Enchantment State News

Republican Whip Rod Montoya (R-Farmington) is not happy with how the 2020 special legislative session is going, according to a New Mexico Republican release.

“There is a reason why Republicans call this session smoke and mirrors," Montoya said in the release. "We simply did not do enough to protect New Mexicans from massive tax increases that the majority obviously plans for January."

The special session comes after three months of Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham dodging requests as to why the budget crisis was continuing to be delayed, the release states.

“The real losers of this session are the businesses, workers and law enforcement who will pay the price for this lack of leadership," Montoya said in the release.

The release notes that Grisham was more interested in increasing state spending than addressing the revenue shortfall that hit $2 billion.

“I think lawmakers and the public are both in shock that this special session has been marred by such partisan tactics while our economy implodes,” House Republican Leader Jim Townsend (R-Artesia) said in the release. “The Speaker should be embarrassed that we will waste more taxpayer funds to finish work that the Senate completed in three days. People are struggling to make ends meet, fighting to get government assistance, and businesses are closing. We were elected to make tough decisions and the only tough decision I saw made was to allow legislators to be paid while they sit at home.”

The release notes that many of the texts of legislation that Grisham considered worthy for nearly three hours and then technical issues caused problems during the session. 

The main budget bill passed without House Republican support and the only win Republicans feel they got for taxpayers was to prevent the state's tax department from levying fines and penalties on taxpayers due to the pandemic shutdown.