubernatorial path. The second sign was when he required letters of resignation from all his political appointees.
It became apparent at that point that Richardson's management style was going to be similar to that of former President Lyndon Johnson, not the hail fellow he had been as a member of Congress or United Nations delegate.
That style also emerged in many ways in Richardson's dealings with the Legislature. Indications this year are that the governor's style may be returning to the sweet-talking ways of a master negotiator.
One evidence of a return to a balance of power is the Legislature's introduction of bills in each house restoring over $50 million in cuts made by Richardson vetoes last year to hundreds of pork projects.
The governor said at the beginning of the session that he would approve those projects this year if lawmakers pass the cornerstones of his legislative agenda.
Those gubernatorial priorities include a raise in the minimum wage, tax cuts for low and middle incomes, an energy transmission authority and a five-year transportation program, all of which failed to make it through last year's session.
Those measures are still alive. Richardson asked that they all pass by mid-session but when they didn't, he said he was content with their progress.
Adding to hope the love affair will continue is good progress for Richardson-backed bills providing military tax breaks, a new Homeland Security Department, eminent domain reform and school computers.
But bumps in the road include gubernatorial desires for bigger teacher raises, more pre-kindergarten programs, renewable energy initiatives, stem cell research and approval of an Indian gaming compact extension.
None of these measures are hopelessly dead. Some will pass, but some are bound to fail to make it through the legislative process to the governor's desk.
Sufficient time becomes a problem at the end of every legislative session, but lawmakers have been working weekends recently to do what they can to get everything considered.
MON, 3-05-07

JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com

 

3-2 SHARE Still a Disaster Despite State Claims

By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist

SANTA FE -- Problems with SHARE, the state's new, $29 million computer system continue despite assurances from top state officials that everything is peachy.
The officials in charge of rolling out the system swear that the only problems left are those caused by human error. If that is true, the system is too complicated to be operated by mere humans.
The latest major embarrassment came when 17,000 W-2 Wage and Tax Statements were mailed to state employees with errors. That's a 57 percent error rate. This latest humiliation was explained away with a statement that the system wasn't to blame. It is functioning as envisioned.
That is totally unbelievable. Obviously something isn't functioning as envisioned. A computer-savvy legislator tells me that the system, built by Oracle, does work, and that Maximus, the company hired to make it work, is capable of doing that.
The problem is that the state wants its employees to take over operation of the system in a completely unrealistic time frame. The idea is for Maximus employees to train state employees to train other state employees to run the system.
But this is a highly complicated, unforgiving system. If the slightest mistake is made, it doesn't help one through it as a personal computer would. Maximus recommended three years to get everything up and running. The state wanted it done in half the time with half the number of specialists.
I'm familiar with a private company that ran a somewhat similar system at the Los Alamos National Lab for the previous contractor. It was expected to be there indefinitely. If a scientific laboratory needs that much outside expertise, it seems logical the state of New Mexico might also.
But salary payment and reporting isn't the biggest of the problems. I am told that state government is slowly grinding to a halt because outside contractors are not being paid.
In some cases other contractors or suppliers, willing to take a gamble, can be found. But in other cases, the state is dealing with sole suppliers. When they refuse to do business with the state, important services stop.
Federal grants that require state paperwork and in some cases, matching funds, are going to waste because the system can't produce the required documents and state employees can't track what is happening within the system.
For these and many other reasons, I am told, all departments are keeping a set of shadow books to try to keep up with their budgets. Because of this, employees tell me, there is tremendous potential for abuses that could make New Mexico another Enron.
So who is responsible for all this? I have been blaming it on the governor's office for not putting competent employees in charge of the program and not wanting to admit mistakes.
I now am beginning to see the Legislature as complicit in this too. At its October meeting, the Legislative Finance Committee raked state officials over the coals for failures in the program. At its December meeting, the panel received reports that glitches had been fixed and everything would be operating smoothly by March.
That report was accepted with little questioning by the committee. And it was reported by the press with no follow up. Lawmakers and reporters must be getting as many communications as I am from distressed state employees and outraged businesses.
I am told a letter exists in state files from Maximus saying it will not be responsible for success of the roll out of this system because of the speed and understaffing the state imposed. No one has been able to obtain a copy.
I'm also told that the amount withheld from the final state payment to Maximus is not sufficient to correct the problems. Any extra money required will have to be appropriated by the Legislature before it adjourns.
That money should be appropriated because there are no other choices to make SHARE work. But lawmakers seem to be too busy dividing their pork.
FRI, 3-02-07

JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com

 

2-28 Nevada and New Hampshire Musts for Richardson

By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist
SANTA FE -- Presidential candidate Bill Richardson did well for himself at the Nevada "debate." He was smooth and relaxed and he positioned himself as the Western Candidate, not only in words but in style and in dress.
Richardson was the only candidate not wearing a suit. Instead, he wore a sport coat and boots. His audience consisted primarily of union members and reporters. Not a suit in sight.
In addition to dressing more casually, Richardson acted more casually, often joking with moderator George Stephanopoulos. He also was more straightforward, admitting that he had supported the North American Free Trade Agreement, a no-no with union members.
How much good this will do Richardson in the Silver State is still to be seen. What we do know is that Richardson has to do well in Nevada. Of the early-primary states, it is most like New Mexico, including its high percentage of Hispanics, which should be helpful to Richardson.
And likely Richardson's biggest advantage in Nevada is that his campaign chairman is New Mexico native Reynaldo Martinez, who headed Harry Reid's U.S. Senate campaign when the Democrat won election in Republican Nevada.
Martinez then went to Washington with Reid as his chief of staff for many years. Martinez grew up in Chama. Where better than Rio Arriba County to learn the rough and tumble game of politics?
As Senate Majority leader, Reid cannot make any endorsements in the presidential primary, since so many Senate Democrats are in the race. But Martinez surely knows Reid's political machine, which is a powerful force in Nevada Democratic politics.
Richardson has told Nevadans how much he loves them and wants their votes. He has pledged to visit every county in the state. The gesture indicates how important Nevada is to Richardson but it won't get him many votes.
Clark County has 70 percent of Nevada's population and probably 90 percent of its Democrats. The Democrat strength is in the casino service workers union centered in Las Vegas.
But Bill Richardson has another love. And that is New Hampshire. He has told voters there that they are more important to him than voters anywhere else. He even joked that he should move there for the rest of his campaign.
But Richardson doesn't need to move back to New Hampshire. Just as with Martinez in Nevada, Richardson also has a secret weapon in New Hampshire. Butch Maki, who has been a mainstay of Richardson campaigns since 1979, recently moved back to the Granite State.
The move wasn't a sacrifice for the high-powered New Mexico businessman and lobbyist. Maki is from New Hampshire and says he was planning to retire to his home state anyway. Maki says he's not on Richardson's staff but bet on him spending a big chunk of time on the campaign.
Richardson already has spent a great deal of time in New Hampshire as chairman of the Democratic Governor's Association. It's obvious that Nevada and New Hampshire are the keystones of Richardson's presidential ambitions. They are the second and third events on the current Democratic presidential campaign schedule.
The Iowa caucuses are first. Richardson hasn't focused as much on that race since Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack also was a candidate. Richardson is counting on Democrat governors giving him a boost in their states. With Vilsack now out, Richardson might get some help there.
In addition, Barack Obama, from neighboring Illinois, is keying on the state. Obama skipped the Nevada debate in order to campaign in Iowa and made a big deal out of his decision.
Obama's no-show in Nevada didn't keep him from being a subject of debate, however. Sen. Hillary Clinton took a heavy swipe at him for a statement by one of his Hollywood supporters.
John Edwards, in turn took a swipe at Clinton for not admitting her original vote for invading Iraq was wrong.
And Gov. Richardson grabbed some of the spotlight for proposing that all candidates sign a pledge not to attack each other.
WED, 2-28-07

JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com

Changes in graph on Iowa governor. Vilsack dropped out two hours after I sent this.

2-28 Richardson Keying on Nevada and New Hampshire

By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist

SANTA FE -- Presidential candidate Bill Richardson did well for himself at the Nevada "debate." He was smooth and relaxed and he positioned himself as the Western Candidate, not only in words but in style and in dress.
Richardson was the only candidate not wearing a suit. Instead, he wore a sport coat and boots. His audience consisted primarily of union members and reporters. Not a suit in sight.
In addition to dressing more casually, Richardson acted more casually, often joking with moderator George Stephanopoulos. He also was more straightforward, admitting that he had supported the North American Free Trade Agreement, a no-no with union members.
How much good this will do Richardson in the Silver State is still to be seen. What we do know is that Richardson has to do well in Nevada. Of the early-primary states, it is most like New Mexico, including its high percentage of Hispanics, which should be helpful to Richardson.
And likely Richardson's biggest advantage in Nevada is that his campaign chairman is New Mexico native Reynaldo Martinez, who headed Harry Reid's U.S. Senate campaign when the Democrat won election in Republican Nevada.
Martinez then went to Washington with Reid as his chief of staff for many years. Martinez grew up in Chama. Where better than Rio Arriba County to learn the rough and tumble game of politics?
As Senate Majority leader, Reid cannot make any endorsements in the presidential primary, since so many Senate Democrats are in the race. But Martinez surely knows Reid's political machine, which is a powerful force in Nevada Democratic politics.
Richardson has told Nevadans how much he loves them and wants their votes. He has pledged to visit every county in the state. The gesture indicates how important Nevada is to Richardson but it won't get him many votes.
Clark County has 70 percent of Nevada's population and probably 90 percent of its Democrats. The Democrat strength is in the casino service workers union centered in Las Vegas.
But Bill Richardson has another love. And that is New Hampshire. He has told voters there that they are more important to him than voters anywhere else. He even joked that he should move there for the rest of his campaign.
But Richardson doesn't need to move back to New Hampshire. Just as with Martinez in Nevada, Richardson also has a secret weapon in New Hampshire. Butch Maki, who has been a mainstay of Richardson campaigns since 1979, recently moved back to the Granite State.
The move wasn't a sacrifice for the high-powered New Mexico businessman and lobbyist. Maki is from New Hampshire and says he was planning to retire to his home state anyway. Maki says he's not on Richardson's staff but bet on him spending a big chunk of time on the campaign.
Richardson already has spent a great deal of time in New Hampshire as chairman of the Democratic Governor's Association. It's obvious that Nevada and New Hampshire are the keystones of Richardson's presidential ambitions. They are the second and third events on the current Democratic presidential campaign schedule.
The Iowa caucuses are first. They are important to Richardson but his chances aren't as good there. He is planning on Democrat governors to give him a boost in their states but Tom Vilsack, who was Iowa governor until December, also is a candidate.
In addition, Barack Obama, from neighboring Illinois, is keying on the state. Obama skipped the Nevada debate in order to campaign in Iowa and made a big deal out of his decision.
Obama's no-show in Nevada didn't keep him from being a subject of debate, however. Sen. Hillary Clinton took a heavy swipe at him for a statement by one of his Hollywood supporters.
John Edwards, in turn took a swipe at Clinton for not admitting her original vote for invading Iraq was wrong.
And Gov. Richardson grabbed some of the spotlight for proposing that all candidates sign a pledge not to attack each other.
WED, 2-28-07

JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com

 

2-21 New Mexico Quarter

Appears I forgot to send this one.

NM Quarter

By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist

SANTA FE -- We already know what the New Mexico quarter will look like. And that's before the New Mexico Coin Commission makes its choice, which then has to be approved by Gov. Bill Richardson, the mint director and the U.S. treasury secretary.
It's because all four choices are basically the same -- a Zia sun symbol atop an outline of our state. Sounds pretty unimaginative for a creative state like New Mexico, but the Coin Commission, appointed by Gov. Richardson, is a well-qualified group that knows its stuff.
Since New Mexico was the 47th state to enter the union, we are in the final group of five to see our quarter go into circulation. The release will be next year.
The long wait has enabled us to watch the mistakes of other states. Most of them considered it an exercise in squeezing their state flower, bird, tree, fish, insect and reptile into a circle less than an inch in diameter. Except for a few that stuck to one subject, the rest were a mess.
So our commission decided on doing something simple, strong and distinctive. My choice was a rocket, since New Mexico was the birthplace of rocketry, with Goddard's experiments in the '30s, White Sands Missile Range beginning in the '40s and now hosting the cradle of commercial passenger space flights.
Rocket science says we're hooked into the future. So does nuclear physics, but a mushroom cloud isn't the right image. Neither is a space alien, although every kid in America would be pestering to take the next family vacation to Roswell. And kids are the ones with quarters in their pockets.
So the commission decided the best image is the Zia, which appears on our state flag, highway signs, license plates, brochures, letterheads and anywhere else it can be inserted.
The simple Zia symbol is probably a good idea. Two years ago the American Vexillology Association named New Mexico's flag the best in the nation. If the numismatists have an association, our quarter just might win.
The message we deliver with our widespread use of the Zia symbol is that our Indian culture is the way we are and should continue to be identified.
That's not bad. Every state has Indians in its history, but New Mexico is the only state in which the Indian culture has remained strong throughout our history.
It also serves to validate the Zia Pueblo's contention that the state of New Mexico should compensate it for use of its symbol. I wasn't too hot on the idea when it first was proposed years ago but it seems the state has settled on the Zia as our official logo or maybe even our brand.
In an interesting move, the Coin Commission selected only different versions of the Zia as its four choices to present to the mint engravers for rendition, thus assuring that the Zia will be on the New Mexico quarter.
Each state had a choice of how it wanted to select a design. Some states left the final vote to all residents. New Mexico started with suggestions of residents and then appointed a commission to narrow the suggestions.
The choice of four versions of the Zia indicates the commission may not have given much consideration to other alternatives. And had New Mexicans had the final vote, their choice may not have been the Zia symbol.
Governor Richardson evidently is going along with his commission. His first comments on what he desired for our quarter were that it should be representative of the wide diversity of our state, similar to the float the state entered in last year's Rose Parade.
We will end up with just the opposite. And that probably is best, now that we've had a look at the clutter on other state's coins.
And as long as we're going with the Zia, I recommend the most prominent Zia symbol among the four choices.
We need to be proud of what we've done.
WED, 2-21-07

JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com

w/ attachment

2-26 Do You Ever Wonder Why...

By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist
SANTA FE -- I keep having Andy Rooney moments lately. It's because of the news. I wonder why people obsess, overreact, obfuscate and sometimes act like old timers long before their time.
Let's start with old timers because we never know when they might leave us. Scooter Libby's trial defense is that he suffers from Oldtimers Disease. He forgets things easily, remembers them again and then remembers he never knew them in the first place.
That may sound odd to you youngsters, but to those of us pushing hard on 70, it's completely understandable. We do that sort of thing all the time.
The only thing that bothers me is that as an ink-stained opinion writer from out in the sticks, my forgetfulness doesn't do much harm. But as the top aide to the most powerful man on earth, Libby's forgetfulness makes me worry we could have a problem.
A guy named scooter, you'd expect to be at the top of his game, scampering around, tending to everything. Not many of us old guys are called scooter any more. But those who worked around him didn't seem to think it was a big deal at all. So I guess we're OK, but I do pity his early onset Oldtimers Disease.
And then there's our obsession with the seemingly trivial. As far as I can tell, Anna Nicole Smith never did anything to merit much attention. But recent events in her life -- and afterlife -- have taken over the news.
Granted, it better than the daytime soaps because this is true. Or perhaps I should say it's really happening. We have no idea what is true.
At least it brushed away the obsession with the poor astronaut who flipped. Rather than being concerned about her unfortunate psychological condition, the obsession was all about her wearing a diaper on her cross-country drive.
It's obvious the news isn't geared toward us seniors. We don't see anything particularly odd about diapers on a long drive. We use fancier names for them, but that's about it. Astronauts also use them on space flights, so wearing them on a road trip shouldn't be too shocking.
And that obsession muscled out full time coverage of Sen. Joe Biden's shocking use of the word "clean" in reference to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton's mysterious reference to dealing with evil men.
I blame 24-hour news channels for most of the obsessing. They are desperate for anything they think might tickle our fancy -- and boost their ratings.
But they can't be blamed for much of the overreacting that takes place. The worst case was in Boston, where police went into full battle mode when they found electronic gadgets out on the streets around town.
Turns out, it was an advertising stunt that already had been conducted in 10 other big cities around the nation without those police forces going into shock. The company has offered $1 million to cover expenses the cops ran up getting ready to fight World War III. Boston police deserve to be the laughing stock of police nationwide.
The astronaut incident also involved some overreacting when it was termed another major setback for NASA. It was nothing of the sort. The most elite group of people in the world can contain someone who snaps. Our concern should be for the individuals involved, not for the program.
And that brings us to obfuscation. Pollsters report that respondents will tell them that they have no problem voting for a president who is female, Black, Hispanic or Mormon. But the pollsters report they know some of these same people will go into voting booths and do otherwise.
Pollsters also tell us that an overwhelming number of people say they are turned off by negative campaigning. But statistics show that candidates who do the most negative campaigning are the most likely to win.
TV viewers also say they don't like the negativity of American Idol, but it is so far ahead of every other program, it isn't even a race.
WED, 2-26-07

JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com

I'll be out of the office Fri, Feb. 16-Mon. Feb. 19. Back on Tues.

2-23 Farewells to Pfeffer and Dendahl

By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist

SANTA FE -- So long, farewell, auf wiederschoen, adieu. GOP candidates shouldn't take losing so hard. It's something that happens often in New Mexico.
This year former candidates for two top-ballot positions last year have packed up and moved out of state. David Pfeffer, an unsuccessful U.S. Senate candidate in last June's GOP primary, has taken a job with a large architectural firm in Chicago. And Gubernatorial candidate John Dendahl has headed to Denver.
Both these guys were from Santa Fe, which is pretty depressing for a Republican, but both lost in statewide races so we can't blame it all on our Capital City.
Pfeffer served a term on the Santa Fe City Council. He began as a Democrat but soon realized he was far to the right of the rest of the body. A veteran of Vietnam and the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, he supported President Bush's invasion of Iraq. In 2004, still a Democrat, he endorsed the president for re-election.
Soon after, he changed his registration to Republican and began a campaign for Jeff Bingaman's U.S. Senate seat. He was the guy who hiked New Mexico's border with Mexico to demonstrate his strong feelings about illegal immigration.
Pfeffer spent over $10,000 of his own money on the campaign, won by Dr. Allen McCulloch of Farmington. It then became necessary to move to the big city and make some real money.
The sudden departure of John Dendahl was much more unexpected. Proud of his long New Mexico heritage, going back several generations well into the 1800s, Dendahl contrasted himself with Gov. Richardson, a relative newcomer.
The last thing anyone would have expected was to see him leave the state. What happened? John was bitterly disappointed by his 38-point drubbing at the hands of Richardson.
An articulate debater with a lightening fast mind, he had expected the campaign to be fun. He relished the thought of knocking Richardson around in debates across the state.
But Richardson knew that. And he knew he didn't have to debate Dendahl in order to win. So Richardson ignored him. So did potential contributors. People Dendahl had hit up before on behalf of other candidates, ran and hid.
Dendahl says they told him that Richardson would punish them if they contributed to him. That may be true, but it also could be true that those potential donors might have found it easier to blame Richardson than to tell Dendahl he didn't have a chance and they didn't want to throw away their money.
It isn't hard to find big contributors to Richardson who enjoyed favors from him. Part of the reason for that is that he had almost everyone in New Mexico contributing to his kitty -- Republican and Democrat.
Dendahl saw this as blatant corruption. And his landslide loss, he saw as evidence the people of New Mexico accept that corruption. So, blaming the voters, he said he couldn't stay longer in such a state.
It is reported that many Republicans volunteered to escort their former state chairman to the border. The bullying tactics he accused Richardson of employing, he also exercised on dissident Republicans, sometimes finding candidates to run against them.
It will be quieter in New Mexico without John, especially in Republican politics, although he did much for the party as its chairman for eight years.
But he also was involved in frequent mischief, the most recent being his surprise move into the GOP gubernatorial candidate slot after last June's primary. It must not have been mostly his doing and not anything organized at a very high level because Dendahl received precious little campaign assistance from the state or national party for his candidacy.
Dendahl's departure will be felt by many. He was a personal friend of mine, in addition to being a great source of material for columns. But he also will be missed for what he added to the political conversation in New Mexico. His provocative arguments definitely got people thinking.
FRI, 2-23-07

JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com

 

2-19 Alms For the Rich

By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist

SANTA FE -- Sir Richard Branson, the eccentric British billionaire for whom New Mexico taxpayers are building a $225 million spaceport, recently offered $25 million to the first person devising a way to suck carbon dioxide out of the air.
It is part of $3 billion Branson vows to spend fighting global warming. He says he will devote all the profits from his travel companies over the next 10 years to the cause.
That's nice. But why are we buying this fellow a spaceport? I'm sure there are good answers to that question, but his announcement is poorly timed, coming just weeks before Dona Ana County's early April vote on whether residents want to fork over another quarter cent in sales tax to build his spaceport.
Business is business and tax-deductible contributions to worthy causes are something else, we realize. Branson has a right to make money on his investments and donate it to his favorite causes. But New Mexicans also have some rights to decide how we gamble our money.
If Branson had to build his own spaceport, maybe he would have built it in California, close to where his spaceship is being built and close to where many of his passengers live.
And if he'd built his spaceport here, we are sure to have given him all sorts of tax incentives such as the film industry and many other businesses are receiving from state and local governments. So maybe it all comes out about even.
By the way, don't bother working on a carbon sucking machine. I'm going to plant a tree. It not only eats carbon dioxide, it spits out oxygen. You get two for the price of one.
If the other 6.6 billion people on this planet would do the same, we could replace all those forests we cut down in the name of progress and likely solve some of our greenhouse gas problem. I'll even donate my $25 million to the replanting.
Organizers of this "Virgin Challenge" (wouldn't you know that's what Branson would call it) say the greenhouse gas vacuum must be cost effective. Once a tree takes root and gets some water, it does the work with nothing but solar energy. It's also a perpetual motion sort of deal -- and self-sustaining. I have this contest won.
Another why-doesn't-he-pay-for-it-himself situation arose at about the same time as Branson's announcement. New York City shock jock Don Imus lit into Gov. Bill Richardson for not moving quickly enough on a commitment to restore an old school building near the entrance to his ranch at Ribera, New Mexico.
Imus, who isn't a nice guy, has a very funny, informative and successful radio show that has been simulcast from 4 a.m.-7 a.m. on MSNBC since soon after the network came into existence.
He makes millions and has raised many millions more to fund a ranch experience for children with terminal diseases. With his access to money, Imus easily could renovate the schoolhouse himself. But he knows a bird's nest on the ground when he sees one.
Imus can give frequent nationwide access to people he likes. And he talks a great deal about those people even when they aren't on. Guests have to be able to hold up their end of snappy conversations and endure impertinent questions from Imus, which actually are the highlight of the show.
Richardson is one of the chosen who passes those tests. Imus knows Richardson needs all the national exposure he can get, so he knows he can leverage the governor to find the state funds necessary to renovate that building.
Many guests have learned over the years not to trip the I-Man's hair-trigger temper. His belittling of a person can be even more profuse than his words of praise. And Imus revels in doing it.
That's what happened to Gov. Richardson when work on the schoolhouse didn't begin soon enough. Relations now appear back on track. Imus also can switch back with equal ease.
But the bottom line is that New Mexico taxpayers will be sprucing up a building on the way to the Imus ranch that we normally wouldn't have been doing.
MON, 2-19-07

JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com

 

2-16 Dems Should Keep Eye on 2008

By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist
SANTA FE -- With all the complaints about the 2008 presidential race starting so early, New Mexico has gone one-up on the nation with a race already developing for governor in 2010.
Actually it was inevitable. When Gov. Bill Richardson jumped into the presidential sweepstakes, it threw some of the state spotlight onto Lt. Gov. Diane Denish. And what better way to strengthen her hand than to immediately announce her intent to run for governor.
Add to that the lineup of people who intended to run for governor in 2002 when Richardson decided he would. That included Denish, Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez, Attorney General Patricia Madrid, former lawmaker Gary King and former state Land Commissioner Ray Powell.
Chavez and Madrid quickly backed out and threw their support to Richardson, thus ingratiating themselves to the big guy. Denish took aim, once again, at the lieutenant governor slot. But King and Powell stayed in. Richardson swamped them at the preprimary nominating convention and has held a grudge ever since.
King dropped back to the attorney general race in 2006 and won it despite Richardson's best efforts in the primary. King could very likely opt to seek a second term as attorney general in 2010 but don't count out another run for governor. He's always wanted to follow his father into that office.
Powell ran for land commissioner again in 2006 and lost in the primary, in no small part because of Richardson's support of his opponent, Jim Baca. He's a possibility for a future race.
Madrid let it be known following her narrow congressional loss in November that her political career is not over. Congress wasn't really what she wanted. But Democrat officials promised it would help any future gubernatorial run to take one for the party by giving Heather Wilson a good race.
So Denish declared her intention to run for governor within days of Richardson's presidential announcement. She released a poll at the same time indicating she had an 18-point lead on the Albuquerque mayor.
At that point, Chavez had no choice but to jump in quickly. Denish had been raising money for a year and already had over $1 million. If Chavez didn't get in immediately, he'd have no chance of catching up.
It will be a hard-fought race. Denish has received statewide exposure, traveling frequently to promote Richardson initiatives. Being Albuquerque mayor doesn't enable Chavez to get around the state, but he's done much nationally and even internationally.
Chavez serves on the board of the National Conference of Mayors and is its leading authority on the environment. He's on Newsweek's advisory panel on global warming issues. He's accepted a World Leadership Award in London for Albuquerque's water-supply efforts. And he has spoken at a world climate change conference in Paris.
Denish and Chavez may not be the only people in the 2010 gubernatorial race. Madrid is a likely addition. Blogger Heath Haussamen says Democrat Joseph Cervantes and Republican Susana Martinez from down in Las Cruces may be interested.
Also mentioned on the Republican side are U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, former gubernatorial candidate John Sanchez, Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White, former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias and former attorney general candidate Jim Bibb.
But, while Democrats are getting so excited about 2010, they must remember the two big 2008 federal races. Rep. Heather Wilson must run again and Sen. Pete Domenici's six-year term comes up for renewal.
Those aren't races serious Democratic candidates like to contemplate. But Domenici is feeling age and health problems creeping up. And although he already is running hard, and although I believe him, Democrat leaders figure they must be wary of any inside handoffs such as occurred in the Republican gubernatorial nomination last year.
Domenici is rumored to have figured heavily in the sudden and surprising switch from J.R. Damron to John Dendahl.
It could always happen again.
FRI, 2-16-07

JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com

CORRECTED COPY--major change to paragraph 6 re: Powell

2-16 Are Dems Looking Past 2008?

By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist
SANTA FE -- With all the complaints about the 2008 presidential race starting so early, New Mexico has gone one-up on the nation with a race already developing for governor in 2010.
Actually it was inevitable. When Gov. Bill Richardson jumped into the presidential sweepstakes, it threw some of the state spotlight onto Lt. Gov. Diane Denish. And what better way to strengthen her hand than to immediately announce her intent to run for governor.
Add to that the lineup of people who intended to run for governor in 2002 when Richardson decided he would. That included Denish, Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez, Attorney General Patricia Madrid, former lawmaker Gary King and former state Land Commissioner Ray Powell.
Chavez and Madrid quickly backed out and threw their support to Richardson, thus ingratiating themselves to the big guy. Denish took aim, once again, at the lieutenant governor slot. But King and Powell stayed in. Richardson swamped them at the preprimary nominating convention and has held a grudge ever since.
King dropped back to the attorney general race in 2006 and won it despite Richardson's best efforts in the primary. King could very likely opt to seek a second term as attorney general in 2010 but don't count out another run for governor. He's always wanted to follow his father into that office.
Powell stayed out of politics in 2004 and 2006. And he hasn't indicated any interest in 2008 or 2010. But his name has been on the lips of some political observers.
Madrid let it be known following her narrow congressional loss in November that her political career is not over. Congress wasn't really what she wanted. But Democrat officials promised it would help any future gubernatorial run to take one for the party by giving Heather Wilson a good race.
So Denish declared her intention to run for governor within days of Richardson's presidential announcement. She released a poll at the same time indicating she had an 18-point lead on the Albuquerque mayor.
At that point, Chavez had no choice but to jump in quickly. Denish had been raising money for a year and already had over $1 million. If Chavez didn't get in immediately, he'd have no chance of catching up.
It will be a hard-fought race. Denish has received statewide exposure, traveling frequently to promote Richardson initiatives. Being Albuquerque mayor doesn't enable Chavez to get around the state, but he's done much nationally and even internationally.
Chavez serves on the board of the National Conference of Mayors and is its leading authority on the environment. He's on Newsweek's advisory panel on global warming issues. He's accepted a World Leadership Award in London for Albuquerque's water-supply efforts. And he has spoken at a world climate change conference in Paris.
Denish and Chavez may not be the only people in the 2010 gubernatorial race. Madrid is a likely addition. Blogger Heath Haussamen says Democrat Joseph Cervantes and Republican Susana Martinez from down in Las Cruces may be interested.
Also mentioned on the Republican side are U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, former gubernatorial candidate John Sanchez, Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White, former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias and former attorney general candidate Jim Bibb.
But, while Democrats are getting so excited about 2010, they must remember the two big 2008 federal races. Rep. Heather Wilson must run again and Sen. Pete Domenici's six-year term comes up for renewal.
Those aren't races serious Democratic candidates like to contemplate. But Domenici is feeling age and health problems creeping up. And although he already is running hard, and although I believe him, Democrat leaders figure they must be wary of any inside handoffs such as occurred in the Republican gubernatorial nomination last year.
Domenici is rumored to have figured heavily in the sudden and surprising switch from J.R. Damron to John Dendahl.
It could always happen again.
FRI, 2-16-07

JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com

 

2-14 Vigil-Giron In Crossfire

By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist
SANTA FE -- The Secretary of State's Office promises to be a very busy place for the next several weeks. In addition to registering lobbyists and processing their expense reports, the place will be overrun with auditors.
No fewer than six different agencies have been asked to look at former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron's books and determine why they are about $3 million out of balance.
A week or so ago Vigil-Giron was sitting on top of the world. She was just completing her third four-year term as secretary of state. That's the longest anyone has served in the position.
She recently completed a term as president of the National Association of Secretaries of State -- the first Hispanic to hold that office. And she had been a leading architect of the federal election reform act.
To top it off, she was moving right into another high-paying job as director of the newly-created Film Museum. That appointment came from Gov. Bill Richardson. Life couldn't be better.
But then newly-elected Secretary of State Mary Herrera asked the state auditor to do an audit of the office's books immediately instead of waiting until the end of the fiscal year. Newly-elected auditor Hector Balderas responded that it seemed to be a legitimate request.
No one around the Capitol was especially surprised at the request. Herrera and Vigil-Giron are not the greatest of friends. Herrera suspected she'd been left with about a $225,000 deficit. Vigil-Giron responded that she'd left a surplus and if Herrera had a brain she'd understand.
But then Vigil-Giron went to the Legislative Finance Committee in December with a $3 million supplemental budget request to keep the agency afloat through June 30 of this year.
The money was to cover unpaid expenses for printing ballots, constitutional amendments and bond issue questions, media ads and supplies. It also included an $800,000 request to pay a "surprise" billing from a Nebraska company that provided software upgrades for new ballot counting devices.
So Herrera asked the state Department of Finance and Administration to audit those expenditures. She also asked the federal government to come audit $9 million in federal election funds that have come to the state. The feds are now on site.
Senate Republican leaders then added their voice to the concern over Vigil-Giron's budget shortfall, asking the Legislative Finance Committee and Attorney General Gary King to look into the situation.
The GOP senators are faced with a bit of a dilemma. Except for the federal auditors, anyone they can ask for an independent audit is a Democrat official. Since the secretary of state is separately elected, that puts a little distance between the office and the auditing agency.
But who might have the most distance from Vigil-Giron? It appears the Republicans have decided on Attorney General King, who has had his differences with Gov. Richardson.
To add to Vigil-Giron's grief, Sen. Shannon Robinson announced he is withdrawing as sponsor of a governor's bill creating a Department of Media Arts and Entertainment because of Richardson's appointment of Vigil-Giron to the Film Museum position when she has no background in the film industry.
Gov. Richardson countered by putting Vigil-Giron's appointment on hold and asking the state Department of Finance and Administration to audit her former office.
Vigil-Giron says she has done nothing wrong. She was merely carrying out the law and wasn't given sufficient money to do it. She says $4 million dollars disappeared at the last minute from her appropriation by the 2006 Legislature and she has since asked for the rest of that money.
As for her qualifications for the Film Museum job, she says she watches a lot of movies.
Meanwhile, auditors from five different agencies will be climbing all over each other in the secretary of state's office in a scene likely reminiscent of the Keystone Kops.
WED, 2-14-07

JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com

 

2-12 Few Celeb Sightings at Capitol

By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist

SANTA FE -- We haven't seen many celebrities around the Legislature this year.
In the past, cockfighting has brought in a few big names but this year, the strategy changed. Gov. Bill Richardson weighed in for the ban and he seems to be all the celebrity needed to get the measure passed and signed.
One of last year's celebrities, who appeared in opposition to a ban, was veteran actor Wilfred Brimley, who has starred in an ad for diabetic supplies the past several years.
What was Brimley doing pushing his ideas on New Mexicans? It turns out he is one of us. He has a ranch up in Miami, in the foothills of the Carson National Forest in northeastern New Mexico.
But Brimley has been absent this year, along with Pamela Anderson and other advocates of a cockfighting ban.
Also absent have been Sir Richard Branson and Victoria Principal who were here last year promoting a big state appropriation for Spaceport America.
Who knows, maybe they'll show up down in Las Cruces for the quarter-cent gross receipts tax vote in early April. That money would go for a local matching fund to augment the state appropriation and to demonstrate local support.
If the measure passes in Dona Ana County, look to see similar votes in Sierra and Otero counties. No one has been very clear about what happens if voters don't approve the local increase.
Shirley MacLaine and Marsha Mason often have come down from their spreads in the Abiquiu area to promote film projects. But most of those have become law in the last few years and New Mexico is busy becoming a film giant.
Albuquerqueans are quite proud of their huge studio near the airport. But Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones, who used to be in the film business in California, says the studio's location in a flight path is likely to spell its demise.
Maybe Brian Urlacher will show up. Now that Da Bears are finished with the Super Bowl, he should have some extra time. He isn't a publicity seeker but he's a huge fan and supporter of his home state.
Gov. Richardson recognized Urlacher's many accomplishments and contributions to our state by declaring Super Sunday, February 4, Brian Urlacher Day in New Mexico.
I asked the governor if Urlacher is going to return the favor by helping with his presidential campaign. He said he didn't know but that Brian already had helped him with a fundraiser.
One celebrity who won't be making an appearance is former Ambassador Joe Wilson who jumped into the national spotlight when his wife, Valerie Plame, was exposed as a CIA agent. The couple is planning a move to Santa Fe soon.
Wilson was scheduled to address the House Agriculture and Water Resources Committee on Feb. 6, along with his Santa Fe business partner Howard Cohen about funds available through the National Drought Information System, under a bill introduced by Sen. Pete Domenici.
The state GOP heard of Wilson's appearance and sent an urgent e-mail informing its supporters of Wilson's appearance and alerting them that "all those who value honesty in government are encouraged to attend these hearings and make your voice heard."
What in the world that was supposed to mean, I don't know. But maybe Wilson did. He announced he wouldn't attend.
Wilson's testimony was scheduled just as the prosecution was bring its case to a close in the trial of Scooter Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff. It may be that Wilson wanted or needed to stay in Washington for that since the case revolved around Libby's outing of his wife, a covert CIA agent.
Another person with New Mexico ties also is involved in that trial. Ari Fleischer, a former press secretary for Sen. Domenici, was White House spokesman at the time. He says Libby told him about Plame before Libby says he had ever heard of her.
MON, 2-12-07

JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com

 

2-9 Cockfighting Ban Likely

By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist

SANTA FE -- This may be the year that cockfighting gets banned. The odds greatly improved when the Senate Conservation Committee approved the ban on a close vote.
For many years, that panel was where cockfighting legislation went to die. But a new strategy this year started the bill in that committee. It appears to be smooth sailing from here.
The bill made it through a second committee in a matter of days and is headed to the Senate floor. House passage is expected to be even easier.
Another difference this year is Gov. Bill Richardson's active support of the ban. The word around legislative hallways is that Richardson is doing some heavy-duty arm twisting to move the bill quickly..
The Catholic Church also supports the ban this year. Other than that, everything is about the same. Proponents of the ban call it barbaric. Opponents call it part of their culture.
Dave Clary, of Roswell, my expert on just about everything, has cast some light on the culture claim for me. Clary has just finished authoring the critically acclaimed Adopted Son, revealing the relationship between George Washington and the Marquis d' Lafayette that won our Revolutionary War.
Clary now is working on a book about the Mexican-American War, which took the American Southwest away from Mexico. In his research, Clary discovered that neither cockfighting nor bull fighting made its way up to this area during the Spanish Colonial period.
It was when Mexico won its independence in 1821 that the blood sports began moving north. In 1824, politicians in Santa Fe condemned the City of Durango, Mexico, where those sports flourished. They pronounced such pastimes as "opposed to republican virtues."
But by 1845, a bull ring appeared on the Santa Fe plaza and both sports became commonplace in New Mexico.
The immense popularity of cockfighting in Mexico was greatly aided by President Antonio Lopez Santa Anna, who at least one historian says was more interested in cockfighting than government.
Santa Anna usually could be found in the plaza at San Agustin, just outside Mexico City, where non-stop cockfights were held year-round. One historian describes Santa Anna as the "heart and soul" of this cockfighting arena. He brought his cocks, set the rules for the fights, checked the birds to assure that their spurs were fitted right, and always won.
And if Santa Anna's cheating wasn't enough to win a fight, his opponents would cheat in his favor. Everyone loved him and it was an honor to rub elbows with the Great Supreme Chief. He even took game cocks with him into battle.
There's no telling whether any of this had an effect on Gov. Richardson's hands-off approach to cockfighting legislation in the past. Maybe he listened to Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez who says no one can be elected president in this country without opposing cockfighting.
Clary notes that Santa Anna was re-elected 11 times while he was his nation's leading patron of cockfighting. In his last term, his interests turned to opera, after which he was run out of the country. Maybe there's a message there too.
I probably need to apologize to most of my readers for my attitude about cockfighting. I certainly don't support it but I have trouble getting too worked up about legislation to prohibit it.
I know people who raise and fight game cocks. They are good people. Their birds are well cared for and they live much longer than those destined for Colonel Sanders.
My main problem, however, is with wasting time passing prohibitive legislation. None of it has ever worked or ever will, even though people have tried from the beginning of time. The world's oldest profession is good evidence of that.
But if the Legislature passes it this year, maybe it will be out of the way in the future. But little will change.
FRI, 2-0907

JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com

 

2-7 Denish Lends a Hand to Richardson

By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist
SANTA FE -- Lt. Gov. Diane Denish is doing everything she can to help Gov. Bill Richardson become president. That includes not accepting the extra $250 a day she receives while the governor is out of state.
Since most of Richardson's out-of-state forays will be to campaign for higher office, Denish says she doesn't want New Mexicans to feel the governor's campaign is costing them anything.
It's a nice gesture on the lieutenant governor's part because there are plenty of things she could be doing with that money.
Prior to Richardson's declaration that he has formed an exploratory committee for a presidential bid, Denish was donating that money to charities. But now she is just not filing the form necessary to receive the extra stipend.
Of course, Denish has her own plans. She'd like to be our next governor. If Richardson happens to win the presidency or if he leaves to accept some other position in the federal government, Denish would automatically become our next governor, serving the remainder of Richardson's term.
She then would have a head start on other gubernatorial candidates in 2010. Actually Denish already has a head start. A year ago, she began raising money for her 2010 gubernatorial race and has $1 million in the bank already.
We could be in for a replay of the last two gubernatorial races, with Denish overwhelming her opponents in the money raising arena, just as Richardson did.
Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez also has often expressed interest in another try at governor. His 1998 effort was unsuccessful against Gov. Gary Johnson, with Denish as his running mate.
Chavez didn't want to jump in this early but he had no choice. If Denish gets too far ahead in fund raising, potential Chavez donors later on will likely take a look at whether they are throwing their money away.
The ability to raise money is the most significant factor in a political campaign. It gets a candidate more money. It gets more volunteers. It attracts the best staff. And it buys all that advertising.
Denish could be putting those $250 checks into her campaign account to beef it up. Of course, most of us likely would be using it to pay off credit card debt, and such.
But our lieutenant governor doesn't have to worry quite as much about that. She and her husband both have had successful businesses and Diane has a comfortable cushion of family money.
With Denish running so hard, will Bill Richardson become a lame duck? Not likely. The governor will keep his thumb on everything because that's his style.
Since the beginning, he has delegated some of his program priorities to Denish for implementation. That now includes water issues, in this "Year of Water."
But don't expect to see the two go off in different directions. The governor's office keeps everything well coordinated. And when he is out of state, the real power is vested in his chief of staff and not the lieutenant governor, who takes over his ceremonial duties.
That normally is well understood in all administrations. It did become public when Lt. Gov. Casey Luna started getting so anxious for Gov. Bruce King to leave the state that King almost quit traveling. And when he did travel, he would sit Luna down and extract promises that he wouldn't try to take over in King's absence.
But Richardson and Denish get along. And it is very much to their mutual benefit to work together. Richardson is a practiced politician with much to teach Denish.
Denish is an efficient, intelligent lieutenant governor, who can be very helpful to the accomplishment of Richardson's goals. One of those goals is running for president. Denish is eager to help any way she can.
WED, 2-07-07

JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com

 

Tributes to Dee Johnson and Cory Beck

ILLER
Syndicated Columnist
SANTA FE -- No word yet on the toxicology results following the mysterious death of former First Lady Dee Johnson. She was found at her Taos Ski Valley getaway under conditions that suggested a completely natural death for the vigorous 54-year-old.
An autopsy revealed nothing. Conflicting medications are thought to be a possibility, but our state crime lab runs four months behind due to serious underfunding.
Sen. Gay Kernan, a Hobbs Republican, says she expects advancing that agency will be her biggest struggle during the current legislative session.
A recent column on Dee Johnson brought a response from Ed Berry, a former president of the Governor's Mansion Foundation, urging that a plaque be placed in the expanded family quarters of the residence recognizing Dee for her leadership in expanding the embarrassingly small family area.
Since soon after it was built in the 1950s, governors have quietly remarked that that the family area was very inadequate, especially for a governor with children still at home.
But, while it hasn't been especially difficult to sell an expansion of public areas at the mansion, enlarging the family area was another matter. Governors didn't want to spend the political capital that might jeopardize a future run for office.
Gov. Toney Anaya tried. His family didn't want to move into the residence. They laughed at it being called a mansion because their nearby house was nicer.
Although both the public and private areas of the residence now look about the way Anaya had proposed, we called it Toney's Taj Mahal at the time. I remember it well, because I led the charge. Sorry about that, Toney.
Gary and Dee Johnson were the perfect couple to expand the living quarters. Gary wasn't interested in a political future and Dee knew the construction business inside and out. She oversaw design and construction of the expansion. She knew how to achieve top quality at the best price.
The state owes much to Dee Johnson for her accomplishment. We now have living quarters at the "mansion" that can make us proud. It is appropriate to acknowledge her effort even though she would never seek such recognition.
Another New Mexican about to be recognized upon his similarly tragic and unexpected death is Cory Beck, publisher of the Roswell Daily Record. Beck, 53, died on Dec. 17 of a sudden illness in Las Cruces.
He had been publisher of the Roswell paper for almost 20 years, winning numerous awards from the New Mexico Press Association and the Associated Press. He also was active in a large number of community and cultural affairs.
Prior to his death, Beck gave three explicit instructions to his wife, Dana: show up at the funeral, look great, and check into a convent. She handled the first two with ease, but her father-in-law, Bob Beck, president of the Record Publishing Co., named her as her husband's successor.
Dana worked in the Roswell office of Sen. Pete Domenici for five years. After meeting Cory in 1995, she became involved with the newspaper at increasing levels of responsibility. In 2000, she created the senior magazine Platinum, and became its editor.
During the second day of the Legislature, Gov. Bill Richardson announced that he wants to name a section of state highway after Cory Beck. He will present the request to the New Mexico Transportation Commission at its meeting on Feb. 21 and it will be acted upon in March.
Roswell has been in the news a great deal lately. In January, directors of the International UFO Museum and Research Center announced plans for a new $25 million home just down Main Street from its present location.
In December, the city announced it may build an alien theme park similar to Six Flags. And somewhat more down to earth, MainStreet Roswell announced receipt of funds for a mini-park featuring a sculpture of Robert H. Goddard, the father of rocketry.
MON, 2-05-07