The Daily Times is correct in its assertion.
However, while the editorial accurately addressed the lack of legislative results, much was attempted, especially by San Juan County legislators, that would have provided good, logical solutions. All were rejected by the Democrats.
New Mexico faces a funding shortfall of $650 million. Unlike the federal government and other states, our constitution does not allow for deficit spending. If we don't have the money, we can't write the checks.
In our efforts to address this situation, we faced several obstacles:
1) The governor would not agree on how much trouble we are in. When he called the special session, he said the state had a $430 million shortfall. The session was to start at noon, but did not begin until 3 p.m. because he was unprepared. Finally, he acknowledged the $650 million shortfall.
2) The governor's cabinet, through aggressive over-regulation, has destroyed the very industries that pay most of the state's bills, decreasing funding for education across New Mexico. Here in San Juan County, we have experienced the damage done by the infamous "pit rules," but other parts of the state also suffer from excessive regulation.
3) Democrats were adamant that the only solution is to raise taxes on "the rich."
So, we have a financial crisis primarily created by over-regulation of commerce, and the only solution the Democrats had was to over-tax our citizens.
San Juan County legislators offered several proposals to put a stop to this insanity:
1) We attempted to end the economically destructive pit rules.
2) We would have allowed the Legislative Finance Committee to stop any regulation that cost education more than $5 million until the next regular session of the Legislature.
3) We tried to reduce state government "exempt" employees — hired at the sole discretion of the governor — to 2002 levels. Gov. Richardson has 500-plus more exempt employees than any other governor in New Mexico history, costing the state tens of millions in unnecessary expense.
4) We attempted to cut state recurring spending to match recurring revenue. The state's budget has grown from $3.6 billion to $6.4 billion during Richardson's administration. Do you see a 78 percent increase in government efficiency?
All of our attempts to substantively address our economic woes were rejected by state Democrats.
New Mexico politics is dominated by Democrats, who continually complain about under-funding of education and Medicaid, while working to undermine the very sources of income that pay for them.
We heard much rhetoric about the need for good, high-paying jobs in rural areas, while Democrats continued to support regulations that have destroyed good, high-paying jobs in San Juan County and elsewhere.
Our efforts to increase funding for education by eliminating regulations that have driven oil and gas companies out of New Mexico were defeated, with nearly all Democrats standing in opposition and all Republicans in favor. It seems that "good jobs" are only good when they are not in extractive industries — oil, gas and coal.
So, it is true that we did not really address New Mexico's budget problems. With the governor's inability to acknowledge the seriousness of our shortfall and his "regulate 'em to death" policy against industries that provide the bulk of state revenue, and the tax-the-rich mind-set of Democrats, we accomplished little.
We did just enough until we meet again in January. And that is when every New Mexican needs to be vigilant, because the Democrats are coming to take your money, as much of it as they can.
And, it seems, if you live in San Juan County you don't really need a job, and if you have one you are numbered among "the rich." And we all know rich folks don't really pay their fair share.
So hold on to your wallets, gather up the children and lock your doors, because the Democrats are coming, and they want what you have.
Bill Sharer is a New Mexico state senator for District 1.
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