Albuquerque Journal

No Consensus on Governor's Agenda
By Jeff Jones, Journal Staff Writer

Dead on arrival?
   
Senate leaders on Wednesday continued to cite doubts about the special legislative session Gov. Bill Richardson has called to begin Friday.
   
Richardson wants the state's 112 part-time lawmakers to return to Santa Fe to take up health care reform, highway financing and consumer tax rebates, but legislators are concerned about falling revenue projections and how much money the state can safely spend in a volatile economy.
   
Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, chairman of the Legislative Finance Committee , said the governor pulling the plug on the session "would be the prudent thing to do." But he added: "Do I think that's going to happen? No."
   
Senate President Pro Tem Tim Jennings, D-Roswell, signaled the Senate might vote to adjourn without taking up the governor's agenda.
   
Richardson spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said Wednesday that the governor is pushing ahead with the session — the kind of session the governor calls but lawmakers can adjourn at any time.
   
"It's on," Gallegos said. "The governor — and most of the people in the state of New Mexico — believe it's time to do this."
   
But with the clock ticking toward the special session's noon start Friday, clouds hung over the governor's plans:
   
n Smith and Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, said there is no consensus on the Democratic governor's proposals even among Democratic senators. "We're still not sure exactly how much money there is available," Sanchez said.
   
n Jennings said "there's a real possibility" the Senate could vote to adjourn shortly after the session convenes.
   
n Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle of Portales, also are leery of the special session. "We've got to be real, real careful what we do this upcoming session," Ingle said, referring to the revenue projections.
   
The top House leader, typically Richardson's biggest legislative ally, sounded more receptive to the governor's plans.
   
Since legislators are being called to work, they might as well be productive, said House Speaker Ben Lujan, D-Santa Fe.
   
"I always feel it's better to get something done than sit around and not get anything accomplished," Lujan said.
   
Gallegos defended the governor's plans.
   
"Ask the average New Mexican; tell them we have more than $200 million in additional revenue," Gallegos said, referring to one estimate showing the state with a projected windfall of about $225 million. "Rather than hold onto that and use it for political pork in the regular session, we should use it to give back to New Mexicans paying $3.60 or $3.70 at the pump."
   
Richardson has been promising a special session since the spring, when the Legislature in its regular session nixed his plans to bring universal health care to New Mexico. Lawmakers have continued to express reluctance about committing to big-scale health care changes, and Richardson earlier this month unveiled a scaled-back health plan for the special session.
   
Richardson unveiled his tax rebate proposal in July, when the state was anticipating nearly $400 million in revenue windfall, much of it from oil and gas production in New Mexico.
   
Falling oil and natural gas prices have since reduced that anticipated windfall to $225 million or less, and Richardson earlier this week said he would scale back his tax rebate plan.
   
Smith said he doesn't believe there's consensus among Senate Democrats for most of Richardson's health care package, though he and Jennings signaled they might be willing to support some sort of rebate plan if the session gets up and rolling.
   
"That could be done very quickly," Jennings said.