John Boyd is a site selector who splits his time between Florida and New Jersey. He is familiar with New Mexico and its economy and was interviewed for the Tipping Point New Mexico podcast on April 9, 2020 in the early days of the COVID 19 pandemic. 

The Rio Grande Foundation has long called for basic education reforms that would empower parents and families when it comes to education resources including school choice. But, with the onset of COVID 19 and many districts moving to “virtual only” models, we have joined the Centers for Disease Control and many others in calling for students to return to their classrooms.

We will be tracking announced school reopenings under Gov. Lujan Grisham’s latest orders which call for hybrid learning for ALL students to begin on February 8. Check this space for updates. We gleaned this information from various district and news websites. If you have new info please let us know at: info@riograndefoundation.org

This information was last updated on February 22. 

Shortly before the Biden Administration imposed a moratorium on oil and gas leasing on federal lands, the Foundation’s president Paul Gessing joined the Institute for Energy Research podcast to discuss New Mexico’s energy portfolio and what possible consequences the state could face from a ban on hydraulic fracturing instituted by the Biden administration.

A long-shot piece of legislation (actually constitutional amendment SJR 15) introduce in the 2021 legislative session would allow counties that wish to get out of the State of New Mexico to do so.

While its sponsor, Sen. Cliff Pirtle (R-Roswell) has no illusions of passage, it was written up in the Albuquerque Journal and generated some waves with Sen. pro tem Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque) saying, “If you like Texas better, just pack up your bags and move – it’s not that far.”

The reality is that it’s not that easy for average citizens to leave family, friends, and jobs to move to another State. What is more likely is that people never show up in the first place while a relatively small number do indeed leave when jobs and other opportunities become available.

Census Bureau data of course track this. Over the decade from 2010 to 2019 it is clear that people are taking Stewart’s advice and are moving to New Mexico’s more-economically-free neighbors, some of which compete with New Mexico’s ample geographical and weather attributes which are indeed hard to compete with.

Even Oklahoma which (unlike Texas) has an income tax and is not nearly as “enchanting” as New Mexico from the perspectives of weather or geography, grew THREE TIMES faster than New Mexico last decade.

It’s always worth noting that New Mexico sticks out like a sore thumb in terms of economic freedom on the Fraser Institute’s annual index. And, while partisan Democrats may note that for much of the decade in question New Mexico had a Republican Governor, the Legislature remained at least partially controlled by Democrats the entire time and thus Republicans couldn’t actually change many public policies.

On this week’s podcast conversation:

Apparently, not everyone was consulted by MLG on her back to school order. 

The number of active COVID cases is MUCH higher than it was for most of the time the schools were on lockdown. 

Good news. More counties are moving from red to yellow.

Under what logic can Top Golf open but not Cliffs or Hinkle Family Fun Center?

Biden’s energy crackdown isn’t just for 60 days. But, as discussed on the podcast recently, Kathleen Sgamma’s Western Energy Alliance has indeed filed a lawsuit. 

New Mexico is #1 in Medicaid recipients. MLG’s old business partner Rep. Deborah Armstrong (and seeming Medicaid profiteer) wants to levy a tax on insurance policies to fund additional welfare. 

Wally and Paul discuss some good bills this session. 

They further address a few bad bills including one on private prison prohibition and another on mandatory solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations on new homes.

Mandatory sick leave vs. tax incentives.

Watch EoE for details and regular updates during the virtual session.

NM unemployment rate jumps as economy locks down in November. 

Finally, Paul and Wally remind listeners to use the Foundation’s Freedom Index and check www.ErrorsofEnchantment.com as bills move through the process.

Rio Grande Foundation has long opposed the New Mexico Spaceport. The facility, which opened nearly a decade ago and has yet to be used for its intended purpose (space tourism) was tailor-made for one company: Virgin Galactic.

Unfortunately, Virgin Galactic has put together what can only be described as a spotty safety record (and that’s before the company launches its first space tourist). We knew about the dead test pilot back in 2014. And recently the company had to abort a test launch because the engine failed to ignite. Now, according to revelations made in a soon-to-be-printed book, the company narrowly averted disaster back in February of 2019.

According to the Washington Post, Todd Ericson, a test pilot who also served as a vice president for safety and test said, “The structural integrity of the entire stabilizer was compromised (during the test), I don’t know how we didn’t lose the vehicle and kill three people.”

The Post article further notes that: the regulations governing private space companies are relatively loose — the Federal Aviation Administration ensures the safety of people and property on the ground, but there is merely an “informed consent” standard for the passengers, who need only acknowledge the risks as if they were skydiving or bungee jumping.

RGF’s Paul Gessing interviewed private space expert and proprietor of the website Parabolic Arc, Doug Messier, on two separate occasions about ongoing issues at Spaceport America for the Tipping Point NM podcast here and here. Messier raised safety concerns about Virgin Galactic’s technology during both interviews.

The House Labor, Veterans’, and Military Affairs Committee will meet today at 2 P.M. HB 110, a phased minimum wage increase, is on the schedule. It would raise the minimum wage across New Mexico to $15 by 2025 . This bill also requires the minimum wage to rise with the Consumer Price Index after 2025.

You can watch the committee meeting webcast here, or join the Zoom meeting here.

The Rio Grande Foundation submitted testimony in opposition to the bill which you can read here.

On this week’s Tipping Point interview Paul sits down with Fred Nathan of Think New Mexico. Think New Mexico is another policy think tank that works in New Mexico. They describe themselves as “A results-oriented think tank whose mission is to improve the lives of all New Mexicans.”

Fred and Paul discuss the organization’s past successes often working in tandem with the Rio Grande Foundation. For starters, Paul and Fred speak candidly about the security issues around the Roundhouse and the challenges of the unique 60-day “virtual” session. They also discuss grocery taxes and issues that cropped up over that issue since the onset of COVID 19.

Furthermore, they discuss Social Security taxation and efforts to limit or repeal that.

Finally, they have some disagreement over Think New Mexico’s latest proposal which would place a lower cap on various lending services in New Mexico.

Tune in to this interesting and informative conversation!

People who know the Rio Grande Foundation know that Paul Gessing enjoys playing golf. We made it clear that re-opening shuttered golf courses was a no-brainer early on in COVID. But, we (along with Mayor Keller) opposed over-generous subsidies for Top Golf.

But, now that the place is apparently going to open to the public THIS FRIDAY. And, in addition to appreciating having another OPEN entertainment amenity in the Albuquerque area, it is good when ANY business can open in our City, even those receiving subsidies.

But, ask yourself: how is hitting range balls in a stall any COVID safer than riding a roller coaster or playing at an open water area? As noted in my Albuquerque Journal column on the subject a vast majority of states across the nation have opened amusement parks.

So, if Top Golf can really open, I’m sure Cliffs and Hinkle will open as well, right? NOTE: Gessing has been to a few Top Golf facilities. Like most outdoor entertainment options you can make it COVID safe or unsafe depending on numerous factors.

On Tuesday, February 2nd, the Senate Conservation Committee will meet to consider SB 67 and SB 132, both of which push a “green” agenda and send the costs to New Mexicans. SB 67 requires all new power generation plants to be 100% renewable, while SB 132 mandates all new home constructions to include solar panels.

The meeting starts at 9 A.M. and you can watch the webcast here.

The Rio Grande Foundation submitted testimony in opposition to both bills, which you can read below.

SB 67 Testimony

SB 132 Testimony

The House Commerce and Economic Development Committee meets tomorrow, Friday the 29th, at 1:30 PM. They will consider two bills relating to paid sick and family leave. The bad bill, HB 38, requires employers to provide paid family and medical leave, while the good bill, HB 134, provides incentives for employers to provide family-friendly policies but does not mandate them.

You can watch the committee webcast here, or join the Zoom meeting here.

The Rio Grande Foundation submitted testimony in opposition to HB 38 and in support of HB 134.

With everything going on in the Legislature and the Biden Administration’s attack on oil and gas, it would be easy to miss the fact that New Mexico is now the MOST reliant state in the entire nation when it comes to the welfare program known as Medicaid.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, an astonishing 43% of all New Mexicans were enrolled in the program statewide as of November

“The federal government provides $4.76 for every dollar in state general funds spent on the program, up from $3.65 pre-pandemic. That equation is providing the state with an additional $385 million.”

Medicaid levels are driven by the generosity of state policies and our impoverished status. HB 122 which has been introduced by Rep. Deborah Armstrong in the 2021 Legislature would impose a new tax on private health insurance in order to fund ADDITIONAL welfare programs in health care.

The Senate Education Committee will meet tomorrow, Friday the 29th, at 9 A.M. Several bad bills will be under consideration, including SB 31, which requires a school nurse in every school district in the state, SB 63, which requires all new schools constructed to include solar panels, and SB 110, which raises contributions to educators’ healthcare plans.

You can watch the committee webcast here.

The Rio Grande Foundation submitted testimony in opposition to these bills. You can read our statements below.

SB 31 Testimony

SB 63 Testimony

SB 110 Testimony

The House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee will discuss one of the worst bills proposed this legislative session, *HB 40, in a meeting today, Thursday the 28th. The meeting starts at 1:30 P.M.

The bill would ban the use of contractor-operated prisons in New Mexico. Studies have shown that these prisons are less expensive for the state and can produce much better outcomes for both inmates and communities than public prisons.

You can watch the committee meeting webcast here, or join the Zoom meeting here.

The Rio Grande Foundation submitted testimony in opposition to *HB 40.

Gov. Lujan Grisham rather suddenly this week announced that New Mexico school districts would be able to return students at all grade levels to the classroom for “hybrid” learning. That means 50% in-person and 50% “virtual.”

We welcome this news and believe it is long-overdue based on numerous studies of the issue. And, while we are certainly not going to question the Gov.’s decision or motivation, it is certainly worth asking why most New Mexico schools remained closed from March of 2020 all the way until now while the number of active cases has only recently declined from statewide highs. The following case chart is from the WorldoMeters COVID tracking website.

The move to reopen schools at this very moment (immediately after a new President of her own party has taken office) is just one of many perplexing details.

Of course Albuquerque Public Schools has said that it WILL NOT be opening  on March 8. The leading obstacle is the unions which has been the case across the nation. To be fair to APS it appears that Lujan Grisham did not consult many districts or anyone outside her inner circle before making her decision. This lack of transparency marked by sudden policy shifts has been an ongoing problem throughout the pandemic.

Finally, while teachers shouldn’t be FORCED into classrooms, the “one-size-fits-all” problem inherent in our education system is the core problem here. Willing teachers and willing students could and should have returned to in-person learning months ago. If APS had a financial incentive to serve families and students rather than being a government-sponsored monopoly, this would be the case.

Mandatory paid sick leave has surfaced once again, but this time it is being proposed in Santa Fe, not just in the Albuquerque City Council. The bill, *HB 37 has been referred to the House Labor, Veterans’, and Military Affairs Committee which will discuss the bill in a meeting on Thursday, January 28th. The meeting starts at 2 P.M.

You can watch the webcast here, or join the Zoom meeting here.

The Rio Grande Foundation submitted testimony in opposition to the bill.

HB 139: Terminates Gov.’s emergency declarations after 90 days unless extension approved by the Legislature;

HB 8: Allows home liquor delivery and “liberalizes” license rules;

HB 26: Disallows “greenfield” developments from TIDD’s;

HB 33: Authorizes NM livestock board to inspect meat;

HB 49: Exempt Social Security from taxation;

HB 177: Allows for sale of certain foods produced in home kitchens;

HJR 6: Terminates declaration of emergency by Gov. after 90 days unless Legislature approves extension;

HJR 7: Allows for parents of New Mexico students to use state education dollars for the school of their choice;

*SB 2: Waives liquor license fees for 2021;

SB 6: Allows home liquor delivery and “liberalizes” license rules;

SB 78: Exempts Social Security from income tax;

SB 87: Prohibits retaliation based on IPRA requests;

SB 98: Requires economic impact reports on incentive programs;

On this week’s episode, Paul and Wally discuss the fact that New Mexico schools will soon reopen in a hybrid format. This is good news, but Wally and Paul do have questions. Other “blue” states have reopened as well and the Lobos and Aggies sports teams have been allowed to come back to NM, but what about football and other fall high school sports?

Biden oil leasing ban on federal lands 60 days; Shocking how quickly that came about & Deb Haaland isn’t even sworn in yet.

Paul wants to put some facts on the table as the session rolls forward.

RGF has a day in court defending free speech.

Paul and Wally go through some of the worst bills introduced SO FAR in the 2021 session. House and Senate listed here. Paul talks about the challenges of testifying and citizen involvement in the session.

RGF’s Freedom Index is tracking votes right now. 

Teacher unions nationwide have been the leading opponents of in-person learning. The ongoing debate in Chicago is the most high-profile place where unions are pushing HARD against returning to classrooms. There has not been much debate on this in New Mexico, but non-unionized districts have been more inclined to return to hybrid learning whereas union-heavy districts have stayed with remote learning.  

The paragraphs below are taken directly from a New York Times article which details the Biden Administration’s efforts to get students back to class and union efforts to push back. There are even concerns about returning to classrooms THIS FALL. 

UPDATE: Shortly after this post was written Gov. MLG “reopened” schools to 50% hybrid schooling, but she left the “final decision” open to districts. That’s a welcome development and we’re confident that rural districts can get started with opening. APS has already said they will not return on the 8th of Feb. and we’ll just see about other big, union-dominated districts.

The following appeared in Las Cruces Sun News on Sunday, January 24, 2021.

To say that this is an unprecedented legislative session in New Mexico is an understatement. After some public debate over how and when the Legislature was going to meet, the Democrats who overwhelmingly control both houses have decided to plow forward with an entirely “virtual” session.

The Roundhouse is closed to the public and if you want to engage with legislators or committees you need to get online and watch, testify, or send emails or calls to their offices. By itself this COVID-related change is both dramatic and problematic.

Then, in apparent reaction to the US Capitol riots of January 6 and the supposed threat of violence at state capitols across the nation, the Roundhouse has been fenced off with dramatically-enhanced security measures implemented to the point that only legislators and staff can get near the facility. We don’t know how long these measures will be in place, but this simply can’t be the “new normal.”

For all its many flaws New Mexico’s Legislature has traditionally been among the most open and accessible in the nation. We have advocated the addition of remote testimony in this vast, sparsely-populated State, but never at the expense of having in-person access completely eliminated during a session.

All advocates for open government must be vigilant in making sure that this crisis not be used to limit open government and transparency in our State.

And then there is the economy. We certainly want New Mexicans to be able to get back to work as quickly as possible. But as the Legislature meets to discuss long-term policy changes in our State we need to agree on a few important facts which undergird our economic situation and have done so for many years.

• • We know New Mexico is an impoverished state. Too many of our citizens and especially young people face hardships in the best of times. Of course, those problems have been worsened by the pandemic and the political reaction to it.
  • New Mexico lacks something called economic freedom. According to an annual report from the Canada-based Fraser Institute, a free market think tank, our State is the 42^nd-most free state in the nation. Our neighbors are all much freer. Worse, because data are not available instantaneously the data available are for 2018, Susana Martinez’s last year in office. We have seen a dramatic erosion in economic freedom under the current Administration. Lack of economic freedom has real impacts on people. The study found an 8.1% reduction in median incomes in the least free states.
  • New Mexico’s tax burdens are heavy. Because it is poor and federal taxes are “progressive” many tools claim our State has low taxes. In reality, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators, when ranked as a percentage of personal incomes, New Mexico’s state tax burden is 7^th-highest in the nation.
  • Given our heavy tax burden it will come as no surprise that state and local spending is high. In fact, according to com consuming 22.98% of our overall economy, New Mexico governments spend a smaller share of the economy than only West Virginia and Alaska.

During this 60-day legislative session we expect a slew of tax hikes, spending programs, and new regulations to be considered and passed. Unfortunately, those mostly take us even further in the wrong direction and will further make us an island of relatively slow economic (and population) growth and poverty in the American Southwest.

Paul Gessing is president of New Mexico’s Rio Grande Foundation. The Rio Grande Foundation is an independent, nonpartisan, tax-exempt research and educational organization dedicated to promoting prosperity for New Mexico based on principles of limited government, economic freedom and individual responsibility

The Rio Grande Foundation is a staunch advocate for free speech and the ability for speech by those who want to speak without having their name and personal information spread all over the Internet and media outlets.

Dating back to our efforts against Santa Fe’s proposed (and defeated) soda and sugary drinks tax, the Foundation has been fighting against Santa Fe’s donor disclosure rule with legal representation from Arizona’s Goldwater Institute. You can read the details of the hearing and the case itself here.

The issue of free  and private speech is relevant in the US Congress these days with the US Congress considering HR 1, legislation that would chill free speech.

We assessed some of the pre-filed and other bad legislation from the New Mexico Senate here. Below are some of the worst bills that have been introduced in the House to date.

Worst House Bills (so far)

HB 4 NM Civil Rights Act: would allow legal claims to be filed in state court over alleged infringements on free speech, freedom of religion and other constitutional rights. Major concerns have been expressed over the cost of this legislation.

HB 20, HB 37, HB 38 Some of the initial examples of proposed paid sick leave mandates.

HB 24 would mandate at least one full time nurse be hired in all New Mexico school districts.

HB 40 would ban all privately-managed detention facilities in New Mexico

HB 43 Black Education Act would require “racial sensitivity” and “anti-racism” training and propaganda for staff and students from K-12 to higher education.

HB 110 Legislation would impose a $15/hour minimum wage.

HB 111 would impose various unnecessary rules and restrictions on real estate and rental transactions.

HB 122 This bill would impose a new tax on health insurance.

HJR 1 would amend New Mexico’s constitution to tap into the Land Grant Permanent Fund to create new “early childhood” programs including pre-K.

Paul interviews Rep. Greg Nibert, a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives from Roswell.

Nibert is sponsoring critical legislation that would give legislators a “seat at the table” in future emergencies. No longer would one person, the Gov., be given or be able to take the kind of absolute control we have seen over the last year.

Additionally, Nibert and Gessing discuss the logistics and concerns about New Mexico’s first-ever “virtual” 60-day session and some of the important issues that he’ll be dealing with in the session.