Martinez Legacy Claims Are Nonsense

Gov. Susana Martinez seems to be operating on the theory that if you say something often enough, people will believe. I once knew a radio sales manager with the same theory.
On December 13, 2017, the Albuquerque Journal’s Dan McKay reported on fliers mailed by a non-profit group New Mexico Legacy. The fliers touted the Martinez record. McKay’s email inquiry to group secretary Jessica Perez drew a response from Jay McCleskey, consigliere to Gov. Susan Martinez.
New Mexico Legacy is back. The corporate officials remain as McKay reported: President, Amy Orlando, Treasurer, Rob Doughty and Jessica Perez, secretary. The listed address is 3736 Eubank Blvd NE, Suite B-3. Doughty, an attorney, is a member of the University of New Mexico board or regents.
The New Mexico Legacy reappearance came in the form of an email I received this afternoon at 2:29.
The email copy said some untrue things and vastly exaggerated others. In the email she claims credit for “turning the largest budget deficit in state history into a $1.2 billion surplus (without raising taxes).” That happy $1.2 billion of “new money” happened because the Permian and Delaware Basins in southeast New Mexico turned into the hottest oil production places in the nation, not because Martinez did anything.
Martinez claims credit for “the unemployment rate dropping from 7.7% in 2011 to under 5% today.” The rate dropped because of the national economic performance somehow dropping through to New Mexico, not because Martinez did anything. Our healthy tourism sector is because people in other states such as Texas and Colorado are prospering and therefore have extra money to spending in New Mexico.
Martinez claims she “has cut taxes and fees 61 times.” Martinez used to talk about 37 tax cuts. I assume the 37 were included in the 61. I reviewed the 37 in a February 2017 column. Two of the bills increased tax rates, one changed definitions and 34 cut taxes. One tax cut winner was a property tax exemption for property owned by a veteran’s organization and used for organization activities. (HB 437 in 2011).
On the website, susanamartinez.com, Martinez claims the $1.2 billion under the headline, “Balancing the Budget.” That the budget was balanced is a standard claim of governors. The claim is specious. The constitution requires that the budget be balanced. Besides, the legislature, in particular the Legislative Finance Committee, has a whole lot to do with budget balancing.
Overall, the Martinez email is bullshit.