It’s 12:20 p.m. and the Legislature just convened. Gov. Bill Richardson’s agenda for lawmakers, which just came down from his office, includes health care expansion, money for hard-hit Ruidoso, tax rebates for New Mexicans, road construction money and an appropriation for the Secretary of State to run this year’s general election.

Both Democrats and Republicans are unsure that there’s enough extra revenue to expect to pay for much of anything. Economists downgraded the revenue projections to $207.6 million Thursday, but Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, and House Minority Leader Tom Taylor, R-Farmington, said Friday they think that those numbers are overly optimistic.

Both Smith and Taylor said the governor may have a hard time selling the idea of carving out $58 million from a pot of money that represents what will be over and above this year’s operating expenses.

"It’ll be a hard sell," Smith said. Taylor agreed.

Here’s a list of his priorities, according to a press release.
 

Health Care Reform- Reform insurance by requiring providers to hold down rising rates, ensure that premiums go toward health care, and cover 50,000 uninsured children. Cut bureaucracy and eliminate waste by replacing multiple boards with one Health Care Benefits Administration Guarantee patient privacy by putting in place new standards to assure that medical records go electronic and remain private


CARE package · Cost-of-living tax rebate — $120 million

· Working Families Tax Credit — $7.8 million

· Tax Holiday for the holidays — $2.5 million

· Increase child care assistance eligibility — $13.2 million ·

Home heating assistance — $4 million

· Weatherization funding — $2 million

· School bus fuel assistance — $3.2 million

Highway projects · Complete most GRIP road projects — $200 million ($150 million in severance tax bonds and $50 million subject to available funding later in the year and next year.)

Emergency money for Ruidoso floods · Bridge and road repair — $3.6 million

Emergency money for 2008 election · Anticipated additional expenses for November General Election — $1.6 million