Democracy for New Mexico

Daniel Ivey-Soto Hired as State Elections Director

NM Secretary of State Mary Herrera announced Friday that she's hired Albuquerque attorney Daniel Ivey-Soto as the new State Elections Director. Ivey-Soto is also the Second Vice Chair of the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County. He replaces Ernie Marquez. According to an Albuquerque Journal report:

Ivey-Soto, 40, earned a law degree and master's of business administration from the University of New Mexico. Ivey-Soto, who once served as general counsel for the state Democratic Party, unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for state auditor last year when the party's state central committee filled a vacancy on the ballot. As director of the elections bureau, Ivey-Soto will be responsible for running the state's election operations and administering election laws.

Gallup Minimum Wage Heads to Voters

From NM ACORN:
Over 100 people packed the Gallup City Council Chambers Tuesday night, most of them supporting a proposal to give Gallup the strongest minimum wage ordinance in New Mexico outside of Santa Fe.

Supporters petitioned to bring the referendum before the city government, but the council chose, instead, to put it on the March 6 municipal ballot for voters to decide. The measure would raise the minimum wage to $6.75 within 60 days, then to $7.50 by January 1, 2008. The wage would rise with the cost of living annually. Small businesses with fewer than 15 employees are exempted, but teenagers are covered.

Unfortunately, the council also chose to put a weak alternative on the ballot, as well. If both measures are approved, the one with the most votes becomes law. The alternative raises the minimum wage to $6.50 July 1, $7.00 January 1, 2008, and $7.50 July 1, 2008, but it does not have cost-of-living increases and it does not cover teenagers. It does not, however, exempt small businesses.

Minimum Wage Lobby Day
The Gallup Minimum Wage Initiative underscores the importance of our Minimum Wage Lobby Day next Thursday, January 18, at 10:30 AM, at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Proposals to ban local ordinances as part of any state minimum wage bill have serious traction. Supporters of local measures in Gallup, Taos, or other cities that have not yet considered moving stronger legislation than what Congress or the State Legislature is entertaining should join us to speak up for Local Control.

For more information, please contact Matthew Henderson at nmacorn@acorn.org.

TODAY: Say NO! to More Troops

Say "No" to More Troops

Many activist and grassroots groups are joining together to convince Dems and others to say NO to Bush, including Democracy for America, CodePINK, NOW, Working Assets, MoveOn, TrueMajority , Sojourners and many others. Visit AmericaSaysNo.org, sign the petition and register for one of the protest events scheduled for locations all over the nation TODAY.

An Albuquerque event will be held at the downtown office of Sen. Pete Domenici at 201 Third St. NW at Noon on Thursday, January 11. In Taos, protestors will gather at Wholly Rags, 112 Alexander B4, at 4:00 PM today. In Los Alamos, a protest vigil is set for 1808 Central today at 6:00 PM. Type in your zip code at the America Says No site for more details and events around the nation.

Other Action
Click to sign Sen. Russ Feingold's citizen petition to redeploy the troops and be sure to read his op-ed on using Congress' power of the purse to stop Bush's escalation that was published today in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Sen. Harry Reid has a petition at Give 'Em Hell Harry.

Accountability Visit to Congresswoman Wilson’s Office Today

On Tuesday, January 9, grassroots organizations and individuals will ask Congresswoman Heather Wilson to stay true to the letter and spirit of her campaign promises by supporting four vital bills expected to move through the U.S. House of Representatives this week. Drop by and join in supporting this action.

Advocates for workers, low-income citizens, seniors, students, and religious groups will meet in the lobby of First Plaza in Downtown Albuquerque for a press conference at 2:00 PM and then will visit Rep. Wilson’s offices to ask Rep. Wilson to support the following four pieces of legislation:

• Increase the minimum wage to at least $7.25, without using other issues as a red herring to avoid supporting a clean bill.
• Allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for our seniors, just as every company, non-profit, and most all other government agencies in America are allowed to negotiate when making bulk purchases.
• Restore funding for student loans (which was cut by the last Congress) to enable more New Mexicans to attend institutions of higher education.
• Repeal big oil and gas company tax cuts from the last Congress. America needs fiscal responsibility, and it is absolutely irresponsible to stand in favor of these tax cuts when oil and gas profits are at all-time highs and George W. Bush and the Republican Congress have run up all-time high deficits.

Congresswoman Wilson ran as a moderate who favors an increase in the minimum wage, cares about prescription drug prices, supports more accessible higher education, and is independent of big oil and gas. She will have the chance to prove that her election promises and themes were more than rhetoric in the next week. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding.

For more information contact Carter Bundy at (505) 463-8499.

AG King Schedules Open Government Workshop

The Santa Fe New Mexican is reporting that Attorney General Gary King plans to make open government a top priority and will cosponsor a workshop on open government laws:

Attorney General Gary King's first news release since taking office Monday announced his office and the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government would hold a workshop on open-government laws for local government officials and the public.

Bob Johnson, executive director of the foundation, said King's election in November was good news for open-government advocates. "We're encouraged by the election of Gary King,'' Johnson said Thursday.

Johnson noted that King, who served in the state House of Representatives from 1987 to 1998, sponsored laws to strengthen the state Open Meetings Act and the Inspection of Public Records Act. "In at least two sessions, he worked hard on those laws,'' Johnson said.

... The Attorney General's Office and the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government have scheduled the open-government workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, January 10, at the Leo Griego Auditorium of the State Personnel Building at 2600 Cerrillos Road. [emphasis mine]

Today in Local News

On the radar screen today:

Rep. Ben Lujan (D-Nambe) won the secret vote to retain his role as NM House Speaker over challenger, Rep. Ken Martinez (D-Grants), at yesterday's closed door caucus of House Dems. Martinez will keep his Majority Leader post. Both candidates for Speaker had claimed they would have enough votes to win, and the margin between them was reportedly tight. Sheryl Williams Stapleton (D-ABQ) was re-elected as whip and Rep. John Heaton (D-Carlsbad) will again serve as caucus chair.

In a 5-4 vote, the Albuquerque City Council rejected the adoption of interim design rules for big box stores, a measure introduced by City Council President Debbie O'Malley. However, her permanent rules for big box development will be sent to the Environmental Planning Commission. Their recommendations to the Council on the proposal will be due in about four months. The decision is a loss for the folks trying to stop the "super" Wal-Mart at Osuna and Vista del Norte, but offers some hope for future improvements in the ugly big boxes springing up all over town. Voting to reject the temporary rules were Sally Mayer, Ken Sanchez, Brad Winter, Craig Loy and Don Harris. Ike Benton, Michael Cadigan and Martin Heinrich voted for approval.

The Council also approved special tax increment development districts for Mesa Del Sol. However, they delayed until January 10th any decision on the percentage of future district tax revenues the developer will be allowed borrow against to pay for infrastructure. For the financing plan to work for developer Forest City Covington, they'll have to get the city to sign off on all the details, then get the approval of Bernalillo County and the legislature. See my earlier post for more on this issue.

Albuquerque's Mayor Chavez announced a $10 million, two year plan to landscape 100 acres of land around the Big I. Five thousand dollars will come from the city's coffers and an equal amount from the state. Chavez bragged that the addition of thousands of trees, shrubs, cactuses and grasses would transform Albuquerque. "It's got a lot of 'wow' factor in it," he said. Wow, wow, wow. The new plantings, to be bid in phases, will eventually enhance the area along I-25 and I-40 from Menaul to Indian School and Edith to Universtiy.

Our current U.S. Attorney David Iglesias, a Republican who lost the Attorney General race in 1998 to Patricia Madrid, announced he'll be leaving his post two years early. It's rumored the FBI and other DC bigwigs are displeased with his handling of the state treasurer scandal and, perhaps, the brewing case related to possible corruption in the construction of the Metro and District courthouses in Albuquerque. Hey, maybe Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff can offer him a job at the sprawling agency that provides refuge for hordes of pompously incompetent operatives like Brownie.

Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley visited the campsite of about 50 tribal members who are protesting the construction of the coal-fired Desert Rock Power Plant on Navajo land in the Four Corners. See our earlier post for background on this issue.

Tough Call on Mesa Del Sol Financing

UPDATE: Click for later post on how the City Council voted on this issue.
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Tonight the Albuquerque City Council will be discussing Ike Benton's proposal to help fund infrastructure development at Mesa Del Sol by creating a special tax increment development district and funding mechanism. Within the district, developer Forest City Covington would pay back bond proceeds it receives up front for infrastructure with a percentage of the taxes generated by the development for the next 25 years. While that sounds good to many in terms of kick-starting the much-praised Mesa Del Sol planned community, others aren't so sure.

Among those advocating against the proposal is the nonprofit group , which works against sprawl development and for smart growth and sustainable community development. The group's President, Ken Balizer, and Executive Director, Gabriel Nims, wrote a guest column at the Albuquerque Journal explaining their reasoning and claiming that the proposal doesn't meet he criteria required by Albuquerque's Planned Growth Strategy.

This Albuquerque Tribune article lays out some of the issues at play. I can't seem to choose sides on this one as my understanding of finance and taxation is rather simplistic. Anyone out there understand this in more depth? What do you think?

State Sen. Ortiz y Pino to Sponsor NM-01 Redistricting Bill?

Democratic State Senator Gerald Ortiz y Pino wants to introduce a bill when the Legislature convenes in January that would redraw the boundaries of New Mexico's first congressional district. Repub Heather Wilson recently beat Dem Patricia Madrid in the NM-01 congressional race by only 862 votes.

Sen.Ortiz y Pino is proposing two different configurations meant to consolidate the area's urban and Native American components and make the district more cohesive as a metro area voting bloc. Proposed changes would include moving more rural parts of Torrance County, in the East mountains, to the second district and including more urban parts of Valencia County, south of Albuquerque, into NM-01. The district currently consists primarily of Bernalillo County, but also encompasses portions of Sandoval, Santa Fe, Torrance and Valencia counties. According to an Albuquerque Tribune article:

"The last election showed how uncohesive our current district is," Ortiz y Pino said.

"We'd like to not be splitting the Native Americans as we are now and we'd like metro Albuquerque to be metro, not urban and rural."

Sen. Ortiz y Pino's introduction of a redistricting bill appears contingent on gaining the support of Governor Bill Richardson and his fellow State Senators:

Ortiz y Pino said he hasn't talked to Senate leaders about the plans and hopes to present them to Gov. Bill Richardson soon. Richardson spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said the governor will consider Ortiz y Pino's plans.

"The governor would prefer to wait until the next round of redistricting in 2010, but is willing to listen to Sen. Ortiz y Pino," he said.

However, Ortiz y Pino said he won't push the issue if Richardson doesn't want to. Redistricting in 2000 dragged on until a court ordered the current districting map in 2001.

"I would hold off if he (Richardson) asks me, but I'd like us to begin talking about it," Ortiz y Pino said.

Predictably, New Mexico's Repubs are against the plan. NM Senate Minority Whip Leonard Lee Rawson of Las Cruces said, "I think it's wrong-headed. I think we do redistricting once in a decade, not right after an election." Pretty funny, considering that the now discredited Repub Tom DeLay hatched a non-census year plan that resulted in a nice gain of seats for his Party in Texas. Thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court decision on DeLay's plan, it's now been ruled constitutional (with limitations) to redraw boundaries in non-census years. I guess Repubs can't bring themselves to believe that what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

There's reportedly also some grumbling coming from several Dems in NM's southern second district, an area currently represented by Repub Steve Pearce. They believe Dems have a chance to win a congressional seat in the district given that voter registration figures there actually favor Dems. They claim adding more Repub-heavy areas to NM-02 could end those hopes.

Note: DFNM guest blogger 'Land of Enchantment' recently advocated for redistricting of NM-01 in this post. What do you think?

This Just In: Richardson Will Run for Prez (Debunked)

Not unexpected, but still news or at least Faux News: According to a Fox News story, Gov. Bill Richardson WILL run for president in 2008:

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is expected to formally file papers to form a presidential exploratory committee in January. But today he told FOX News "I am running," as he described the professional and personal experiences that he believes have prepared him for the job.

He also gave a speech on comprehensive immigration reform today, something one might expect a presidential candidate to do. Let's see how much buzz the Fox item produces....

UPDATE: Ah, but wait, now kos sez the Richardson camp is calling the Fox report a lie. Video to come at kos. Also, a new Albuquerque Tribune article contains the denial. Either way, more media coverage for Richardson.

UPDATE #2, 12/8: Faux News clearly twisted the facts on this one, but the Richardson denial story garnered a front page headline in the Albuquerque Journal this morning.

Heather Wilson: Naive & Simplistic (Redistrict Now!)

This is a guest blog by a New Mexican who goes by the name 'Land of Enchantment' that is cross-posted here by permission. It was posted originally as a diary at Daily Kos:

Congresswoman Heather Wilson (NM-01) - a member of the House Intelligence Committee - has criticized the Iraq Study Group report as disappointing, with some of its suggestions naive and simplistic, and others blindingly obvious.  I have not found any more specifics as to which parts she ascribes these various characterizations.

Of course, the basic idea that the whole business isn’t working hardly comes as news to anyone whose IQ is greater than their shoe size.  Houston Chronicle cartoonist Nick Anderson, for example, illustrates what should have been "blindingly obvious" long ago:

The plain spoken Russ Feingold has more sense in his little finger than Heather Wilson’s exhibited in her entire political career.  From the Detroit News:

"Maybe there are still people in Washington who need a study group to tell them that the policy in Iraq isn't working, but the American people are way ahead of this report."

An interesting question, and one I don’t know how to answer, is why Heather Wilson is perhaps the widest-quoted member of Congress about the report.  From the International Herald Tribune (the Paris-based NY Times affiliate via the AP), to Imus in the Morning, to NPR.  I’m guessing everyone’s going with AP coverage, as I’ve not found any statement on Wilson’s official website.  But NPR’s site carries quotes from sixteen members of the House & Senate sourced to AP.  So it might just be a case of tit-for-tat journalism, and Wilson gave the most pointedly critical quote.

Wilson’s been a "stay the course", rubber-stamp kind of Republican.  From the Albuquerque Tribune:

Now that she's had the electoral scare of her life, Donald Rumsfeld's out and President Bush is talking options, has Heather Wilson's view on Iraq changed?

No, and here's why.

"Elections are about choices between candidates. They don't change policy positions," the Albuquerque Republican said Tuesday after returning to the House for the postelection session of Congress.

We do know that Wilson hasn’t used the expressions "naive" and "simplistic" about policies in Iraq before.  Not about:

• The insurgency is in its "last throes"
• They’ll greet us as liberators, with candy and flowers
• "Mission Accomplished"
• The purple fingers show it’s all successful
• The war wouldn’t last more than 6 months, max
• Iraqi oil revenues would pay for reconstruction
• Trumped up "intelligence" on Saddam’s WMDs

Just two months ago, Wilson was profiled for the midterm election by the Albuquerque Tribune:

What is your stance on the Iraq War and how the U.S. should proceed?

The U.S. military has done an outstanding job defeating Saddam Hussein and helping the Iraqi people have the first free election in decades. All Americans, including me, want American troops to come home from Iraq. My opponent wanted to immediately withdraw all U.S. troops almost a year ago - before free elections, before the Iraqi Army was ready to provide security, before the establishment of a unity government, and before we killed the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq.

Even now, if we immediately retreat from Iraq, the terrorists will see it as a sign of weakness, and it will embolden them to commit more terrorist attacks.

I believe our troops should be reduced through an orderly transition to the Iraqi Army as Iraqis take more responsibility for governing and security in their own country. I also believe that decisions on troop withdrawal schedules should be driven by U.S. commanders on the ground in Iraq, not politicians in Washington. The Iraqi Army is starting to stand on its own. We can't cut and run. We need to finish the job.

This looks like formulaic, simplistic pablum to me.  Look at all that’s happened since this statement was published on October 10.  It strikes me as a tad naive to assert that the Iraqi army’s "starting to stand on its own".  Even the most hawkish guy around, John McCain, says American troops shouldn’t be embedded with the Iraqi military due to "questionable loyalties" - just heard reported on MSNBC earlier this morning.

On the occasion of her vote for war authorization in 2002, Wilson said the following on the House Floor:

I am voting to authorize the use of force against Iraq because it possesses and is further developing weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver those weapons and because I believe that Iraq intends to use those weapons against Americans.

At that time, she stated that other reasons were not adequate to go to war: Having WMD without the intention to use them against the US, oppression and human rights atrocities against minorities in Iraq, or violations of sanctions.  Considering that she serves on the House Intelligence Committee, she was in a position to ask penetrating and skeptical questions about those WMD and Saddam’s intention to use them against the US.  She did not.

Since then? According to a Wilson press release of 11/18/05, things were going so well in Iraq that we could expect substantial troop reductions through out 2006.  Perhaps a bit "naive"?  (Again keeping in mind that she’s got an inside track on intelligence...)

I expect U.S. forces will continue to stay in Iraq through December's elections at roughly their current level.  But as I’ve said, if political and security progress continues on roughly the course we are on, American forces should be able to start being drawn down in significant numbers during the course of next year.  These redeployments should be based on conditions in the field.  As the Iraqis stand up, we can stand down.

Wilson also voted against benchmarks for success in Iraq.  From the DCCC:

In 2005, Wilson voted against an effort to require President Bush to submit a plan for success in Iraq, supply the military with adequate equipment and other resources to complete their mission, and provide veterans with adequate health care services. Had the plan passed, it would have required the president to outline benchmarks for success in Iraq - including the adoption of a constitution, free and fair elections, and a plan for economic development - that could be used to determine when Iraq is sufficiently stable to allow for the return home of American soldiers. The motion also noted that the lack of a clear strategy for success in Iraq could undermine the morale of U.S. troops.

TIME FOR REDISTRICTING
I think it’s time for a little redistricting in New Mexico.  We’ve got a Democratic Governor, and both chambers of the legislature are Democratic.  Election results this time around:

• NM-01 . . . . Rep - 50.2% . . .  Dem - 49.8%
• NM-02 . . . .  Rep - 60% . . . . . Dem - 40%
• NM-03 . . . . Rep - 25% . . . . . Dem - 75%

Statewide: Rep - 44% . . . . Dem - 56%

With those numbers statewide, there’s really no excuse for only one out of three seats to be held by a Democrat.  A little tinkering with the districts could make NM-02 65% Republican and NM-03 70% Democratic.  Which would add ten points of Democratic clout to NM-01, and settle the whole business to better match the electorate.

This is a classic case of Democratic votes being concentrated in a way that reduces Congressional representation.  Since the State Legislature has been Democratic in both Houses for as long as anyone can remember, and Democratic Governor Bill Richardson has just been re-elected to a second term, this could easily change.