My Governor: Bill Richardson
September 7, 2006
“My Governor” is, of course, former UN Ambassador, Secretary of Energy, and current Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico. His charisma lights up a room—he empowers everyone in the room to be better.
Written by Senator Eliot Shapleigh, www.shapleigh.org
“My Governor” hosted a fundraiser for me up in New Mexico. “My Governor” is, of course, former UN Ambassador, Secretary of Energy, and current Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico.
His charisma lights up a room—he empowers everyone in the room to be better. Under him, New Mexico left the torpor of the Johnson years, and moved fast into the 21st Century. Energetic can-do leaders staff his office, and later they run for public office. The whole state is “on fire”---from INTEL in Rio Rancho, to racing in Hobbs, from movies in Santa Fe, to cross border technology in Santa Teresa.
Consider this—when he had a surplus in his budget, he paid for a year of early childhood education, funded children into CHIP, expanded college scholarships, created tax credits to build jobs in renewable solar, hydrogen and wind energy, and bought 50 miles of track to start light rail track Albuquerque to Santa Fe. He even modified the tax code to lessen the burden on middle class New Mexico. And in a world where fiscal responsibility sends a message to markets, he balanced the budget.
Now, contrast that with Austin, where radicals cut taxes for everyone who makes over $100,000, hiked taxes on families who make less, then declared ‘there is no money in the budget” and directed every agency to cut 10% across the board.
Last week, the Texas Attorney General announced he would cut 1844 staffers from the Child Support Division because ‘he didn’t have the money.’ So much for compassionate conservative agenda on child support.
What a difference “my Governor’ makes for the “Land of Enchantment.” And we’ll keep fighting for that difference, for a better Texas and El Paso!
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