Wednesday, February 09, 2022Senate Repeal of Life Sentences For Juvenile Killers Could Tee Up Election Issue For R's; Bill Heads To House; MLG Mum On Signing, Plus: More Roundhouse Crime Beat, Patty In Doghouse Over Hydrogen And A Session "Dress Rehearsal" The Senate, perhaps forgetting there were a record 117 murders in ABQ last year, decided now is the time to repeal the law that does not allow for the possibility of parole for juveniles convicted of first degree murder. The well-meaning but politically tone deaf measure passed on a party line vote of 23 to 15 with the R's baiting the election trap with an amendment that would have excluded the repeal for juveniles convicted of killing a cop. The Senate did not go for it. The bill now goes to the House where it failed to survive last year. But if it is heard there families of murder victims will again stand watch and, to use a favorite phrase of Rep. Daymon Ely, cause a hot mess for the Dems. The Guv's office won't say if she would sign the bill but with visions of Willie Horton dancing in her head she might already be be getting carpal tunnel syndrome thinking about it. What does Ecclesiastes say? "To every thing, there is a season." The Dems cause has moral standing but they've got the season so very wrong. ALL CRIME, ALL THE TIME
This crime wave cuts so many ways. For example, ABQ Mayor Tim Keller has joined the tough on crime crowd in Santa Fe as the public demands action. That gets him props from the law and order advocates but then he gets this from his progressive flank: Paul Haidle, City of Albuquerque Deputy City Attorney for Policy, resigned from his position with the city in protest of the mayor’s support for tough-on-crime initiatives, especially HB 5, the rebuttable presumptions bill. That version of HB 5 has gone by the wayside. We quoted Haidle on that Tuesday but did not give attribution. His resignation shows the pressure that governing progressives are coming under as the ceaseless crime continues much of which is drug related. Here's an example of what we're up against, folks: APD's Crimes Against Children Unit is investigating the death of a 14-year-old girl. Family members say Ava Kersey was rushed to the hospital after being found unresponsive. She died two days later. APD later learned she was suffering from a fentanyl overdose. Family and friends say they had reported the girl’s mother to CYFD multiple times for neglect and allowing the girl access to drugs along with her 5-year-old brother. HYDROGEN BOMBS (CONT.) She's arguably the most powerful House member aside from Speaker Egolf but that doesn't mean House Appropriations Committee Chair Patricia Lundstrom is getting a pass over the botched hydrogen hub plan pushed out by her and MLG. We get this Gator Strike from the Capitol: Left out of this hydrogen discussion is the fact that this was Rep. Lundstrom’s baby and she failed to deliver for her community and the governor. She had a team of lobbyists and even dragged leaders to western NM in 2021 to make the pitch. This and her uninspired, conservative budgeting during a massive state surplus really speaks to a lack of ability to get big things done. A more savvy politico would have found a way to use the budget with progressives as a negotiating tool for a hydrogen deal. A DRESS REHERSAL
Joe, this bill is a dress rehearsal for next year's 60 day legislative session to see what support and opposition develops. The big picture is the lack of funding and support of the agency. If you pay the State Engineer what they should be paid there would be no issue with the "pool" of qualified candidates and thus no need to increase the pool of candidates as this bill would. Also, the agency needs adequate funding to do the business required--especially now with ongoing drought conditions and an increased work load (i.e Cannabis water usage and Water Rights permitting.) The agency has 68 fewer staff today than when John D'Antonio was State Engineer under Gov. Richardson. In this session the office is hoping for 15 new staff and other additional funding. Initially they were told to submit a flat budget which is one reason John D'Antonio left, knowing of all the revenue that is coming into the state. When progressional engineers in the water world see this and the lack of support they tend to stay away from applying for the State Engineer position. Without water nothing else is possible and it seems like some Legislators and the Administration don't get it. All the oil and gas production in the SE part of the state relies on water for fracking and they get their permits from the Office of the State Engineer. The bill to allow a nonengineer to lead the office (HB 83) is up Thursday morning before the House agriculture committee. The proposal would let geohydrologists, geologists and attorneys be State Engineer. "Attorneys" being the red flag. MASK BULLETIN We get this mask "bulletin" from the always entertaining email: Joe, I’ve heard that New Mexico will have six more weeks of the mask mandate because the governor saw her shadow Feb. 2. Can your sources confirm this? Yes, we're not sure about the shadow, but we're told she woke up that morning still wearing her mask and that was that. E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.   (c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2022 |
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