The legislature started its special session with a very long day that included a revenue defeat in the House. All of the Republicans plus two Democrats voted against the Senate's cigarette tax in the Tax and Revenue Committee earlier tonight.
The two Dems were Sandra Jeff and Andrew Barreras, each of whom was being lobbied heavily by tobacco and big business lobbyists all day. Rep. Ernie Chavez "took a walk" on the cigarette tax (left the room before the vote).
AFSCME and NEA stayed in committee late enough to testify on the cigarette tax, but were significantly outnumbered by tobacco and business lobbyists.
The defeat of the cigarette tax means that the House-Senate leadership budget agreement just lost about $30 million of revenue, meaning that either other revenues will have to be increased or there will have to be additional cuts of about 1% to public and educational employees.
There is a third option: the House leadership could try to "blast" the bill out of committee and get a direct up-or-down vote on the floor, but it can only do so with a majority of votes.
We are working with House leadership, the American Cancer Society, NEA, and other allies to try to round up the votes to win a floor battle to save this $30 million. It is unclear whether this initial, surprising defeat of part of the leadership's budget and revenue package will derail the entire special session.
Please call and email Rep. Barreras, Rep. Jeff, and Rep. Chavez and ask them to change their vote against the cigarette tax and vote FOR the cigarette tax if it comes to a floor vote. Note--because the special session isn't fully staffed, it may just be a question of lucky timing as to whether you catch legislators in their offices, so please make sure you email, too.
Rep. Andrew Barreras (Tome--Valencia County) 986-4243
Rep. Sandra Jeff (Crownpoint--McKinley & San Juan Counties) 986-4243
Rep. Ernest Chavez (Albuquerque--Bernalillo County) 986-4235 ernestc1531@aol.com
Here are 3 other Representatives and 7 Senators who are going to be key votes on passing revenue measures in the next few days. Call and email each to let them know that their constituents are counting on them to stop additional cuts by raising revenue.
For those of you wondering why all the targets are Dems, we honestly try to be bipartisan in our lobbying efforts (as we were in successfully ending future double dipping). But right now there is not a single Republican in either the House or Senate who is even close to voting for any significant revenue enhancements--unfortunately they prefer even more cuts, including to state and university employees and childcare workers, even after slashing over $700 billion already.
House Dems
Elias Barela (Belen--Valencia County) 986-4235 elias@barelalaw.com
Al Park (Albuquerque--Bernalillo County) 986-4411 alpark.nm@gmail.com
Jeff Steinborn (Las Cruces--Dona Ana County) 986-4248 jeff.steinborn@nmlegis.gov
Senate Dems
Pete Campos (Las Vegas--Guadalupe, Mora, San Miguel, Santa Fe & Torrance Counties) 986-4311 petecampos@newmexico.com
Carlos Cisneros (Questa--Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe & Taos Counties) 986-4365 carlos.cisneros@nmlegis.gov
Phil Griego (San Jose--Los Alamos, Mora, Sandoval, San Miguel, Santa Fe & Taos Counties) 986-4861 senatorgriego@yahoo.com
Linda Lopez (Albuquerque--Bernalillo County) 986-4737
Lynda Lovejoy (Crownpoint--Bernalillo, Cibola, McKinley, Rio Arriba & Sandoval Counties) 986-4310 lynda.lovejoy@nmlegis.gov
Mary Kay Papen (Las Cruces--Dona Ana County) 986-4270 marykay.papen@nmlegis.gov
John Sapien (Corrales--Bernalillo & Sandoval Counties) 986-4371 john.sapien@nmlegis.gov
