New Mexico in Focus; 529; Mayor Martin Chavez: Budget Choices

SRT Captions File Generated by MXFplus MAJOR FUNDING FOR inFOCUS IS

CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, HEALTH, EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENT >> Arcie: THE MAYOR LEANER CITY GOVERNMENT AND IS HE SAYS REFLECTS REVENUES, NOT MAYOR MARTIN CHAVEZ TALKS THEN WE EXAMINE THE LOCAL inFOCUS IS NEXT. >> Arcie: HELLO AND WELCOME

THE NATION IS JUST NOW COMING BUT ON THE LOCAL LEVEL, THE RESULT IS THAT BELT IF ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL BY THE MAYOR, THE NUMBER MAYOR CHAVEZ HAS PROPOSED MANY ARE TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES, FULL-TIME, PERMANENT JOBS HELD APART FROM LAYING OFF AT THE SAME TIME, THE MAYOR IS A MOVE SOME CITY COUNCILORS LIKELY TAKE CENTER STAGE IF YOU WANT TO STAY THE NEXT ONE IS SCHEDULED BUT, TONIGHT, ALBUQUERQUE

AND THE CITY'S CHIEF FINANCIAL IN THE STUDIO TO TALK THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE MAYOR MARTIN CHAVEZ, >> Chavez: THE REALITY THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY. THESE ARE LEAN TIMES. IN LEAN EITHER THAT OR INCREASE TAXES >> Arcie: WHAT KIND OF DEFICIT A NUMBER OF 50 MILLION BEING >> Chavez: I INHERITED A 50 THERE'S A WHOLE HOST THIS FISCAL YEAR, STARTING MILLION DOLLAR PROBLEM WITH INCREASED HEALTH CARE, EXPERIENCED, ALL TYPES HALL, AND, FRANKLY, NEGATIVE

HAS RESULTED IN GROSS RECEIPTS >> Arcie: THIS IS GOING TO BE, A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW COUNCILOR SAID IN PARTICULAR IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WAS ONE >> Chavez: IT WASN'T MY FIRST THE DIFFERENCE IS I AM AT CITY AND I ULTIMATELY HAVE WE LAY OFF EMPLOYEES ONLY I REJECTED VERY SERIOUS PROCESS FROM STAFF TO CLOSE COMMUNITY CENTERS, NOT OPEN THAT IS A MEASURE WE ARE GOING TO GET THROUGH IT JUST LIKE AT HOME WHEN YOU'RE

THINGS; EITHER CUT BACK IT IS PRETTY SIMPLE >> Arcie: YOU'RE RIGHT THERE ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION, >> Garcia: TO FOLLOW-UP THE CITY HAS SEEN DECLINING AND LIKE ALL OTHER BUSINESS WAGES HAVE GONE UP. INSURANCE AND BENEFIT COSTS I THINK IN THIS NEXT YEAR, CONTRACTS YET, BUT WE ARE TO 15% INCREASE IN COSTS VERY EXPENSIVE. WE HAVE NEW FACILITIES COMING WE HAVE BUILT THE BUILDINGS, SO OUR POPULATION IS GROWING. WE HAVE MORE CITIZENS THAT >> Arcie: INITIALLY YOU ASKED HOW DID THAT GO? WERE

>> Garcia: THE 15% WAS THE MAYOR'S POLICY WAS THAT IS THE PRIORITY SOME DEPARTMENTS, IT WAS VERY SOME OF THE SMALLER I THINK THE MAYOR INDICATED ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE MEALS TO THE SENIORS, SO, SOME IN WITH SOME REASONABLE LOOKING AT MID LEVEL BUT I THINK THE FIRST THING WE PUT WAS NOT TO AFFECT MAYOR? >> Chavez: ULTIMATELY IT IS A MATTER OF LAW, BUT IT AND THIS IS THE ONLY THING THERE IS NO JOY IN IT BUT I AM

THEY ARE DOING A GOOD JOB. AND IN ONE OF THE PLEDGES I WOULD BALANCE THE BUDGET NOW, AS THE ECONOMY EASES UP OF MEASURES WE THINK -- WHICH GROW THE PIE, WE WILL REVISIT >> Arcie: I THINK ONE NOW IS THE CUTS TO MASS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO CUT BACK WAS THERE ANY OTHER WAY THAT THAT YOU COULD HAVE CUT -- -- THAN THE PUBLIC >> Chavez: EVERY DEPARTMENT IS THE PROBLEM WITH MASS TRANSIT TO MASS TRANSIT IN

CENTS OF EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE INCREASED TO A DOLLAR IT'S HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED EVEN AT THE SUBSIDY, THEY WERE MILLION IN DEFICIT, SO WE ARE THAT IS HOW SERIOUS THAT SO, WE HAVE STARTED THE PROBLEM WITH THE BUS IS PEOPLE WHO USE OUR BUSES DO I WISH IT WAS MORE PEOPLE MOST OF THEM HAVE TO HAVE THAT EVEN IF IT IS ONE OF THOSE BIG FOR EACH OF THOSE FOUR PEOPLE >> Arcie: NOW, VOTERS APPROVED THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE STILL

>> Chavez: ABSOLUTELY ARTERIALS, HARD ROAD THAT IS LONG-TERM VERY I AM TROUBLED ABOUT WHAT HAS IN THE TRANSIT DEPARTMENT I HEARD SEVEN DEPARTMENTS THAT FOR LEGITIMATE REASONS, OTHERS WE ARE ADDRESSING THOSE TRANSIT WAS OFFERING MORE AND THIS WAS A HOUSE OF CARDS >> Arcie: YOU HAVE BEEN YOU HAVE BEEN READING A LOT WRITTEN ABOUT THIS BUDGET FOR POOR AND BOOSTING CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? >> Chavez: WE HAVEN'T CUT ONE AS A MATTER OF FACT, I MADE IF YOU RECALL, ABOUT A YEAR TALKING ABOUT SLASHING ALL

I HAVE MADE THIS DECISION; SECONDARILY, WE ARE AND SO MY GOAL HAS BEEN AND I HAVE OPTED INSTEAD, IT IS A TOUGH THING TO DO. NOW, WHAT WE HAVE DONE THAT IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG. THEY ARE NOT GETTING A TRUE IN BUDGET. THEY WERE 5.8 TO BUDGET THEM AT THE LEVEL YEAR, THEY WOULD BE 5.8 WE ARE ENGAGED IN TRUTH POLICE, FIRE, CORRECTIONS, THEY WERE UNDERFUNDED BEING CANDID WITH THE PUBLIC

UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHER MONTHS BEFORE THE END WE WILL RESPOND. >> Arcie: HOW DO YOU PLAN BY INCREASING ADMISSION MAY BACKFIRE BECAUSE THEN SOME WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER >> Chavez: I VETOED INCREASES I DON'T WANT TO PRICE THOSE OF POOR FAMILIES WHO ALREADY WE ARE PROPOSING A FEE >> Garcia: THERE WERE OTHER IT IS FOUR MILLION OF NEW WE HAD THE DEPARTMENTS GO BACK

COMPARISONS FOR SOME FOR EXAMPLE, IN ANIMAL OF THE CHARGES THAT WE ARE ANIMALS AND CARE FOR THEM WHAT WE WERE CHARGING WE INCREASED FEES TO BE SOME FEES THAT WE INCREASED, IN OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, INCREASED DEVELOPMENT FEES WE ARE LOOKING AT UNIFICATION WHERE WE CAN BE CONSISTENT THAT WILL BRING IN OUR CONVENTION CENTER WE ARE WHERE WE CAN CONTRACT BACK TO THE FACILITY, SO THERE I THINK WITH SWIMMING POOLS

SOME OF THEM ARE VERY, VERY I THINK FOR YOUTH USING I THINK IT WAS A $5 A YEAR PER THE FEES WE DID INCREASE, >> Arcie: YOU HAD A CHANCE DO YOU EXPECT TO HAVE ANY BACK TO YOU AND IF YOU DO, HOW >> Chavez: ONE OF THE THINGS IT WAS LACKING FOR THE PAST 4 WE CAN TALK FOR A WEEK THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE MAYOR WE WILL DO IT IN I SAID, THIS IS MY BEST SHOT, I THINK THAT IS THE WAY CITY

THIS IS THE FINAL WORD. THAT WAS THE COMMITMENT OBLIGATION, AND, ARCIE, I AM READY FOR THIS JOB IT IS A GOOD COUNCIL AND GOOD >> Arcie: WE HAVE 30 SECONDS PEOPLE TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, DO YOU HAVE THEM? >> Garcia: THE FIRST IS MAY 2, THE SECOND ONE IS MAY 9 AFTER THAT, THE BUDGET MARKUP, WILL BE ON MONDAY ON MAY 13 AT 5:00 P.M. >> Arcie: THAT IS ALL THE TIME THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE >> Arcie: LAST WEEK WE RAN OUT TO BRING OUR SCHEDULED

AFTERMATH OF LAST YEAR'S IF YOU THINK THE ENERGY CRISIS >> Arcie: LAST YEAR'S ENERGY FROM THE ROLLING BLACKOUTS A LONG DISTANT MEMORY MEXICO SHOWS THE ENERGY CRISIS DEREGULATION OF THE ENERGY TRACK WHILE ALL AROUND NEW WILL THESE CHANGES MEAN THEY ACTUALLY COST YOU MORE HERE TO DISCUSS THE LOCAL ENERGY CRISIS ARE JEAN AND JULIE GREY, PUBLIC THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE JEAN, I AM GOING TO START

>> Bassett: 16 AND THEY ARE ONE IS COAL AND THE OTHERS ARE THE REAL ISSUE HERE IS WHERE WE ARE AT A CROSSROADS. WE CURRENTLY EXPORT ABOUT 50% SO, WE ARE NOT LIKE -- IT IS SITUATION WHERE THERE IS WE HAVE THE LUXURY TO LOOK CURRENTLY 87% OF THE POWER TO CONTINUE DOWN THE ROAD LIKE NATURAL GAS PLANTS, WHICH COAL, THEY DO HAVE -- THEY ARE NOT GOOD FROM THE CONSUMERS' TO START TO LOOK SERIOUSLY >> Arcie: IF WE ARE EXPORTING

>> Grey: ONE OF THE THINGS IS NEW MEXICO HAS HAD POWER IN THE STATE SINCE THE 1960'S CORNERS POWER PLANT, WHICH IS WE HAVE BEEN SENDING POWER OUT SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR ENERGY IT IS A MISTAKE TO LOOK AT IT WE ARE AN ENERGY RESOURCE WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE FOURTH WE ALSO ARE VERY, AS YOU KNOW, SO, THIS IS A RESOURCE THAT SO, WHEN WE TALK ALSO GETTING THE BENEFITS THAT IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT. >> Arcie: I KNOW THAT INTO ALL OF THIS AND WILL THIS

>> Bassett: I THINK, YOU KNOW, POINT WHICH IS, IF YOU'RE SO, WE FEEL THAT WHY SHOULD UP OUR WATER IN NATURAL GAS WHY WOULD WE WANT TO LOSE ALTHOUGH THERE MAY BE ECONOMIC SAME ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR INSTANCE, AND WE HAVE TO GET A SENSE OF HOW WIND IS COMPETITIVE, WHICH IS IF WE CURRENTLY GENERATE HOURS AND WE EXPORT 17, POTENTIAL IS 116 BILLION THAT IS JUST WIND ALONE. THERE

AND ACTUALLY, I WANT TO NOTE THEY HAVEN'T OFFICIALLY JULIE CAN UPDATE US TODAY BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS COMMITMENT WE NEED TO SEE SO OUR ONLY ARGUMENT IS SURE >> Arcie: CAN NEW MEXICO BUILD >> JULIE: THAT IS THE KEY YOU HAVE TO HAVE A HIGHWAY OF OUR STATE AND THAT INCLUDES AND WE HAVEN'T ADDED OF TRANSMISSION IN THE STATE SO, WE ARE KIND OF IN A 1985 THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE AMOUNT THIS IS A PROBLEM ALL ACROSS

HOW DO WE MOVE POWER? ONE SOLUTION IS LET'S LOOK SOURCES CLOSER TO WHERE TRANSMISSION LINES. THERE IS THERE ALWAYS IS FOR EVERYTHING THE STRENGTH OF THE NETWORK THE ENVY OF THE WORLD, IT IS FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD THREE YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, SO THERE IS A BALANCING ACT IT SEEMS UNLIKELY LOTS MORE IS WE CAN USE RENEWABLE ENERGY IT IS NOT AVAILABLE ALL THAT IS ANOTHER ISSUE WE ARE VERY DEPENDENT ON POWER THAT IS A HUGE ISSUE ALSO, AND IT HAS TO BALANCE OUT

HOW MUCH CAN WE AFFORD? WE HAVE HAD A DOWNWARD FOR ELECTRICITY SINCE THE LATE >> Arcie: JEAN MENTIONED >> Julie: ECONOMY BENEFITS? >> Arcie: PUTTING IN MORE SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE COST ARE ALSO, GIVEN THEIR ECONOMIC >> Julie: YOU HAVE TO BE IS GOING TO DRIVE A LOT THERE IS A GROWING MARKET THE ENERGY CRISIS THAT FOR THE REAL PHENOMENON, IT WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF RESPONSE THERE HAVE BEEN NEW POWER MAJOR USERS COME OFF LINE LIKE IN CALIFORNIA WHO DECIDED TO THE GRID RATHER THAN RUN SO, THERE ARE A LOT

PLACE BUT WITH ANOTHER GOOD SO THERE ARE BENEFITS I DON'T THINK ANYTHING WILL BE BECAUSE MOST INVESTORS ARE NOT >> Arcie: HOW IS THE ENERGY THAT IS BEING DEBATED >> Jean: IT IS TRYING TO LAY YOU KNOW, IT IS BEING HOTLY DEPENDENT ON FOSSIL FUELS THAT IS THE CASE AND THE POINT MEXICO, LESS THAN 1% FROM RENEWABLES. AND THAT IS -- ANYONE WHO LIVES HERE KNOWS WE HAVE TWO RESOURCES WE HAVE THAT IS ONE OF THE UNFORTUNATE WE ARE DISAPPOINTED THAT

OPPOSED A RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO WESTERN STATES HAVE DONE SAYS THAT A PERCENTAGE AND WE FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, AND COLORADO AND NEVADA WE THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT A SIMILAR TYPE OF POLICY WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT 100%, 100%, BUT JUST, FOR EXAMPLE, SO, I MEAN, THAT IS IT WOULD BE OUR ENTIRE GRANTED WHEN YOU LOOK OF THE ENERGY PIE, IT IS I THINK BACK IN THE 50'S COULD YOU POSSIBLY HAVE 10%

>> Julie: IT IS OBVIOUS AT PNM WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT IT HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE I THINK WIND HAS TREMENDOUS HOW DO YOU SCHEDULE IT DOES THE WIND BLOW WHEN BUT IT IS BEING USED AROUND SO I THINK OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE AND SOLAR AS WELL THAT WOULD FROM OUR COMPANY'S UTILITIES, THEY WOULD LIKE IT IS A SIMPLE REASON. IT IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES GOING FORWARD, SO WE THINK >> Arcie: ON TONIGHT'S PROGRAM

TO BRING YOU A REPORT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO PRESENT THAT IS IT FOR THIS WEEK. NEXT WEEK, WE WILL NOT BE JOIN US AGAIN ON MAY 17TH. FOR EVERYONE AT inFOCUS, GOOD MAJOR FUNDING FOR inFOCUS IS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, HEALTH, EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENT >> Narrator: ADDITIONAL

NATIONAL, FIBER CLOTHING,