Sen. Keller urges fiscal responsibility in special session

Freshman New Mexico Senator Tim Keller introduced three bills during the opening of the special session. He said they're all aimed at making the state's finances more fiscally responsible.

“The Governor has called us all up here and we are costing the state money each day we are in session," Keller said. "The least we can do is work on these issues; there is lots of dead time as we wait for all the various sides to negotiation the budget. This is a matter of principle, these bills should be germane in that they directly impact to our state budget solvency."

While the legislature ruminates over the specifics of the budget solvency package there is an opportunity for lawmakers to work on related legislation to improve our state’s fiscal situation,” Senator Keller stated.

The specific pieces of legislation will now go to Committee’s Committee to determine if they are germane for the special session.

Senator Keller’s proposals that include a tax expenditure bill that mirrors a 2007 bill which would require the state to track all tax expenditures and incentives, such as the ones currently being offered to the film industry, and their associated benefits.

“We are going to need this going forward to deal with structural problems in our government financing," Keller said. "This bill is long overdue, all interim we have been debating what works and what don’t in terms of incentives and tax subsidies. We are one of only 9 states that doesn’t track return on investment on these. It’s time we start making good analytical decisions based on data rather than economic guesstimates.”

Keller also introduced a bill for forecasting that has a circuit breaker provision in it.

Currently the state bases the budget on forecasts made by key individuals at different times in the year. Keller's bill would adjust on a proportional basis any cuts that are made in the special session to compensate for any increase in revenue estimates.

“A circuit breaker provision is really just about sounds financial planning; historically we have been up to 12% wrong in our forecasts as a state," Keller said. "This bill would give us an automatic adjustment to restore funding that was cut based on incorrect estimates."

He also introduced a federal match funding exclusion bill designed to protect the budget from negative multiplier effects, which would result in cutting state funds that are matched by federal funds.

“It's convenient for politicians to do across the board cuts, but when we cut Medicaid at the state level until we realize that for every 1 dollar we cut, we lose 4 dollars in federal funds," Keller said. "Cutting this type of matching fund is like throwing free money way."

Both the house and the senate are expected to reconvene the special session just after 1pm today.

Freshman Senator Supports Community Policing

Pot lucks and root beer floats marked National Night Out across America and that included the new International Zone.

Back in March, after Mayor Martin Chavez signed City Councilor Ray Garduno's legislation renaming the war zone the International, Senator Keller said:

Our desire for a new identity truly has come from the ground up. My constituents find the current label incorrect, offensive and unfairly damaging to businesses and property value. It’s time we shed new light on our diverse community.

The International District’s modern history includes large scale community policing efforts driven by community members who decided to proactively help police make our community safer.

Keller said many areas in the district have been drastically improved because of community policing efforts:

In the 80s, 90s and today National Night has been symbolic show of community unity in the face of crime and meaningful working session for leaders to organize citizen policing efforts with law enforcement.

National Night Out is a community-police partnership held the first Tuesday of every August since 1984 sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch in the United States and Canada. It aims to increase awareness about police programs in communities, such as drug prevention, town watch, and other anti-crime efforts. Texas has the option to use the alternate date of Tuesday, October 6, 2009, to escape hot weather. Initially communities held lights-on vigils. Now, many communities hold block parties, festivals, and other events to help bring neighbors together.

Romero Makes Campaign Changes 90 Days Before Election

With just 90 days before this fall's city election Richard Romero's mayoral campaign is introducing a new lead strategist. Romero says Murray Fishel, the president of Grassroots Political Campaigns, Inc., and a long time trusted adviser, is taking over the reigns of his campaign.

Fishel will replace New Mexico political consultant Neri Holguin who's been leading Romero's campaign since Romero first announced. She spent the 4th of July with her family in Southern, New Mexico.

Romero, who may have sensed his campaign needed a new direction, ahead of Mayor Marty Chavez' formal re-election announcement (expected in July).

Romero had nothing but nice things to say about Holguin and his new strategist.

Neri Holguin is leaving our campaign and I’m sad to see her go. When she took this job last year, she told me that because of other commitments she could only serve until the end of April to help me launch my major petition efforts to qualify for public financing and to get on the ballot. We passed those tests with flying colors thanks to her leadership. I then convinced her to stay on a little longer, which she agreed to do. I want to thank her for all that she has done to get this campaign off to a great start.

An online website describes Fishel's company as a progressive firm offering training and candidate services to organizations and candidates. It has a 70% success rate over the last 32 years and has worked with over 2500 candidates in more than 39 states.

Before starting her campaign consultancy, Holguin worked for Eli Lee at Soltari, a campaign training consultancy. She also worked as the Treasurer for Conservation Voters Alliance of New Mexico and was employeed by The Wilderness Society.

Holguin successfully directed the New Mexico Senate campaigns for Eric Griego, Tim Keller and helped with Eleanor Chavez' successful campaign to the State House of Representatives. Her candidates successfully ousted three incumbent lawmakers, Shannon Robinson, Sen. James Taylor, and Rep. Dan Silva.

Eric Griego defeated Taylor by 24 percentage points, Tim Keller defeated Robinson by 32 points and Eleanor Chavez defeated Silva by eight points.

After the state primary victories, the defeated lawmakers filed suit. They claimed non-profits associated with the Center for Civic Policy were used to raise and funnel tax deductible contributions to the three campaigns, along with providing manpower for get out the vote efforts.
Eli Lee and other defendents called the lawsuits baseless. Matt Brix told political blogger Heath Haussamen in August the former lawmaker's lawsuit was a completely false allegation.

"I have no idea where that comes from,” said Matt Brix, the center’s policy director. He added that the center has never taken any money from Soros or his Open Society Institute.

Holguin's candidates were alleged to have full knowledge of the contributions and in fact are purported to have approved individual mail pieces distributed by the non-profit organizations.

“There are so many completely outlandish allegations that we don’t even know where to begin. Everything in the lawsuit is categorically untrue,” Brix said.

Sweeping Good Government Reform Bill Awaits Governor's Signature.

I recently had a huge medical benefit claim denied by my insurance company. Now I'm stuck with a quarter million, yep $250-Thousand (or more) bill.

As you may understand, I have a vested interest in Health Care Reform in this country.

A public option is the only way to guarantee health care for all Americans. Any legislation without the choice of a public option is only insurance reform and not the health care reform we need NOW.

For true health care reform to be implemented in the state, and across the country, political contributions must be limited (and big money taken out of politics). Fortunately, the Governor has signed legislation to do just that.

We must also have more ethics reform, including open meetings, accountability, and transparent government.

Both the NM House and Senate passed Senate Bill 531. Now it needs the governor's signature.

This bill is critical to helping our government function more effectively, with more accountability and less bureaucracy.

Freshman Senator Tim Keller (D-ABQ) said:

Passage of this measure will enable a more open government and improve accountability for our State’s biggest programs including education, Medicaid, health care and retirement plans. Without this bill major reform will continue to stall because of intra-governmental jurisdiction issues.

Senator Keller tells the Word:

This bill was very under the radar this session but got a lot of momentum at the end. It has significant repercussions for health care and education reform, ethics and pay to play.

Senate Bill 531 establishes a “cross confidentiality” agreement between branches of government so that information can be shared within the bounds of state government and still remain confidential with respect to individual privacy. The bill also establishes a framework for program evaluation that alleviates the current subpoena requirement. The current subpoena process is long, costly, arduous and often not warranted for many inquiries. The bill would save the executive, legislative and the tax payer’s time and money.

Speaking at the opening of the UNM Southeast Heights Albuquerque Health Clinic, Senator Keller reminded the crowd that New Mexico is one of the few states that does not have an intra-governmental cross confidentiality statute and that requires subpoenas for branches to share information with one another.

For true health care reform – or any major government accountability, regardless of which solutions we choose, we need transparency into the current system for real program evaluation. To make sound decisions, policy makers need to know the fundamentals like cost, benefit, elasticity, supply, demand and return on investment. We have to be able to analytically understand effectiveness before we can address the root causes behind our biggest challenges.

I also recommend, if you support healthcare reform for your friends, family and yourself, that you sign Democracy for America's petition to get this ball rolling. Dr. Howard Dean has rejoined the group. Details and petition are available for your review here.

President Barack Obama campaigned on a health care plan that included a public option, but for-profit insurance companies and HMO's are already working hard to strip it from any upcoming health care bill. They don't want Americans to have a choice and they'll stop at nothing to kill real reform. We must appeal now to congress. We need to draw a line in the sand. Sign the petition today.

For a personal appeal from Dean watch this new video:

NM Senate Schedules Floor Debate on Health Care Reform.

HEATHCARE TRANSPERANCY BILL EXPECTED TO BE DEBATED ON SENATE FLOOR TODAY.

from Sen. Tim Keller:

Santa Fe , NM – SB259 offers a free market solution to help consumers and business make better decisions with their medical insurance.

“It is clear purchases of medical insurance would benefit from more information about how their premiums are being spent, this is about helping consumer decision making and fostering more competition in the healthcare system,” said bill sponsor Senator Tim Keller (D-Bernalillo-17).

SB259 would require insurance providers to disclose the medical loss ration, historical premiums and any third party commissions when consumers and small business request a medical insurance quote. “I believe true healthcare reform has to connect the cost of services and to the fees we pay, without allowing supply and demand to set an accurate price the public will never get a fair shake and healthy competition in the industry won’t occur,” said Keller after the bill passed out of the corporations committee.

A 2007 study of healthcare financing conducted by UNM’s Institute for Public Health reported a need for greater transparency about information that would help consumers evaluate the costs and performance histories across the various medical insurance plans; including the percent of premium that actually goes to pay for medical services and broker commission and fees.

The survey voiced skepticism around the accuracy information that typically was made available and reported difficulty in comparing competing plans because lack of clear, interpretable information on costs and performance.

While medical insurance providers and brokers have remained neutral on the bill, strong opposition from national home & life insurance brokers who are concerned the bill could eventually open the door for similar rules in there industry. The Public Regulatory Commission, members of the small business community and executive departments have come out in support of the bill.