August 14, 2008
Santa Fe New Mexican
We know it's broken': Special legislative session to address health care reform
Kate Nash | The New MexicanAn unfunny thing happened on the way to tomorrow's special session of the New Mexico Legislature: A huge budget surplus, which was to have provided a bonanza of health-care benefits, pork-barrel projects and vote-buying rebates, got small.
It was the notion of $400 million in extra money — and many miles of roadwork in many legislative districts — that persuaded Gov. Bill Richardson's senatorial tormentors to come here out of season. As for the governor's ongoing, well-meaning demand that all New Mexicans have health coverage, he's been back-pedaling all summer: Let's just get a start on health-care reform. Then finish it up in February? Or would that be something for acting-governor Diane Denish to worry about when Bill returns to Washington?
But how about those rebates? They, too, have been great incentives for our senators and representatives to return to the Roundhouse: Here you are, Mr., Mrs. and Ms. New Mexico — a check for a couple hundred to help out with the high gasoline prices, or to gamble away, or whatever you want to do, compliments of the legislator you'll see on the November ballot ...
Oops — turns out there might not be even
$200 million projected now, oil prices having fallen for the moment. So here's a check — at great cost to cut — for maybe $80; don't spend it all in one place ...
Kinda takes the wind out of the special-session sails, doesn't it?
Sen. John Arthur Smith of Deming, a Legislative Finance Committee leader, doesn't hold out much hope for highway dollars, and doesn't rule out some spending cuts.
Be careful what you wish for, governor; a special session that might have boosted your national-leadership stock now looks like something to carry out at low volume, lest fellow Democrats on their way to Denver the weekend after this wonder what's become of Richardson's renowned powers of persuasion.