♪ MUSIC REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

>>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

I AM DELIGHTED TO SAY OUR GUEST TODAY IS SENATOR PETER WIRTH, DEMOCRAT FROM SANTA FE DISTRICT 25, AND THE MAJORITY FLOOR LEADER OF THE NEW MEXICO SENATE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, PETER.

>>PETER: I AM HAPPY TO BE HERE AND REALLY APPRECIATE THE INVITATION AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND ALL THE FOLKS OUT THERE, IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU.

>>LORENE: IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU, I HAVE BEEN WATCHING YOU DURING THE SESSION, OF COURSE, BUT I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS.

AND YOU ARE A PERSON, I LOVE TO TALK WITH YOU YOUR TAKE ON THE SENATE AND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE LEGISLATURE.

YOU SERVED FOUR YEARS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WHERE YOU TOOK MAX COLL'S SEAT, A GREAT LAWMAKER AND YOU DISTINGUISH YOURSELF IN THAT SEAT.

BUT IN 2008, IS THAT 14 YEARS AGO, YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE SENATE, HOW LONG?

>>PETER: YEAH, 13 YEARS I THINK, 14 YEARS RIGHT IN THERE, SO IT HAS BEEN A WHILE.

>>LORENE: YES AND YOU HAVE RISEN TO THE RANK OF MAJORITY FLOOR LEADER.

WHAT DOES THE MAJORITY FLOOR LEADER DO IN THE SENATE?

>>PETER: SO MY JOB, IT'S INTERESTING IN THE SENATE BECAUSE WE KIND OF HAVE A SPLIT LEADERSHIP, DIFFERENT FROM THE HOUSE.

OF COURSE, THE HOUSE, THE SPEAKER, BRIAN EGOLF, BASICALLY CONTROLS ALL OF THE FLOOR AGENDA AND THEN ALSO ALL THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS, ALL THE OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE WORK THAT'S INVOLVED IN RUNNING A CHAMBER AS PART OF THE LEGISLATURE.

IN THE SENATE, WE SPLIT THAT, SO MY JOB AS THE FLOOR LEADER IS REALLY THE HEAD OF OUR DEMOCRATIC SENATE CAUCUS.

BUT EVERY DAY IS TO PUT TOGETHER OUR AGENDA AND FIGURE OUT WHAT BILLS ARE GOING TO GET HEARD ON THE FLOOR, WHAT BILLS GET REFERRED TO WHICH COMMITTEES AND IT IS KIND OF STEERING THE SHIP.

IT IS A CHALLENGING JOB THAT INVOLVES KIND OF UNDERSTANDING THE FLOW OF THE FLOOR, THE TEMPERATURE GOES UP, THE TEMPERATURE GOES DOWN, WHEN YOU CAN DO THINGS, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE TREATING THE MEMBERS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE FAIRLY AND THAT THEIR BILLS ARE GETTING HEARD AND SO KIND OF LOTS OF COMMUNICATION AND REALLY FOR ME IT'S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND THEN LAYING OUT THAT ROADMAP AND MAKING IT WORK.

SO IT'S A CHALLENGING JOB BUT ONE I VERY MUCH ENJOY AND AM HONORED TO HAVE BEEN SELECTED, THIS IS MY SIXTH YEAR NOW AS THE MAJORITY LEADER IN THE SENATE.

>>LORENE: WELL AS AN OBSERVER OF THE SENATE, I WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU BECAUSE IT IS A JOB THAT YOU FULFILL WITH GREAT GRACE AND DIGNITY AND YOU DIGNIFY, THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES THAT COME UP LATE AT NIGHT AND EVERYBODY'S BEEN THERE FOR 12 HOURS AND THEY ARE TIRED AND TEMPERS MIGHT GET A LITTLERAW, BUT YOU MANAGE TO GUIDE THE SHIP OF STATE OR THE SHIP OF THE SENATE WITH GRACE AND DIGNITY AND RESPECT.

AND YOU ARE VERY CALMING, YOU BRING THE SENATE TOGETHER IN A VERY BEAUTIFUL WAY AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I WANT TO JUST ASK YOU ONE MORE THING BEFORE WE GET BACK TO THE SENATE AND WHAT BILLS TO LOOK FOR.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR FAMILY BECAUSE BOTH OF YOUR GRANDFATHERS MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN NEW MEXICO, SO TELL US, WHO IS YOUR MATERNAL GRANDFATHER?

>>PETER: SO MY MATERNAL GRANDFATHER WAS JOHN GAW MEEM, THE ARCHITECT, AND HE CAME TO SANTA FE IN 1920, SO 100 YEARS AGO WITH TUBERCULOSIS AND WAS UP IN A SANITARIUM DURING AN EXTRAORDINARY TIME WHEN PEOPLE WERE THERE HEALING.

AND AN INCREDIBLE GROUP OF ARTISTS AND INTELLECTUALS AND HE WAS NOT A TRAINED ARCHITECT BUT WAS A TRAINED ENGINEER AND BASICALLY BEGAN DOING DRAWINGS WHEN HE WAS IN THE SANITARIUM AND WENT ON TO A VERY DISTINGUISHED ARCHITECTURAL CAREER HERE IN NEW MEXICO, WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE WHOLE SANTA FE STYLE AND THE HISTORIC ORDINANCE.

AND THEN ALSO WORKED WITH MANY OF THE NORTHERN NEW MEXICO CHURCHES IN THE 20S AND 30S TO RESTORE THOSE CHURCHES.

SO, IT IS REALLY INTERESTING, DURING THE REDISTRICTING, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH OUR TRIBAL PARTNERS AND FRIENDS AND TALKING ABOUT HISTORIES AND HE HAD DONE THE CHURCH IN ACOMA AND HELPED PRESERVE THAT CHURCH UP ON THE MESA AND SO JUST TO BE ABLE TO THINK ABOUT THAT AND SEE THAT AND REALIZE WHAT A HISTORY THAT IS AND THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE STATE.

SO, A SUPER NEAT THING FOR SURE.

>>LORENE: AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF YOUR FAMILY, YOUR PATERNAL GRANDFATHER, TELL ME ABOUT HIS TEACHING AT THE LOS ALAMOS BOYS RANCH BEFORE WORLD WAR II.

>>PETER: YEAH, IT IS INTERESTING, ACTUALLY MY GREAT GRANDFATHER RAN THE PHELPS DODGE MINE IN DAWSON, NEW MEXICO.

>>LORENE: OH, MY GOSH!

>>PETER: AND MY DAD WAS BORN IN DAWSON, WHICH IS NOW A GHOST TOWN UP NEAR RATON, BUT MY GRANDFATHER, CECIL WIRTH, WAS A MATH TEACHER AND A COUNSELOR AT THE RANCH SCHOOL RIGHT BEFORE THE WAR AND THEN DIED AT A VERY YOUNG AGE OF CANCER THAT TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN CURABLE.

SO REALLY TOUGH TIMES FOR MY GRANDMOTHER AND MY DAD AND MY UNCLE TIM WHO WENT ON TO BE A CONGRESSMAN AND A US SENATOR FROM COLORADO, WHO GREW UP IN THE EARLY DAYS IN LOS ALAMOS AND THEN TO BE UPROOTED WITH THE WHOLE WAR EFFORT AND OPPENHEIMER COMING IN, SO INTERESTING HISTORY THERE ON THAT SIDE AS WELL.

>>LORENE: I HOPE AT SOME POINT THAT YOU WRITE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND DETAIL ALL OF THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS VERY INTRIGUING HISTORY.

BUT LET US LOOK TO THE FUTURE, WE ARE TAPING VERY EARLY IN THE 30-DAY SESSION AND WE HAVE HAD MANY, MANY CHALLENGES THIS SESSION.

SO I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SPEAK ABOUT THE SESSION LOGISTICS, HOW THE PUBLIC CAN PARTICIPATE AND WHAT WE ARE DOING TO PROTECT EVERYONE FROM COVID.

>>PETER: YEAH, IT IS INTERESTING, HERE WE ARE, A 30-DAY SESSION IN AN ELECTION YEAR, IN THE MIDDLE OF A COVID CRISIS AND COMING RIGHT OUT OF A TOUGH REDISTRICTING, JUST SUPER CHALLENGING AND THEN THIS OPENING WEEK, WE STARTED WITHOUT ANY RULES IN PLACE FOR COVID.

SO NO MASK REQUIREMENTS, NO ABILITY TO WORK FROM YOUR OFFICE BECAUSE THOSE RULES EXPIRED AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO WE HAD A LITTLE KERFUFFLE ON OPENING DAY, WE TRIED TO CHANGE THE RULES WITH A TWO-THIRD VOTE, OUR REPUBLICAN FRIENDS DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT, THEY WANTED TO GO THROUGH THE COMMITTEE PROCESS WHICH CERTAINLY IS THEIR RIGHT TO DO, BUT IT TOOK US A COUPLE OF DAYS TO GET RULES IN PLACE FOR HOW THE SENATE IS GOING TO OPERATE FOR MEMBERS WITH MASKS AND IN A HYBRID FASHION, AND FOR THE PUBLIC THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT IT IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS A YEAR AGO.

A YEAR AGO, OF COURSE, WE WERE AT KIND OF THE EARLY PEAK OF THE FIRST WAVE OF COVID WHEN MANY OF US, MYSELF INCLUDED, WERE NOT VACCINATED AND TALK ABOUT SCARY, AGAIN, THIS IS YOU KNOW YOU REALLY, REALIZE YOU TAKE AN OATH AND THIS IS A CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY THAT I TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY AND SO DO THE MEMBERS.

AND SO WE WERE HERE BUT WITHOUT VACCINES WE REALLY NEEDED TO CREATE A KIND OF ISOLATED SPACE A YEAR AGO.

THIS YEAR WE'VE LEARNED A LOT, OBVIOUSLY, OMICRON IS STILL VERY SERIOUS, BUT IT IS DIFFERENT AND SO FOR THE PUBLIC, THE BUILDING IS STILL OPEN, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE FULLY VACCINATED WHICH IF YOUR SECOND VACCINE WAS MORE THAN SIX MONTHS AGO, INCLUDES A BOOSTER SHOT, THAT'S A NEW REQUIREMENT FOR THIS YEAR.

SO, IN ORDER TO GET IN THE BUILDING, YOU HAVE TO SHOW PROOF OF FULL VACCINATION AND THEN ONE THING, LORENE, THAT I THINK IS ALWAYS WORTH STATING THAT I AM VERY HAPPY ABOUT, WE HAVE FINALLY BANNED WEAPONS IN THE CAPITOL.

SO FOLKS WILL SEE FOR THE FIRST TIME, YOU ARE GOING TO WALK THROUGH A METAL DETECTOR AND I KNOW THERE WAS LOTS OF PUSH BACK AND KIND OF WANTING THINGS TO BE OPEN, BUT GIVEN WHAT HAPPENED A YEAR AGO ON JANUARY 6, IT JUST IS TIME AND SO THAT IS ANOTHER PIECE, SO THERE WON'T BE THE OPEN DISPLAY OF GUNS AND OTHER WEAPONS THAT HAVE EXISTED IN THE CAPITOL PAST AND CERTAINLY CONSTITUENTS HAVE BEEN VERY RELIEVED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE AGAIN THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE.

>>LORENE: YEAH AND THOSE OF US WHO WORK HERE, TOO, ARE GREATLY RELIEVED TO NOT WALK INTO A SHOWDOWN.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT.

SO THIS IS OSTENSIBLY A BUDGET SESSION, IT IS SO WONDERFUL THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR ONCE, BUT I REMEMBER JOHN MERSHON AND THE OLD AUBREY DUNN SAYING, "IT IS HARDER TO GOVERN WHEN THERE IS TOO MUCH MONEY, NOT THAT THERE IS EVER TOO MUCH, BUT WHEN THERE IS A LOT OF MONEY, AS OPPOSED TO WHEN THERE IS SO LITTLE."

SO I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE MADE A SPECIAL EFFORT TO SUPPORT THOSE THAT ARE HARDEST HIT BY THE PANDEMIC, WHAT ARE SOME OTHER USES OF OUR BOUNTY THAT WE ARE DOING SPECIFICALLY AT THIS TIME?

>>PETER: WELL SO, LET ME JUST SAY, THAT THE BUDGET THIS YEAR EXCEEDED $9 BILLION DOLLARS WHICH IS AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF MONEY, WITH $1.6 BILLION DOLLARS IN NEW RECURRING MONEY AND BOTH THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION, THE GOVERNOR, SUBMITTED BUDGETS THAT INCLUDE A 14% SPENDING INCREASE ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS IN NEW SPENDING.

THESE ARE NUMBERS DURING MY TIME HERE UNHEARD OF IN THE SEVENTEEN YEARS I HAVE BEEN HERE.

AND SO IT ALLOWS US TO DO A LOT OF REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS.

ONE OF THE BILLS, SENATE BILL ONE, WHICH WE ASSIGN BILLS OUT OF OUR OFFICE AND YOU CAN ALWAYS LOOK AT THOSE LOW BILL NUMBERS AND SEE WHAT IS REALLY BEING PRIORITIZED BY OUR CAUCUS IS THE GOVERNOR'S BILL TO RAISE THE THREE TIER TEACHER'S SALARY AND SO A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE THERE.

ALSO, THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE HAVE PUSHED A SEVEN PERCENT INCREASE IN PAY FOR TEACHERS AND EDUCATIONAL EMPLOYEES AND STATE EMPLOYEES WHICH IS LONG OVERDUE.

AGAIN, GIVEN WHAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE BEEN THROUGH AND GIVEN WHAT OUR OBVIOUSLY STATE EMPLOYEES, EVERYONE DEALING WITH COVID AND TRYING TO NAVIGATE IN THIS SUPER CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW WE HAVE GOT TO RAISE OUR PAY BANDS AND COMPENSATE THESE FOLKS AND REALLY SHOW THEM OUR APPRECIATION BY GIVING THEM A DECENT SALARY INCREASE AND REALLY WORKING TO INCREASE THOSE PAY BANDS THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM, BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS LONG OVERDUE.

SO THAT WILL BE A BIG, BIG PRIORITY.

>>LORENE: WELL SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS LONG OVERDUE THAT I AM IN FAVOR OF IT AND I HOPE THIS SESSION WILL GET IT DONE, IS TO REMOVE THE TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS.

DO YOU THINK THAT WILL FINALLY PASS?

>>PETER: YOU KNOW THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT KIND OF WAS A SURPRISE IN THE GOVERNOR'S STATE OF THE STATE.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS SHE ANNOUNCED, AND WE HAVE HAD MEMBERS, SENATOR PADILLA, SENATOR TALLMAN, HAVE FOUGHT FOR THAT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

SO THE UNIQUE THING I WILL JUST SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TAXES BECAUSE I HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO TRY AND FIX OUR TAX SYSTEM.

THE UNIQUE THING ABOUT OUR SYSTEM IN NEW MEXICO IS THAT WE ARE SO RELIANT ON GROSS RECEIPTS TAX THAT WE DO HAVE A SYSTEM THAT IS PRETTY OUT OF BALANCE AND SO IT MEANS THAT WE TAX SOME THINGS THAT OTHER STATES JUST DON'T.

OBVIOUSLY, WE WENT THROUGH THE HUGE DISCUSSION ABOUT FOOD AND THE FOOD TAX AND THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOREVER, AND SOCIAL SECURITY IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AS A STANDALONE, YOU GO, THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE, BUT THEN WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT IN NEW MEXICO WE ARE 50TH WHEN IT COMES TO PROPERTY TAXES, THANK GOODNESS.

YOU HAVE GOT TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE SYSTEM TOGETHER, SO I AM CERTAINLY WILLING TO LOOK AT THE SOCIAL SECURITY TAX AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT VERSIONS, SENATOR TALLMAN HAS A VERSION THAT HAS, IT PAYS FOR IT WITH A NEW CIGARETTE TAX AND THEN IT HAS GOT SOME INDEXING, SO HIGHER INCOME FOLKS WOULDN'T BE EXEMPT OR THERE IS A STRAIGHT REPEAL WHICH IS WHAT THE GOVERNOR WANTS.

IT IS ABOUT $70 MILLION DOLLARS TO DO THE REPEAL, SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE SHOULD DISCUSS IS IF WE ARE GOING TO FIX THIS PLACE, WHERE DO WE GET THE MONEY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS KIND OF A REVENUE NEUTRAL, BECAUSE IT IS EASY TO DO THESE TAX CUTS WHEN WE ARE ROLLING IN MONEY.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT IS REALLY HARD TO RAISE TAXES WHEN THE ROLLERCOASTER HITS THE BOTTOM AND WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT AND I DON'T WANT TO BE CUTTING TEACHERS' SALARIES.

>>LORENE: AND WE ARE MISSING SENATOR JOHN ARTHUR SMITH WHO HAD TO LEAD THOSE CLAW BACKS WHEN THE TIDE WENT OUT AND THERE WAS NO INCOME TO ACTUALLY CLAW BACK SOME OF THAT MONEY TO KEEP THE STATE GOING TO MEET THE BUDGET.

WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH SENATOR PETER WIRTH FROM SANTA FE AND A COUPLE OF ISSUES I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT.

VOTING RIGHTS IS A HUGE ISSUE NATIONALLY AND WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH IT HERE AND THEN IS THERE AN ELECTION BILL TO ENFORCE OUR VOTING RIGHTS TO CODIFY THEM AND LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FAKE ELECTORATE ISSUE BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON NEW MEXICO WAS ONE OF SEVEN STATES THAT SUBMITTED SLATES OF FAKE REPUBLICAN ELECTORS BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT VOTING RIGHTS.

>>PETER: YEAH, I AM HAPPY TO, IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A DISAPPOINTING WEEK THIS PAST WEEK WITH WHAT HAPPENED IN WASHINGTON, BEING UNABLE IN THE US SENATE TO GET THE NATIONAL VOTING RIGHTS BILL ACROSS THE LINE.

AND SO IT REALLY DOES PUT AN EMPHASIS ON THE STATES AND I THINK I AM INCREDIBLY ENCOURAGED AND APPRECIATIVE THAT OUR SECRETARY OF STATE, MAGGIE TOULOUSE OLIVER AND OUR GOVERNOR, MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM, HAVE STEPPED UP TO PROPOSE A SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF VOTING RIGHTS HERE IN NEW MEXICO AND WE ARE PUTTING THAT BILL TOGETHER.

I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO BE THE SPONSOR IN THE SENATE WHERE THE BILL WILL START AND THEN MY COLLEAGUE, JAVIER MARTINEZ, THE LEADER IN THE HOUSE, WILL BE THE HOUSE SPONSOR.

WE WILL ALSO HAVE SOME OTHER SENATORS AND HOUSE MEMBERS ALL SIGNING ON TO THAT, BUT IT IS REALLY AN EFFORT TO MAKE VOTING EASIER.

QUITE FRANKLY VOTING SHOULDN'T BE HARD IF WE NEED SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE IT EASIER AND THIS BILL WILL INCLUDE A WHOLE RANGE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND EXTEND DEADLINES AND WE ARE KIND OF SHAPING IT RIGHT NOW WITH SENATOR IVY-SOTO, WHO IS THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE, WHO HAS CERTAINLY BEEN A LEADER ON ELECTION REFORM AND SO WE HOPE TO GET SOMETHING INTRODUCED NEXT WEEK AND REALLY MAKE NEW MEXICO SHINE.

WHEN IT COMES TO VOTING RIGHTS AND VOTING ACCESS WE HAVE DONE GREAT WORK TO GET HERE AND I AM JUST SUPER ENCOURAGED THAT WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THIS STEP MOVING FORWARD.

>>LORENE: HOW DID NEW MEXICO END UP ONE OF THOSE SEVEN STATES THAT SUBMITTED FAKE ELECTORAL OFFICIALS?

>>PETER: WELL, I LIKE YOU, WAS SHOCKED WHEN I SAW THAT.

THIS IS AMAZING TO ME THAT THERE IS A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO LITERALLY UNDERMINE OUR WHOLE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM AND DEMOCRACY IS UNDER ATTACK.

AND TO SEE THAT THIS CLOSE TO HOME RIGHT HERE IN NEW MEXICO WITH THE DOCUMENT THAT WAS SUBMITTED, WHICH AGAIN HAD A LITTLE BIT OF CONTINGENCY LANGUAGE, BUT YOU JUST CAN'T PLAY GAMES WITH OUR DEMOCRACY, AND I WAS DISAPPOINTED LET ME JUST PUT IT THAT WAY.

AND THIS IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE DO PUT IN PLACE THE PROTECTIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL, THE NATIONAL LEVEL, TO ENSURE THAT OUR SYSTEM CAN CONTINUE TO FLOURISH.

IT IS AN AMAZING SYSTEM, AND IT HAS GOT THIS INCREDIBLE HISTORY AND WE GO BACK AND FORTH, AND YOU KNOW THE TRANSITION OF POWER, WE HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE WE SAW THIS LAST EFFORT AND ATTEMPT TO ACTUALLY STEAL THE ELECTION AND CLEARLY, YOU KNOW, FOLKS HERE IN NEW MEXICO WERE PLAYING THAT AS WELL.

SO VERY, VERY DISAPPOINTING BUT I THINK HIGHLIGHTS EXACTLY WHY WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH VOTING RIGHTS.

>>LORENE: AND ALSO THE SIGNATORIES ON THAT FAKE SLATE WERE PEOPLE THAT REALLY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER.

THEY WERE PEOPLE WITH ENOUGH POLITICAL EXPERIENCE AND CONNECTIONS, THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THIS IS WRONG.

I PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO SIGN THIS, BUT THEY DID.

SO WE WILL SEE HOW THAT ALL TURNS OUT.

I HAVE SEVERAL PET PROJECTS AMONG THE BILLS, ONE OF THE THINGS YOUR COLLEAGUE, JERRY ORTIZ Y PINO IS WORKING FOR A SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PANDEMIC.

IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS REALLY THE RIGHT TIME TO FUND IT, BUILD IT, AND JUST GET MORE PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS KEEPING US HEALTHY.

AND THERE ARE SOME PAYDAY LOAN ISSUES LONG OVERDUE, THERE ARE SOME ETHICAL ISSUES WITH ALL OF THAT AND CAN YOU SPEAK TO EITHER OF THOSE AND WHAT ARE SOME OTHER BILLS, BESIDES THE STATE EMPLOYEE MINIMUM WAGE AND SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES AND ALL OF THAT, WHAT ARE SOME OTHER BILLS THAT YOU WANT PEOPLE TO PAY ATTENTION TO?

>>PETER: THERE ARE A LOT THINGS THERE, SO REAL QUICKLY, I AGREE THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH SCHOOL WAS AN EXAMPLE OF A TRANSFORMATIVE WAY TO SPEND SOME OF THE FEDERAL MONEY AND SENATOR ORTIZ Y PINO, SENATOR HICKEY, SENATOR CERVANTES KIND OF PUT TOGETHER A PLAN DURING THE SPECIAL SESSION AND I THINK WE ARE GOING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.

THE PAYDAY LENDING ISSUE IS ONE THAT CONTINUES TO BE AROUND, YESTERDAY IN THE SENATE, SENATOR SOULES AND SENATOR DUHIGG INTRODUCED THE VERSION THAT PASSED THE SENATE LAST YEAR AT SETTING THE RATE AT 36 PERCENT, WHICH PASSED WITH 25 VOTES INCLUDING A REPUBLICAN VOTE, SENATOR SCHMEDES.

SO AGAIN, IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING THAT THE STATE SENATE IS READY TO DO THIS, BUT OBVIOUSLY TWO CHAMBERS HAVE TO GET ON THE SAME PAGE.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF WORK THAT IS GOING TO GO ON IN THAT FRONT.

ANOTHER ISSUE THAT I WILL FLAG THAT IS GOING TO BE HEARD ON MONDAY IN THE RULES COMMITTEE THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO FOLKS THAT LISTEN OVER THE WEEKEND, THERE IS GOING TO BE A DISCUSSION SENATOR IVEY-SOTO HAS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO SET UP A SALARY COMMISSION, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE A WHOLE RANGE OF STATE EMPLOYEES BEING ABLE TO GO THROUGH A COMMISSION PROCESS TO HAVE SALARIES SET AND LEGISLATORS.

THE ISSUE OF LEGISLATOR PAY HAS BEEN AROUND, WE ARE THE ONLY STATE THAT DOESN'T PAY LEGISLATORS A SALARY.

WE DO GET A PER DIEM AND THERE IS A RETIREMENT SYSTEM, BUT IT IS REALLY TOUGH FOR MANY, MANY FOLKS WHO ARE HERE AND OF COURSE THERE ARE MANY FOLKS THAT COULD NEVER EVEN CONSIDER BEING HERE BECAUSE OF THAT, SO THAT WILL BE A BIG DEBATE.

THERE IS GOING TO BE CRIME BILLS.

IT IS INTERESTING THAT MANY OF THE BILLS WE SAW FOR EIGHT YEARS WITH SUSANA MARTINEZ AND WE STOPPED THEM ALL, WELL THEY ARE BACK AND AGAIN THIS IS PART OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN ALBUQUERQUE IS REALLY CONCERNING AND YOU KNOW A REAL DEBATE WILL HAPPEN ABOUT WHAT'S THE SOLUTION, IS IT MORE PENALTIES, IS IT MORE TREATMENT, IS IT A COMBINATION, WE WILL BE HAVING THAT BIG DEBATE, TOO.

>>LORENE: WELL THERE IS A LOT TOO AND PEOPLE REALLY CARE ABOUT THESE ISSUES.

SO I ALWAYS WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT THIS IS A VERY ACCESSIBLE CAPITOL AND OUR LAWMAKERS ARE VERY ACCESSIBLE TO THE CITIZENS SO IF YOU ARE VAXED AND MASKED YOU CAN COME IN TO THE CAPITOL, YOU CAN ZOOM IN TO THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND YOU CAN WATCH THE FLOOR SESSION, GO TO NMLEGIS.GOV AND THERE IS A BUTTON FOR WEBCAST AND YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING THAT IS BEING WEBCAST.

BUT HOW ELSE CAN WE ENCOURAGE NEW MEXICANS TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD?

>>PETER: YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THAT, LORENE, BECAUSE ONE THING WE TO MAKE REALLY CLEAR AND AGAIN WHEN YOU SHUT THE CAPITOL TO CERTAIN FOLKS THAT AREN'T VACCINATED FOR WHATEVER REASON AND THERE MAY BE SOME LEGITIMATE HEALTH REASONS, THERE NEEDS TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO HAVE THE SAME VENUE TO PARTICIPATE, WE NEED TO HEAR FROM THEM AS WELL.

SO EACH OF THE SENATE COMMITTEES WILL BE MEETING IN A HYBRID FORMAT IN THE SENSE THAT YOU WILL HAVE MANY SENATORS IN PERSON, SOME MIGHT BE IN THEIR OFFICE VIA ZOOM, AND THEN WE WILL TAKE TESTIMONY BOTH IN PERSON AND VIA ZOOM.

SO AGAIN, EVEN IF YOU ARE FULLY VACCINATED AND YOU DECIDE YOU KNOW I REALLY DON'T WANT TO GO INTO THE CAPITOL IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PEAK, WHICH I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND, PLEASE USE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE VIA ZOOM.

YOU'RE RIGHT IT IS A VERY ACCEPTABLE PROCESS AND OVER THE 17 YEARS I HAVE DONE THIS, I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT BILLS HAVE ACTUALLY EVOLVED AND SHIFTED BASED ON PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND WHEN FOLKS SHOW UP AND MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD, YOU ACTUALLY CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

SO THESE ARE HUGE ISSUES THAT IMPACT ALL OF US AND WE REALLY NEED TO HEAR FROM ALL NEW MEXICANS FROM ALL PARTS OF THE STATE ON THESE ISSUES.

>>LORENE: AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BEAUTIES OF BEING A NEW MEXICAN AND LIVING HERE IS THAT IT IS VERY POSSIBLE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE EITHER AS A POLITICIAN OR AS A CITIZEN OR AS A MEMBER OF THE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP.

OUR VOICES CAN BE HEARD, YOU KNOW IN THIS ECHOEY BEAUTIFUL BLUE-SKY NEW MEXICO.

AND I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE IF YOU FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT SOMETHING, ZOOM INTO A COMMITTEE MEETING OR SPEAK UP, HANDWRITTEN LETTERS ARE ALWAYS GREAT AND ALSO THANK YOU LETTERS ARE REALLY NICE TOO, ONCE SOMEONE HAS FOUGHT A BATTLE FOR YOU TO THANK THEM IS ALSO A VERY CLASSY THING TO DO.

WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED TO KNOW, WE HAVE TWO MINUTES LEFT.

>>PETER: WELL I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO A WHOLE BUNCH OF THE TERRIFIC NEW SENATORS IN OUR CHAMBER.

2020 WAS A HUGE CHANGE IN OUR BODY AND YOU KNOW WE HAVE GOT THESE DYNAMIC NEW FOLKS COMING IN AND THAT'S WHAT IS FUN ABOUT THIS PROCESS, YOU DO IT LONG ENOUGH AND YOU REALLY SEE THE CHANGE FROM SENATOR SMITH AND SPEAKER LUJAN, KIKI SAAVEDRA.

YOU KNOW, ALL THESE INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUALS I GOT A CHANCE TO SERVE WITH AND LEARN FROM AND NOW TO BEING IN A PLACE WHERE YOU START TO SEE REALLY TALENTED YOUNG FOLKS COMING IN AND NOT JUST YOUNG FOLKS, BUT NEW MEMBERS COMING IN IN BOTH CHAMBERS AND BEING ABLE TO MENTOR AND BRING THEM ALONG.

IT GIVES ME A LOT OF HOPE FOR OUR STATE THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO SERVE EVEN WITH ALL THESE CHALLENGES, ARE WILLING TO STEP UP AND SO IT IS EXCITING, IT'S EXCITING AND WE ARE READY TO GO.

>>LORENE: AND ONE OTHER THING THAT YOU DO IN YOUR ROLE AS MAJORITY FLOOR LEADER OF THE NEW MEXICO SENATE IS THAT YOU DIFFUSE SOME UNDERLYING TENSIONS TOWARDS THE TOXIC PARTISANSHIP THAT IS DIVIDING OUR COUNTRY SO DRAMATICALLY AND THERE WERE LITTLE EPISODES OF IT WITH THE MASK ISSUE, THAT WE GOT RESOLVED ENOUGH.

BUT I REALLY WANT TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOUR HAND IN RESPECTING EVERYONE AND TREATING EVERYONE WITH DIGNITY AND GRACE SO THAT THIS BODY CAN FUNCTION.

SO, THANK YOU.

>>PETER: WELL I APPRECIATE THAT AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT I JUST REALLY BELIEVE IN.

YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO TALK AND WE DO, WE HAVE RELATIONSHIPS IN THE STATE SENATE.

YOU KNOW IT IS LIKE A FAMILY, IT HAS GOT ALL ITS DYSFUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS, IT'S GOT ALL ITS CHALLENGES, BUT MAN WHEN IT IS WORKING WELL, IT IS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC, BUT IF YOU ARE NOT COMMUNICATING, IT IS REALLY HARD.

>>LORENE: WELL THANK YOU.

A GREAT COMMUNICATOR IN THE SENATE, OUR GUEST TODAY IS SENATOR PETER WIRTH, A DEMOCRAT FROM SANTA FE, DISTRICT 25.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, THERE'S THREE MORE WEEKS IN THE LEGISLATURE.

I URGE PEOPLE TO TUNE IN AND WATCH THIS PROCESS IN ACTION.

THANK YOU, SENATOR WIRTH FOR JOINING US.

>>PETER: THANK YOU, LORENE, FOR HAVING ME.

>>LORENE: AND I AM LORENE MILLS AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU OUR AUDIENCE FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

♪ MUSIC