New Mexico State Senator Dede Feldman's Blog

Rep. Mimi Stewart Talks ABout Teaching Reading……or Not!

We welcome Guest Blogger, Representative Mimi Stewart, who talks about an issue which is critical to the future of New Mexico's work force. Please feel free to share your views and leave a comment for Representative Stewart.

About 6 years ago, "Where We Stand" editorials from Sandra Feldman, the then president of the American Federation of Teachers, appeared in my legislative magazines.  It was high stakes testing time, and her column highlighted the achievement gap as already a factor when kids begin school.  She suggested extending the school year for high poverty students and called it "Kindergarten Plus."  I was an Early Childhood Liaison at the time and I was excited by her proposal because Kindergarten teachers had lamented repeatedly to me, "If I just had some more time with these young kids...!"

As a legislator, I offered House Bill 61 in 2003, the first in the nation, naming it "Kindergarten Plus" after Sandra Feldman. This project has been so successful that last year I offered HB 198, "Kindergarten to Third Grade Plus," another pilot extending the school year for 25 days in Kindergarten through 3rd grade for high poverty students. Legislators were so impressed with the high academic achievement for students in Kindergarten Plus, the new bill passed easily.

But what about the naysayers who cry, "Just adding days doesn't make a difference!" To them I say, yes, adding days is only half the battle.  Our biggest battle in elementary schools is how we are teaching reading.  The old reading wars are over, and we have won the battle. Trouble is, most teachers and administrators don't know the terms of the settlement, i.e. what does the research say about the way children learn to read? 

If you are a brain surgeon and a colleague discovers a procedure that can save the lives of another 5% of your patients, within two months, everyone is using the new procedure. 
Why is it so difficult in education to extend our knowledge of teaching reading?  We're not getting much help from our colleges of education; many of those professors are in denial, have never themselves taught struggling children to read, and are not held accountable for the lack of success in public schools.

We now have strategies, procedures, and new knowledge, based on scientific research, that enables us to teach 95% of our students to read, not just the current 40% we are reaching.  If we start early, if we use explicit and systematic teaching of the five big ideas: phonemic awareness, the alphabetic code, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, and if we will make the commitment to train teachers in these strategies, we can diminish almost every education problem we are facing. 

But where is the leadership in our districts and at the state level that is promoting the science of teaching reading?  In fact, at both the state and local levels, we are making decisions that deny the research on teaching reading, decisions that will continue to yield reading scores among the lowest in the country.

Change is hard; some say we have to honor educators' belief systems.  But teaching reading is not a religion.  It's hard work, rocket science, in fact, and just as important.  It's time for real leadership in teaching reading in New Mexico.

Getting out of Town, to the Valle Grande in the Jemez

Two weeks ago, Mark and I went on a seven-mile hike in the Valle Caldera National Preserve, We joined the “Friends” of this great endeavor to preserve one of the West’s classic landscapes and largest volcanic craters for public use. It took a lot to make this happen, both in Congress and here in New Mexico.  Rep. Roger Madelena and I sponsored a Memorial in 1998 requesting that this land be bought by the federal government from the Dunigans, a Texas oil family who owned much of the remaining Baca Land Grant. It finally was purchased, under the Land and Water Conservation Fund in 2000, with support coming from the entire NM delegation, and finally, Sen Domenici,. However, the proviso was, that it had to be self-sufficient in five years or so. A tall order, but the Trust is going to do it, with more public tours—van tours, cross country events, marathons—as well as with the more traditional ranching, and hunting (there are from 2,500-3,500 elk on the 89,000-acre property.)

Our guided hike, sponsored by the Friends of the Valle Grande, walked around Cerro del Abrigo, a mountain in the middle of the preserve from which you could see several different valleys – Valle San Antonio, and Valle Toledo-- and mountains, including Redondo Peak and Pajarito Mountain. There were great volunteers along who were wild flower and bird specialists from Los Alamos, and tour guide Craig Martin, who wrote a great book about the Baca Location called, Valle Grande: A History of the Baca Location No. 1.  It’s a paperback from All Seasons Publishing ( ISBN 0-9639040-4-3) that’s available from Bookworks in the North Valley and other local bookstores. After the hike, we had a barbecue with a power point from Craig on the history of the land. I’m not a huge fan of power points but for history buffs and naturalists, though, this was great.

To Find out more hikes and other activities at the Valles Caldera Preserve, go to www.vallescaldera.gov.

When Politics and Science Clash: Don’t Give Up on Either

A Commencement Address Given by Senator Dede Feldman to the UNM Biology Department May 13, 2006

  Dr. Loker, Biology Department faculty members, graduates, family members, friends, thank you very much for the opportunity to share a few thoughts with you on this very special day.
 
  First of all, Congratulations to each and every one of you -- not only graduates, but families, faculty, friends and the constellation of people in the community who support you.  Today is a day when I hope you will see just how many people there are out here in the community who are pulling for you, who are proud of you, and who believe in you.  And, although I know few of you, I count myself as one of those. I think you are very special people and I want to tell you why.
 
  The first reason has to do with the title of this talk, “When Politics and Science Clash.”
 
  You have graduated with a degree in biology! I don’t know why you decided to pursue this major; maybe some of you don’t either.  Perhaps it was because you felt a great interest in our shared natural heritage, in animal or plant life, or in preserving our endangered ecosystems.  Or, maybe it was because you enjoyed experiments, or never got over that childhood fascination with dinosaurs.  In any case, you are now a biology graduate.  If you intend to pursue biology, healthcare, research,  or any scientific calling, that puts you on the front line of a controversial, cultural clash that will only grow as science edges closer to the roots of human life.
 
  You are and will be very important.  And I am here today to ask you to stand up for science.
 
  Your parents, some of the faculty here, and I grew up in the 1960s and 70s -- a very different age, yes, also one with many conflicts -- but one with a shared belief in the value of science.  We had a young president who challenged Sputnik-era scientists to put a man on the moon, and we were a generation of teenagers who lined up to get the miraculous new polio vaccine in high school gyms throughout the nation.  We had no doubt. We knew that science had won our parents war -- the Second World War -- we knew that it was fighting epidemics and curing diseases around the world.  We knew that it was making the United States a superpower. The government poured millions into basic research and industry followed suit.  Science, we were certain, was the key to progress.
 
  But something has happened in the past decade that has thrown all of that in doubt.   
 
  Just as scientists discover a vaccine that will protect women against human papilloma virus, which causes five thousand American cancer deaths every year, the FDA draws back.  Just as a day-after pill is approved as safe, and thus becomes an effective way to reduce unintended and teen pregnancies, the government acts to prevent pharmacists for selling it. Further, just as embryonic stem cell research begins to show promise in unlocking the mysteries of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer's, AIDS, diabetes, and MS, the federal government restricts research.
   
  That is just in the field of public health. When it comes to the health of our environment and our planet, many would say that Congress is mounting a full scale assault on the Endangered Species Act, and the administration has not only failed to acknowledge the presence of global warming, but actively altered scientific documents to show there is no link between greenhouse gas and climate change. 
 
  The basic integrity of science is under siege.  For the past two decades, polls have shown consistently that more than half of all Americans believe that humans were created directly by God and only about 22-23% believe that we evolved from an earlier species, with most believing that the universe was created about 7-10,000 years ago. This year’s Dover, Pennsylvania, decision debunking intelligent design will do little to change that core belief.
 
  That is why you are so important.  Just as that Tennessee biology teacher, John Scopes, was called upon to defend evolution in a climate of old time religion, you may be called upon, as teachers, as researchers, or as health care professionals to answer other, more current questions. 
 
  So, when they ask you “do you believe in abstinence only?”, “do you believe in global warming?”, or “do you support stem cell research or intelligent design?” As scientists, your answer need only be “I believe in data.”  But that will take courage.
 
  I hope that courage is what you have learned here at UNM.  And, I hope not just that it will protect you from the slings and arrows of politics -- but that it will engage you in the process.
 
  I say that as a New Mexico state Senator, a politician who is fully engaged in the process; yet, as someone who, I now want to disclose, got a D in biology.  I need your help!  We all need your help at a national level at a time when the US is close to the bottom on math and test scores, and is being steadily outpaced by Indian, Chinese and European scientists and technicians. We also need your help at the state level.  Since I came to the Senate in 1997, almost every major policy question has demanded a scientific perspective -- from the health of the Rio Grande Bosque and what to do about the endangered silvery minnow to the future of health care and what to do about hantavirus, plague or -- now-- a bird flu epidemic in New Mexico.
 
  I am here today to ask you to stand up for politics as well as for science.
 
  For it is only through the political process -- flawed as it may seem today -- that we get to choose.  We get to weigh the alternatives, use the data, allocate the resources, solve the public problems, and make the decisions -- all out in public. Religion, folklore, and personality play legitimate roles in our public discourse. But science must be there as well.  We are counting on you to show us how to resolve differences when theories clash -- not through force or intimidation, but by experimentation and research.
 
  Now, there may be those of you who say “that’s a pretty tall order”.  Well, I say you’ve already taken on a pretty tall order -- the task of studying human life.  Could there be anything more fundamental than that?  Life is the most complex of all systems.  And politics is just one complex cell of a larger organism. 
 
  I know you can do it. You already have  power beyond your wildest dreams -- power from the knowledge you have worked hard to accumulate, from your continued curiosity and your energy.  I hope you won’t be afraid to exercise your power by participating in public life, expressing your ideas, doing a lot or just a little.  Because the world is made up of the little things, no one makes a greater mistake than those who do nothing simply because they can do only a little. 
 
  Finally -- and I know that is the word you’ve been waiting to hear -- I hope you will develop what William Sloan Coffin called  “a passion for the possible,” knowing that the ideal may be just beyond your grasp, but the good is near at hand and there are many opportunities to help other people and fulfill your dreams as well.    
 
  Once again, to the class of 2006, Congratulations on your tremendous achievement and thank you so much for letting me share this great day with you. 

This Weekend’s Tricentennial Celebration: Tricentennial Tiguex Park

Rosie and me enjoying the festivities.
    
 
Tricentennial anyone?  Tiguex Park near Old Town had a makeover and is poised to play a central role in this weekend’s upcoming Tricentennial Celebration.  The park, in fact, has been renamed Tricentennial Tiguex Park and there was a sweet celebration a week or so ago, complete with the entire student body of the nearby San Felipe School.  The controversy over the pioneers statue and the state’s Native Americans had been swept under the carpet for this one, with special recognition given to local genealogy buffs like Emma Moya  (you DON’T KNOW Emma Moya??) and Rosie DeLaFuente, of the Sawmill Neighborhood. 

New Mexico Senator Dede Feldman and Representative Mimi Stewart Speak Out for New Priorities in Federal Budget

For Immediate Release:                                                          Contact:  Sen.Dede Feldman
Monday April 3, 2006                                                              505-220-5958

New Mexico Senator Dede Feldman, Representative Mimi Stewart  Join 155 Women State Legislators to Speak Out for New Priorities in Federal Budget

WASHINGTON, DC -  Calling for a new and better definition of security,
New Mexico Senator Dede Feldman and Representative Mimi Stewart, both Albuquerque Democrats, were among the 155 women state legislators from 45 states  who signed onto a letter delivered on March 14, 2006 to every
Member of Congress, urging significant changes in the proposed FY07 federal
budget.

"Our citizens expect and deserve basic services to keep our community safe
and secure," says Feldman. "People in Albuquerque want a
police force that's properly trained; a fire department that's adequately
equipped; a hospital staffed and ready for any emergency. Common sense
budgeting would prioritize these basic services instead of throwing away
money on outdated, expensive, and ineffective Cold War weapons over at the
Pentagon. That's where this President is funneling OVER HALF of all dollars
in our discretionary federal budget."

The letter cites the fact that the Pentagon budget — which does not even include the money needed for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — is growing at a time when
funds for human needs are shrinking.

And with an “off-budget” expenditure of $315 billion made for the war in Iraq since it began, the price tag has gone up even further.  The National Priorities Project estimates that the war has cost New Mexico taxpayers $993.1 million so far.

Across the country, states and localities are feeling the squeeze from
federal budget cuts - particularly now, when they are scrambling to provide
desperately needed services. The legislators’ letter states: "Hurricane Katrina laid bare
many of the shortcomings in the federal government's ability to address
Americans in crisis. And yet this budget request cuts funds to cities and
states for first responders and critical infrastructure protection by 26
percent. It also eliminates tailored grants to law enforcement and medical
personnel and significantly reduces funding for firefighters."

Feldman says that shrinking federal funding means that states and localities will have to pick up the bill for domestic disasters like Katrina, fires, droughts, and public health emergencies. 

Under the current budget proposal New Mexico would lose $1.3 million in funding for infant formula and other food for nursing women and children under the WIC program.  It would lose 157 Head Start slots, $1.1 million in funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, almost $2.3 million for community policing, and $4.8 million for housing and jobs provided through Community Development Block Grants. 

”As the most powerful, wealthiest country in the world, we should be able to
assure the security of our citizens. We should be smart enough to make wise cuts in the regular pentagon budget and act quickly to address the real needs of our people and our communities,” says Feldman.  --30-- 

Dede’s Top Ten: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from the recent Legislative Session

Dede’s Top Ten: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from the recent Legislative Session

The dust won’t settle on the recent short session of the legislature until March 8, the deadline for the Governor to sign or veto bills, but here’s my personal wrap-up of the top ten disappointments and highlights—five apiece.

First the disappointments:

1. Failure of the Minimum Wage Bill, largely at the hands of the Senate’s Democratic Dixiecrats from Southern and Eastern New Mexico.
 
2. The roller coaster ride of the Medical Marijuana Bill, which left many of the seriously ill advocates at the bottom of the Cyclone—when the bill finally emerged from both the House Agriculture Committee and the House Judiciary Committee on the last night of the session, but was not called up for a vote by the Speaker during the last five minutes of the session.

3. The widespread misinterpretation of the Pay Day Lending Bill and filibuster, which led to its demise on the final day in the Senate.  There’s a division of opinion between the Governor and the Attorney General on this one, with the AG and many advocates saying that no bill was better than the one that would have passed.  The reason:  The AG enacted tough regulations of these companies, which brings them under the Pawnbroker Act—a much tougher standard than that set by the bill.

4. The general atmosphere of secrecy.  This year I generally felt more left out than others when it came to the big decisions on how we should be spending the surplus.  The leadership—especially, the Senate Finance Committee-- played it close to the vest.  The rank and file folks, and even committee chairs like me, had to be pretty smart and pretty fast to figure out what was in—and what was out-- of the budget, especially after the conference committee had done it’s work. The spreadsheets weren’t always accurate, and there was not enough time to go over things.  Of course, it would help if the Senate Finance and the Conference Committee were open meetings, but I hate to be a nag.  I think everyone knows my position on this… given my sponsorship of the ill-fated Open Conference Committee bill.
   
5.   The failure of my bill to study different models of comprehensive health care for New Mexicans.  Working with the Human Services Department, Rep. Danice Picraux and I wanted to create a Task Force composed of employers, insurance companies, labor unions, advocates, uninsured folks, doctors and other providers—to actually cost out a few different models(market based, single payer, hybrids now being discussed at the national level) to provide insurance for all New Mexicans.   You would have thought the sky was going to fall when we proposed this—so much staunch opposition from the Republicans, who apparently don’t even want to study this any further.  Just how far they wanted to stick their heads in the sand, was exemplified by Sen. Sue Befford who filibustered the measure every chance she got, saying that the study alone would lead to socialized medicine! Ironically, I believe that the longer the Republicans, the insurance industry and others stonewall—the more likely a radical change will be.  And employers, who are bearing the burden of high premiums that make them uncompetitive, may soon be on board.  Stay tuned, as the situation deteriorates.

Now, Five Bright Spots:

1. The Solar Tax Credit Bill— I feel like singing “this is dawning of the age of Aquarius,” as they did in Hair.  I’ve been working on this for several years and lucked out t his year with the help of the Governor and the fact that this tax credit was pulled out of the omnibus tax bill that tanked on the final day.  It passed the night before.  It’s really a great credit designed to leverage the federal one.  Together they are capped at 30% of the system cost or $9,000, but this may really make some photovoltaics and hot water heaters affordable. Worth waiting for.  Plumbers and Installers to your stations.

2. The Trauma Bill, which sets up a fund and a system to build up our ailing emergency room and trauma network, especially in rural New Mexico.  We didn’t get the funding we needed, but at least we got a start with $3.4 million.  It’s just a fact of life here that until we get a handle on this, people who are in car accidents in rural New Mexico have less of a shot at living than those in Bernalillo County and Santa Fe.

3. SB 344—the one campaign finance bill that passed.  I was lucky enough to get this passed, with the able assistance of Dean Desidero from the UNM Law School, but it wasn’t without a fight. After I worked with several Republicans on the Senate floor to amend the bill, when it came back to the Senate from the House for concurrence, they all voted against it, even forcing a vote on the ruling of the chair (Lt. Governor Diane Denish), who had ruled that it passed on a voice vote, as most votes on concurrence do.  The bill was a no-brainer for me, barring contributions from potential state contractors during the procurement period and forcing them to disclose if they had made a contribution of more than $250 to the affected public official in the two years before.  You’d think that Abramowitz and Robert Vigil were still well respected public servants.  But really, it seems to have been decided somewhere that the Republicans were bound and determined not to let the Democrats get credit for mending the system.  Might they be planning something for the election season?

4. The decision of the Human Services Department to end the six month re-certification rule than was administratively throwing thousands of children off of Medicaid every month.  Actually, they did this before the session, but we gave them the money to cover these kids—and even more during the session.

5. The passage of the Advance Directive Bill that will allow for better planning for people with mental illness or disabilities—or, for that matter any of us before we become incapacitated or terminally ill.   ooI feel

Love Fest on Senate Floor

   
  Strange Bedfellows Stage Love fest on Senate Floor

This goes way beyond the old saying, “Sometimes politics makes strange bedfellows.”   Although the outcome of most of the ethics reform legislation this past session was bleak, the debate was often lively.  Take for instance, the Senate floor debate over a bill I was carrying to open legislative conference committees.  This issue has been covered extensively by the print media, since the NM Press Association was one of the prime movers, so I won’t repeat the obvious.  I’ll only relate a strange dialogue between Sen. Cisco McSorley, one of the Senate’s most liberal members, and Sen. Rod Adair, one of its most conservative.  Both are proponents of open government—and have said so many times.  McSorley took to the floor to talk about how transparency is the bedrock of democracy, and secrecy its nemesis. Sen. Tim Jennings, an opponent of the bill, spoke about how it would tip the balance of power toward the executive to do whatever it wanted in secret discussions.
 
As an aside, my expert witness on this bill, the Foundation for Open Government’s Bob Johnson, a crusty old wire service reporter who was the chief of the Associated Press in Dallas at the time of the Kennedy assassination, kept sharing his thoughts after the Jennings remarks. Johnson was muttering something about how the executive was one person and an open meeting there would amount to mind reading—aloud.  “The executive is one person--the executive is the executive!”  he kept repeating to me, since expert witnesses, by rule, cannot address the whole Senate.
       
Once all the opponents had introduced their poison pill amendments and made their case that the sky would  fall if this bill was passed  (over 40 states and the US House have open meetings—no cloudburst there…)  Sen. Adair took to the floor to ridicule the reasons to close meetings in a JFK imitation.  “To protect the Senate?  Protect it from what? —the public?,” he asked. Voting, he added, is a primordial act, more basic to democracy than anything else.  Summing up, he said that—even in today’s bisexual world -- he really respected and loved Senator McSorley, the Senator from Nob Hill, as he calls him.

Well, after earlier references by McSorley to the current Academy Award nominee—Brokeback Mountain—which he had used to jab the conservative rancher types who consistently vote against marriage equality—Adair’s remarks caught everyone’s attention.
 
Responding to the love fest, McSorley said he actually thought there were other acts more primordial than voting, and wondered if there would be any fish caught on that fishing trip that Adair had invited him to earlier.  He also asked if maybe he could bring his family and friends along.  The Senate collapsed in laughter and the edge was taken off a very divisive bill, which could have caused great bitterness.  My subsequent donning of a Red Cross scarf—which symbolized the First Aid that we need in order to restore health to our democracy—added to the general hilarity.

Oh well, why not laugh while Rome smolders?  It’s the only way I can make it through to another battle.  And believe me, I have chosen to stay and fight. 

Last Day Legislative Session 2006

      
      
      The last day of the legislative session is a little like High School Graduation.  After the ceremony ends, there’s absolutely no one left in the building—only an eerie feeling that what just happened may have been a fantasy.  I’m still checking on what actually passed and what was left on the table that fateful final day. Ironically, in contrast to what they’re saying in the media about the hang-up being the Senate, a whole lot of bills died on the House floor, due to a Republican filibuster led by Justine Fox-Young and Dan Foley. My own bill to “cost-out” different models of universal health care in New Mexico was a casualty.  But the biggest casualty of all was the Medical Marijuana bill, which had been rescued from the House Agriculture Committee and was next on the agenda when the Speaker brought the gavel down.
      
      We had our own filibuster in the Senate against the Pay Day Lending Bill, which was considered too weak by Sen. Leonard Tsosie and Sen. Bernadette Sanchez, who led a tedious discussion of these lending practices as we waited to see whether the huge capital outlay and the GO bonds would roll off the cliff.  I’m planning on sending you some vignettes, including my top ten disappointing moments, the curious love fest between the Senate’s most conservative Sen. Rod Adair and its most liberal Sen. Cisco McSorley and more … but I need to regain consciousness first.  I’m still recovering from the last night of the session, which, after our 3:30 a.m. adjournment, found me sleeping under my coat on a couch in my office ‘til the gong sounded again at 8: 00 a.m. for the final fray.
      
      I’m attaching the letter I sent to my constituents on Valentine’s Day as my latest update, although obviously it’s a little dated (See postscript):
      
Feb. 14, 2006   Valentine's Day

Dear Friends, Neighbors and Constituents,

It’s Valentines Day and in two days we will wrap up this year’s legislative session. However, even at this late date, there are still many issues hanging in the balance. Last night the Senate adopted the conference committee report on the budget, which reconciles House, Senate and Governor’s priorities. Hopefully, the House will send up this compromise budget bill, along with another $45million budget bill (affectionately called “Junior”) to the Governor tonight. At that point, we will have accomplished the major task of this short session.

This year’s budget weighs in at $5.15 billion—an 8.9% increase over last year. This increase was made possible by new revenue resulting from high oil and gas prices. But, to the chagrin of some -- who were all over the capitol with requests for new programs and huge capital expenditures -- the legislature did not go hog wild. Instead, it put most of the money into education and healthcare.  Also $40 million of recurring revenue went into the water trust fund, which, over time, will help us with the backlog of water needs throughout this dry state.

Education
The new revenue made this a very challenging year for budget makers, but I am generally satisfied with what emerged. The public education budget got an 8.4%boost, with teachers getting a 5% pay raise, educational assistants a 4.5%raise, and with money included to raise the employer contribution to retirement by 1.5 %. Pre-kindergarten programs will also expand with an additional $8million. The higher education budget includes 4.5% pay raises for college employees as well as funding for increased contributions to retirement of 1.5%.UNM Health Sciences Center will get $2 million additional funding from the state each year to help with the uncompensated care they give to so many. State employees will get a 5% salary increase.

Health Care
Health wise, there have been some significant improvements. The Medicaid budget got a boost of 11.3%, including $4.3 million to cover more kids as well as long-overdue increases in reimbursements for doctors and other health care providers. I am happy to say that the health budget also includes $5 million to serve more people with developmental disabilities, $1.5 million for special needs kids under the FIT program, $3.4 million for trauma services at hospitals around testate, and funds for nursing instructors, mental health and methamphetamine treatment programs.

I was successful in getting more funds for suicide prevention, operations at the Rio Grande Nature Center, and a UNM Med School program to train more doctors for rural areas. Perhaps by the time you read this letter, we’ll know whether these funds “stick.” The Governor will have the final word on all these items — even more so this year, because we did not get the budget to his office in time to force action before adjournment. That means he’s free to “line item” veto appropriations he doesn’t want.

Minimum Wage
An increase in the minimum wage, which 87% of you said you favored in my constituent survey, has been hotly contested. It’s been greatly reduced from the initial $7.50 per hour, now with a requirement that employees remain with their employers for a year to receive $6.75/hr. or two years to receive $7.50/hr. Under the current proposal, Santa Fe’s minimum wage would be capped at $9.50 per hour and other municipalities would not be permitted to raise their minimum wage above the state’s. With the clock ticking, it looks doubtful that a meaningful increase will result. I hope I’m wrong.

Medical Marijuana
A bill to legalize medical marijuana, which 77% of you said you supported, died in a House committee several days ago. The bill had passed the Senate with more votes than ever before, after compelling testimony from terminally ill people seeking pain relief.

Paper Ballots
A bill to require paper ballots, which many favor as more foolproof—and Traceable -- than electronic machines, has passed the Senate and is now in the House. The bill has a good chance of passage, although it is opposed by the Bernalillo County Clerk as too costly and impracticable. If it does pass, prepare to sharpen those #2 pencils!

Campaign Reform
I was involved with a package of ethics and campaign reform measures this session designed to address what I can only call a crisis in confidence in our basic democracy. The results have been mixed. My bill to open legislative conference committees to the public bit the dust last week, but my bid to ban contributions from potential contractors during the procurement period, and require reporting of contributions made during the two years prior, is still alive—and fighting the clock. You’ll know the verdict by the time you get this letter.

Solar Tax Credit
My major priority this session, a solar tax credit that will really make the purchase of solar water heaters and photovoltaics attractive, is poised for passage in the House. I have high hopes for this one. As many of you know, my husband and I built our own solar home here in the North Valley.

Capital Outlay Funds
Meanwhile, back on the home front, I have requested capital outlay funds for open space, nature centers on both sides of the river, schools, museums, trails and neighborhood improvements. There were a huge number of requests this year, but I am confident that I will be able to obtain a substantial allocation. Thanks again to those of you who visited, wrote, e-mailed and called me during the session. Most of all thank you to those of you who filled out my survey and sent me additional comments. I hope some of you got a chance to check out my blog at http://senatorfeldman.typepad.com. I hope to post some additional comments on the session there when the dust has cleared. And if you want to get my electronic newsletter, you can sign up at my web site at www.dedefeldman.com or send me your e-mail address at dedefeld@aol.com. Once again, I am honored to represent you.

Still, praying for rain - I remain,

Sincerely Yours,

Sen. Dede Feldman

P.S.  The good news is that my solar tax credit passed, along with my campaign bill to curb contributions by state contractors during the procurement process.

Wage Hikes, Campaign Finance Reform, Support for Medicaid and Teachers Are Priorities in 2006 Feldman Constituent Poll

Re-release 02/07/2006

Contact; Sen. Dede Feldman 220-5958

Wage Hikes, Campaign Finance Reform, Support for Medicaid and Teachers Are Priorities in 2006 Feldman Constituent Poll

When constituents in Dede Feldman’s Senate District 13 in Albuquerque are asked what to do with the state’s surplus revenue, the answers don’t involve spaceports or tax cuts, but revolve around health care and education
. 
As of the day before the session, the Albuquerque Democrat has gotten 423 constituent responses to her annual questionnaire, which was sent to 4,250 voters in the North Valley, West Side and near Heights.  Results are still coming in.

“It’s not a scientific survey but it gives me a feel for what people are thinking,” said Feldman.  “And a 10% response rate is not bad for a survey of this type.”

Fully funding the state’s Medicaid program was the top priority for the state’s surplus revenue, followed by funding a $109 million salary package for New Mexico teachers.  Eliminating waiting lists for services for the disabled, the elderly and children who are medically fragile was the third priority.

87% of respondents favored raising the minimum wage, with the suggested amount averaging $7.70.

Campaign finance reform proposals received high marks with 94% wishing to ban campaign contributions to the Treasurer, Auditor, AG, Land Commission and Secretary of State from those who do business with those offices.  A ban on gifts to public officials by those financially interested in the outcome was favored by 95%; requiring disclosure of expenditures by independent groups was favored by 96%.

87% of respondents favored public financing of state campaigns.

Opinions on whether the State Treasurer and Auditor should be elected or appointed were divided with 52% favoring appointment and 48% favoring appointment.

To improve the status of New Mexico’s children in “The Year of the Child,” respondents’ priorities included:  Providing health care insurance for all children under age 5 (#1); Supporting public education with adequate funding (#2); Providing physical education classes in elementary schools (#3); and Getting junk food out of the schools (#4).

To increase the number of New Mexicans covered by health care insurance, 85% of respondents want to expand Medicaid, 89% favor tax credits for small businesses that do not offer insurance, and 85% favor increased funding for indigent care.

Over 77% favor a universal health care system for all New Mexicans.
In safety related issues, 94% favor graduated penalties for repeat domestic violence abusers, 91% favor stricter anti-methamphetamine measures, and 92% want substance abuse treatment programs.

For Feldman, the most significant findings of the survey are the high degree of support for universal health care insurance and campaign finance reform.  “I think it reflects what’s been going on in the state this year, and how hungry people are for some real reforms,” she said.

For more information on the survey call Sen. Feldman at 220-5958.