Report from Santa Fe; Anna Crook and Vernon Asbill

. . Report from Santa Fe is made possible in part by a grant from New Mexico Tech on the frontier of science and engineering education for bachelor's, master's and PhD degrees. New Mexico Tech is the college you've been looking for 1-800-428-TECH. Hello, I'm Lorraine Mills and welcome to report from Santa Fe. Today we're doing a special edition sort of looking back at the intense and fascinating legislative session, the 60-day session that just ended. We have two guests today, ladies first, representative Anna Crook, who is a Republican from Clovis. Welcome to our show. Thank you, Lorraine. And returning to the show is Senator Verne Aswell, Verne and Asbil, who is a Republican from Carlsbad. Thank you for joining us. Our pleasure.

Well, now you've had a chance to recover from the session. Tell me a little bit about how it worked for you and particularly how it worked for your district, ladies first. Well, of course, you know, on the capital outlay, and that is one of the things that your constituents are always interested in. And fortunately, the capital outlay was not a vetoed, and so our requests all state intact. And so a lot of really worthwhile projects were funded because of the capital outlay. And in Carlsbad and your area? You know, this is one of the fantastic things that we get to do up here is to be able to take these funds back to our local districts. And it's the fun things that we do. And so it's some important projects that are within our districts that we get to fund. And it's a real pleasure now to come back to our districts and tell the mayors and tell the county commissioners and all these projects how we've helped them out.

Now, I know that you've always focused on water. And this was a year of water. So what are you bringing home in terms of water? Well, in the water, I was able to help with a water and wastewater project that, you know, due to the cheese plant and all. And the infrastructure, I don't get to do a lot of the fluff and all as far as museums and parks and swimming pools and all. My district always needs infrastructure. Roads, you know, that type of thing. So water is very, very vital to our community. You know, with Ken and Air Force Base and our new mission with it. Water is really vital to our community. And of course, you know, we're in the Ogallala Basin and we have different laws than, you know, Texas does. And so because of this, the youth water project is really vital to not only clovus

but the surrounding communities of that. You know, since you mentioned, Ken, and I had never seen anything like the concerted effort that went from every level from your mayors and from the lawmakers and from the governor, it was an amazing effort and it was successful. So congratulations. Thank you. I have a great community. And, you know, we may have our differences over what to name a straight and all. But when, you know, things really get down. Our community does unite. And one of the project, one of the bills up here about, you know, protesting at our veterans or all, you talk about a community that pulled together and we had word that every street that, you know, from where the funeral to the cemetery, it was lined with people flowing, you know, waving their flags and all. So I have a great community. Yes, yes.

How about you? Carlsbad. Really? The rivers. The rivers and the lakes. And Carlsbad is one of those cities that's really taking advantage of the Pekis River and really have done a good job with that. But I had four issues with water this year. Up in Cloudcroft. Of course, Cloudcroft is on top of a mountain and they're always having water issues. We're able to deliver some funding for them to continue their reuse water plan up there which is a fantastic new innovative plan that they're going to be using up there. We've been able to fund that. Also in the Sacramento Mountains, the entire Sacramento Mountains, including Rio Dosa through Cloudcroft down to Timberon, we're doing a hydrogeographic study to make sure to know what the quantity as well as the quality of water that we can produce there. Down in the Pekis River, we're helping Carlsbad with their double legal water supply. We're helping a good amount there. But then probably the most important one that we have is we're looking at the Pekis River settlement to make sure that the state is not having to buy up more land

that is necessary to provide the water to pay back taxes in case of the Pekis River settlement. And we've actually passed a regulation here to allow the state to sell that land back to the landowners but keep tidal to the water rights so that we can pay taxes if we ever have a call on that land. So it's kind of protecting the farmers in the Pekis Valley at this time. So the year of water worked very much for both of you. Absolutely. And another issue that's always there is education and you as an educator, can you speak to the progress that you feel that you see or don't see in terms of education? Well, of course, you know, education is different in every community. I think that my community does a pretty good job of education and, of course, this year, education made out extremely well from what I have seen and all they got, like 60% of the budget,

the teachers got raises and all. And so my constituents, they're pretty sophisticated consumers and they want what they pay for. So, you know, when we put as much money as we do into education, they want to see results. And education in your neck of the woods? One of the things that we're certainly proud of is how we're funding education this year. The concern that we have, of course, is the 11% increase in the state's budget this year and how we're going to be able to fund that in the out years. And one of the things that has created that this year is because we haven't funded, not, I mean, we've funded education appropriately over the last few years. But its other state agencies that have had a flat budget over the last three or four years that we're having to catch up this year. And that's one of the reasons for the real increase in the state budget. But we are very cognizant of the out years and how we're going to be able to maintain that. And we hope and pray that our all-in-gas industry

isn't our extractive industry, still are going great next year and the year following that. But we can always count on that, because they're very cyclical. And so we trust that from the southeast and the northwest of our state to carry a lot of our tax burden and the budget. But we have to be very careful. And so many of us are very... We need to be very cautious about how this budget is going to affect us in the future. And your thoughts on the 11% increase in the budget? Well, and it mirrors what, you know, we were concerned about, you know, the increase at the rate that it was. But he stated it pretty well, as we were playing catch-up. Yes, yes. I'd like to go to a little lighter talk, because you are wearing an item of jewelry, Senator Aswell. And I'm really enjoying it. Right, okay, let's talk about the...

One of the important pieces of legislation, which was to make the Bolo tie, the official tie of New Mexico. Can you speak to this? And we'd like to look at that Bolo tie. Well, I hope it is showing up bright and clear, because I'm very proud of this. My brother-in-law actually made this, Perry Null, from Gallup, New Mexico. And I'm very proud of this. But it is maybe a symbol of one of the things we've accomplished this year with the Bolo tie being the official tie. The Senate has handled this in the past, but many times, and passed this, but this year it went through the House and the Senate, and has gone to the governor. And so it's the official tie now in the Senate in New Mexico. Well, it's quite attractive. And maybe we ladies will be sporting them at some point, too. At least they're not hard to tie. That's correct. Well, back to more serious issues, because there was the medical marijuana bill passed this year.

And many people's mind opens the door to, although it's called a compassion, that you spill. There could possibly be some problems with it, since it is illegal on the federal level. But I'm wondering how you feel. You've worked in the areas of drug rehab, and the whole state has problems, for example, with methamphetamine abuse. How do you feel about this bill? Lorraine, I'm glad you asked that question. This has been really my real passion for the last five years. Five years ago, the National Foundation of Women legislators did an initiative on drug rehab. And I went to Incinato, Mexico, and they had the second chance program. I was so impressed with the program that another representative and myself came back, and we introduced legislation to have a pilot project in New Mexico. We have the entire United States looking at New Mexico. We have got the program in place in Bernalillo County, and it's called the second chance.

We have 50 inmates that we had legislation last year that judges rather than sinning them and incarcerating them, because we don't get to the root of the problem. And so they get out of prison. They go back to their old habits. And all the program has, we opened in September, and it has been really successful. It's not. It's a six to eight month rehab program. I have gotten funding for it. I didn't get funding this time to the extent that I wanted to. I've got Michigan. I've got New Jersey. I've got Texas. The Texas House of Representatives. They're Speaker of the House. And all are coming out to view the program yesterday. The Native Americans went out with just overwhelm with the program and all. And so you know what a problem drug and alcohol is with the Native Americans.

And so this has been my real passion for the past five years. And I'm so excited, you know, that we are open and going. And we've got over 200 people that are waiting, you know, going to the program versus being incarcerated. So this uses drug addictions as well as alcohol? Yes. And I know it's a very complicated controversial topic. But can you give us like just three of the main, how is this different from what they've tried to do before? Okay, you know, a lot of times. And this has been from some of the other places that they say they've been through multiple, you know, rehab and a lot of times using methadone. They say I just, you know, get off of one drug and own to another. This is a process of detoxification. And you know, the Native Americans use the sweat baths and all. And so this is one of the parts of the rehab program. You know, they don't go through the painful withdrawal and all.

And it is ridding the body of the toxins using wholesome food, using vitamins and all. And it has been very successful. And we're really anxious. We've got the University of New Mexico that is going to do an outcome, you know, on the success and all. So I'm very, very passionate. And so need you ask about how I feel about, you know, the legalization of marijuana. I've worked so hard on this program. So I really would have a difficult time supporting the legal medical marijuana. Well, I want you to come back and keep us posted on this second chance program. I would love for you to come and see it. I would like for you to see it. Yes, I would like to very much because that is one of the most difficult problems that we have. And it's funny. They kind of joke about it and they say, well, wave a wand and call it rehab recordabra. But rehabilitation is a daunting challenge for us.

So I'll go and then we'll report back on it. Now, you had some really interesting legislation yourself. Do you want to talk about the black box? Sure can. Okay. You bet. Event data recorders own new cars. This is one of the issues that are brought up. And it's more of a consumer issue. I know that people who have new cars today understand that they have a little 4-inch box on there. They're automobiles that record their every move in case of an accident. The whole idea behind this event data record is to improve the product, which is their automobiles, if they're involved in an automobile accident. But it also gives information about your driving habits, about whether you had your seat belt buckled and how fast you were going and whether you had your brake applied when you're in the event of having an accident. And so what I've tried to pass this year is what is called event data recorder to make sure that you, as the owner of the automobile, retain the rights that information.

That someone just can't come along, take it off of the automobile after it's been involved in an accident. And then maybe even use it against you. So that was one interesting part of what I tried to pass this year. But all that most people did not even know that Big Brother was under their hood now. Absolutely not. I actually went to car dealers and asked them about this and they had absolutely no idea. But 60% of the 2006 automobiles today have that event data recorder on it. And then by 2011, every car will have that event data recorder installed upon them. So I think it's a very timely topic. And I'm afraid that we'll have to bring it up here in a couple of years because it didn't pass through the legislation. As you made it through two committees in the Senate, through the Senate floor, made it through one committee in the House and got stuck in the House Judiciary. Well, I think that, you know, you've brought it to people's attention and I think they'll be more receptive.

I think so. I think so. Speaking of recording that kind of information, do you think enough was done about DWI? Or is this going to be a constant challenge for us as a state? I think it's always going to be a constant challenge in the state. You know, there's not an easy fix to this. But we are going to have to get tough on it and it's going to come all the way from where the alcohol is served. No matter where it is, whether it's on airplanes, whether it's on in 7-11 type drive-in grocery stores, where they can pick up the alcohol that they use to restaurants, to bars. And then driving, you know, under the influence is a huge problem in New Mexico. And it's dynamic and we're going to have to continue to deal with it. And back, you can't let just like behavior. And so that's back to my passion.

You never can. Rehabilitation. Yeah. Yeah. So, well, the jury's out on that one. Let's just hope that they get rehabilitated and that we can get our hands around this huge, huge problem. And since you're both from the east side, I want to ask you something because I've been here session after session. And I'm always concerned about the dynamics between the rural and the urban areas. The urban areas have no idea about country ways. And then I look at the where the power balance in the states are where the population density is. So do you think that the rural areas get a fair shake? Go ahead. Okay. You know, I think they probably do. But because our issues are not really much of the same. And those issues that we can come together on and agree upon which affect the urban and which really is water and quality of life. Those things we can agree upon whether it's whether it's the water and the quality of life in Carlsbad or Clovis.

Or whether it's Navacurkey, Santa Fe, or Las Cruces. We can come together on and I think we understand each other's position on that and we work together to try to come up with a good solution. But there are so many problems both rural and within the urban community that we have to convince others that this is really a problem out there. And how we address that education is probably one of them. We have the Albuquerque School Board and the Albuquerque School District that is under constant attack whether it's to divide the school board into a mayor appointees and elected by the electorate or whether we divide APS into different districts and so forth. My bottom line on this is that I believe we have a pretty good situation in place where we have school boards that are in charge of their school districts and we should not as legislators be trying to dictate on the local level what needs to be happening. Now that doesn't say that we shouldn't be working with those school boards and trying to affect on the local level so I would encourage all of our urban area legislators to work with their school boards, work with their school administration to improve their educational systems just as we in rural New Mexico work with our school boards, work their administration to help our individual school districts out in the rural community.

Well, you talk about the fairness and all and naturally we have different issues and what we talk about now are the issues that you know you have experienced enough and so we've had an awful lot of issues from Albuquerque that I felt like should have been dealt with at Albuquerque. I really wasn't comfortable in voting on their red lights on their issues of no trucks on the say oh whatever the name of that street. You know I felt like those were their local issues and I told them I wish they'd settle those within you know the Albuquerque area rather than bringing them up here because I wouldn't like Albuquerque you know voting on some of the issues that we have in Clovis because I don't think they know those issues like I know them. So there are things that you know because of numbers population etc etc we feel like sometimes that we get a little bit of the short you know end of the stick so to say.

So things will never ever you know be and whether it's money whatever they they usually say well you know Albuquerque pays more they put more but we think that you know we put into and we feel like that we should have a fair share of the pie so yes there are issues that the rule versus you know the metropolitan areas. And so that's one divide the urban versus rural and I'd like you to address if you would like the issue of partisanship in both the Senate and the House. Do you think that both parties are getting a fair shake? Would you like for me to take that first? Go ahead. In the Senate we have a wonderful working relationship with Michael Sanchez with Ben Alstomerano as the majority floor leaders along with Steward Engel who is a minority floor leader and Lee Rausen from Lasgraces.

I think we've developed a real good relationship and I think because of that working relationship we really have directed much of the agenda for this legislative session. And I think because of that working relationship we get a lot of things done for the benefit of all the folks in the state of New Mexico. And I will have to commend the Senate. I have developed the greatest respect for them because of this relationship. You're not supposed to covet but I truly think of it the relationship that the Republicans and Democrats have on. I wish I could say that I felt the same but it's a pretty partisan on the House side. And this time we've had a really difficult time of killing bills and the one or two that we did. We were resurrected and also you know some like a simple memorial and it was almost like you know we couldn't even get a memorial that had any type of controversy.

So I wish we had the relationship but all that the Senate has. Well from the press point of view I did see a few signs. For example when they passed the Capitol outlay from last year that was vetoed and when it was set to be distributed unequally between the Republicans and the Democrats in the House. I mean I saw Democrats stand up and say they can have my Capitol outlay. It's not fair. We should at least distribute it evenly. Now it's true. It was like a $6,000 difference between the Republicans and the Democrats. But the fact is that it wasn't being done fairly and both sides stood up about that. So that was one sign that I saw is hoping it was going better in terms of bipartisanship. Let me add to that the Senate on the Capitol outlay that was vetoed you know for the senators they got all of their vetoes replaced. On the House side it was on the Democrats what they got vetoed and what the Republicans got vetoed then they took half of our veto and divided it and then there was still the inequities of the $6,000 and they did.

We put ours on the National Guard a portion of it and when the Democrats saw that you know they got six not only our half you know half of our half and the $6,000 they did do the right thing and put the $6,000 back into the National Guard. And it was the right thing because they needed now in the time of war more than anything. And what our viewers need to understand is that the majority of the vetoes from last year were Republican vetoes and so the Senate in their wisdom restored to the Republicans constituents out there what they should have gotten last year. And from the House perspective the constituents of the Republicans actually got much less than what they were assigned last year. So partisan politics does come into play in Santa Fe that's part of the if you want to call it the game that we play up here.

But in fairness this time the capital outlay was equitable on the on the House side. Good good. Well we are getting close to the end of our show so I'd like to invite you to give us a minute on what you're working on this year besides your second chance program. That is just so high on my priority that like I told you before I've got all over the United States women and so I will will still be heavily focused on that. And I will come and visit your program and we'll give it up to you. I want you to. Thank you. I really have two issues to work on real hard this year and that education courses retired educator that's what I'm going to focus on but also on the water natural resources committee. I have asked them to focus on the watershed issues for the state of New Mexico but in particular southern New Mexico because the quality and the quantity of water and the other issues that are tied into the watershed issue with our national forest or state lands. And so forth is so important to the quality of life and in all of New Mexico that we really need to address that and we've kind of just skirted around the edges and we need we need to attack that particular situation for the state of New Mexico.

You'll be both pleased to know that I interviewed the governor also at the end of the session. I said well this was the year of water this last session. What's the next going to be and he says well I'm thinking about education coming back to education doing more with education but I'm sorry to say we've run out of time. And so I'd like to take a moment and thank you for joining us representative Anna crook from the Clovis area. Thank you for taking the time. Thank you, Lorraine for having us. It's been my pleasure. Thank you for having us with and enjoy this session and looking forward to working in the center. You bet and I'm Lorraine Mills. I'd like to thank your viewers for joining us today on report from Santa Fe. We'll see you next week. Report from Santa Fe is made possible in part by a grant from New Mexico Tech on the frontier of science and engineering education for bachelor's masters and PhD degrees.

New Mexico Tech is the college you've been looking for 1-800-428-TECH. Music Music