BREAKING NEWS: Saddam Hussein executed

Posted 12/29/2006 08:00:00 PM

Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has been executed. You can read about it by clicking here.

BREAKING NEWS: Former President Ford dies

Posted 12/26/2006 10:42:00 PM

Former President Gerald Ford has died at age 93. Click here to read about it.

BREAKING NEWS: State's former first lady dies

Posted 12/23/2006 10:05:00 PM

Former first lady Dee Johnson died in her sleep at her Taos home, according to the Associated Press. Click here to read about it.

Happy holidays!

Posted 12/22/2006 11:33:00 AM

I’m planning to take a few days off to celebrate Christmas and the New Year. If there’s any breaking news while I’m planning to be off, I’ll try to post an update or two but, otherwise, you won’t hear from me again until Jan. 2.

If you think there is news I should cover, send me an e-mail at heath@haussamen.com.

Happy holidays!

Scandal, Richardson's influence shaped 2006

Posted 12/22/2006 08:57:00 AM

In New Mexico, 2006 will be remembered for two things politically – widespread scandal in both parties and at all levels of government, and the impressive influence of Gov. Bill Richardson, who raised a record amount of money, won re-election by a record margin, and somehow managed to control state policy, avoid direct implication in scandal and campaign for other candidates across the nation at the same time.

In compiling this list of the top 10 political stories of the year, I had to consider statewide issues and topics local to Doña Ana County. With that in mind, here’s my list of the state’s top 10 political stories of 2006 from a Doña Ana County perspective.

Feel free to agree, disagree or add your thoughts by submitting comments at the end of this posting.

10. Housing authority scandal

The state housing authority scandal was underreported this year but had widespread impact. Not only was $5 million in taxpayer money misused and, most likely, lost forever; the system for providing affordable housing in one of the nation’s poorest states was revealed as a sham and came apart at the seams.

The scandal began in Las Cruces. Early in 2006, Region VII board member Frances Williams began complaining to her colleagues and the governor that Region VII hadn’t done much in its several years of operation besides build up a debt of several hundred thousand dollars to the Albuquerque-based Region III authority in order to pay administrative costs.

When she received no help, Williams went public, accusing former Region III Director Vincent “Smiley” Gallegos in March of mismanaging the housing authorities and improperly selling homes in Las Cruces to investors instead of low income families. She also questioned where the money had gone.

It turned out it hadn’t gone where it should have. In June, Region III defaulted on $5 million in bonds it owed the state. That finally prompted the governor’s office to get involved, and reviews by his office and the State Investment Council forced Gallegos to resign on Aug. 1 and the housing authority system to essentially shut down.

The investment council found widespread misuse of the state-owned bonds, including almost $900,000 that went to Gallegos as salary, benefits and a questionable loan.

Perhaps the most intriguing misuse of money revealed in the investment council report was a $300,000 loan the housing authority made to a private company owned by Gallegos under the guise of purchasing more than 30 lots in Las Cruces, even though the properties had already been purchased by the authority. Gallegos repaid the loan the day before he quit.

The report also found that homes were being sold to investors, in addition to two employees and a board member of the Region III authority. The attorney general is suing over the homes sold to those tied to the authority.

Gallegos, who has repeatedly denied misusing the money, was further implicated in the scandal when the Albuquerque Journal reported in November that a Bernalillo County metropolitan judge and a top aide to Speaker of the House Ben Lujan, a close friend of Gallegos, had been living rent-free in homes owned by Region III.

Lujan said he didn’t know about the situation until the Journal contacted him about it.

Look for this story to get more attention in 2007. The Legislature and governor will likely take a look at a proposal to restructure the system with more safeguards. The attorney general’s office is investigating. Keep your eyes open for possible indictments.

9. Ethics reform

The scandals were many this year: Former Insurance Superintendent Eric Serna resigned amid an attorney general investigation into his questionable relationship with a bank that did business with the state. The housing authority system crumbled after it defaulted on $5 million in bonds it owed the state. Former state Treasurer Robert Vigil was convicted of one felony count but acquitted of 23 others. The U.S. attorney may soon indict others, including former Sen. Manny Aragon, following an investigation into kickback allegations related to the construction of government buildings in Albuquerque. Three judges in Las Cruces resigned or were forced from office.

The headlines have been overwhelming this year, and further emphasized a call for ethics reform that began in 2005 when the treasurer scandal broke. Gov. Bill Richardson created a task force to study the issue, and will propose the creation of a powerful state ethics task force, limits on campaign contributions and gifts, public financing of judicial candidates and other reforms in the 2007 session.

The governor’s backing gives ethics reform hope, but the proposals will still have a tough time in the Legislature. Many doubt the push will result in meaningful change. Until it does, this topic remains near the bottom of the top-10 list.

8. Spaceport

Following Virgin Galactic’s verbal commitment in late 2005 to build its headquarters in New Mexico if the state built Spaceport America, there was lots of activity in 2006. The Legislature, pushed by Gov. Bill Richardson, appropriated $115 million for the project. The state awarded a contract for design of the facility. The X Prize Cup held another successful event. The Rocket Racing League secured commitments from a couple of teams. The Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners set the stage for a gross receipts tax increase election that will be held in April, with the money helping build the spaceport.

But an UP Aerospace attempt to launch a rocket into space in September failed, and its other 2006 launches were cancelled as it seeks the cause of the anomaly that doomed that attempt. An application for an FFA license is on hold until that happens. The tax-increase vote hasn’t yet happened, and the state’s money can’t be spent until other conditions are met. There isn’t a good road to the spaceport, and legislators will be asked for another $25 million in January to build one. The Rocket Racing League’s progress has been slower than anticipated.

This is a visionary undertaking that has the potential to change the state, and these sorts of endeavors take time. We’re waiting. In the meantime, the controversial spaceport project stays near the bottom of the top-10 list.

7. LCPS superintendent fired

In November, the Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education fired former Superintendent Sonia Diaz after four months on the job. The decision followed weeks of paid administrative leave while the school board investigated allegations that Diaz was a tyrant who treated employees horribly.

Diaz has appealed her firing and will have a hearing in January.

Assuming she doesn’t return to the district, Diaz will be the third superintendent since 2001 to leave amid scandal that has spread like a cancer and has threatens to rip the LCPS community apart. Though many say teachers are professionals who don’t let politics affect education, the constant uncertainty in the district is having an effect.

Diaz’s firing was controversial. Several legislators threatened to ask the state to takeover the district because of the school board’s inability to stabilize the situation, but have since backed off. Two seats on the school board are up for election in February.

With Diaz’s firing and the board seats up for grabs, talk of a revolt has quieted. It could ignite again quickly if the board isn’t cautious in its approach to finding a new superintendent. For now, the board appears to be doing just that.

All can agree that it’s time to do what’s best for the students. The problem is that factions in the community haven’t been able to find common ground on how to do that. This community will face one of its most difficult challenges yet in putting aside differences and compromising, but it’s the only way to proceed.

6. County election reform

After years of scandals and embarrassing snafus, problems with the June primary election finally prompted Doña Ana County commissioners to form a task force to look into the situation.

Shortly after the primary, Clerk Rita Torres fired former Elections Supervisor Mari Langford. About the same time, many Democrats began talking about whether Torres, who has suffered from health problems in recent years, was fit to continue serving.

Because of her health issues, many were shocked when Torres announced that she would not hire a new elections supervisor before the Nov. 7 General Election. She said she and Deputy Clerk Cecilia Madrid would oversee the election themselves.

Behind-the-scenes political wrangling prompted Torres to change her mind in August. Days later, she hired Lynn Ellins, co-chair of the commission’s elections task force and a former Colorado deputy secretary of state, as a temporary employee to oversee the election.

Ellins immediately began implementing recommendations the task force had not yet made to the commission. His leadership and the work of the task force was an encouragement to employees, and most believe Doña Ana County had its best election in recent memory, despite the fact that the employees also had to deal with the shift to paper ballots.

Ellins has stayed on for the time being to further implement the task force recommendations, and has applied for the permanent position. His presence has helped turn around a troubled office, and the hope now is that he can create lasting change.

5. Immigration

Immigration continued to be a hot topic in 2006, but Congress failed to act on any comprehensive reform, instead sending a controversial bill to President Bush that would appropriate billons to build a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. Bush signed the bill.

Contrast that with Gov. Bill Richardson, who gave a speech outlining a comprehensive immigration reform plan earlier this month at Georgetown University. It turns out Richardson and Bush, who have both been border state governors and understand on a practical level the immigration problem, agree on most points – but not the border fence.

While the debate played out across the nation – Doña Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley was even invited to take part in a nationally-televised immigration debate on the Comcast Network – the effects were felt locally. Illegal crossers continued to die in the desert in Doña Ana County. For several days in the spring, construction workers in the Las Cruces area skipped work en masse days before an important annual home showcase event because of rumors of massive Border Patrol roundups. That brought the residential construction industry to its knees and was a telling indicator of how important illegal immigrants are to the economy.

With the Democrats taking control of Congress, there’s a much greater chance comprehensive immigration reform will be signed into law by Bush in 2007.

4. House speaker battle

When Gov. Bill Richardson found a $75 million appropriation to fund water settlements in the 2006 capital outlay bill that he didn’t know was going to be there, he vetoed it.

Legislators on both sides of the aisle began a hunt for the culprit, because they also didn’t know the money was in the bill. The trail quickly led to Speaker of the House Ben Lujan, and he admitted he had done it.

Lujan added in the money at the last moment and outside the normal process. It was the most egregious of several such incidents that frustrated other legislators. State Rep. Joseph Cervantes said publicly he thought some legislative leaders – he never mentioned Lujan by name – opposed opening conference committees and made deals and decisions in secret to keep other lawmakers in the dark.

It was then that rumblings of a challenge to Lujan’s leadership began. But it wasn’t until the Albuquerque Journal reported in November a tenuous link between Lujan and the state housing authority scandal that Majority Leader Ken Martinez decided to openly challenge Lujan.

The battle divided House Democrats, in many ways pitting the old guard against the newer, younger group of representatives – a sophomore class that includes the state’s future leaders. But those rising stars didn’t account for a handful of freshman legislators whose campaigns were heavily financed by Lujan, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee and the governor, who quietly supported Lujan. Though the final numbers are secret, most of the representatives-elect supported Lujan, as did another freshman lawmaker who was appointed by Richardson to fill a vacancy hours before the speaker vote.

Lujan won the secret ballot, and Martinez quickly accepted a nomination for majority leader. After a hard-fought race that threatened to tear apart the caucus, Democrats emerged from their closed-door meeting with the same leaders in place and pledges of unity.

But things won’t be the same. Several representatives are pushing for Lujan to give up his iron-fist tactics. Martinez emerges as the face of change in the House and its likely future speaker. All are anxious to see how Lujan will balance the need to be more inclusive of House members and independent of Richardson with the demands of the governor who helped him keep the position. Only time will tell.

3. Judicial scandal

Judicial scandal was, by far, the top local political story of 2006 in Doña Ana County.

Former Magistrate Judge Susana Chaparro resigned in March and agreed to never again seek judicial office as part of a stipulated agreement with the Judicial Standards Commission. In exchange, the commission dropped seven outstanding cases against Chaparro, including a probe into her alleged harassment of a magistrate court interpreter who employed her sister, but took her sister off drunken-driving cases while she dealt with her own drunken-driving case. Chaparro had been disciplined twice in the past mixing judicial and family business.

Former District Judge Larry Ramirez resigned from the bench in June during a commission investigation into allegations that he engaged in an ongoing pattern of sexual harassment and making inappropriate comments in the courtroom. His resignation was not part of an agreement; he quit before most of the allegations could become public, so most details remain secret.

Former Magistrate Judge Carlos Garza was removed by the New Mexico Supreme Court in November after the commission found that he had used illegal drugs and improperly involved himself the court issues of a woman with whom he had a personal relationship. Prior to that, Garza was also disciplined in a separate case in May after admitting to improperly involving himself in a drunken driving case against the woman.

There’s more.

In May, Las Cruces’ two municipal judges filed a lawsuit against the city seeking reimbursement for more than $100,000 in legal fees incurred while defending themselves during a commission investigation initiated by the city attorney’s office.

The dispute began in early 2004 when the judges, James T. Locatelli and Melissa Miller-Byrnes, complained to city management about the handling of cases by prosecutors and police. When mediation failed, they wrote a letter to the Las Cruces Sun-News alleging incompetence by police and city prosecutors.

After the letter was published, the city attorney’s office filed the complaint with the commission, which asked the high court to discipline the judges. The high court dismissed the complaint related to the letter, but chastised Miller-Byrnes for calling Jacquez a “smart ass.”

Shortly after the judges filed their lawsuit, a district judge denied the request. About the same time, another district judge denied the city’s request to force the municipal judges off cases prosecuted by the city attorney’s office – a request the city made because of the pending lawsuit.

In October, the commission asked the high court to discipline Locatelli for improperly issuing contempt charges against two attorneys, including Jacquez, and for not recusing himself from a case they argued in front of him. The commission found that Locatelli acted out of anger over what he perceived to be incompetence by Jacquez and that he had no authority to issue contempt charges since the case was already on appeal to district court.

The commission wants the high court to order that all records in the contempt cases be purged and to discipline Locatelli. The case is pending.

If all that wasn’t enough, the woman who accused former Magistrate Judge Reuben Galvan of rape and bribery in 2004 filed a civil lawsuit against him in 2006. After two hung juries, the charges against Galvan were dropped in 2005, but not before he resigned from the bench. The civil case is pending.

Recent judicial scandals have prompted a large increase in funding for the commission. Though its power hasn’t substantially changed since the constitutional amendment that created it was approved by voters in 1967, the increased funding allows it to fully use that power for the first time.

Some have criticized the commission’s increased activity, prompting a review by lawmakers of the commission’s authority. Most believe the current review is healthy and may lead to improvements. In addition, the commission plans to review its own rules to see whether any changes are needed.

2. Iraq and GOP corruption

Nationally, 2006 was a year that independents and even some Republicans voted for Democrats. Fed up with a war in Iraq that President Bush has admitted the United States is not winning, and with repeated Republican scandals on a federal level, voters gave control of Congress back to Democrats for the first time since the early 1990s.

That has forced Bush to reexamine the war, and the United States will likely change course. The next two years of Democratic rule of Congress will set the stage for the 2008 White House race. Gov. Bill Richardson and other Democratic hopefuls can only pray that Democrats do a better job handing Iraq than did the Republicans.

In New Mexico, the turning tide showed Republican U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson’s vulnerability. She would have lost her seat to challenger Patricia Madrid were it not for several seconds of silence and a stumbling answer Madrid gave at the end of the campaign when asked if she would raise taxes. U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., also showed weakness, as challenger Al Kissling spent almost no money and still secured more than 40 percent of the vote. That got the attention of many Democrats who now believe a stronger, better-funded candidate can knock Pearce out in 2008.

The shift also benefited Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., who will take over from fellow N.M. Sen. Pete Domenici as chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. U.S. Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M. and in the majority for the first time since being elected to Congress in 1998, benefited the most by securing a seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee starting in January.

Having a representative on that committee can only be good for New Mexico.

1. The Richardson machine

Democratic scandals captured headlines from January to December in 2006. That helped motivate the Republican Party to, for the first time in recent memory, run a candidate in every statewide race in New Mexico – many of them strong contenders. The party raised a lot of money and ran several solid campaigns.

Republicans were right to smell blood. New Mexico is a state whose percentage of voters registered as independent is on the rise, and the GOP went after them by talking, convincingly, about the need for political balance and the importance of kicking out the party in power once in awhile in order to keep the system honest.

It just happened that their argument worked to their benefit, since Democrats have controlled New Mexico for decades.

It was a wise strategy, and 2006 could have been remembered as the best year for the Republicans in New Mexico’s recent history.

It wasn’t.

Iraq and federal GOP corruption helped offset the state Democratic scandals to some degree, but the biggest factor by far in the 2006 election in New Mexico was Gov. Bill Richardson.

Richardson’s power and influence were amazing. He broke records by raising $13 million for his campaign and winning with 69 percent of the vote, and did it while spending significant time campaigning for candidates in other states. He pumped thousands into local House races and tens of thousands into the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee and some statewide races. Much of the money raised by other candidates was also a result of the Democratic tide of the Richardson machine.

Even those Democratic candidates he didn’t finance benefited from Richardson’s popularity.

Richardson’s effect on state policy in 2006 was equally impressive. He and his staff forced through, with the help of a small, bipartisan group from the south, $115 million in funding for Spaceport America even though most Northern New Mexico lawmakers would rather not fund the project. He has created dozens of political-appointment jobs at a cost of several million dollars without legislative approval. Many lawmakers believe that’s illegal but, as a group, haven’t seriously tried to stop it.

How does Richardson keep lawmakers in check? He put Speaker of the House Ben Lujan in his place earlier this year by vetoing a $75 million appropriation for water settlements that Lujan slipped into the capital outlay bill at the last minute without the knowledge of the governor and most legislators. And Sen. Mary Kay Papen is one of several who failed to line up quietly behind Richardson during the session and paid for it with capital outlay vetoes.

Republicans thought voters might be incensed by such activity, but Richardson will start the 2007 session with an empowering re-election endorsement of more than two-thirds of New Mexico’s voters.

New Mexicans are aware of the Democratic scandals. Though tenuous links have been made between Richardson and some of the scandals, voters don’t see the governor as part of the problem. They see him as a trustworthy leader who is bucking bureaucracy and bettering their lives. They’re excited to have a national star at the top of their own state. It isn’t often that the New Mexico governor has a shot at becoming the next president, so there’s an aspect of celebrity worship to his popularity.

But it’s important to not blow Richardson’s effect on the election too far out of proportion. He creamed Republican John Dendahl in his own race, but most statewide GOP candidates fared well. Though Democrats picked up two House seats in Doña Ana County, Republicans picked up two others from around the state, so there was no overall change.

In some ways, the Richardson machine offset the Democratic scandals, and New Mexico voters opted for the status quo on Nov. 7.

In an election year that could have belonged to Republicans, it was Richardson who made the difference and helped the Democratic Party keep its grip on power in New Mexico.

LCPS seeks input on superintendent search

Posted 12/21/2006 02:59:00 PM

The Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education is seeking input on how to proceed with its search for an interim superintendent.

Meanwhile, the appeal hearing for Sonia Diaz, who was fired several weeks ago from her job as superintendent, has been set for Jan. 17. The hearing will be closed to the public, unless Diaz requests that it be open.

All three options being considered for the process to select an interim superintendent involve significant input from an advisory committee; however, the degree of that involvement and the speed of the process vary depending on the option selected. A chart comparing the options can be viewed by clicking here.

The search will begin with the school board’s next meeting, held on Jan. 16 at 5 p.m., but could end as early as Feb. 2 and as late as March 6, depending on the option selected. The school board election will be held Feb. 6, and new board members will be sworn in March 1.

One of the options would allow the new board to make the final decision on who becomes interim superintendent. The other two would have existing board members make the decision.

The district is asking that those who are interested review the three options and e-mail feedback to ohawkins@lcps.k12.nm.us by Jan. 9.

Civil engineer Karen Perez brings knowledge, common sense to county commission

Posted 12/21/2006 12:34:00 PM

Karen Perez’s résumé made her a strong candidate for the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners.

She has bachelor’s degrees in political science and agricultural engineering and a master’s degree in civil engineering. She is fluent in Spanish and English and also speaks some Russian, Arabic and Japanese. She spent time in the Peace Corps building water systems in Ecuador and Honduras, then came to New Mexico State University to become an engineer. For the past 14 years, she has been designing and overseeing construction of water systems in Doña Ana County and has worked intimately with county government.

But it’s not until you speak with Perez that you begin to understand the depth of her knowledge, her abilities to practically apply it and clearly communicate it and her desire to put aside politics and focus on policy and common sense.

Perez, a 43-year-old Democrat, was elected to represent District 3 in November, replacing Republican Paul Curry. When she takes office in January, she’ll also become the chairwoman of the commission. To take the politics out of the process, commissioners set up a rotating schedule two years ago for who leads the commission, and it happens to be the District 3 commissioner’s turn.

Perez, who represents several of the counties’ colonias in addition to south and east neighborhoods in Las Cruces, probably lines up philosophically with Commissioner Oscar Vasquez Butler, but she seems to have a desire to openly discuss and find compromise that matches that of Commissioner Bill McCamley.

That in itself will create an interesting dynamic. Butler and McCamley, both Democrats, often find themselves at odds. Butler is more liberal and more of a party player. McCamley is a moderate who more often works outside political lines.

“If we don’t kill each other first, it’s a good group with diverse viewpoints,” Perez said of the commission. “I think there are times I’ll agree with Butler and I think there are times I’ll vote with other people.”

Commissioner Kent Evans, who will be the group’s only Republican once Perez takes office, believes that.

“I really think I’m going to be able to work with her,” he said. “I expect her to be her own person.”

Butler has often been the lone voice of opposition on some issues during the past year while the other four commissioners – two Democrats and two Republicans – found compromise. Perez’s philosophical similarities with Butler will likely give those viewpoints more attention, and may also push Butler to compromise more often.

For example, Butler fought in October a proposal to allow voters to decide whether to raise the gross receipts tax to help fund Spaceport America. In a confrontational manner Butler argued, without convincing the other commissioners, that the county should spend its money on more immediate problems and that the tax would simply be funding trips into space for the rich.

Butler cast the only vote against allowing voters to decide.

Perez said that was the wrong approach, but she also sympathizes with many of Butler’s concerns.

“That isn’t a decision I think I should take out of people’s hands. That’s way overstepping,” Perez said. “But when are we going to get a return on the spaceport? Potentially in 10-15 years. Look at Santa Teresa.”

Perez was referring to another long-term project in which the county has invested millions – development of the desert west of Sunland Park. After years of legal wrangling between the county and Sunland Park, the Verde Group is set to begin rapid development in the near future, but it will have taken the county more than a decade to see a return on its investment.

It’s hard to sell a project like that to people in Hatch, Perez said. The county has been telling them for years it will see a return on its investment of their tax dollars in another community, and will use that money to improve infrastructure and services throughout the county.

They’re still waiting.

Many in the south county view the spaceport as the same type of project. Evans, McCamley and Commissioner Dolores Saldaña-Caviness support the spaceport and are looking toward the potential future rewards, but Perez said she struggles with that.

“I think about now, I think about the day-to-day needs of people,” Perez said. “How do you treat water so you have potable water?”

McCamley urged Perez to also consider “having the vision” to think long-term.

“She’s very capable, extremely capable. My only hope is that she, like the rest of the commission, has the ability to look at long-term issues and not just short term issues,” he said. “I think she has the ability to do that, and I just hope that turns out to be the case.”

Perez leans heavily on studies and data. She is concerned that, though studies have answered many questions about the spaceport, others can’t currently be answered, because it’s a venture that’s never been attempted.

Many of those questions relate to what Perez calls the “transitional impact:” While the public awaits a return on its investment, how will it deal with the taxing of its infrastructure by an increase in “imported people” sent here to build the facility and use it? How will the county deal with other infrastructure issues while it is investing money in this project but isn’t yet seeing a return? Until NMSU’s aerospace engineering program grows, will the spaceport draw resources away from White Sands Missile Range, Holloman Air Force Base, the NASA White Sands Test Facility and other important resources?

Some of these questions have been raised by Butler, but in a standoffish manner. Perez said these are questions that can probably be addressed, but there needs to be open discussion about them and the formulation of a plan.

Perez said she will work to find compromise.

She took the first step by suggesting a joint meeting of all three county commissions – Doña Ana, Otero and Sierra – that are considering asking voters to raise taxes for the spaceport. That meeting, which will also include state officials, will likely be held in January.

“I won’t get in the way of voters, but I think all three counties need to get together and discuss whether this is a crapshoot they want to take,” she said.

Perez has intimate knowledge of the Santa Teresa project that might color her view of the spaceport. She worked for the company that was building, in the late 1990s, a water line for Sunland Park as part of a race between the city and county to snatch control of water in the area.

That issue exploded when the county passed an ordinance limiting construction and ordered Perez’s company to stop building its line. When the Sunland Park mayor refused, he was arrested, though the charges were later dropped.

Perez saw the negative results of that breakdown in communication and compromise. Now that the city and county are working together, the Santa Teresa project is proceeding as it should have a decade ago.

She sees opportunities for similar partnerships with El Paso on water projects and with Las Cruces on enacting smarter growth policies. Perez said a primary cause of this summer’s flooding was not a lack of flood-control infrastructure, but too much silt in the river bed and arroyos caused by a lack of ordinances that would keep developers from stripping land and sending too much dirt into the area’s natural drainage system.

That silt clogged manmade drains and caused the flood-control system to be overwhelmed, Perez said.

The county, if it better controlled strip development, would spend less money and time scraping dirt off roads, she said. The money saved could be used to fix past mistakes and improve the situation. For example, Perez said the culverts that run under Interstate 10 near Vado are too small and need replaced.

It’s that sort of knowledge and experience that promises to make Perez a force on the commission from the moment she takes office.

“I think she’s very intelligent,” McCamley said. “I’m very confident she will be a positive personality within our discussions and our relationships.”

Nevada Democrat wants Richardson in 2008

Posted 12/21/2006 11:10:00 AM

A former aide to incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada wants Gov. Bill Richardson to launch a presidential campaign in that state.

Richardson has said he’ll make the announcement – should he make it – in New Mexico. He says it will come – should it come – in January.

Reynaldo Martinez says he’ll lead a committee of 70 people to push for Richardson in that state, which holds a caucus in January 2008, according to the Associated Press. He said his list of supporters includes blacks, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, environmentalists and “significant Democratic Party activists,” the news service reported.

Richardson and Reid pushed hard for Nevada’s caucus to become the second Democratic presidential nominating contest in the nation, and many analysts expect the governor to fare well there. One predicted last week that Nevada would come down to a race between Richardson and former Vice Presidential nominee John Edwards, whose relationships with unions have earned him many friends in that state.

A spokesman for Reid told the news service that Martinez’s support for Richardson should not be interpreted as an endorsement from him.

Big Bill gets some presidential help from Santa

Posted 12/21/2006 07:51:00 AM

Jay Miller’s planned Christmas Day column is a play on the classic poem “The Night Before Christmas” in which Gov. Bill Richardson laments his low poll numbers among 2008 Democratic presidential hopefuls but ends up with quite a gift from Santa to aid his White House bid.

The poem begins with these lines:

“Twas the night before Christmas at the governor’s mansion when Bill began fretting about losing traction,” it reads. “I’m stuck at just two percent in the polls. That’s not going to get me on many talk shows.”

In the poem, Richardson complains that he’s accomplished all sorts of international feats, but he isn’t gaining ground in the polls. He frets for awhile, then gives up and lays down to sleep.

Then Santa shows up, gives the governor his sleigh to help him travel more quickly around the nation, “and you won’t have to ask loan sharks to make a donation.” (Ouch! Cheap shot!)

“You’ll be the first president to go door to door,” Santa tells Richardson. “You won’t have to do chimneys, which I know are a chore.”

(Here’s another cheap shot:)

“For a man of your size, who’s as big as me, you can fit in my sleigh, as you can easily see,” Santa tells the governor.

Miller has Richardson give Santa a ride home. The governor takes the reins, “to his team gave a whistle, and away they both flew away like a Virgin Galactic missile.”

Enough of my quoting. Just go to Miller’s site and read it by clicking here. It’s hilarious.

Help push lawmakers to pass ethics reforms

Posted 12/21/2006 07:26:00 AM

It’s going to be tough to sell Gov. Bill Richardson’s set of ethics reform proposals to the Legislature. It’s unfortunate that Richardson didn’t also propose compensation for legislators, but that would have made the package even tougher to pass.

New Mexico Common Cause is joining the governor and others in urging citizens to lobby their representatives to pass this set of reform proposals. You can print and sign a pledge for ethics reform that will help Common Cause lobby by clicking here.

You can also contact your legislators. Click on the names below to find contact information for lawmakers who represent parts of Doña Ana County:

Senators

Dianna Duran, District 40

Mary Jane Garcia, District 36

Cynthia Nava, District 31

Mary Kay Papen, District 38

Leonard “Lee” Rawson, District 37

Representatives

Joseph Cervantes, District 52

Mary Helen Garcia, District 34

Joni Gutierrez, District 33

Antonio Lujan, District 35

Andy Nuñez, District 36

Representatives-elect (Don’t yet have Web pages)

Jeff Steinborn, District 37: (505) 532-1145, polidub@aol.com

Nathan P. Cote, District 53: (505) 373-0902, ncote@zianet.com

Ellins wants to stay on as elections supervisor

Posted 12/20/2006 02:47:00 PM

Lynn Ellins, who ran Doña Ana County’s most successful election in recent years on Nov. 7, wants to keep the job.

The position of permanent elections supervisor was posted last week, and Ellins confirmed that he has applied. The last day to apply is Dec. 26.

Clerk Rita Torres hired Ellins in August to run the election as a temporary employee. He replaced Mari Langford, who Torres fired following problems with the June primary.

At the time, Ellins, a former deputy secretary of state in Colorado, said he would stay on through the completion of the Nov. 7 election and related activities, but didn’t know what he would do after that.

After the election, he said he would stay until sometime in January, when the last possible day to appeal anything related to the election passed, and said he would use his time to further implement the recommendations of this year’s elections task force, which he co-chaired until he started working for the county.

There might be other applicants, and Torres could hire someone else, but it seems unlikely after the heaps of praise she has earned from Democrats and Republicans alike for hiring Ellins. It’s great news that he has decided he wants to stay on.

Richardson proposes powerful ethics commission, limits on gifts and campaign contributions

Posted 12/20/2006 02:21:00 PM

When the Legislature convenes in January, Gov. Bill Richardson will propose the creation of a powerful, independent ethics commission, limits on gifts and campaign contributions and public financing for judicial candidates.

The strong set of proposals goes beyond what many predicted the governor would push and is based on the recommendations of Richardson’s ethics task force. Many legislators oppose various aspects, and it will be tough to sell all the proposals.

Richardson urged citizens and members of the business community to lobby for the reform proposals.

“New Mexicans expect a government that’s honest and honorable,” Richardson said during a luncheon Wednesday in Albuquerque, where he announced the proposals. “Holding the highest ethical standards is our responsibility as public servants. It’s also the best and only way we can protect the public’s faith in their democracy.”

Richardson proposed the creation of a stronger ethics commission than many anticipated, but he has been an ally of the Judicial Standards Commission, which oversees ethics in the judiciary. According to a news release from the governor’s office, the new commission would provide oversight of the executive and legislative branches of government and would investigate complaints. The commission would have disciplinary powers that include the ability to fine, censure and reprimand public officials, state employees, lobbyists and contractors.

Rep. Mary Helen Garcia of Las Cruces was preparing her own ethics commission legislation, but it wasn’t as strong as Richardson’s because, she said, she feared such a tough proposal would have no chance of passing the House. Garcia’s proposal would have created a commission without disciplinary powers that would make recommendations to “the proper agencies” based on its findings.

“His sounds much stronger than mine was and, for that reason, it’s even better,” Garcia said. “I really applaud his efforts. I think it’s very necessary.”

Garcia said she’s confident that, with the governor’s support, an ethics commission will be created this year, and said she is anxious to review the specifics in Richardson’s proposal.

Richardson also proposed limiting gifts to state officials, employees and candidates to $100 during legislative sessions and $250 the rest of the time. He proposed criminal penalties for violators.

The governor also wants limits on campaign contributions to statewide candidates of $2,100 per individual or political action committee, per election cycle – matching the federal limit – and $1,050 for Public Regulation Commission candidates and those running for legislative and district judgeship seats.

In addition, Richardson proposed more frequent campaign finance reporting and more detailed requirements for reports, including the reporting of cumulative totals for contributions from individuals and PACs. He also wants the Legislature to amend the Governmental Conduct Act to include judges, who are currently exempted from its requirements.

Richardson also proposed a phased shift toward public financing that would begin with judicial candidates. The program would be modeled after this year’s test in PRC races. Candidates who opt in can’t take gifts of more than $5, and qualify if they meet a certain threshold.

If a candidate opts in but an opponent does not, the publicly financed candidate receives funds that roughly match the opponent’s.

Many Republicans oppose public financing. Those PRC candidates who tried it this year reported some problems, including the timeline for disbursement of money. With some tweaking, however, both Republican Kent Evans and Democrat E. Shirley Baca said the system can work.

Richardson said ethics reform is necessary in New Mexico.

“These proposals will allow New Mexicans to know where campaign money comes from, where it goes and how it’s spent,” Richardson said. “This is not an issue that affects the few. Every citizen benefits from a government that is open, transparent and accountable, and every citizen is harmed by one that is not.”

The governor pushed some anti-corruption proposals in this year’s session, but only one passed – a ban on campaign contributions from contractors seeking to do business with the state.

“The remainder of the package died in the Legislature,” Richardson said. “This time, there are no excuses. This time, reform must be done.”

Secretaries of state trade barbs over budget

Posted 12/20/2006 01:11:00 PM

The outgoing and incoming secretaries of state, both Democratic women, are caught in a war of words over the office’s budget and which one of them is stupider.

Secretary of State-elect Mary Herrera says her predecessor is leaving the office with a $225,000 operating deficit, according to the Albuquerque Tribune. Outgoing Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron says she is leaving a surplus and, if Herrera “had any brains in her head,” she would know that, according to the newspaper.

The state Department of Finance and Administration will look into the situation, but won’t likely get to the secretary of state’s budget until next week.

The office’s budget is almost $4.5 million. Herrera showed the Tribune a budget worksheet dated Dec. 12 that indicates a deficit.

“I’m not making this up,” she told the Tribune. “I’m going off the documents I was given by DFA.”

Vigil-Giron told the newspaper those projections are outdated and provided a new worksheet that shows a $200,000 surplus.

This isn’t the first time the two women have publicly fought. Herrera has criticized Vigil-Giron’s handling of elections repeatedly and called her incompetent. Vigil-Giron told the newspaper Herrera is trying to destroy her reputation.

“Because she has no reputation, she’s trying to destroy mine. That’s her persona,” Vigil-Giron told the Tribune. “I think the party needs to take an issue with the way she’s attacking a fellow Democrat.”

The Tribune article also revealed that the office has a separate issue - $2.2 million in unpaid bills from the 2006 election. Apparently, at least according to Vigil-Giron, the Legislature didn’t appropriate the money last year, and told her to come back and ask for more money once the final cost was known.

A $2.2 million emergency request will go before the Legislature in January, the Tribune reported.

“That’s the only deficiency I have, and it’s because the Legislature didn’t fully fund the election,” Vigil-Giron told the newspaper. “The next time the Legislature wants the secretary of state to do something, they should give us the money to do it. But they prefer to make us go back and beg. It’s pretty ridiculous.”

Cervantes looking for right opportunity to move up

Posted 12/20/2006 10:16:00 AM

About a year ago, I profiled State Rep. Joseph Cervantes for the Las Cruces Sun-News as one of the rising stars in state politics.

Since then, the Las Cruces Democrat has considered but decided against running for Congress and attorney general. He has also jumped into, then back out of, the race for House majority leader before the vote.

Those decisions over the last year reveal what is perhaps the biggest criticism of Cervantes – that he’s afraid to take a risk and may miss his chance to become one of the state’s top leaders. This week marked the second time he has jumped in and out of the majority leader race. He’s talked about running for Congress for years but not done it.

Cervantes, 45, said he isn’t afraid to take a risk. He clearly wants to make the move to Santa Fe or Washington, D.C. in the next few years, but said he is awaiting the right opportunity. Cervantes is a lawyer, but said he has much broader interests.

“I didn’t feel the attorney general’s office was the best opportunity I would have to accomplish the things I want to accomplish in politics,” Cervantes said of his decision to not run this year. “I felt there were better opportunities in terms of health care, education, the environment and economic development.”

Cervantes said he believes recent scandals will occupy incoming Attorney General Gary King’s time.

“The attorney general’s office has an enormous task in terms of government corruption, and I hope that will be the primary focus of the next attorney general,” he said. “My interests are in a broader area right now than just government corruption.”

Cervantes reiterated comments he made earlier this week about his decision to withdraw from the majority leader race after Ken Martinez lost the speaker vote and agreed to be nominated for the No. 2 position. He said he stepped back to allow Ben Lujan and Martinez to serve in the top two leadership positions following “divisive campaigning” in their race, saying it was the best way to unify the Democratic caucus.

Still, he said, the power in the House