MILLS CAPITOL OBSERVER FOR JUNE 30, 2004

[hedgetrimmer]

MILLS CAPITOL OBSERVER FOR JUNE 30, 2004
P.O. BOX 5141
SANTA FE, NM 87502

NEWEST NEW MEXICO STATE PARK DEDICATION

Eagle Nest Lake will become the newest state park on July 3! The grand opening will be at 10:00 a.m. at the main boat ramp one mile south of Eagle Nest on Marine Way off U.S. 64. It coincides with
a July 4 celebration at Eagle Nest and its neighboring communities of Angel Fire and Red River. Activities include parades, food, a fishing derby, live music and one of the state’s most spectacular fireworks displays. Park entry fees will be waived for the special weekend.

“Eagle Nest Lake has always been one of New Mexico’s crown jewels - as a natural resource and recreation area,” Governor Bill Richardson said. “Now that it is our 32 nd State park, we can ensure that it is
protected for future generations while it brings needed dollars to the Moreno Valley and surrounding communi-ties.”

New Mexico purchased Eagle Nest Lake and several thousand acres of surrounding land for $20 million in 2002 from the CS Cattle Company, which from 1980-2000 had leased the property and lake to the
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. In 2004, the state legislature approved a land transfer and funds to operate the park. The lake itself, when full, covers 2,400 surface acres and contains 78,000 acre-feet of water.
For more information call (888)NM PARKS or visit www.nmparks.com.

STATE PERMANENT FUND TASK FORCE TO EXAMINE $27 BILLION FUNDS

New Mexicans will soon have an easy opportunity to scrutinize how the state is investing its enormous funds-- all $27 billion dollars worth of them. That is when the State Permanent Fund Task Force thoroughly
examines the titanic-size funds and gives New Mexicans a chance to do the same. “It is their money and there is a lot of it. New Mexicans have earned the right to know and understand that these massive funds are being invested wisely. They should have a chance to understand the process used to manage these valuable re-sources,”
Senator Joseph Carraro (R-Albuquerque) said today. “It isn’t like making sausage, there is nothing to fear from the process. There is a lot to gain from it.”

Senator Carraro, who recently was elected to serve as chair of the State Permanent Fund Task Force, (very unusual, we might add, for a Republican to chair the task force) said public meetings will be held this summer in the State Capitol in Santa Fe(see page 4 of this newsletter for dates). Senator Carraro said New Mexicans let their opinions be known most recently at the ballot box last September when a majority of voters elected to spend some of the principal of the Land Grant Permanent Fund. Now, Senator Carraro said New
Mexicans have a chance to learn about and share their opinions about the balance of that fund and others.

The task force, charged with reviewing the safeguards that are in place for protecting the Severance Tax and Land Grant Permanent funds and the State Employees and Education Retirement funds, was created by the New Mexico Legislative Council following the passage of Senator Carraro’s Senate Joint Memorial 14 from the
2003 regular session. Members consist of state legislators, Gary Bland (chief investment officer of the State Investment Office), other state investment officers and retirement fund officials, and Secretary James Jimenez of the Department of Finance and Administration. (See page 3 of this newsletter for all Task Force members)

THE SKY IS THE LIMIT

The recent launch of a commercial rocket in California has boosted anticipation of a high wage industry in New Mexico. A craft called “Space Ship One” piloted by Mike Melvill took a 90-minute flight last week reaching 62.2 miles above Earth before returning safely to the Mojave Desert.

State Economic Development Secretary Rick Homans says the trip is good news for New Mexico which will be the site of a competition for reusable spacecraft. Homans says Melvill’s reaching the 62-plus mile
high altitude is an important benchmark because it’s the definition of space according to the National Aeronautic and Space Administration or NASA. Homans says the flight was the first time that a privately owned spacecraft with a person aboard had reached space.

The flight is literally the launch of a new industry in which New Mexico will play a big role. Just last month Homans announced that New Mexico was selected as the site for the X Prize Cup, a competition to be based in Southern New Mexico. The chairman of the St. Louis-based X Prize Foundation, Peter Diamandis,
has said that by 2006, competitors from around the world should be launching reusable launch vehicles from southern New Mexico.

Economic Development Secretary Homans sees the competition as the birth of what he calls a whole new industry with a new kind of vehicle that will have to be developed, built and then maintained. He expects the employment resulting from the Research and Development side along with the manufacturing side of the project to emerge as the “cream of the crop” of new jobs. Homans says the accomplishment in the Mojave brings the state’s future hopes for a vibrant space-based industry closer to reality.

PLEASE, NO LOWER!

Not even one-quarter of the eligible voters bothered to vote in New Mexico’s primary election earlier this month. It was the lowest participation by New Mexicans in a presidential election year primary. According to the Secretary of State’s official canvass of the Primary election results, close to 188,000 Democrats, Repub-licans
and Greens took the effort to cast ballots on June first.. That’s about 23 percent.

Published reports indicate that the previous low turnout rate came in the 2000 presidential primary when 28 percent of eligible voters cast ballots. And four years earlier, in 1996, turnout was about 31 percent. Per-haps the primary was a casualty of major change, as there was no presidential race in the Democratic primary
because the party held a presidential preference caucus in February. And of course in the Republican primary,
President Bush had no opponents.

PLEASE, NO HIGHER!

Questions about New Mexico elected officials, in particular judges, using illegal drugs has prompted one state senator to propose drug testing. The recent arrest of the chief district court judge in Albuquerque and allegations of possible cocaine use by other judges has prompted action by Corrales State Senator Steve Komadina, who recently announced plans to propose a non-binding measure in next year’s legislative session. It would ask all elected officials to voluntarily submit to random drug testing. Komadina’s proposal calls for results of the drug tests to disclosed on a Web site maintained by the secretary of state’s office. And, the elected
officials would pay the cost of the drug tests.

For his part, Governor Bill Richardson says he would likely support the proposal but needed to review it to ensure there are no legal barriers to voluntary drug testing of elected officials. We wonder what former Governor Gary Johnson thinks about the plan.

REVENUE STABILIZATION AND TAX POLICY COMMITTEE

Rep. Donald Whitaker, Chair (D)
Sen. John Arthur Smith, Vice Chair (D)

Members: Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones (R), Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort (R), Sen. Mark Boitano (R), Sen. Carlos Cisneros (D), Rep. Anna Crook (R), Sen. Joe Fidel (D), Rep. Bobby Gonzales (D), Rep. George
Hanosh (D), Sen. Tim Jennings (D), Rep. Ben Lujan (D), Sen Roman Maes (D), Sen. William Sharer (R), Rep. Dan Silva (D), Sen. Diane Snyder (R), Rep. James Taylor (D) and Rep. Tom Taylor (R).

Designees: Sen. Ben Altamirano (D), Rep. William Boykin (R), Rep. Don Bratton (R), Sen. Joe Carraro (R), Sen. Phil Griego (D), Rep. Irvin Harrison (D), Rep. Manuel Herrera (D), Sen. Stu Ingle (R), Sen. Steve
Komadina (R), Sen. Cisco McSorley (D), Rep. Andy Nunez (D), Sen. Leonard Lee Rawson (R), Rep. Debbie Rodella (D), Sen . Nancy Rodriguez (D), Rep. Kiki Saavedra (D), Sen. Bernadette Sanchez (D), Rep. Joe Stell (D), Rep. Don Tripp (R), and Rep. Bob White (R).

WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Rep. Joe Stell, Chair (D)
Sen. Carlos Cisneros, Vice Chair (D)

Members: Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort (R), Sen. Joe Carraro (R), Rep. Joe Cervantes (D), Sen. Dede Feldman (D), Sen. Mary Jane Garcia (D), Rep. Donna Irwin (D), Rep. Larry Larranaga (R), Rep. James Roger Madalena (D), Rep. Brian Moore (R), Rep. Andy Nunez (D), Sen. Mary Kay Papen (D), Sen. Shannon Robinson (D), Sen. Diane Snyder (R), Rep. Mimi Stewart (D), Rep. Don Tripp (R), and Rep. Robert White(R).

Advisory Members: Rep. Ray Begaye (D), Rep. Anna Crook (R), Sen. Clinton Harden (R), Sen. Tim Jennings (D), Sen. Gay Kernen (R), Rep. Rhonda King (D), Sen. Steve Komadina (R), Rep. Ben Lujan (D),
Rep. Danice Picraux (D), Sen. Leonard Lee Rawson (R), Sen. Nancy Rodriguez (D), Rep. Kiki Saavedra (D),Sen. Leonard Tsosie (D), and Rep. Eric Youngberg (R).

CALENDAR ITEMS

June 30, 2004: 9:00 a.m. The Legislative Education Study Committee will meet in the Instructional Program Center, Nursing Building Auditorium, Luna Community College, 100 Luna Drive, Las Vegas, NM..

July 1-2, 2004: 10:00 a.m. The New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee will meet on July 1 st in the Rio Grande Room of the Taos Convention Center, 121 Civic Plaza Drive, Taos, NM. On July 2 nd , the Committee will meet in the Espanola City Council Chambers, 405 North Paseo del Onate, in Espanola, NM.

July 6, 2004: 10:00 a.m. The Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee will meet in Los Alamos, NM, at a location to be announced shortly.

July 7-9, 2004: 10:00 a.m. The Revenue Stabilization and Tax Policy Committee will meet in the Zia Center, Health and Human Performance Center, San Juan College, in Farmington, NM.

July 7-9, 2004: The Indian Affairs Committee will meet on July 7 at 10:00 a.m. at Sanostee Chapter, Navajo Nation. On July 8 at 10:00 a.m. the committee will meet at Shiprock Chapter, Navajo Nation. On July 9, they will meet at 9:00 a.m. at San Juan College West.

July 8-9, 2004: 10:00 a.m. The State Permanent Fund Task Force will meet in Room 321 of the State Capitol in Santa Fe, NM. At 3:30 p.m. on July 8 and at 2:30 p.m. on July 9, the Task Force will be available for public comment and questions.

July 12, 2004: 10:00 a.m. The Los Alamos National Laboratory Oversight Committee will meet inRoom 309 of the State Capitol in Santa Fe, NM.

July 12-14, 2004: The Legislative Health and Human Services Committee will meet in the Acoma Room of the University of New Mexico Student Building in Albuquerque, NM, on July 12-13 beginning at 9:00 a.m. On July 14 at 8:30 a.m. the Committee will meet at the UNM
Health Sciences Center in Albuquerque, NM.

July 12-16, 2004: The Legislative Finance Committee will meet on July 12 and 13 in Room 849 of the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court, 401 Lomas Blvd NW, in Albuquerque, NM., beginning at 10:00 a.m on July 12 and at 9:00 a.m. on July 13. On July 14 at 8:30 a.m.
the Committee will meet in the ACC 2 Learning Center, 2 nd Level, University of New Mexico Hospital, in Albuquerque. NM. On July 15 at 8:30 a.m. the Committee will meet at the Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute, Main Campus, 717 University
SE, Smith Brasher Hall Auditorium and Conference Rooms, Full Committee in Room100, Subcommittees in Rooms 102 and 104. Finally on July 16, at 8:30 a.m. the Committee will meet in Room 118 of the Technical Vocational Institute West Campus in Albuquerque, NM.

July 13, 2004: 10:00 a.m. The Mortgage Finance Authority Act Oversight Committee will meet at MFA Headquarters, 344 4 th St. SW, Albuquerque, NM.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Publisher of this newsletter and I are friends, she has asked me to only re-publish it here (on DU) as it is an expensive venture on her part... if you are interested in recieving this newsletter on a regular basis please PM me and I will give you her E-Mail address, or you can write to the above address.