New Mexico in Focus; 848; Legislative Special Session and LGBTQ Youth

PARTIAL FUNDING FOR THE PRODUCTION OF NEW MEXICO InFOCUS PROVIDED BY THE McCUNE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. >> THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO InFOCUS ... WE TALK ABOUT SESSION. >> BY THE TIME THEY CALLED THE SPECIAL SESSION, A DEAL WAS ALREADY MADE, AND THE VOTES WERE ALREADY THERE. ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS THE THEATRICS. WERE WE GOING TO SEE ANOTHER SHAKESPEAREAN PLAY WHEN WE KNEW THE END RESULT THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN? >> AND, WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT TEENS FACE WHEN THEY COME OUT AS LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL OR TRANSGENDER. NEW MEXICO InFOCUS STARTS NOW. >> WELCOME TO NEW MEXICO InFOCUS. LAWMAKERS WERE BACK AT THE ROUNDHOUSE IN SANTA FE THIS WEEK FOR A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION ON CAPITAL OUTLAY. THE DEAL WAS NEGOTIATED BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE CONVENED, AND THE NEW BILL WAS APPROVED IN ONE AFTERNOON. THIS WEEK'S LINE OPINION PANELISTS WILL TELL US WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT THE SESSION IN JUST A MOMENT. NOW, ALSO THIS HOUR, WE SIT DOWN WITH AN ADVOCATE TO TALK ABOUT PREVENTING SUICIDE AMONGST FEMALE VETERANS. THE LA TIMES REPORTED THIS

WEEK ON A NEW STUDY THAT SHOWS FEMALE VETERANS HAVE A HIGHER RATE OF SUICIDE THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO BETTER SERVE FEMALE VETERANS HERE IN NEW MEXICO? AND, JUNE IS NATIONAL LGBT PRIDE MONTH. WE SIT DOWN WITH LEADERS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND A STUDENT TO TALK ABOUT THE NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR STATE WHO IDENTIFY AS LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER OR QUEER. NOW, LET'S GO TO THE LINE. HAPPENED. THE STATE LEGISLATURE CONVENED THIS WEEK IN SANTA FE FOR A SPECIAL SESSION. LAWMAKERS DID NOT PASS A BILL TO FUND CAPITAL OUTLAY PROJECTS DURING THE REGULAR SESSION EARLIER THIS SPRING, OF COURSE, AND THEN BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WANTED A SPECIAL SESSION, BUT IT TOOK QUITE A BIT OF TIME FOR POLITICAL LEADERS TO AGREE ON A BILL THAT WOULD PASS. THE BILL GOT THROUGH BOTH HOUSES IN JUST A FEW HOURS. I'M JOINED AT THE TABLE TODAY BY TOM GARRITY WITH THE GARRITY GROUP PR. DEDE FELDMAN, A FORMER NEW MEXICO STATE SENATOR AND AUTHOR OF 'INSIDE THE NEW MEXICO SENATE.' PLEASE DO READ. IT'S AWESOME. DAN FOLEY, FORMER NEW MEXICO HOUSE MINORITY WHIP. AND ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTER FORMER RUSSELL CONTRERAS IS HERE.

LET'S START WITH YOU, RUSSELL, AND STAY RIGHT THERE, BECAUSE I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY SORT OF WON OUT HERE. WHAT WAS THE TRAIL THAT LED UP TO THIS AGREEMENT? WHAT HAPPENED BEHIND THE SCENES, AS MUCH AS YOU WERE ABLE TO GLEAN? THERE WAS BASICALLY A GOOD AGREEMENT TO GET THEM OUT OF HOURS. >> WELL, THE MAYORS SPOKE, THE BUSINESS LEADERS SPOKE, THE UNIONS SPOKE AND SAID, GET THE DEAL DONE. THERE WAS NO REASON WHY THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE REGULAR SESSION. A LOT OF JOBS WERE AT STAKE, A LOT OF NEEDS WERE AT HAND. SO BASICALLY, THE FOLKS TOLD LAWMAKERS, STOP ACTING LIKE FOUR YEAR OLDS AND GET BACK IN THERE AND DO YOUR JOB. SO AFTER A LOT OF BACKROOM NEGOTIATIONS, THEY CAME IN. SO BY THE TIME THEY CALLED THE SPECIAL SESSION, A DEAL WAS ALREADY MADE AND THE VOTES WERE ALREADY THERE. ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS THE THEATRICS. WERE WE GOING TO SEE ANOTHER SHAKESPEAREAN PLAY WHERE WE KNEW THAT THE END RESULT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, AND WHO WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING OUTLANDISH. IN THE END, IT TOOK, WHAT, FOUR AND A HALF HOURS TO FINALLY GET SOMETHING DONE. IT WAS FAST, TO THE SHOCK OF MANY OF US. WE THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE AT LEAST ONE WRENCH THROWN IN, AND THERE WASN'T. THEY GOT IN AND GOT OUT VERY FAST.

>> ONE WRENCH, SENATOR PEOPLE UP EARLY IN THE SESSION, BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE MUCH OF A BLIP ON ANYONE'S RADAR AT THIS POINT. >> WELL, THERE WAS SOME OPPOSITION TO THE TAX BILL IN THE SENATE. I THINK THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SOME MORE DISCUSSION OF IT, AS WELL. I THINK THERE WAS AN ACTUAL QUESTION AS TO WHETHER, YOU KNOW, THE TAX TAIL WAGS THE JOBS DOG, AND WHETHER THERE IS ANY KIND OF EVIDENCE THAT THIS TAX PACKAGE WILL CREATE JOBS. >> THERE ARE QUOTES OUT THERE SAYING IT WILL. >> WELL, I KNOW THERE ARE. I KNOW, BUT SHOW ME THE EVIDENCE THAT IT HAS CREATED JOBS IN THE PAST. >> SURE. >> I THINK THAT WOULD BE WORTH SOME DISCUSSION. AND I KNOW THAT SENATOR STEWART HAD A REQUEST TO INCLUDE A SOLAR TAX CREDIT, WHICH WAS NOT APPENDED ON TO THE PACKAGE, AND THAT ALSO HAS THE CONTENTION THAT THAT'S GOING TO CREATE, I FORGOT HOW MANY, 15,000

JOBS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> A LOT OF NUMBERS OUT THERE WITH THESE THINGS. DAN FOLEY, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. I HAVE A PARLIAMENTARY OR PROCEDURAL QUESTION. THERE'S SOME ANGST OUT THERE THAT THE PUBLIC MAY HAVE BEEN SHUT OUT A LITTLE BIT THROUGH A NUMBER OF WAYS. YOU ONLY HAVE FOUR AND A HALF HOURS, NOT MUCH ROOM THERE TO HEAR HOW THINGS ARE GOING. BUT ALSO, LEADERSHIP ARE THE ONES REALLY MAKING THIS FINAL DECISION, AND ALL THE REST OF THE LEGISLATORS ARE GOING, OKAY, WHATEVER YOU GUYS COME UP WITH, WE'LL AGREE TO. WAS THE PUBLIC SERVED IN THIS SESSION, IN YOUR VIEW? THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PUBLIC WHO WANTS TO GO UP AND WATCH THIS STUFF ANYWAY. I CAN TELL YOU, THE GALLERY WAS NOT FULL WITH PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER, WHO CHOSE TO BE THERE. WHEN KIDS CAN GET OUT OF SCHOOL, THEY LOVE TO COME TO THE CAPITOL. WHEN YOU'RE INTERFERING WITH THEIR SUMMER BREAK, NOT AS INTERESTED. IT'S INDIVIDUAL LEGISLATORS' JOB. MANY TIMES WHEN I WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE, THEY WOULD TRY TO RUN THROUGH CAPITAL OUTLAY, AND I WOULD STOP AND START ASKING QUESTIONS. IT WOULD MAKE EVERYBODY ANGRY, BUT THESE INDIVIDUAL LEGISLATORS HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT. SO I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK THERE CLEARLY WERE SOME WINNERS AND

LOSERS. I DON'T THINK EVERYBODY WAS A WINNER. YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY BEAT UP ON GOVERNOR MARTINEZ GOING INTO THIS. THE MEDIA BEAT UP ON GOVERNOR MARTINEZ. SHE GOT EVERYTHING SHE ASKED FOR, EVERYTHING. SHE DIDN'T LOSE ANYTHING. THE LOSER IN THE WHOLE SESSION, I THINK, WAS MICHAEL SANCHEZ WHO PUT UP THE FIGHT GOING INTO THE SESSION, PUT UP THE FIGHT DURING THE SESSION, KIND OF LED THE CHARGE IN THE MEDIA ABOUT HOW IT WAS GOING TO GO, AND WHEN WE GOT THERE, HE WAS PERSONA NON GRATA. IT WAS JOHN ARTHUR SMITH, IT WAS THE GOVERNOR, IT WAS DON TRIPP. IT WAS THESE FOLKS THAT KIND OF SEEMED TO GET THIS STUFF DONE, GET IT PASSED THROUGH, GET IT PASSED THROUGH WITH VERY LITTLE OPPOSITION. THE GOVERNOR GOT THE TAX PACKAGE SHE WANTED. THE RIO GRANDE FOUNDATION, PAUL GESSING WHO HAS BEEN A GUEST HERE MANY TIMES, HE HAS PUBLISHED NUMEROUS ARTICLES WITH THE ACTUAL NUMBERS ON HOW THESE TAX CUTS -- THE LAST ONE HE PUBLISHED WAS GIVING GOVERNOR RICHARDSON CREDIT. SO THESE TAX INCENTIVES DO WORK. WHAT WE DO HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF IS, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TAX INCENTIVE AND THE GOVERNMENT GIVING MONEY TO PEOPLE. WE'VE GOT TO GET BETTER AT MAKING SURE WE'RE GETTING CLAWBACKS SO THAT MONEY COMES BACK. BUT I THINK THE WINNER OVERALL THIS SESSION HAS TO BE, NO. 1, SUSANA MARTINEZ. I THINK NO. 2 AND 2B IS DON TRIPP AND JOHN ARTHUR SMITH. >> OKAY.

TOM, SOME OTHER FOLKS WIN OUT HERE. SENIOR CENTERS. THERE WAS A LOT OF NEED OUT THERE. HAS THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR ABSOLUTELY RESCUED THEMSELVES HERE FROM NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THIS DONE IN THE SPRING? DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? ARE FOLKS BUYING IT? THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF OUT THERE HEAPING PRAISE ON THESE PEOPLE, IN THE PRESS, FOR SIMPLY DOING THEIR JOBS. IT'S VERY INTERESTING. >> WELL, THERE'S DOING YOUR JOB, AND THEN THERE'S DOING YOUR JOB IN SECRET AND THEN, HEY, EVERYBODY, HERE'S WHAT NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO SEE HOW THE SAUSAGE IS MADE, AND I DON'T THINK THAT IF THIS PROCESS WAS PUBLIC, THAT IT EVER WOULD HAVE MADE THE DINNER TABLE. SO I THINK THE WINNERS IN THIS PARTICULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION WERE DEFINITELY THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ALL THE CAPITAL OUTLAY PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HAPPENING, AS WELL AS TO YOUR QUESTION SPECIFICALLY, THE SINGLE SALES FACTOR. I THINK THAT WAS A HUGE WIN. AND HERE'S THE REASON WHY. FOR ME, WHILE WE HAVE DONE WORK IN THE PAST WITH LAVU, I'M JUST USING THEM AS AN EXAMPLE.

BUT LAVU, A NEW MEXICO TECH COMPANY, HAS NOW ANNOUNCED ANOTHER ROUND OF FUNDING, WHICH IS GOING TO BE GREAT FOR THEM, BUT IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE GREAT FOR NEW MEXICO, BECAUSE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO OPEN UP OFFICES ON THE WEST COAST, ON THE EAST COAST, AND THIS SINGLE SALES FACTOR IS GOING TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LAVU TO GROW. SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY GOOD, NOT JUST TO GROW UP OUR OWN TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES OR OTHER COMPANIES, BUT ALSO AS AN ATTRACTOR TO HAVE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LOCATE HERE. >> INTERESTING. I'M A FAN OF LAVU. THEY MAKE POINT OF PURCHASE EQUIPMENT ON YOUR iPAD AND STUFF, AND THEY'VE BECOME A BIG HIT, INTERNATIONAL. IT'S A GREAT SUCCESS STORY FOR ALBUQUERQUE. I LIKE TO MENTION IT. RUSSELL, I WANT TO STAY ON THIS WINNERS AND LOSERS THEME. DAN MENTIONED A ROSTER OF NAMES THERE THAT IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER WOULD SOUND LIKE A BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT WAS HAD HERE, AND EVERYBODY WAS SUDDENLY GETTING ALONG HERE. JOHN ARTHUR SMITH SMILING. GOVERNOR SUSANA MARTINEZ SMILING AFTERWARDS. EVERYONE IS FEELING PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THIS. WHO ACTUALLY CAME OUT AHEAD ON THIS? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, MARTINEZ CAME OUT AHEAD, BUT ALSO THIS IS WHERE HER STRENGTH

WAS. SHE RAN ON BEING A BIPARTISAN GOVERNOR. SHE HAD DEMOCRATS IN HER COMMERCIALS. WHAT I THOUGHT WERE THE LOSERS WERE -- YOU KNOW, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY RIGHT NOW IS IN DISARRAY. WHEN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WAS ANNOUNCED, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY CAME OUT AND TOUTED MARTINEZ, MARTINEZ HAD A BIPARTISAN DEAL. I HEARD NOTHING FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. I HEARD SOMETHING FROM THE SENATE DEMOCRATS, AND THAT'S A VOID. THERE'S A LEADERSHIP VOID IN THE HOUSE AND A LEADERSHIP VOID OVERALL, AND THIS IS VERY TROUBLING BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATS OUTNUMBER REPUBLICANS LARGELY HERE. IT'S A SIGN TO COME. THERE'S A VOID FOR LEADERSHIP THERE, AND I THINK THIS MAY HAVE WOKEN UP SOME FOLKS TO SAY, OKAY, NOW IT'S YOUR TIME STEP IN. >> STAY WITH YOU ON THIS. WE MENTIONED BEFORE WE WENT TO TAPE HERE, ANOTHER NAME THAT DAN DID NOT RATTLE OFF THAT DIDN'T GET MENTIONED POST WAS NATE GENTRY, SPEAKING OF LEADERSHIP. WHAT HAPPENED THERE? HE WAS SO ACTIVE DURING THE SESSION. >> YEAH, HE WAS THE ONE THAT LED THE CHARGE AGAINST MICHAEL SANCHEZ. HE'S THE ONE THAT SAID, MICHAEL SANCHEZ FAILED NEW MEXICO. MARTINEZ DIDN'T MENTION HIM AT ALL WHEN SHE TOUTED THIS BIPARTISANSHIP. I THINK HE MAY HAVE BEEN USED AS A TOOL TO BEEF UP THIS PARTISANSHIP, BUT WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT, HE WAS NO LONGER

NEEDED. THAT MAY BE A THEME WE SEE HERE AGAIN AND MAYBE SOMETHING WE SEE THE NEXT SESSION. >> SURE. DEDE, THE STRONG PARTISAN, IT'S INTERESTING. >> YOU MEAN, SENATOR SANCHEZ. >> WELL, NO, NATE GENTRY. >> YES, BOTH OF THEM. >> ONE AND THE SAME, AS DAN SAID. >> BOTH OF THEM ARE, AND THAT'S THEIR ROLE AS THE MINORITY LEADER AND THE MAJORITY LEADER. THE OTHERS ARE LEADERS OF THE ENTIRE, BOTH OF THE BODIES. SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT YOU LOOK TO FOR MORE BIPARTISAN APPROACH. BUT I THINK IN TERMS OF WHO IS A WINNER AND WHO IS A LOSER, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL UNTANGLING OF THE CAPITAL OUTLAY BILL AND SEE THAT ACTUALLY THE DEMOCRATS, ALTHOUGH MAYBE THEY LOST THE P.R. BATTLE TO SOME EXTENT, THEY GOT ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS REINSERTED INTO THE CAPITAL OUTLAY BILL, AND SOME. 295 RATHER THAN 260 SOME MILLION IN CAPITAL OUTLAY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAD

BEEN EXCLUDED, AND THOSE WERE SENIOR SENATORS. THOSE WERE PROJECTS ON THE REZ THAT PLAY TO THE DEMOCRAT'S BASE, AS WELL. SO I THINK THAT'S SORT OF UNDER THE SURFACE. >> WE WERE ALSO SAYING THAT THE ULTIMATE WINNERS WERE THE TAXPAYERS, THE PEOPLE WHO PAID FOR THIS STUFF, THEY ULTIMATELY WON. >> YEAH, I THINK IN TERMS OF THE CAPITAL OUTLAY, DEFINITELY. IN TERMS OF THE TAX PACKAGE, I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE FISCAL IMPACT REPORT AND SEEING THAT IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE COSTING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AS SOON AS 2019, $6.1 MILLION IN LOST REVENUE. SO I THINK THE FINAL STORY IS A LITTLE BIT CLOUDY. >> INTERESTING. DAN, LAST BIT HERE. ROADS AND TRANSPORTATION. THAT WAS A BIG ISSUE AS WELL. DO WE ALL WIN? ARE ROADS GOING TO BE FIXED HERE? >> THEY HAVE TO. I MEAN, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, THE SENATOR REMEMBERS, WHEN GOVERNOR RICHARDSON DID THE RAIL RUNNER AND DID THE

SPACEPORT, AND THEY TOOK -- THE DEMOCRATS WERE IN CHARGE AND THEY TOOK THAT ROAD MONEY AND REAPPROPRIATED IT. WE SAID THEN, THIS IS GOING TO COME BACK TO BITE US. WE CANNOT READJUST, WE CANNOT REASSIGN MAINTENANCE MONEY AND JUST HOPE THAT IT COMES ABOUT. I THINK GOVERNOR MARTINEZ RAN ON THAT SAYING SHE'S GOING TO FIX THAT, AND I THINK THAT SHE'S BEEN NIPPING AWAY AT THIS, AND I THINK THIS WAS ANOTHER BIG WIN FOR SUSANA MARTINEZ, THAT SHE SAID, LISTEN, WE ARE GOING TO FIX THE ROADS AND BRIDGES, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF ANYTHING ELSE, WE'RE NOT RAISING ANOTHER GAS TAX BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO RAISE THE GAS TAX TO PAY FOR THE RAILRUNNER OR ANYTHING ELSE, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT WITH WHAT WE HAVE. >> ISN'T THERE SOME QUESTION ABOUT, WHEN YOU SAY HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, MONEY, IT SEEMS TO ME, AS I'M READING IT, IS MOVING AROUND. THERE WAS SOME NATIVE AMERICAN MONEY THAT WAS MOVED AROUND FOR THEIR ROAD STUFF THAT SUDDENLY, YOU KNOW, SEEMED TO MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE. THERE WAS A LOT OF SHENANIGANS, IT SEEMED. >> IT WASN'T SHENANIGANS, GENE. WHAT IT IS, IS IT BECOMES ABOUT WHERE YOU CAN -- IN NEW MEXICO, ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS YOU HAVE WITH THE BUDGET, AND I THINK THE SENATOR WOULD AGREE, IS

YOU'RE CONSTANTLY MOVING AND TRYING TO MATCH FEDERAL DOLLARS. YOU'RE CONSTANTLY SAYING, WELL, IF WE MOVE MONEY OVER TO THIS, THAT GIVES US ACCESS TO A GOVERNMENT PROGRAM THAT GIVE US A 2-TO-1 MATCH OR A 3-TO-1 MATCH. THAT'S INHERENTLY, I THINK, APPLIES TO THE PROBLEM IN NEW MEXICO. WE'RE CONSTANTLY DEPENDENT ON HOW DO WE MAXIMIZE OUR DOLLARS TO GET MORE FEDERAL DOLLARS HERE. >> WE'LL SEE HOW THIS ALL PLAYS OUT. UP NEXT, WHAT DOES A NEW REPORT ON SUICIDE AMONG FEMALE VETERANS TELL US ABOUT THE NEEDS OF VETS HERE IN NEW MEXICO? IT'S PUTTING HIM IN A REALLY GOOD SPOT. NOBODY CAN QUESTION WHETHER HECTOR BALDERAS IS A PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT, BUT I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, THERE HAVE GOT TO BE A LOT OF CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS TOUGH ON CRIME THAT LIKE WHEN HE'S DOING RIGHT NOW. >> THIS WEEK, THE LA TIMES LOOKED AT A RECENT REPORT ON SUICIDE RATES AMONG FEMALE VETERANS. THE ISSUE OF VETERAN SUICIDE HAS GOTTEN MORE ATTENTION IN RECENT YEARS, BUT THERE WASN'T MUCH INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON FEMALE VETS WHO COMMIT SUICIDE. THERE ARE MANY ISSUES THAT RESEARCHERS ARE STUDYING RIGHT NOW, INCLUDING THE BACKGROUNDS AND HEALTH OF INDIVIDUALS WHO SIGN UP FOR THE MILITARY, BUT THE NEW REPORT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE

NEED TO LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT THE POTENTIAL CONNECTION BETWEEN MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SUICIDE. NEW MEXICO InFOCUS PRODUCER SARAH GUSTAVUS SAT DOWN WITH A REPRESENTATIVE FROM WOMEN VETERANS OF NEW MEXICO TO TALK ABOUT WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THIS NEW INFORMATION. >> PAT GASTON, RETIRED LIEUTENANT COLONEL IN THE U.S. ARMY, THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> YOU'RE ALSO THE PRESIDENT NEW MEXICO, AND I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THIS LA TIMES ARTICLE AND THE REPORT THAT THEY COVERED. IS THERE A DIFFERENCE WHEN WOMEN COME BACK AND MEN COME BACK AND THE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACE? >> THERE IS DEFINITELY A DIFFERENCE. EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT IN THE SERVICE, WE THINK WOMEN -- WE'RE THE CARETAKERS. WE CARE OF THE KIDS, WE TAKE CARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD, WE TAKE CARE OF THE HUSBANDS, WE TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING. WE TAKE CARE OF OUR PARENTS. WE TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING. SO WHEN A FEMALE COMES BACK AND A GUY COMES BACK, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. A GUY CAN STILL COME BACK INTO A SECONDARY ROLE, WHEREAS A WOMAN IS EXPECTED

TO TAKE OVER AS BEING IN CHARGE, TAKE OVER THE HOUSEHOLD, TAKE CARE OF REARING THE KIDS, AND THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE THE SAME ISSUES, IF NOT MORE THAN MEN. SO THEIR MENTAL HEALTH IS FRAGILE AND IT'S NOT RECOGNIZED, AND THEY'RE EXPECTED IMMEDIATELY TO HOP BACK INTO THE ROLES THEY LEFT, AND SOMETIMES WOMEN DO THAT, THEY'RE ABLE TO JUMP RIGHT BACK IN, BUT IT ALL CATCHES UP AFTER A WHILE. ALL THE TRAUMA AND THE THINGS THEY EXPERIENCED IN COMBAT, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT MST LATER. THE THINGS THEY EXPERIENCE IS DIFFERENT THAN MEN, SO THEY COME BACK WITH DIFFERENT ISSUES. AND THERE FOR A WHILE, THEY CAN JUMP BACK INTO THE ROLE, BUT AFTER A WHILE, IT JUST ALL BUILDS UP ON THEM. >> YOU MENTIONED MST. THAT'S MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA. WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT MORE ABOUT THAT IN RECENT YEARS, ABOUT WOMEN EXPERIENCING SEXUAL ASSAULT, VARIOUS THINGS THAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO THEM WHILE THEY'RE SERVING. HOW IS THAT PLAYING INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH AND POTENTIAL THAT WOMEN MIGHT TRY TO TAKE THEIR OWN LIVES? >> IT'S A LOT TO DEAL WITH. THE STATISTICS SAY -- THE

ARMY SAYS IT'S 1 IN 5, BUT WOMEN IN THE MILITARY ALL KNOW IT'S MORE THAN THAT. OF THE WOMEN THAT I CAME IN CONTACT THROUGH MY ORGANIZATION, I WOULD SAY AT LEAST 70% OF THE WOMEN I HAVE TALKED HAVE HAD SOME KIND OF MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA, AND THEY SAY ASSAULT, BUT WE REALLY SHOULD CALL IT WHAT IT IS. FOR THE MOST PART, IT IS RAPE. A LOT OF THE WOMEN ARE RAPED. THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE ASSAULTED, THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE SEXUALLY HARASSED EVERY DAY. AND HOW THAT BUILDS UP MENTALLY IS, THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY CAN TALK ABOUT IT. IT'S A VERY SENSITIVE ISSUE. AND WHEN THEY WERE IN THE SITUATION, UNLIKE ON THE CIVILIAN SIDE, THEY MIGHT HAVE TO WORK WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL. THAT CAN BE THEIR BOSS, AND YOU CAN'T GET AWAY FROM THEM. WHEN YOU'RE DEPLOYED, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GO? SO YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, THAT STRESS EVERY SINGLE DAY OF HAVING TO LOOK AT THAT PERSON WHO ASSAULTED YOU OR IS SEXUALLY HARASSING YOU, IT JUST BUILDS UP, AND THEN WHEN YOU GET HOME, IT'S EVEN WORSE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT.

SO IT'S BUILDING UP, IT'S FESTERING, AND YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO DEAL WITH JUST DAILY LIFE. AND LIKE I SAID, AFTER A WHILE, IT JUST OVERWHELMS AND CONSUMES A PERSON. >> AND IF A WOMAN SEEKS OUT HELP, MAYBE GOES TO THE VA AND SAYS, I NEED SOME COUNSELING, I NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE, IS SHE GOING TO BE TALKING TO A MAN? >> THE GOOD THING ABOUT OUR VA IS WE DO HAVE A WOMENS HEALTH CLINIC, AND IT'S ALL WOMEN, WHICH IS AWESOME, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED. EVEN THOUGH IT IS A WOMAN, IT'S VERY HARD SOMETIMES TO TALK TO THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE CIVILIAN, AND IT'S VERY HARD FOR A MILITARY PERSON TO TALK TO A CIVILIAN BECAUSE WE KIND OF KNOW THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCES. SO WOMEN TRUST THEM TO A DEGREE, BUT IT IS STILL REALLY HARD TO TALK TO THEM. BUT IT USUALLY TAKES A WHILE FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY SEEK HELP, BECAUSE THERE AGAIN THEY PUT EVERYTHING ELSE FIRST. TAKING CARE OF THEIR PARENTS, GETTING BACK INTO THE STREAM OF LIFE. SO IT TAKES THEM QUITE A WHILE BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY SEEK HELP, BECAUSE THERE AGAIN, THE ARMY, ANY OF THE MILITARY, SAYS BE STRONG, YOU'RE WEAK, YOU CAN HANDLE

IT. SO THEY'RE TRYING TO BE STRONG AND THEY'RE TRYING TO HANDLE IT, AND THEY JUST CAN'T. AND WHEN THEY EVENTUALLY DO GO TO THE VA, THERE IS A WOMENS STRESS DISORDER TEAM THAT IS THERE FOR FEMALE VETS. >> DO WE NEED MORE RESEARCH ON THE EXPERIENCE OF FEMALE VETERANS? >> WE DEFINITELY DO. AND AS THE ARTICLE IN LA ANY RESEARCH BEFORE ON WOMEN, JUST LIKE MANY THINGS WERE KIND OF LEFT OUT. AND WE'RE COMPARED TO MEN, AND WE'RE NOT MEN, SO OUR EXPERIENCES ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN MEN. AND I THING IT'S ABOUT TIME THEY DID THIS RESEARCH, AND IF THEY HAD DONE IT EARLIER, THEY MIGHT HAVE SAVED A LOT OF LIVES, BECAUSE THE MST AND THE COMBAT SITUATION, BEING AWAY FROM HOME, THE WHOLE STRESS OF THAT, YOU ADD ALL THOSE UP AND THAT'S A LOT. AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE YOUNGER WOMEN THAT ARE COMMITTING SUICIDE MORE THAN THE OLDER ONES. THEY DON'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SKILL SETS TO DEAL WITH THE TRAUMAS THEY'VE GONE THROUGH. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR FEMALE

VETERANS HERE IN NEW MEXICO? WHAT WOULD PUT US ON A PATH TO OFFERING THEM THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED? >> I THINK FOR NEW MEXICO, WE HAVE A LOT OF MILITARY BASES, WE HAVE ARMY GUARD, WE HAVE THE AIR GUARD, AND I THINK THOSE COMMANDERS, IF THEY TAKE MST MORE SERIOUSLY -- WHEN A WOMAN SAYS, I'VE BEEN ASSAULTED, THAT IS THE HARDEST THING THEY HAVE EVER HAD TO DO, AND ESPECIALLY TO COMMANDERS WHO ARE MALE. TO HAVE TO GO TO THEM OR THEIR TEAM LEADER, WHO IS PROBABLY MALE, THAT'S ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS THEY HAVE TO DO, AND IF THEY'RE DISCOUNTED BY THEM, THEY WILL PROBABLY NEVER REPORT THAT. AND THEY HAVE A HIGHER RATE, OR A HIGHER PROPENSITY TO COMMIT SUICIDE BECAUSE NO ONE LISTENED TO ME, WHY SHOULD I EVFN SAY ANYTHING, SO ALL THAT STUFF IS BUILDING UP. SO IN NEW MEXICO, ALL OUR MILITARY BASES, THE COMMANDERS NEED TO TAKE WOMEN SERIOUSLY. NO ONE IS REALLY GOING TO GO FORWARD, ESPECIALLY IN THE MILITARY, AND SAY, OH, I'VE BEEN RAPED, I'VE BEEN HARASSED IF IT'S NOT TRUE, BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MUCH REPERCUSSION TO GO BACK THE

OTHER WAY. IT'S USUALLY THE VICTIM GETTING BLAMED. AND THEY KNOW THAT GOING IN. SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO REPORT THAT, ESPECIALLY FALSE. SO COMMANDERS NEED TO TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY. AND THERE NEEDS TO BE, IF WOMEN DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE VA BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT COMFORTABLE, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING INTO, AGAIN, A 90% MALE ENVIRONMENT, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO GO INTO THAT SETTING, THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE HAD SOME THERAPISTS THAT WOULD PROVIDE THEIR SERVICES AT A REDUCED RATE, OR EVEN A FREE RATE IF WOMEN ARE HOMELESS OR COUCH HOPPING, BECAUSE ALL THAT STRESS HAS PUT THEM INTO THAT SITUATION. SO IT WOULD BE NICE IF THERAPISTS COULD DO SOME OUTREACH TO WOMEN, ESPECIALLY MALE THERAPISTS COULD DO THAT. >> PAT, THANKS FOR SITTING DOWN WITH US TODAY. >> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. LAST WEEK, OUR OPINION PANELISTS DEBATED THE CASE

OF ANDREW ROMERO. HE'S ACCUSED OF KILLING RIO RANCHO POLICE OFFICER GREG BENNER. ATTORNEY GENERAL HECTOR BALDERAS PLEDGED THIS WEEK TO LOOK INTO THE ROMERO CASE AND ISSUES IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM HERE IN OUR STATE. TOM, LET ME START WITH YOU. MR. BALDERAS IS BRINGING 12 AGENCIES TOGETHER IN ESPANOLA FOR A VIOLENT CRIMES REVIEW TEAM, AND IT SEEMS FROM THE OUTSIDE READING IT VERY VIGOROUS, WHAT HE'S TRYING TO GET AT HERE. HE'S NOT SHIRKING AWAY FROM THIS AT ALL. HE WAS BASICALLY LOOKING AT THE CAMERA AND SAYING, LOOK, WE'RE NO. 2 IN VIOLENT CRIMES HERE BY STATES HERE IN THE COUNTRY, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING HERE. HOW IMPACTFUL CAN THE AG BE IN THAT OFFICE ON FILTERING DOWN TO THESE OTHER AGENCIES? >> WELL, HE IS THE STATE'S OFFICER, SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE HE HAS A PULPIT WHICH HE CAN USE TO CALL DIFFERENT COMMITTEES AND TAKE ACTION. I THINK IT ALL COMES DOWN TO HOW THAT AFFECTS STATE LAW, LOCAL LAW, AND HOW LOCAL ENTITIES KIND OF WORK. I HAVE TO SAY THAT I'M IMPRESSED, BECAUSE USUALLY YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITHIN WEEKS, NOT WITHIN DAYS,

BECAUSE USUALLY FROM A POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE, YOU'RE SAYING, OKAY, HOW IS THIS GOING TO PLAY OUT? DO I REALLY WANT TO GET IN ON THIS FIGHT? AND I HAVE TO GIVE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CREDIT, HE JUST SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED, THIS IS JUST THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S BACK. >> SURE. DAN, YOUR SENSE OF THIS AND THE OVERALL. >> OH, I THINK KUDOS TO HIM. HE'S THE FIRST STATEWIDE ELECTED OFFICIAL TO TAKE THIS STANCE. REMEMBER, AND I LIKE REPRESENTATIVE DEBBIE RODELLA, SHE'S A GREAT LADY, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS HE DID IS, HE DE-CERTIFIED TOMMY RODELLA. THIS IS LONG AFTER ALL OF THIS STUFF HAPPENED. AND HE'S REALLY PRESENTING THIS IN A NONPARTISAN WAY. WHAT I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR IS THAT HE'S DOING A VERY GOOD JOB OF BEING -- YOU KNOW, HE'S UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU'VE GOT TO ADDRESS ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT THIS IS CAUSING US. IT'S NOT JUST, HOW DO WE THROW PEOPLE IN JAIL, OR HOW DO WE LET PEOPLE OUT OF JAIL, IT'S HOW DO WE MAKE THE POLICE SAFE WHILE THE

POLICE RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF CITIZENS. HOW DO WE LOOK AT THESE AGENCIES. THIS INDIVIDUAL THAT KILLED THIS POLICE OFFICER IN RIO RANCHO WHERE I'M FROM, CLEARLY THIS GUY DIDN'T WAKE UP ONE DAY, FROM HIS RECORD, AND SAY, I'M GOING TO GO DO THIS. I'LL BET YOU CAN TRACK THIS INDIVIDUAL BACK TO THE SYSTEM FAILING HIM BACK WHEN HE WAS A KID, WHETHER IT'S CYFD, THE FOSTER PROGRAMS, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT I THINK HECTOR, AS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, IS SAYING, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL OF THIS. WE CAN'T LOOK AT THIS IN A VACUUM. AND IT'S IN LINE WITH HIS LEGISLATIVE RECORD WHEN WE SERVED IN SANTA FE. HE CARRIED A BILL THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT IN NEW MEXICO THAT WE SUPPORTED, FEW REPUBLICANS DID, BUT IT WAS KIND OF THE START OF THIS WHERE HE SAID -- YOU KNOW, IT WAS NOT REQUIRED BY THE POLICE TO TAPE INTERVIEWS IN NEW MEXICO. YOU COULD SAY, THIS IS WHAT GENE TOLD ME THROUGH HANDWRITTEN NOTES. AND HECTOR HAD A BILL THAT SAID, NO, WE SHOULD TAPE THAT STUFF. AND THAT HAS NOW GROWN INTO THE LAPEL CAMERAS AND THE TAPE RECORDERS ON THE HIPS. SO HECTOR HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS. AND I THINK POLITICALLY, IT'S PUTTING HIM IN A REALLY GOOD SPOT.

NOBODY CAN QUESTION WHETHER HECTOR BALDERAS IS A PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT, BUT I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, THERE'S GOT TO BE A LOT OF CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS TOUGH ON CRIME THAT LIKE WHAT'S HE'S DOING RIGHT NOW. >> SENATOR FELDMAN, DAN MENTIONED SOMETHING INTERESTING TO ME. MR. BALDERAS HAS SENT LETTERS TO THE 12 AGENCIES THAT ARE PARTICIPATING THIS WEEK AND PART OF IT SAYS: 'THE LETTER URGES COLLECTIVE OWNERSHIP OF THE SYSTEMIC FAILURES THAT ALMOST CERTAINLY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS DEVASTATING INCIDENT,' TALKING ABOUT OFFICER BENNER'S DEATH. AGAIN, THE LEADERSHIP ABILITY TO STEP FORWARD AND SAY, WE ALL HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY HERE, MY SENSE IS THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DO THAT ON THIS ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME. AND I THINK THAT WE DO HAVE A PARALLEL. WHEN WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH DWI BACK IN THE EARLY 2000s AND THE LATE NINETIES, FINALLY IT TURNED OUT THAT A LOT OF THIS LANDED IN THE COURTS AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICES LAP, AND FINALLY I THINK IT WAS JUDGE NAKAMURA HERE IN BERNALILLO COUNTY WHO HELD A KIND OF A SUMMIT FOR ALL OF THE JUDGES HERE, AND THEN THINGS BEGAN

TO CHANGE. PEOPLE DIDN'T GET, YOU KNOW, NINE, TEN DWIs AND STILL KILL SOMEBODY ELSE. I THINK THIS IS REALLY COMMENDABLE ON HIS PART. BUT, I WANT TO SAY THAT A TASK FORCE ALONE WON'T DO IT. IF YOU WANT A COORDINATED, GOOD CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, FUND IT. FUND IT. FUND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE, WHICH WE ARE THE 51st IN THE COUNTRY IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE. FUND YOUR PROBATION OFFICE. CREATE A NEW JUDGE WHEN IT'S NEEDED. CREATE A STRONG SYSTEM, INCLUDING PUBLIC DEFENDERS. AND REFORM YOUR COUNTY JAILS RATHER THAN JUST LETTING PEOPLE LANGUISH THERE FOREVER. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PART OF THIS PROBLEM, IS THE

DELAY, IS THE DELAY. >> THAT'S INTERESTING. I APPRECIATE YOU POINTING THAT OUT THERE, BECAUSE RUSSELL CONTRERAS, IT IS INTERESTING, IT'S ORGANIC, IT'S ALL INTERCONNECTED, ISN'T IT, THE JUSTICE SYSTEM HERE. BASICALLY, HE'S SAYING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM NEEDS A SCRUB, NEEDS A FRESH SET OF EYES TO LOOK AT ALL OF THIS. I'M CURIOUS HOW HE'S GOING TO BE HEARD AND RECEIVED. WE HAD JUST TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH THESE GUYS. WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE FOR PEOPLE TO RESPOND TO THAT? >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE'S DOING IS TRANSPARENCY. TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT RESONATES WITH FOLKS. ONE OF THE THINGS IS, LET'S PUT IT OUT THERE. LET'S PUT OUR ZITS AND THE THINGS WE'RE DOING GREAT. BECAUSE NOTHING -- IF YOU PUT IT OUT THERE AND YOU SAY YOU'RE ACCOUNTABLE, THERE'S NOTHING YOU CANNOT RESPOND TO AND SAY, IT'S MY FAULT, WE MESSED UP. AND WHAT HE'S DOING IS SAYING, WE ALL SHOULD BE THAT, WE SHOULD ALL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. AND THE BERNALILLO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS ONE STOP FOR ALL THE CRITICISM. SO LET'S PUT IT OUT THERE, LET'S SEE WHERE WE HAVE MESSED UP. AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, HE'S MENTIONED THAT, OKAY, WE DO NEED MORE RESOURCES.

WE DON'T HAVE A KENDRA'S LAW, SHOULD WE HAVE ONE. AND THIS IS THE SYSTEM WHERE WE GO BACK TO JAMES BOYD AND SAY, MAYBE THIS INDIVIDUAL HERE, WAS THERE A SYSTEMATIC FAILURE. BY PUTTING IT OUT THERE, AND ALSO ADDRESSING THE ACADEMY BOARD, HE'S SITTING THERE SAYING, NOW, WE ALL HAVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND WE ALL HAVE A STAKE IN THIS. >> AND HECTOR IS POSING HIMSELF -- YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION EARLIER DURING THE SESSION ABOUT THE LACK OF LEADERSHIP AND THE DEMOCRAT PARTY RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, HECTOR IS QUICKLY EMERGING AS THAT LEADER, AND HE'S QUICKLY EMERGING AS THAT LEADER THAT HAS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, HAS THE ABILITY TO WORK ACROSS LINES, WORK WITH GOVERNOR MARTINEZ, WORK WITH REPUBLICANS IN THE LEGISLATURE. AND HE'S AT THAT YOUNG ENOUGH STAGE THAT THIS HAS POSED A REAL OPPORTUNITY, AND I THINK HECTOR IS SEIZING THAT MOMENT, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO PLAY WELL FOR HIM. AND I THINK HE'S A GOOD PERSON FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO. >> SURE. INTERESTINGLY, TOM GARRITY, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS OFF AIR, A LOT OF US HAVE, THE AG'S OFFICE IS REALLY KIND OF SWEET IN A WAY. YOU CAN NEVER NOT GET A HEADLINE. YOU CAN ALWAYS GET A HEADLINE, BECAUSE YOU'RE THE

WHITE KNIGHT OF ANY SITUATION. BUT WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF AG'S WHO HAVEN'T QUITE SEEN IT THAT WAY, HAVEN'T WE? >> NO. >> BUT MOST, ALL RIGHT. >> MOST HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUS. TOM UDALL, JEFF BINGAMAN, YOU KNOW. >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> YOU HAVE FOLKS WHO HAVE A PROVEN TRACK RECORD. FOR HECTOR BALDERAS, I THINK WHAT HIS GOAL IS, IS NOT TO WIN THE TRUST OF NEW MEXICO RESIDENTS FOR THE COURTS AND JUSTICE SYSTEM, IT'S TO WIN THE TRUST OF HECTOR BALDERAS, AND HERE'S THE REASON WHY. THE COURTS AND JUSTICE SYSTEM, LAWYERS, JUDGES, IN OUR OWN PERCEPTION SURVEYING, THEY HAVE BEEN NOT ONLY DECREASING IN THE LEVEL OF TRUST AND FAVORABILITY, BUT INCREASING IN THE LEVEL OF DISTRUST AND UNFAVORABILITY OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. SO THINGS HAVE BEEN FESTERING NOT JUST AT THE STATEWIDE LEVEL, BUT IN ALL DIFFERENT REGIONS OF THE STATE WHEN IT COMES TO THE COURTS AND JUSTICE SYSTEM. SO WHAT HE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO DO IS SAY, I AM THE OUTSIDER. HERE I AM, I'M COMING IN TO FIX THIS SYSTEM. SO HE DOESN'T HAVE TO WIN TRUST IN THE SYSTEM, HE JUST HAS TO WIN TRUST FOR HIMSELF.

>> LET'S LIFT THE LID ON THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT. WERE THERE ANY THREADS ON WHAT PEOPLE WERE HAVING ISSUES WITH IN THE SYSTEM PARTICULARLY THAT DROVE THOSE KIND OF NUMBERS? >> NOT SPECIFICALLY. WE DIDN'T SURVEY SPECIFICALLY TO ITEMS OR. ISSUES. BUT WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE ITEMS AS FAR AS PLEA DEALS, POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN UNFAVORABLE LIGHTS, AND THEN ATTORNEYS ALWAYS BEING OUT THERE DEFENDING DIFFERENT FOLKS IN THE PUBLIC SPOTLIGHT, WHETHER IT'S JUSTIFIED OR NOT, OR ANYTHING, BUT YOU HAVE FOLKS IN THE COURTS AND JUSTICE SYSTEM WHO ARE DOING THEIR OWN JOB, BUT THEY'RE JUST NOT REPRESENTING THE ISSUES, OR THEY'RE REPRESENTING THINGS THAT JUST AREN'T WORKING. >> GOTCHA. DEDE, ONE OF THE ARTS OF BEING AN AG IS THE INTERESTING TENSION YOU HAVE NATURALLY WITH FOLKS WHO ARE SORT OF YOUR ALLIES, MEANING LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT YOU'RE ALSO OVERSEEING THESE FOLKS, TOO. THERE'S A FINE LINE ABOUT HOW TO PUSH AND NOT FEEL LIKE YOU'RE AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT AT A CERTAIN LEVEL. DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? HOW DO YOU FEEL HE'S DOING ON THAT? >> WELL, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, REALLY IF YOU LOOK AT THE OFFICE OF AG, YOU HAVE

TO LOOK AT IT HISTORICALLY, AND THE ROLE OF THE AG IS NOT AS THE TOP COP AND THE TOP PROSECUTOR, IT IS AS THE STATE'S LAWYER, OVERSEEING THE REST OF GOVERNMENT, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS DONE LEGALLY. AND YOU CAN SEE HIM STEPPING INTO THAT AS WELL WITH THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AREA. HE IS TODAY SAYING THAT HE'S HIRING PRIVATE AUDITORS IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE THAT INVESTIGATION, WHICH EVERYONE HAS BEEN SO FRUSTRATED WITH. BUT, ON A CAMPAIGN TRAIL, PLAYING UP THE ROLE -- I REMEMBER HAL STRATTON WAS THE FIRST ONE WHO DID THIS. IN FACT, HIS BILLBOARDS WHEN HE CAMPAIGNED FOR AG HAD BLOOD ON THEM, AND PLAYING UP THE ROLE OF THE AG AS A PROSECUTOR. TOM UDALL, WHO WAS RUNNING AGAINST HIM, TOLD ME THAT'S

NOT REALLY THE ROLE OF THE AG, BUT THAT'S THE WAY YOU GET ELECTED. >> INTERESTING. UP NEXT, WE TALK ABOUT BULLYING AND OTHER CHALLENGES THAT YOUNG PEOPLE FACE WHEN THEY COME OUT AS GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL OR >> THAT'S THE QUESTION. A THOUSAND DOLLARS A DAY FOR CONSULTING AFTER HE WAS FINISHED WITH GETTING ALL OF HIS BENEFITS AND SALARY FROM THE PUBLIC DIME HERE IN NEW MEXICO MIGHT NOT BE SO BAD, BUT IF THERE WAS A CROSSOVER THERE, THEN THAT'S A PROBLEM. >> JUNE IS PRIDE MONTH FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY. IT'S A TIME WHEN MANY CELEBRATE, AND ALBUQUERQUE'S ANNUAL PRIDE PARADE IS THIS WEEKEND ON SATURDAY, JUNE 13. BUT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL OR TRANSGENDER REPORT HIGHER RATES OF

BULLYING IN THEIR SCHOOLS. RECENT NATIONAL SURVEYS BY THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION AND ADVOCACY GROUPS FOUND THAT LGBTQ TEENS REPORT HIGHER RATES OF BULLYING, VIOLENCE AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE THAN THEIR PEERS. NEW MEXICO InFOCUS PRODUCER SARAH GUSTAVUS SAT DOWN RECENTLY WITH SOME LOCAL LEADERS AND A STUDENT TO TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND WHAT POLICIES COULD HELP PROTECT ALL YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR STATE. >> THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. WE HAVE AMBER ROYSTER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EQUALITY NEW MEXICO. ERIN NORTHERN, CO-CHAIR OF THE ALBUQUERQUE CHAPTER OF THE GAY, LESBIAN AND STRAIGHT EDUCATION NETWORK. AND ROBYN WEEKOOTY, A HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME. >> ROBYN, I WANT TO START WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE COMING OUT AS A TRANSGENDER PERSON, ESPECIALLY IN YOUR SCHOOL? DID YOU FACE SOME CHALLENGES? >> YES. WELL, I DIDN'T NECESSARILY COME OUT AS TRANSGENDER. TO ME, PERSONALLY, I FEEL CATEGORIZING PEOPLE. SO I CAME OUT AS BISEXUAL,

AS THEN LATER ON WENT TO GAY, AND THEN DISCOVERING MYSELF FEELING TRANSGENDER, AS IN LIKE GOING AS ROBYN. I DON'T KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE IT'S BEEN A WHOLE JOURNEY, DISCOVERING WHO I AM AND GAINING CONFIDENCE ABOUT WHO I AM AND ALL THIS STUFF. >> HAVE YOUR TEACHERS BEEN SUPPORTIVE? >> YES. I HAVE SOME TEACHERS WHO HAVE BEEN CONFUSED AND DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO, AND I HAVE SOME TEACHERS WHO JUST WANT TO SIT DOWN WITH ME AND TALK AND JUST HAVE THAT CLARITY ABOUT MY GENDER PRONOUNS, AND JUST LIKE THINGS THAT -- THEY WANT TO MAKE ME FEEL COMFORTABLE IN SCHOOL. >> WHAT GOES THAT MEAN TO YOU TO HAVE A TEACHER SAY, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT TO DO HERE, SO I WANT YOU TO TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED FROM ME AS A TEACHER? >> I UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE IT IS A LOT TO UNDERSTAND, AND YOU MIGHT NOT GET IT AT THE FIRST CONVERSATION. SO IT CAN BE A PROCESS. BUT I'M GRATEFUL THAT SOME TEACHERS, LIKE, CAME UP TO ME AND JUST TALKED TO ME AND WANTED TO GET TO KNOW LIKE WHAT I -- LIKE JUST TO MAKE

ME FEEL COMFORTABLE. >> MANY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL OR TRANSGENDER, THEY FACE BULLYING IN SCHOOL AND A LOT OF MEANNESS, AND SOMETIMES THREATS OF VIOLENCE FROM THEIR PEERS. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'VE EXPERIENCED PERSONALLY? >> I HAVEN'T WITNESSED OR LIKE EXPERIENCED ANY VIOLENCE FOR OPENLY GAY. WELL, ACTUALLY, YES. IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, LIKE I WAS ALWAYS TEASED JUST LIKE BECAUSE I WASN'T OPENLY GAY AT THE TIME. I THOUGHT I WAS STRAIGHT AT THE TIME. A LOT OF PEOPLE USED TO CALL ME OUT GAY AND ALL THIS STUFF WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS JUST REALLY FLAMBOYANT JUST BECAUSE I'D HANG OUT WITH A BUNCH OF GIRLS AND ALL THIS STUFF. MAYBE THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE. AND I WAS ASHAMED TO BE GAY AT THAT AGE. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF HARD, BECAUSE A LOT OF NAME CALLING AND JUST PEOPLE TALKING BEHIND MY BACK. IT WAS HARD. BUT I GAINED A LOT MORE

CONFIDENCE AND I REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE SAY, BECAUSE IT'S JUST -- NEGATIVITY IS SOMETHING I SHOULDN'T BE WORRYING ABOUT. >> AMBER, ROBYN IS FEELING MORE CONFIDENCE, BUT A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE REALLY DO STRUGGLE WITH THESE THINGS. WHAT'S AT STAKE HERE FOR THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH OF YOUNG PEOPLE? RATES OF DEPRESSION. WE SEE, YES, WE SEE A LOT OF SUICIDE, ALTHOUGH WE KNOW THAT SUICIDE IS A VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE AND IT'S NEVER THE RESULT OF SOLELY JUST BULLYING, BUT CERTAINLY BULLYING IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR DEFINITELY. AND THEN WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF THE ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING THAT OVER TEN THOUSAND STUDENTS ARE MISSING SCHOOL EVERY SINGLE MONTH BECAUSE THEY FEEL UNSAFE. THAT'S JUST HERE IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO. AND WE'RE ALSO SEEING THAT OVER 50,000 INCIDENTS OF BULLYING AND HARASSMENT ARE GOING UNREPORTED IN OUR PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS,

WHICH REALLY TELLS US THAT THERE IS A CULTURE OF SILENCE IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND THAT'S A REALLY DANGEROUS PLACE FOR LGBT STUDENTS IN PARTICULAR. >> ERIN, WHEN YOU WORK WITH TEACHERS, WHAT DO YOU TELL THEM ABOUT HOW THEY CAN ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AND BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION? >> WE TELL PEOPLE, THE MOST TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION IS, FIRST AND FOREMOST, TO LISTEN TO THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS AND WHAT THEY'RE TELLING US, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THE ENVIRONMENT IS SAFE FOR ALL STUDENTS TO LEARN AND TO IDENTIFY AS THEY ARE. ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE MANY THINGS YOU CAN DO IN THE SCHOOL. YOU COULD BE A SAFE ZONE REPRESENTATIVE AND HAVE A SAFE ZONE SIGN OUTSIDE YOUR CLASSROOM TO INDICATE -- >> TELL US WHAT THAT MEANS, A SAFE ZONE. >> SO, A SAFE ZONE WOULD BE SAFE AND AFFIRMING FOR ALL STUDENTS, MEANING THAT IT'S OKAY TO SELF-IDENTIFY, IT'S OKAY TO COME TO THAT TEACHER AND TALK TO THEM AS COMFORTABLE AND SAFE ADULTS

TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH ABOUT YOUR IDENTITY AND QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE HAVING, AND WHERE TO GO FOR INFORMATION AND RESOURCES. >> YOU'RE A TEACHER YOURSELF. DO YOU ENCOURAGE TEACHERS TO START THAT CONVERSATION WITH A YOUNG PERSON, OR WAIT FOR THEM TO COME TO YOU AND SAY, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS? >> AS A TEACHER MYSELF, I ENCOURAGE OTHER TEACHERS TO START THE CONVERSATION EVERY DAY IN THE CLASSROOM BY USING OPEN AND INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE. I THINK THAT WHEN WE USE LANGUAGE THAT CREATES POSSIBILITY AND DOESN'T LIMIT A STUDENT'S IDENTITY, THEN IN THAT SENSE WE'RE OPENING THE DIALOGUE EVERY DAY. >> WHAT IS INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE, AMBER? >> INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE IS TRYING TO GET OUTSIDE OF THAT BINARY. YOU KNOW, A GREAT EXAMPLE THAT ERIN ACTUALLY USES FREQUENTLY IS WHEN A TEACHER WILL STAND IN FRONT OF A CLASSROOM AND SAY, BOYS AND GIRLS. AND SO INSTANTLY, THEY'RE ADHERING TO THIS BINARY. SO LEARNING OTHER WORDS, OTHER WAYS OF ADDRESSING YOUR CLASS THAT DON'T PUT PEOPLE INTO ONE CATEGORY OR THE OTHER, THOSE ARE REALLY GREAT WAYS TO START. >> WHAT ABOUT, SOMETIMES I HEAR PEOPLE SAY, THIS IS

REALLY HARD, THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE FOR ME, AND I FIND IT REALLY DIFFICULT AND I DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THIS. >> WELL, I MEAN, I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T BE IGNORED OBVIOUSLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR STATE, AND PARTICULARLY STUDENTS AND THEIR EXPERIENCE IN SCHOOL. WE DO BELIEVE THAT THE USE IN NEW MEXICO -- I MEAN, THESE ARE OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS, AND IF WE'RE NOT CREATING SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENTS FOR THEM, THEN THOSE NEGATIVE OUTCOMES YOU CAN SEE THEM DOWN THE ROAD. THERE IS A REASON WHY THERE'S SUCH A THING CALLED THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE, BECAUSE AS KIDS ARE PUSHED OUT OF SCHOOL, THERE'S REALLY ONLY A COUPLE OF AVENUES THAT THEY HAVE, AND THEY OFTEN END UP IN A NEGATIVE AVENUE. AND IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T HELP THINGS LIKE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT IN OUR STATE. IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T HELP THINGS LIKE EVEN OUR ECONOMY IN THE STATE. >> AND SOME STUDENTS ARE PUSHED OUT OF THEIR HOMES, OUT OF THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL IF THEY COME OUT. >> ABSOLUTELY. WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS ABOUT

40% OF HOMELESS YOUTH IDENTIFY AS LGBT, AND THAT NUMBER HONESTLY IS JUST STAGGERING. SO, YES, LGBTs ARE COMING OUT, AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, PARENTS WHO DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT TO DO, OR THEY HAVE A LOT OF FEAR AROUND THE ISSUE, OR JUST A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE REACTION THAT TAKES PLACE, AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S A NEGATIVE ONE OF KICKING THEIR CHILD OUT OF THE HOME. >> WHERE CAN THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE GO? >> THERE'S A GREAT ORGANIZATION THAT ACTUALLY JUST STARTED HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE CALLED CASA Q, AND THEY ARE A HOME FOR LGBT YOUTH WHO HAVE BEEN KICKED OUT OF THEIR HOMES. THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT YOUTH ORIENTED RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE, INCLUDING THROUGH YOUTH DEVELOPMENT INCORPORATED. YOUNG WOMEN UNITED, THEY HAVE AN INCREDIBLE YOUTH SUPPORT PROGRAM, AS WELL. THE TRANSGENDER RESOURCE CENTER OF NEW MEXICO. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT RESOURCES OUT THERE TO SUPPORT LGBT YOUTH WHO ARE EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY COMING OUT IN THEIR IDENTITY OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. >> ROBYN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HERE

ON THE SHOW IS A PUSH FOR GENDER NEUTRAL BATHROOMS, AND ESPECIALLY THAT REQUEST COMING FROM THE TRANS COMMUNITY, THAT IT WOULD MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SAFER. IS THAT AN ISSUE FOR YOU IN YOUR SCHOOL? >> PERSONALLY, YES. I HAVE, LIKE, EXPERIENCED WHERE I DO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE INTT BATHRO, S G THE BOY BSE IA ARDIBFR GS. LI, REOUOI HERE? BUTN GOO E RL TMSANI'NO POLICIES LIKE THAT TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS? >> WELL, WE HAVE THE

INITIATIVES THAT'S UNDER WAY RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH GLISTEN ALBUQUERQUE TRANSGENDER RESOURCE CENTER OF NEW MEXICO, THE NEW SOUTHWEST WOMENS LAW CENTER. PART OF THAT INITIATIVE IS LOOKING AT OUR STATEWIDE BULLYING PREVENTION POLICY TO, NUMBER ONE, GET IT IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS, AND NUMBER TWO PUT SOME ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES PARTICULARLY AROUND REPORTING. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THROUGH THE INITIATIVE IS WITH THE MODEL TRANSGENDER STUDENT POLICY IN SCHOOL, AND THERE IS A MODEL POLICY THAT WAS PUBLISHED BY GLISTEN, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE SANTA FE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT RIGHT NOW TO ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT THAT POLICY, WHICH BASICALLY AMOUNTS TO TRANS STUDENTS BEING ABLE TO USE THE FACILITIES AND PARTICIPATE IN ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIES ACCORDING TO THEIR GENDER IDENTITY. >> WE'LL PUT SOME OF THE

RESOURCES AVAILABLE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY ON OUR WEBSITE, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. >> THANK YOU. >> WE'RE BACK AT THE TABLE WITH THIS WEEK'S LINE PANELISTS. THE TRAIN DERAILMENT IN PHILADELPHIA LAST MONTH PUT A NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT ON TRAIN SAFETY. COMMUTER TRAINS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WERE ALREADY FACING A DEADLINE TO UPGRADE THEIR SAFETY SYSTEMS, AND HERE IN NEW MEXICO WE LEARNED THIS WEEK THAT THERE ARE NO FUNDS SET ASIDE TO MAKE THOSE UPGRADES TO THE RAILRUNNER EXPRESS. THE DEBATE OVER THE RAILRUNNER IS NOT NEW. POLITICIANS HAVE BEEN ARGUING ABOUT THIS ONE SINCE THE TRAIN WAS CONSTRUCTED. IN FACT, SOME OPINION PIECES WERE RECENTLY PUBLISHED IN THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL, AND AN INTERESTING DEBATE ON NEW MEXICO POLITICAL REPORT, AN ONLINE NEWS SITE. DAN, I'LL START WITH YOU. YOU'VE SPOKEN OUT AGAINST THE RAILRUNNER HERE MANY TIMES. >> THAT WAS BEFORE I MOVED TO RIO RANCHO. >> NOW YOU LOVE IT? >> NOW WE LOVE THE RAILRUNNER. JUST KIDDING. >> WHOA, OKAY. >> JUST KIDDING.

>> THERE ARE TWO CLEAR SIDES TO THIS. I'M THINKING ABOUT THE REY GARDUNO/PAUL GESSING DEBATE I JUST REFERENCED ON THE NEW MEXICO IN-DEPTH SITE. VERY INTERESTING READING. YOU KNOW, WE'RE ON THE HOOK HERE FOR THIS THING, AND I THINK FOLKS ARE HAVING TROUBLE SEEING THE VALUE, PUTTING THAT WORD IN QUOTES, FOR THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY. WHERE DO YOU COME DOWN ON THIS? WHERE DO WE NEED TO GO TO MAKE THIS THING WORK IN YOUR OPINION? >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, BUT, GENE, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BACK WHEN WE WERE DOING THIS. THIS IS NO SURPRISE. IT'S NO SURPRISE TO YOU, NO SURPRISE TO ANYBODY AT THIS TABLE. THE QUESTION WAS WHEN WE WERE PURCHASING THIS STUFF, DO WE HAVE THE MONEY TO MAINTAIN IT. WE SAW THE RAIL COMPANY PUSHING MORE OF THAT MAINTENANCE TO US. YOU KNOW, WE FOUND OUT NOW FOR THAT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, THE RAILRUNNER WASN'T EVEN INSURED, THAT THEY FORGOT TO CHARGE THEM FOR THE INSURANCE. SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GOT TO EMBRACE THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW AS A COMMUNITY, TO ATTRACT PEOPLE FROM THE BIG URBAN CENTERS TO MOVE OUT HERE. PEOPLE IN NEW YORK DON'T WANT TO MOVE HERE AND DRIVE CARS, THEY WANT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. PEOPLE FROM DALLAS, TEXAS, THESE BIG CITIES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT THESE YOUNG AND BRIGHT FOLKS TO COME HERE AND TO RETAIN THEM. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN'T GO CHASING THINGS THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD AND LET THINGS FAIL ON THE WAYSIDE. YOU KNOW, THE RAILRUNNER, IT'S OBVIOUSLY GOT A PURPOSE. IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED, BECAUSE SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN, AND WHEN THAT

CATASTROPHIC EVENT HAPPENS, IT'S GOING TO BE DETRIMENTAL. BUT WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT WHAT THE GLOBAL VIEW IS ON THIS. ARE WE GOING TO EXPAND THIS DOWN TO EL PASO? ARE WE GOING TO TIE IT INTO A LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM IN ALBUQUERQUE? ARE YOU GOING TO GIVE PEOPLE THE ABILITY TO FLY INTO ALBUQUERQUE, STAY AT A HOTEL, NOT HAVE TO RENT A CAR, AND TRAVEL THROUGHOUT THE CITY, GET TO SANTA FE, GO SKI, DO ALL THAT STUFF? THEN IT MAKES US MORE OF A DESTINATION RESORT. WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE THIS OUT. THESE QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ANSWERED BEFORE WE TAKE THE FIRST STEP. >> GOOD JOB THERE. TOM GARRITY, IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY COMPARED TO THE OTHER SYSTEMS TO TAKE THE RAILRUNNER. IT'S A REALLY, REALLY GOOD DEAL, A REALLY GOOD DEAL. BUT $793 MILLION IS NO JOKE, AND WITH BALLOON PAYMENTS COMING NOT THAT FAR DOWN THE ROAD TO PAY FOR A WHOLE LOT MORE MONEY. SO HOW IS THE PUBLIC SUPPOSED TO FEEL ABOUT THESE TWO THINGS? THE CHEAP RIDE THAT'S GOOD, A QUALITY RIDE, VERSUS THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY, HOW DO YOU RECONCILE THAT? >> HOW DO YOU SELL IT TO A GUY IN ROSWELL OR CARLSBAD WHO'S NEVER GOING TO RIDE THE RAILRUNNER? SPACEPORT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE FIRST LAUNCH, AND BOTH THE SPACEPORT AS WELL AS THE

RAILRUNNER WERE PASSED DURING THE SAME LEGISLATIVE SOMETHING. THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS WE NEED, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT NOT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO UTILIZE. I'M GOING TO GO ON A RISK HERE, BUT YOU CAN PUT BEHAVIORAL SERVICES IN THAT AREA. NOT EVERYBODY IN THE STATE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, ALTHOUGH THEY COULDN'T HANDLE EVERYBODY. THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER KIND OF DISCUSSION. BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SELLING THIS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE MANDATES, FEDERAL MANDATES, AND THEN YOU HAVE UNFUNDED FEDERAL MANDATES, AND IT'S THAT UNFUNDED PART THAT'S REALLY CAUSING THE HEARTBURN HERE. OVERALL, I THINK THE RAILRUNNER IS A GREAT IDEA. I THINK REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE PEOPLE LIKE IT OR NOT, THE STATE IS IN UNTIL IT'S PAID OFF IN ABOUT 20 YEARS. AND SO, HOW DO WE MAKE THE BEST OF IT? >> IS THAT WHERE WE SHOULD BE, THE LONG VIEW HERE? >> YES. >> WE HAVE NO CHOICE, THOUGH. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO, SHUT IT DOWN? >> SOME PEOPLE WOULD BE VERY HAPPY WITH THAT. >> BUT YOU CAN'T STOP PAYING FOR IT. >> THAT'S TRUE. >> IT PROVIDES A GREAT SERVICE, AND I THINK THAT THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF REALLY CLEVER THINGS, INCLUDING THE CARDS FOR VETERANS, AS FAR AS THE FREE RIDES.

THAT'S GOOD, BECAUSE IT NOT ONLY HELPS THE VETERANS, BUT OTHER PEOPLE THEY WANT TO BRING ON WITH THEM, THEY'RE STILL PAYING. >> THAT'S RIGHT. SENATOR, YOU WERE THERE, AS THEY SAY. >> IT WAS THE SAME SESSION, TOO. >> A LOT OF FOLKS REMEMBER THAT. >> SO WAS THE SUPER COMPUTER. >> THERE YOU GO. >> SUPER COMPUTER, RAILRUNNER AND SPACEPORT. >> WE'RE A LITTLE SHORT OF TIME ON THIS ONE, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT SENATOR, RECONCILING THOSE TWO THINGS. SIX CENTS A MILE TO RIDE THE RAILRUNNER ROUGHLY COMPARED TO MANY, MANY, MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT EVERYONE IS PAYING FOR IT, HOW DO WE RECONCILE THOSE TWO THINGS? HOW DO WE FIND THE BALANCE? >> YOU MEAN, HOW DO WE RECONCILE HIGHWAYS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION? >> WE HAVE TO DO BOTH. WE HAVE TO DO BOTH. THERE'S ALL THIS GNASHING OF TEETH ABOUT HOW THERE'S GOING TO BE A BIG BALLOON PAYMENT COMING DUE ON THE RAILRUNNER AND SO ON. NOBODY TALKS ABOUT OUR HIGHWAYS, NOBODY TALKS ABOUT -- I THINK JEFF STEINBORN DURING THE SESSION SAID, WE ARE RIDING ON THE FREEWAY USING MONOPOLY MONEY. WELL, OUR HIGHWAY TRUST FUND IS $100 BILLION IN THE RED

BY 2021, NOT THE BALLOON PAYMENT OF I THINK $112 MILLION FOR THE RAILRUNNER. SO WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THAT, FINANCING THAT ADEQUATELY, AND FINANCING THE RAILRUNNER. I THINK THAT THE MARTINEZ ADMINISTRATION IS DEAD SET AGAINST THE RAILRUNNER. IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, A GREAT PR POINT FOR THEM, THAT THIS ADDED EXPENSE HAS COME UP. IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE THE REAL I.D. NONE OF THE STATES ARE GOING TO MEET THIS EXPENSE, NONE OF THE STATES ARE GOING TO PAY FOR IT. >> NOBODY EXPECTS A RAIL SERVICE TO PAY FOR ITSELF. >> NO. >> NOBODY, EXCEPT SOME DO. I TAKE THAT BACK. AGAIN, HOW DO WE RECONCILE THAT FACT? IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE A MONEY BREAK EVEN SITUATION. KNOW, A LOT OF THE SYSTEMS OUT ON THE EAST COAST AREN'T NECESSARILY, BUT THEY'RE NEEDED. COMING FROM BOSTON, THE THING THAT I SAW, TAKING THE

RAILRUNNER AND TAKING A TRAIN IN BOSTON, IS THE EXPERIENCE. YES, IT'S COMFORTABLE IN THERE, BUT I CAN GO IN BOSTON, AND I CAN'T DO THIS IN SANTA FE, AND GET SOMETHING TO EAT. I'M SITTING THERE WAITING, I HAVE MONEY TO SPEND, I'M LIKE, I COULD BUY A CROISSANT OR EVEN A BURGER, OR SOMETHING, A CUP OF COFFEE. THAT'S NOT THERE. THOSE ARE REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COVER ALL THE COST, BUT THEY DEFINITELY COULD HELP. THAT EXPERIENCE THERE -- I MEAN, FOR SOMEONE DECIDING SHOULD I DRIVE, I WANT TO GO, I WANT TO DRIVE, YOU KNOW, I CAN GET THAT STARBUCKS ON THE WAY BACK. WELL, IF YOU COULD DO THAT WITH THE RAILRUNNER AND HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE. AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T EAT, THEY'LL TAKE PHOTOS AND STUFF, YOU KNOW. >> WE TOOK THE TRAIN, GENE, WITH MY FAMILY. WE WENT UP THERE, NEVER BEEN ON IT BEFORE, GOT OFF AND WENT TO EAT, WENT TO TOMASITA'S, WALKED AROUND A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO. THERE WAS NO WAY TO GET ANYWHERE ELSE, UNLESS YOU WANTED TO GET ON A BUS. >> THERE'S A CONNECTOR. >> NOT ON SUNDAYS. YOU COULDN'T GET OUT TO THE MALL, YOU CAN'T GET OUT TO DO ANY OF THE SHOPPING THINGS YOU WANT TO DO UP THERE.

>> YOU WALK. >> YOU WALK DOWN CERRILLOS TO THE MALL? >> NO, YOU WALK TO THE PLAZA AREA. >> YEAH, BUT THAT'S IF YOU WANT TO BUY TURQUOISE JEWELRY. IF YOU WANT TO GO DO OTHER THINGS -- >> I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY THIS, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. >> AND THERE WERE SOME CABS. BUT THERE WERE SIX OF US IN MY FAMILY, AND THERE WAS NO ONE CAB. SO WE TALKED ABOUT GOING OUT TO THAT OUTLET MALL OUT THERE, THAT WAS GOING TO COST $78 FOR US TO TAKE A CAB OUT THERE. SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE PEOPLE UP TO PLACES LIKE THIS, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, SAME WITH ALBUQUERQUE, FIGURE OUT WAYS TO LET THEM GET OUT OF THE ONE ATTRACTION, DOWNTOWN SANTA FE. LET THEM GET OUT OF THAT ONE ATTRACTION AND GO DO OTHER THINGS, MORE PEOPLE WILL RIDE THIS THING. >> INTERESTING. UP NEXT, WE TALK ABOUT THE TASER CONTRACT FOR THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE THAT WAS RECENTLY RELEASED TO THE >> YOU CAN REACH OUT TO US ANY TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND JOIN THE CONVERSATION. WE'RE AT NM InFOCUS ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER, AND FIND EPISODES AND WEB EXTRAS AT OUR WEBSITE, NewMexicoInFocus.org.

>> I'M GENE GRANT HERE AT THE LINE TABLE WITH THIS WEEK'S OPINION PANELISTS, LET'S END WITH THE LATEST NEWS ON A CONTRACT BETWEEN TASER INTERNATIONAL AND THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. TOM, LET ME START WITH YOU. THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, PETER PACHECO, SAID IN A REPORT THAT HIS OFFICE HAS FOUND PROBABLE VIOLATIONS BY FORMER POLICE CHIEF RAY SCHULTZ IN THE CITY'S RULES AGAINST CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND ACCEPTING MEALS AND PERKS. AS I READ THIS, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT LANGUAGE IS PRETTY STRONG. HOW DID IT INITIALLY HIT YOU? IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT IT IS, SOMEBODY BROKE THE LAW HERE. WITH THAT. I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY STRONG. IT SOUNDED LIKE IT COULD HAVE BEEN STRONG, BUT THERE WERE SO MANY DISCLAIMERS LIKE PROBABLE, YOU KNOW, THE APPEARANCE OF. THEY NEVER CAME OUT AND SAID, HERE IS WHAT ACTUALLY I THINK HAPPENED. FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, I THINK IT'S A LESSON HOW DO YOU PROVIDE A VERY COMMITTAL/NONCOMMITAL REPORT. SO I WAS KIND OF DISAPPOINTED WITH IT, I THINK REALLY KIND OF SET A PARTICULAR STORY, BUT INSTEAD THEY JUST SUBMITTED A LOT OF AMBIGUITY. >> INTERESTING. WE'VE GOT ROB PERRY, THE MAYOR, ANOTHER COMMITTEE LOOKING AT THIS THING.

MAYBE THIS LANGUAGE ISN'T QUITE RIGHT. WHAT WAS YOUR READ ON THIS? >> I JUST THINK IF I WAS ADVISING THE MAYOR, WHICH I'M NOT, DECIDING ABOUT SPLITTING HAIRS ABOUT THE PROBABLY NOT THE AVENUE I'D BE GOING DOWN. I WOULD TAKE OWNERSHIP, FIX IT, SAY IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN ANYMORE ON MY WATCH, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT PEOPLE GETTING IT DONE. I THINK THE PUBLIC IS GETTING TIRED OF THIS, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT MY FAULT, IT'S HER FAULT, OR IT'S REALLY HIS BASED ON WHAT YOU SAID. I THINK PEOPLE ARE DYING FOR LEADERSHIP, AND I THINK ONCE AGAIN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE IS MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE TO STEP FORWARD AS A LEADER AND SAY, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, THE BUCK STOPS HERE, I'M GOING TO FIX IT. >> AS WE TAPE THIS, SENATOR FELDMAN, YOU NEVER KNOW, GIVEN WHAT DAN JUST SAID, THE MAYOR MAY HAVE COME OUT JUST BEFORE THIS AIRS ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND DONE EXACTLY THIS, BUT IS HE ON TO SOMETHING HERE, DAN FOLEY, THAT THE PUBLIC IS LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY TO SAY, LOOK, SOMETHING SMELLS BAD ENOUGH THAT WE DON'T SUPPORT THIS? >> I AGREE WITH DAN. >> I AGREE WITH DAN, YES. >> WOW, HAND HOLDING AND EVERYTHING. >> YES.

BUT THE THING IS, OKAY, THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE SAID THERE WAS WRONGDOING HERE. THERE'S THE STATE AUDITOR, THERE'S THE INTERNAL ALBUQUERQUE AUDITOR, AND NOW THERE'S THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. AND THEN THE ADMINISTRATION COMES AND SAYS, WELL, MAYBE NOT, PROBABLY, PERHAPS. THE QUESTION HINGES ON, HOW FAR THROUGH THE REVOLVING DOOR WAS HE AT THE TIME THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CONTRACT WAS LET. SO IT LOOKS TERRIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION, I AGREE WITH YOU. >> AND THEN, RUSSELL, THE ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, AND THAT'S THE BODY OF PROOF BY THE COUNCILORS AND THE MAYOR, GETTING TO SENATOR FELDMAN'S POINT, SAYING THEY DESCRIBE THE FINDINGS AS POSSIBLE AND POTENTIAL, THEY HAVE IN QUOTES HERE IN THE JOURNAL PIECE. GETTING TO TOM'S POINT, IT'S JUST A LITTLE VAGUE FOR THEM. BUT AGAIN, FOR THE PUBLIC, DOES IT FEEL VAGUE TO THE HOW ARE THEY GOING TO READ INTO THIS? >> IT'S IN AN AREA RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY WITH THE DOJ WHERE YOU STILL HAVE SOME

PROTESTORS HERE AND THERE, THEY'LL SAY, WELL, THIS IS PAR FOR THE COURSE. HERE THEY GO AGAIN, DOING A COVER-UP. AND AGAIN, THE COVER-UP IS ALWAYS WORSE THAN THE CRIME. IF THERE IS ANYTHING TO COVER UP, JUST THROW IT OUT THERE. IF YOU THROW IT OUT THERE AND SAY, IT'S OUR FAULT, WE'LL FIX IT, YOU DON'T HAVE A RESPONSE TO THAT. AND ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW, IT'S A PERFECT TIME TO DO IT WITH THE DOJ. THERE'S THIS ENVIRONMENT THAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO FINALLY DO SOMETHING. EVERYBODY WANTS TO COME TOGETHER. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, LET'S DO SOMETHING TOGETHER. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY. >> SURE. >> AND WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS, THIS IS NOT -- WHERE I FAIL TO SEE THE POLITICAL PART OF THIS IS, THIS IS NOT R.J. BERRY'S CHIEF. >> I WAS WAITING FOR SOMEBODY TO SAY THAT. >> SO I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY, I'M DEFENDING MY GUY. NOW, THE ONLY THING I WILL SAY AS A CAVEAT THAT COULD BE HAPPENING HERE IS, I BELIEVE FROM THE LITTLE BIT OF STUFF THAT I READ THAT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER HE'S GUILTY, THERE'S REALLY NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO HIM. HE'S NO LONGER AN EMPLOYEE. HE'S RETIRED, HE'S GONE. THERE'S REALLY NOT MUCH THEY CAN DO. >> NO, THEY REFER IT TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. IT'S A VIOLATION OF THE GOVERNMENTAL CONDUCT ACT AND THE PROCUREMENT CODE. I THINK THERE ARE SOME THINGS --

>> AND BERRY KEPT HIM ON. >> YEAH, BUT IT'S NOT HIS GUY. >> IT IS HIS GUY. >> IT'S NOT HIS GUY. I MEAN, HE KEPT THE GUY ON FROM SOMEBODY ELSE. HE DIDN'T HIRE HIM. >> HE HAD A DECISION. >> I GET THAT. WHAT ARE WE, SLITTING HAIRS HERE? >> WELL, PROBABLY. IT'S A THICK HAIR. IT'S PROBABLE CAUSE. >> TOM MAKES AN INTERESTING POINT, AND IT'S SORT OF YOUR POINT. WHY? IF IT'S NOT HIS GUY ANYMORE, AND THIS CAME OUT ON WEDNESDAY, WHAT'S THE HESITATION HERE? >> THE ONLY HESITATION COULD BE THAT WHAT THEY'RE FINDING OUT HE DID WRONG, AND I'M NOT DEFENDING HIM BY ANY MEANS, IS THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME, REALLY DIDN'T DO THIS STUFF, BUT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE GOVERNMENTAL CONDUCT CODE WAS WRITTEN, LIKE THE SENATOR IS TALKING ABOUT, THIS GUY COULD GO TO JAIL THEN, AND SO NOW EVERYBODY IS WANTING TO STEP BACK AND SAY, WE DIDN'T REALLY WANT THE GUY TO GO TO JAIL, WE WANT THE CONTRACT TO END AND WE WANT TO GO DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY. BUT THE END RESULT IS, WE DON'T WANT A RETIRED POLICE CHIEF GOING TO PRISON. SO THAT COULD BE THE REASON WHY THERE'S SOME TEMPERING OF THESE COMMENTS. >> TOM, GIVEN WHAT RUSSELL JUST SAID, THERE'S AN OVERARCHING THING HERE. THERE'S A BIG OLD CLOUD, THE DOJ.

I WOULD THINK THIS WOULD MAKE PEOPLE COME TO QUICK DECISIONS JUST TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT THING HERE. >> WELL, IT'S FUNNY, WHEN YOU HAVE THE DOJ CLOUD KIND OF HOVERING OVER YOU, IT CAN EITHER REALLY PROMOTE DECISIONS QUICKLY, OR PEOPLE ARE SECOND-GUESSING AND GOING, WELL, SHOULD WE SAY SOMETHING, SHOULD WE COME OUT HARD ON THIS, OR ARE WE JUST GOING TO WAIT FOR THE DOJ? OVERALL, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION YOU ASKED AT THE BEGINNING, THIS DOESN'T PASS THE SMELL TEST, SO I THINK THAT THERE'S ENOUGH THERE THAT EVERYBODY IS GOING, HMMM, THERE'S ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO LOOK INTO. >> RIGHT. PEOPLE AT THE COUNCIL WILL WEIGH IN, WE CAN SUPPOSE RIGHT NOW. >> I'M SURE THAT, YOU KNOW -- >> WE HAD A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF COUNCILORS THAT ALREADY SENT THE REQUEST UP TO HECTOR BALDERAS. IT WASN'T JUST ONE. >> AND IT'S A NUMBER OF COUNCILORS WHO HAVE TAKEN ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES THAT DON'T HAVE ANYTHING DIRECTLY TO DO WITH THE CITY. SANTOLINA BEING ONE OF THEM. SO I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED TO SEE THEM CONTINUING ON. >> THAT'S RIGHT. SENATOR, HE WAS MAKING, AND HE BEING CHIEF SCHULTZ AT THE TIME, HE WAS MAKING A THOUSAND DOLLARS A DAY. THAT'S GOOD MONEY AROUND THIS PARTS FOR CONSULTING PEOPLE. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND YET THE CITY, TO ADD TO THE LIST OF WHOAS HERE FOR

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, WE MAY NOT HAVE GOTTEN THE BEST DEAL ON THESE THINGS IT MAY TURN OUT BECAUSE OF THIS. WE DIDN'T HEAR FROM COMPETITORS, WE DIDN'T HEAR FROM OTHER FOLKS. DO YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN? SO THE PUBLIC MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SERVED QUITE WELL, EVEN IF IT WAS JUST SORT OF A SLIPPERY WHEN DID HE LEAVE, WHEN WAS HE STILL ON. THERE ARE BIGGER ISSUES, IT SEEMS TO ME. >> RIGHT, AND THAT IS THE PUBLIC GETTING THE BEST DEAL FOR TAX DOLLARS. AND WHEN YOU HAVE CORRUPTION, OR WHEN YOU HAVE CONFLICT OF INTEREST, THAT'S LESS LIKELY. AND SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE QUESTION. A THOUSAND DOLLARS A DAY FOR CONSULTING AFTER HE WAS FINISHED WITH GETTING ALL OF HIS BENEFITS AND SALARY FROM THE PUBLIC DIME HERE IN NEW MEXICO MIGHT NOT BE SO BAD, BUT IF THERE WAS A CROSSOVER THERE, THEN THAT'S A PROBLEM. >> RIGHT. DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE COUNCIL WEIGHING IN ON THIS SAYING, WE WANT SOME NEW RULES HERE ABOUT HOW THIS WORKS? >> ABSOLUTELY.

THEY'LL SAY, THIS IS A PART OF THE PROCESS, AND THEY'LL WANT TO BE INCLUDED. >> INTERESTING. THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US. GREAT FRIDAY NIGHT STUFF, REALLY GOOD STUFF. >> I'M GENE GRANT. AS ALWAYS, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT TO STAY INFORMED AND ENGAGED WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK >> GET A PREVIEW OF WHAT'S COMING UP ON THE NEXT NEW MEXICO InFOCUS. IT'S EASY. SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY E-MAIL AT