REBUFFING THE RESOLUTION: The Senate Finance Committee on Monday night tabled a resolution that called for dipping into the Land Grant Permanent Fund to pay for early childhood programs in New Mexico.
By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog
SANTA FE – A resolution that would dip into the state’s Land Grant Permanent Fund to pay for early childhood programs in New Mexico got its long-awaited hearing in the Senate Finance Committee on Monday night but was tabled in an 8-2 vote, with four Democrats on the committee siding with all the Republicans.
“Boy, am I in trouble when I get home,” state Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, said after casting one of the votes to “temporarily table without prejudice” Senate Joint Resolution 12.
The resolution is supported vociferously by liberals across the state as a way to improve education and health outcomes but criticized by fiscal conservatives as a threat to the financial well-being of the $13.1 billion permanent fund.
The resolution was estimated to take about $160 million from the fund.
In previous legislative sessions, Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, and the chairman of the committee, has not had the resolution heard in Senate Finance and said he did so to spare Democrats on the committee from attacks from the most strident supporters of the resolution.
But on Monday night, the resolution was heard and the debate was joined.
“We need to do something different,” the resolution’s sponsor, Sen. Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, said. “I’m not afraid of failure … In 10 years from now, I can guarantee you if the good Lord still has me around that if we can enact this legislation, we will see a tremendous impact.”
“I want to fund (the resolution) in a responsible fashion … rather than throw money at it,” Smith said. “I respect you, senator, but we just have an honest disagreement. I think we’ll probably disagree when we’re both buried.”
The resolution called for making the changes by amending the New Mexico constitution. It would have had to pass the Senate and the House — bypassing Republican Gov. Susana Martinez, who is opposed to it — and would have ultimately gone on the November ballot for voters to pass or reject it.
Technically, the resolution is not dead but with the 30-day legislative session ending on Thursday at noon and with a potentially daunting battle House of Representatives in the offing even if it passed the Senate floor, the measure seems done for this session.
“I’m in favor of early childhood (programs),” said Sen. Bill Burt, R-Alamogordo, “but I don’t think this the proper funding source for this.”
“I think the entire Senate needs to vote on this,” said Sen. Nancy Rodriguez, D-Santa Fe, who joined Sen. Howie Morales, D-Silver City, in voting against tabling the resolution.
Earlier in the committee hearing, an amendment from Sen. Clemente Sanchez, D-Grants – who does not sit on the finance committee –stalled on a 5-5 vote. The amendment called for additional triggers to protect the financial health of the permanent fund.
“I would have supported this if it had the amendment from Sen. Clemente Sanchez,” Muñoz said.
Contact Rob Nikolewski at rnikolewski@watchdog.org and follow him on Twitter @robnikolewski
