Schrödinger’s anti-donation clause

Schrödinger’s Cat is a famous thought experiment that demonstrates the idea in quantum physics that tiny particles can be in two states at once until they’re observed. What does that have to do with public policy in New Mexico? Simple, yesterday the New Mexico House voted to pass a $10.8 billion budget. Republicans attempted to reduce spending somewhat while offering $600 rebates to ALL New Mexicans. While we would rather have permanent tax cuts rebates are superior to keeping ALL the money in government coffers or spending it.

The kicker is that Democrats claimed (as reported by the ABQ Journal) that rebates were a violation of the State’s anti-donation clause.

That’s laughable because Democrats are CURRENTLY pushing for $3,000 payments to new parents under HB 11. Not to mention the fact that Democrats have given New Mexicans rebates during both the Lujan Grisham and Richardson administrations. Now, rebates are suddenly against the law?

Instead of helping New Mexicans with a small portion of New Mexico’s amazing oil-and-gas largesse we are now told that the State is sitting on a mind-blowing $61 BILLION under control of the State Investment Council alone. Awhile back on the pages of National Review we noted that New Mexico is a rich state with poor people. This session is only reinforcing that reality.