The Winter State Fair

The New Mexico Legislature is meeting again.  I like to think of it as the Winter State Fair.  Unlike the late summer event that takes place in Albuquerque, the winter version happens in Santa Fe at the capitol building we refer to as The Roundhouse.  It's either because they built it on an abandoned railroad yard or because of the punches thrown by legislators from one side of the aisle to the other.  Either way, more people go to Santa Fe to see the special events and have fun and games than go to Albuquerque in the summer for the carnival rides and beer.

I can predict two things with certainty:

1. Only about 10 percent of the bills introduced will be passed.  That's a good thing.  Only about 1 percent of the bills intruduced will probably have anything to do with real state business.  The rest of them will be things like naming the State Spinach Salad, or funding a study of whether it's shorter to drive to Santa Fe via I-25 or Highway 14.  Once the study establishes the shorter route, there will be heated debate as to whether they used the right kind of ruler.
2. It will cost New Mexico citizens more tax money.  I'll grant you that Republican Governor Martinez has kept her promise on taxes for the most part, but that doesn't mean those pesky little hidden taxes won't keep cropping up.  Things like increased tuition at state colleges, for example.

Other things that I can predict with confidence:

• There will be at least one constitutional crisis, as legislators are actually forced to read a copy.
• There may be a second crisis as it is determined that the legislature doesn't own a copy.
• At least one Democrat will call a specific Republican a bad name.
• At least 75 percent of the Democrats will call all Republicans a bad name.
• There will be livestock.
• The legislature will spend at least one afternoon debating who will clean up after the livestock.
• The Democrats will find undocumented workers to clean it up at less than minimum wage.
• The Democrats will propose several bills to raise the minimum wage.
• Global warming or climate change will be mentioned at least once in conjunction with each of the following: Oil and gas exploration, gas prices, jobs, education, beer, teacher pay, Republicans, the rich, the poor, green chiles, the homeless, Obamacare, Social Security, bean burritos, Medicare, minimum wage, baseball, beer, and, if they can get it all in, tamales, posole, enchiladas, sopapillas, and beer.

Because New Mexico has a citizen legislature, it only meets for one or two months a year.  This is also good.  It limits the damage that can be done and prevents the politicians from thinking of it as a real job.  This year, the Winter State Fair will go on for 60 days total.  Watch this page to see how many of my predictions come true.

© C. A. Turek - mistertrains@gmail.com

Giving Thanks

There hasn't been much to say this year.  Albuquerque and New Mexico are still in the recession that the gov'ment says ended years ago.  I look around me and home prices are stagnant and homes in my neighborhood are not selling anything like as fast as they once were.  The job guide in the Sunday paper is down to two pages, with at least 20 column-inches used up by an ad for, what else, putting ads in the newspaper.  Albuquerque is about to lose it's passenger train, Amtrak's Southwest Chief, because some people think that passenger rail is an anachronism and do not believe in a comprehensive multi-mode transportation policy for our country. They are shortsighted at best, and criminal in their assumptions at worst.

Nonetheless, in the coming few years we may get BRT (that's bus rapid transit, not bean rolled tacos) east and west on Central, the showplace of Albuquerque that shows a lot of places the city should not be proud of.

Nevertheless, in this time of Thanksgiving, I want to give thanks.  I am thankful that former Gov. Richardson's Rail Runner Express commuter train boondoggle has not yet bankrupted the state.  I'm thankful that we reelected a conservative governor and still have a conservative mayor of the City of Burque. I'm thankful that the Justice Department, the absolute last word in impeccable police work, has stepped in and told the APD (Albuquerque Police Dept., not another person dead) how to do its job.  Thank you Mr. Holder;

the citizens of Albuquerque and the State of New Mexico are certainly too stupid to figure this out for themselves.

I'm thankful that gas prices are falling.  It'll make up for all the money we now have to put into buying food.  I'm thankful that, according to the feds, there is no inflation, there is no inflation.  If something is repeated often enough, you will believe it.  I'm thankful that New Mexico set up an insurance exchange so that Obamacare can finance the uninsurable with my money.  At least they'll get great care at Kaseman Hospital or UNM Emergency Room (UNM stands for under nano-minute, the time it takes them to ask for your insurance card).

Sarcasm, innuendo, and outright snide comments aside, I am very thankful for my wonderful family and friends, my life, my liberty (such as still exists) and the free Blogger platform on which to spill my guts.  My all who stumble upon this blog and my regular reader have a happy, safe and sane Thanksgiving.

Budget Better Left Undone

NM gov plans special legislative session next week – BusinessWeek

I don’t know about anyone else, but for me, no legislation is good legislation, even when there is no budget. The fiction is that the state will grind to a halt. The fact is that our government will continue to spend money faster than a Vegas drunk (see Harry Reid) even without the budget.

In the mean time, the Albuquerque Journal points out that it might be better to just wait. In today’s editorial, they suggest that maybe reconvening in April when more revenue projections are in, would be the ticket.

That is juxtaposed with an editorial about the winter meeting of state governors in DC. A kernel of truth is there, and I hope our legislators see it. Fact is that New Mexico should be selling off assets to balance the budget.

Start with the Railrunner Express. This albatross is no good for New Mexico, but could be good for private enterprises. Warren Buffet just bought BNSF (see Passenger Rail), on whose former tracks runs the “runner.” Maybe he’d like to bid on Railrunner. Maybe even buy back those tracks for which I believe NM paid $50 million. (We won’t use more than a third of the mileage this century.)

The next to go should be the New Mexico Space Port. And then any real estate owned by a school district that isn’t being used – now!

Instead, I’m sure, the legislature will meet on Wednesday and raise taxes. Business as usual in NM.