The Rio Grande Foundation studiously focuses on state and local issues in New Mexico, but we are now two debates in to the presidential election and it has become clear that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris plan to expand the number of US Supreme Court Justices in order to swamp what COULD be a conservative majority on the Court if Amy Coney Barrett.

Famously, in 1937, Franklin Roosevelt threatened to “pack the court” in order to get his transformative New Deal through a skeptical Court. Those threats alone seem to have convinced the Court to embrace Roosevelt’s radical expansion of government. With both Biden AND Harris refusing to publicly disavow such efforts in each of their debates, there can be no doubt that court-packing will be seriously considered should they be elected AND have Democrat majorities in the Senate.

Combined with complete elimination of the Senate Filibuster and even plans by some Democrats to add several left-leaning states (Washington, DC and Puerto Rico to name two) these are perilous times indeed. These issues should be dominant topics of conversation in this election.

COVID 19 update: Trump has it, the Gov. has been self-quarantined after being exposed to it. The Gov. updated us last week but didn’t change anything. She says the virus is spreading as part of another uptick.

Also, the Gov. recently presented to NAIOP on how businesses can help kick start the NM economy. Paul takes issue with that.

What’s OUR plan to reopen New Mexico? We’ve had one since April! https://errorsofenchantment.com/whats-our-plan-to-reopen-new-mexico-weve-had-once-since-april/

We jumped the gun. Bowling alleys aren’t open for everyone, just leagues. And while the Penguin exhibit is open the Biopark’s aquarium is not. Makes perfect sense, right?
A federal Judge supports Gov. Lujan Grisham’s seemingly arbitrary limits on private schools. 

The MLG Administration argues that “There is no fundamental right to in-person education.”  Paul and Wally discuss the meaning of “adequate” and how it always seems to be about inputs (more money) as opposed to outputs (results).

With California’s Gov. banning gas-powered cars, what about the Gov.’s plan to go to 52MPG?

MLG recently stated that New Mexico “should transition out of fossil fuels.”

The minimum wage is set to rise at the end of 2020. Probably couldn’t happen at a worse time. 

RGF has a petition asking MLG to return her salary to the taxpayers until NM’s unemployment rate drops.

NMSU Economist Jim Peach offers his thoughts on New Mexico’s economy and recovery.

Yesterday I posted an article about private management of City of Albuquerque golf courses rather than the Mayor’s plan to allow them to suck up more subsidies. I received the following (which reflects my own information) from an informed insider. As usually is the case with poor/costly provision of government services, the issue lies with government labor unions:

The reason the city courses are struggling is the pay and benefits given to city employees who maintain the facilities.  Benefits kill the “pay roll”. City employees maintaining the facility also makes for terrible course conditions.

And if you saw the contract the “concessionaires” sign (private business owners DO operate the “pro shops” and food sales at city golf courses) it’s embarrassing. They give over 16% of revenue back to city which makes it nearly impossible for them to make any money. The national average is 8% back to the city.

Normal golf courses pay the super (80k), assistant (35-40k) the rest are  hourly laborers. City is all union/salaried employees with full benefits. Getting them to improve golf course conditions is nearly impossible.

City of Albuquerque golf courses theoretically operate as “enterprise funds.” That means that they are supposed to be self-sustaining from a budget perspective. As the Albuquerque Journal points out, that has not been the case in recent years with golf running big deficits due to declining play.

The decline in play has at least temporarily been reversed due to the COVID 19 lockdowns as golfers (including yours truly) flock to the golf courses in search for outdoor recreation options, but in his new budget Mayor Keller has proposed placing golf courses back in the general budget where they won’t face the pressure of attempting to “break even.”

There ARE worthwhile approaches to improving the financial management at municipal golf courses. These ideas have been implemented in cities all over the nation including New York, Los Angeles, and Cincinnati (as this report from Reason Foundation points out).

• Cost Savings. Government rules and practices can drive up costs. For example, golf-management firms typically enjoy discounts on everything from fertilizer to insurance, a concentrated buying power advantage that local governments do not usually possess.
• Increased Revenues. From better advertising to programs that speed up play and allow more golfers to use the course, private operators often institute management practices that increase revenues.
• Increased Quality. Most golf-course privatizations require the private contractor to make capital investments in the course to improve its quality.
• Risk Minimization. In many golf-course privatizations the city gets a guaranteed rent even if the course revenues do not increase. This ensures that during the term of the contract, taxpayers will not be subsidizing the course.
• Community Outreach. Most private operators can afford to expand a city’s community golf programs and are required to strategically plan these programs as part of the privatization contract.

To say that there are deep issues on Native American lands and reservations is an understatement. As with many challenges faced by various racial and ethnic groups in this country, there are real, historical reasons for the issues.

But history cannot be changed. What can be done to improve upon the situation in the here and now? A new video from Turning Point USA addresses some of these issues with appearances from some prominent Navajo women Karen Bedonie and Elisa Martinez. The stories and statistics discussed here are personal and powerful, but hopefully can lead to a much-needed discussion of reforms to use free markets, property rights, and the rule of law to improve conditions on tribal lands.

In many ways Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller are two peas in the same “progressive” pod. But at times even the Mayor has at least been somewhat realistic about the response to COVID 19 while the Gov. issues all kinds of orders that fail to hold up to even the most cursory scrutiny.

Just last week the City had to backtrack on reopening the aquarium at the BioPark. But the relatively new “Penguin Chill” exhibit has been allowed to reopen. Having small children and having spent time in both facilities, it is impossible to justify this situation. The penguin exhibit is literally an aquarium for penguins.

We are certainly NOT making the case to close the penguin exhibit down. Rather, we’d like to see these and other, non-government facilities, reopened.

Recently, RGF president Paul Gessing wrote an article that appeared in several papers around the State including the Santa Fe New Mexican taking Gov. Lujan Grisham to task for keeping New Mexico’s economy shut down for more than 6 months. A letter-writer to the paper responded, asking for the RGF’s plan. Basically, they asked “What’s our plan?”

Funny you should ask; RGF (and our friends at Power the Future) have had a plan since back in April. We STILL think our plan, called Fairly Open New Mexico is relevant.  Here’s the core of it:

• Allow small businesses to reopen at the same standards applied to box stores.
• A detailed plan for reopening including health criteria to be used for businesses to reopen. This should be a public document.
• Governor Lujan Grisham and her Administration should immediately share the models upon which they are basing their quarantine/business restriction decisions.

We haven’t seen this.

Instead, New Mexico’s reopening has been painfully slow and haphazard despite the fact that we are now coming up on our 7 months of being locked down (it basically started on March 11). The problem was highlighted in our confusion over the reopening (or lack thereof) of bowling alleys in New Mexico and the Gov.’s pledge (made in her September 10 news conference) to keep bars and movie theaters shut down until we have a vaccine. Remember when movie theaters, bars, and casinos were supposed to reopen in June? (some tribal casinos are open, but only because they are outside the Gov.’s control)

Of course, if business reopening has been haphazard, the same is true for New Mexico’s schools.

On this week’s podcast interview Paul talks with Brian Riedl, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Paul and Brian go back to Paul’s time in Washington with the National Taxpayers Union and Brian was with the Heritage Foundation. Brian is an expert on the federal budget and specifically studies and writes on government entitlement programs, federal debt, and the budget. Brian and Paul discuss numerous issues relating to the federal budget situation and the challenges (both political and numerical) that our nation faces and what the consequences of inaction could be.

In case anyone ever thought that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was a “friend” to New Mexico’s number one industry (which pays 40% of the State’s budget), she appeared on a webinar put on by the U.S. Climate Alliance.

While Lujan Grisham has often portrayed herself as an “ally” of the industry and a supporter of an “all of the above” energy strategy, that was when the industry was booming and revenues were growing. With (potentially) a new, “progressive”-dominated Legislature taking over this coming January, watch out for the Gov. to play to her radical environmental base by taking on the industry.

Western Wire covered the webinar and Lujan Grisham’s comments here.

The key statement comes at the 2 hour 2 minute mark of the video below:

On this week’s discussion podcast Paul and Wally discuss the latest on COVID 19 from Gov. Lujan Grisham.

Paul discusses his recent op-ed on the Gov.’s lockdown and its economic/virus impact.

In a bit of good news, the Gov. reopens bowling in NM and is allowing college football to play this season. Only the Lobos will be playing, however.

Amy Coney Barrett is nominated by Trump to Supreme Court.

Paul discusses the booklet the Foundation is distributing both online and physical copies of The Indispensable Electoral College. 

Bernalillo County embraces PLA’s on a 4-1 vote.

New Mexico’s unemployment fund runs out.

The outgoing Albuquerque Police Chief (Geier) had a bad breakup with Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller.

RGF and others ask Gov. to give up her paycheck.

New Mexico minimum wage set to increase in January from $9 to $10.50.

“Way” back in 2019 when the New Mexico and national economies were booming and COVID 19 wasn’t even on the radar, Democrats in the Legislature and Gov. Lujan Grisham passed legislation (SB 437) to increase New Mexico’s minimum wage. In March of 2019 the unemployment rate was just 5.0%.

At those low unemployment rates which basically represented full employment, raising the minimum wage MAY not be very harmful. But, when unemployment rates are at elevated levels (as of August New Mexico’s rate was 11.3%) and small businesses are struggling to stay afloat, raising the minimum wage is an especially bad idea.

As the chart below (from NCSL) shows, New Mexico is at $9.00/hour right now. The rate will rise to $10.50 in January and to $11.50 by 2022. Unless New Mexico’s economy experiences a quick turnaround by January this well-intentioned policy will only further negatively impact small businesses throughout our State.

The following graphic was in an email from NAIOP (the local chapter of the National Association of Industrial Office Properties). Gov. Lujan Grisham is doing a Zoom webinar tomorrow (Tuesday) at noon in which she discusses ways BUSINESS can help kick start NM’s economy.

Of course, the simplest thing to be done is NOT keep businesses closed. We at the Rio Grande Foundation have PLENTY of other ideas but the list is too lengthy list here but you can start with “Right to Work and occupational licensing reform, reform of the broken GRT, and aggressive school choice.

The GOOD news is that after we posted a blog here (on September 21) asking the Gov. to reopen bowling alleys, she in fact has done so. This is not the first time during COVID 19 that she has (seemingly) responded to the Rio Grande Foundation’s impeccable logic on reopening the State economy (drive in theaters was another). So, we have hope.

UPDATE: After calling around to a few Albuquerque-area bowling centers I was told that the Gov. had only reopened bowling for leagues,  not for individuals. In a shocking scientific discovery, apparently league bowlers are immune to the virus!

As we head toward what seems to be both the most important and chaotic presidential election of our lifetimes, the Rio Grande Foundation has joined with the Heritage Foundation to distribute a booklet that illustrates exactly how the Electoral College works and why it is so important to American elections and sparsely-populated states like New Mexico.

Here you can download the booklet and explore information about the Electoral College. The Rio Grande Foundation also has a limited number of booklets that we can distribute to friends and supporters. Contact us at: info@riograndefoundation.org or 505-264-6090.

While New Mexico’s progressives have already (and against the State’s own best interests) passed legislation that hands New Mexico’s votes over to the winner of the popular vote (which will be dominated by big states like California and New York).

On this week’s interview podcast, Paul sits down with Public Regulation Commissioner Jeff Byrd. Byrd represents a district encompassing almost all of Eastern New Mexico.

Commissioner Byrd and Paul discuss the role of the PRC and his job as a Commissioner, numerous issues relating to the PRC including the changes made to the Chair position, the Constitutional amendment on the ballot this fall (and why Jeff believes it should NOT be adopted), and numerous aspects of electricity in New Mexico surrounding the Energy Transition Act.

The Gov. of California made headlines this week with his announcement that by 2035 his State will ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles. But just last year New Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham announced that by just model year 2022 New Mexico would be increasing its fuel economy requirement for new cars to 52 MPG. The current average fuel economy rate is 25.1 MPG according to the EPA. 

As we noted at the time, Gov. Lujan Grisham (at the time) had “out California-ed California” by adopting even more stringent fuel economy standards than those on the books in California.

Will California’s decision spur Lujan Grisham to action? Perhaps more importantly, is New Mexico REALLY going through with the Gov.’s 52 MPG standard? This was put forth at a time of a record (oil-driven) economic boom in New Mexico. That boom has evaporated thanks to COVID 19 and the Gov.’s lockdown of the State’s economy. She MAY not be as enthusiastic about such radical plans at a time of serious economic challenges.

This has been a big week for the Rio Grande Foundation on the air. Paul recently sat down with Bob Clark of KKOB 96.3FM. You can find that show here. Bob and Paul discuss numerous topics from the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her legacy as well as well as Paul’s family’s efforts to home school their children.

Paul also sat down with Jim Williams at KNKT Radio 107.1 FM. We discussed numerous issues in their discussion. You can listen to that discussion at the link above or by clicking on the image below.

On this week’s podcast discussion Paul and Wally give the latest update on COVID 19 including information on the Gov.’s latest press conference.

Youth sports can practice, but not play games, overnight camping is available at most state parks in groups of no more than 10, pick-your-own pumpkin patches will be permitted to operate, ice skating rinks may operate for athletic training and practice by reservation only, and swimming pools may open with no more than 10 individuals in a pool at any one time; previously swimming pools were permitted only to provide lane swimming.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies. What does that mean? Paul discusses a ruling that included the Justice: Kelo v. New London. A recent ruling by a Trump-appointed judge smacks down Pennsylvania’s COVID lockdown. The conclusion of his decision is amazing.

Movie theaters remain closed; Same with bowling alleys.

New Mexico’s August unemployment rate remains in double digits.

Gun rights ordinances on the agenda at City Council;

Project Labor Agreements on the County’s agenda Tuesday night.

According to a new report, electricity prices jumped 10.1% last year (a prelude to further rate hikes?):

Beleaguered San Juan County raises taxes in order to overcome economic woes.

NM set up a $300 permanent fund for pre-K in the 2020 Legislative session. According to the Santa Fe New Mexican it isn’t growing. Rather than using that money or opening the economy MLG still wants a federal bailout.

Oil production bounced a bit in June, but it is still way down. 

Elections have consequences and with a 4-1 Democrat majority on Bernalillo County Commission, we knew that a massive giveaway to the unions that so strongly support the Party would be hard to stop.

Though the County is now facing a $24 million shortfall (just announced in today’s Albuquerque Journal) and the “community workforce agreement” (project labor agreement) ordinance adopted last night by the Commission. This would increase construction costs by an estimated 18%, but the Commission went ahead and adopted the giveaway to the unions and mandated that any construction projects using County money must be carried out with unionized workers.

Of course this will ultimately result in either roads that are in worse condition or higher taxes (or both), but what’s more important for the Commission (minus Lonnie Talbert) is to support the unions that donate to their campaigns.

The media report on New Mexico’s unemployment rate which, in August 2020, is 11.3%. But the Bureau of Labor Statistics collects unemployment data for cities in each state. You can access that data for Farmington, NM here. The latest data is for July, not August (as with State data) but we put the data into this useful chart below to illustrate how unemployment rates in New Mexico’s measured cities have changed and how they compare to some big cities in other neighboring states.

As Rio Grande Foundation and others have pointed out, New Mexico’s Governor-imposed lockdown is unfair and rather senseless. The Gessing kids LOVE bowling, but under the Gov.’s orders bowling alleys are shut down.

Bowling is one of many healthy forms of exercise available to people young and old. It is also a great social activity and influential books have even been written about it.

Fortunately, at least for some, Lujan Grisham’s authority does not extend to New Mexico’s numerous military installations. So, if you can get on to Kirtland AFB near Albuquerque or White Sands Missile Range, you can enjoy rolling a few frames at the bowling alleys on base (apparently you just have to get on base, but you definitely need military connections to do that).

The situation is similar at New Mexico’s casinos, several of which are open (are located on tribal lands and thus out of the Gov’s jurisdiction) and racinos which are under State control and thus locked down.

Are these sites participating in contact tracing? How many people (if any) have picked up COVID 19 at the casinos and bowling alleys beyond the Gov.’s control? Are New Mexico’s bowling alleys and other entertainment centers truly incapable of operating until there is a vaccine (as the Gov. implied during her September 10 press conference)?

Judicial opinions are rarely the stuff of inspiring rhetoric, but there are exceptions to every rule. Check out the following from the Trump-appointed federal judge (Stickham) who recently invalidated that State’s lockdown.

You can read the full opinion here, but the conclusion (below) is the most inspiring part and is well-worth the read. Like you, I’m sure the last six or so months have been frustrating and challenging. We only wish more judges (especially here in New Mexico) would do the same.

Despite New Mexico’s advantage provided by national-leading reliance on steady federal dollars, the State’s unemployment rate of 11.3% is among the highest in the nation (6th) with only a handful of other “blue” states that have also seen their economies locked down by their governors.

All of New Mexico’s neighbors have MUCH lower unemployment with the next-highest being Texas at 6.8%. Utah’s rate is 4.1%, about 1/3rd of New Mexico’s.

Lest you think New Mexico’s lockdown has been a “success” in saving lives from the Virus, Arizona and Texas do have higher death rates than New Mexico, but the rates in Colorado, Oklahoma, and Utah are all lower (Oklahoma and Utah significantly so).