Sen. Wirth

Senate Majority Leader Peter Peter Wirth has thrown a curveball that could set off a spirited battle over a premiere piece of legislation at this year's session--the proposed constitutional amendment to appropriate one percent annually from the state's Land Grant Permanent School Fund for early childhood education. 

While Wirth says he backs that amendment he has introduced an education amendment of his own. His would tap the Permanent Fund one percent annually for teacher salaries and some classroom instruction. 

Early childhood advocates are flustered while the teacher unions are beaming. Wirth's gambit has little chance of success because getting approval to tap one percent of the fund is hard enough. Two percent would hit a brick wall. 

Insiders think the play here is to change the early childhood amendment to include the teacher pay hikes and some instruction funds. That would mean half of the anticipated $180 million the amendment would generate if approved by voters would go to early childhood and half for teacher pay boosts.

Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart a retired teacher, floated that idea before she took over her leadership post and now the pieces seem to be falling in place. 

But there is political danger if that is indeed the Wirth/Stewart play. Asking voters to approve not just early childhood funding but also teacher pay hikes would be too much for many voters and could be a "poison pill," making the long-sought early childhood amendment more difficult to pass. 

Leave well enough alone say the early ed  boosters who have been pushing their amendment for a decade with this year finally seen as the best chance to prevail. But teachers and their unions are a key part of the Dem base and that muscle is now showing. In other words teacher wants a bite out of the apple.

The teacher pay hikes from the Permanent Fund would be an annual event and could be combined with regular increases from the state's General Fund. And there is no sunset clause. Talk about a sweet deal.

Longtimers will recall that the last vote to tap the Permanent Fund was in 2003 and it was to finance teacher pay hikes over ten years. It barely passed, winning by less than 200 votes--and that was only after an endorsement from then GOP US Sen. Pete Domenici.

Wirth may be enjoying throwing his curveball but he better be careful it doesn't end up  a wild pitch. 

ESTABLISHMENT FAVORITE

Velasquez

That was fast. The Dem political establishment is apparently in no mood for a replay of the famous Bernie-Hillary battles of the past and has quickly lined up behind Jessica Velasquez to become the new party chair. 

Senators Heinrich and Lujan, Rep. Leger Fernandez and MLG have all endorsed Velasquez, 44, who has twice run for a state House seat (Dist. 22) in the GOP dominated East Mountains of ABQ and come up short. 

But with the heavyweight support she's getting and no other announced contenders to take the place of Marg Elliston who vacates the post in April, Velasquez may finally pocket a win. Says MLG:

Jessica is a deeply respected leader in our Party who has demonstrated. . . that she is willing to take on tough fights with grit, determination, and a can-do attitude. I am thrilled to support her candidacy for chairwoman. . .because I know she will do whatever it takes to continue to deliver Democratic victories up-and-down the ballot, while working tirelessly to ensure DPNM represents the incredible diversity of our Party and our state."

Velasquez, who lives in Sandia Park, is an educator who moved to NM from Pennsylvania in 1999. She has taught at the public schools and UNM. She married her husband Aaron Velasquez in 2006 and together they operate ABQ's Theta Plate, an electroplating company his family started in 1976. 

Velasquez says, if elected, she will work to reverse the softness the Dems have in the state's rural areas, while dominating the cities: 

I am committed to Democratic involvement in rural areas, increasing voter registration and turnout among young and first-time voters in historically underrepresented communities, actively fielding candidates in every race at every level across New Mexico, enhancing Democratic Party infrastructure in collaboration with all 33 County Parties, strengthening caucuses, and recruiting, training and retaining homegrown New Mexico political talent.

The election is not until April and that gives time for the Bernie forces to muster a worthy opponent for Velasquez. That is, if the establishment power play for Velasquez doesn't dampen their enthusiasm.

THE BOTTOM LINES

In the event you have time on your hands this Monday, here's 1,800 words on how there's no place to pee around the Taos Plaza. Now that's the important stuff.

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