I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
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Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
SANTA FE — Gov. Bill Richardson and his successor, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, want New Mexico to know this: There will be a smooth transition.
That phrase was uttered so often at a joint press conference Thursday featuring Richardson and Denish a day after Richardson was appointed as commerce secretary by President-elect Barack Obama that it began to resemble a mantra.
“I promise a smooth transition as does my Cabinet,” Richardson said to start off the event.
“My staff looks forward working with Brian (Condit, Richardson’s chief of staff), all the Cabinet secretaries to make sure that we do orchestrate a seamless and smooth transition,” Denish said.
To make his point, Richardson, who’s not resigning until February, said Denish will get a head start in becoming the state’s chief executive.
The handover in power will start today (Friday) as Richardson’s Cabinet members meet with Denish’s staff.
Meanwhile, next week Richardson will meet with Denish to go over some of the major items in his legislative agenda.
As part of her preparation to take over, Denish will be briefed on and even help to shape Richardson’s budget proposal and legislative agenda for the 2009 session, which starts Jan. 20, Richardson said.
“On some of the major budget items obviously I’ll make the decisions and she’s going to have a role in them, and how that moves forward will be determined in the ensuing days and weeks,” Richardson said.
The governor said he had received two budget briefings but anticipates many more that will include Denish.
“The lieutenant governor will have full access to all our deliberations as we move forward,” Richardson said.
Richardson said he had appointed his chief of staff, Brian Condit, to head up the transition.
President-elect Barack Obama nominated Richardson as commerce secretary Wednesday. But Obama won’t be inaugurated until Jan. 20 and another month may pass before the U.S. Senate takes a vote to confirm him, Richardson said Thursday. He said he doesn’t expect trouble being confirmed, although “I’ll expect plenty of questions. I’ve had a long career.”
That timeline enables him to stay on as governor possibly through February.
During that time, Richardson said he would split time between New Mexico and Washington. “Most of my time will be here,” he told a roomful of media. “But you do have to go there to get confirmation briefings.”
Richardson is leaving New Mexico at a time when the state faces a serious budget shortfall that has already caused him to direct his Cabinet secretaries to cut 5 percent from their budgets and to freeze hiring. Some estimates put the shortfall at $500 million.
After six years as lieutenant governor, a post from which she lobbied for her own priorities and built relationships with lawmakers, Denish said she is ready to become governor.
“I will be ready to step in and take the lead,” Denish said.
Denish was silent on whether she would keep Richardson’s Cabinet secretaries or his legislative team for the remainder of the session when she takes over.
“Any decisions made about changes in the Cabinet or personnel changes will be done an individual basis,” she said. “My goal is one that is a very smooth transition.”
“We’re in challenging times. The people of New Mexico expect us to get down to business,” she added.
Richardson’s departure likely means that Denish will take over midway through the legislative session and raises questions whether she will have time to orient herself to an increasingly hectic schedule as Legislature enters the final month of the session.
Compounding matters, there may be a new Senate president pro tem. Relationships, as much as anything else, help to determine the success of a governor’s initiatives during a legislative session.
Denish thought she had developed enough trust among lawmakers to make her transition less difficult than if she was entering blind.
“I’ll think they will be very generous in working with me ’cause they do know me,” Denish said. “I am not an unknown to them.”
Richardson, who has had a rocky relationship with segments of the Legislature, particularly the Senate, said Denish was prepared to take over.
“Look, we’re different people,” he said. “The lieutenant governor has a different style. They’ll be differences in approach, but philosophically we’ve been very simlar on our policies.”
