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>> WE ARE ON THE CLOCK NOW AND TAKING A MINUTE LONG LOOK AT
THE FACT THAT IT NOW TAKES AN ABSOLUTE MAJORITY TO BE
ELECTED MAYOR OF ALBUQUERQUE. MS. DENISH HOW DOES THIS
CHANGE THE GAME WITH THAT? IS THIS IMPROVEMENT?
>> I THINK IT IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
I AM NOT SURE FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE IT CHANGES
THE GAME VERY MUCH. BUT I THINK IT GIVES AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE VOTERS TO SPEAK AND TO HAVE A MAJORITY
SO THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A MAYOR THAT MAY NOT BE A MANDATE BUT
IT IS OVER 50%. >> SAVES TAXPAYERS A BUNCH OF
DOUGH. >> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE TAX
SAVINGS BUT I AM GLAD IT IS 50%.
I THINK IT MAKES COMMON SENSE. TO ME THE WHOLE ISSUE OF
BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS COMING ON LATE IN THE GAME ON THIS,
YOU KNOW, AFTER ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE DAYS STARTING TO GET ALL
THE EMAILS, VOTE AGAINST THIS, VOTE AGAINST THIS, IT MAKES
COMMON SENSE TO ME. >> DAN, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
IMPROVE CANDIDATE POOL? >> IT IS GOING TO DO NOTHING
BUT MAKE US HAVE MORE RUN-OFF ELECTIONS.
>> I THINK IT IS GOOD TO HAVE A MAJORITY RULE IN A
DEMOCRACY, SO, I LIKE IT. >> IS SOMEONE AN ILLEGITIMATE
MAYOR IF THEY GET LESS THAN 50%?
>> YOU HAVE GOT TO THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT CAN BE 40% OF
10% SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A FRACTION OF THE POPULATION.
>> HERE WE GO ONCE MORE WITH THE MINIMUM WAGE AS BERNALILLO
COUNTY LOOKS AT FOLLOWING ALBUQUERQUE AND MANDATED A
MINIMUM WAGE HIKE. WHY IS THIS SUCH A HOT ISSUE?
JUST THE TENOR OF THE TIMES? >> WE HAVE THE LEGISLATURE
LOOKING AT IT, LET IT FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO
STATE-WIDE. THIS IS A NATIONAL ISSUE.
DOESN'T NEED TO BE PIECEMEALED CITY BY CITY, COUNTY BY
COUNTY, STATE BY STATE. >> WOULD YOU AGREE?
>> I HATE THIS ISSUE. I REALLY, I MEAN, I DON'T LIKE
SETTING A MINIMUM WAGE THAT IS HIGHER THAN OUR SURROUNDING
STATES AND ESPECIALLY BERNALILLO COUNTY THINKING
ABOUT IT, IT IS ALMOST LIKE, OH, US ALSO, LET'S GET IN ON
THIS CONVERSATION. THEY HAVE A GREAT ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CALLED INCREMENT OF ONE, THE IMPACT
THIS IS GOING TO HAVE FOR COMPANIES THAT JUST WANT TO
HIRE ONE PERSON IS DRAMATIC. I DON'T LIKE IT.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?
>> I AM A BIG SUPPORTER OF MINIMUM WAGE.
THERE ARE EXEMPTIONS FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES SO I THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA.
>> DO YOU HAVE AN ISSUE, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, WITH THE
IDEA IF YOU HAVE TO MAKE UP A GAP BETWEEN YOUR TIP STAFF TO
REACH 8.50 AN HOUR, IT COMES OUT OF THE EMPLOYER'S POCKET.
SOMETHING DOESN'T SEEM QUITE FAIR ON THAT.
>> I THINK THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A STRETCH, BUT ON THE
MINIMUM WAGE ITSELF, I THINK THE COUNTY DID IT IN A MORE
THOUGHTFUL WAY BUT THEY DID DO THE THING ABOUT MAKING UP THE
GAP. I THINK THEY DID IT WITH VERY
LITTLE RISK, BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR A MINIMUM
PLUS TIPS MAKE WAY OVER 8.50. >> ON A RELATED NOTE, A VETO
FROM GOVERNOR MARTINEZ THIS WEEK ON A BILL THAT PROTECTS
WHISTLEBLOWERS IN WAGE DISPUTES FOR PUBLIC WORKS
PROJECT. GOVERNOR SAYS IT WAS OVERLY
BROAD, REDUNDANT, WE HAVE STUFF ON THE BOOKS TO HANDLE
THIS. WAS SHE QUITE RIGHT?
>> I THINK SO. WE HAVE MULTIPLE LAWS IN THE
LAST FEW YEARS TO PROTECT WHISTLEBLOWERS AND THEY CAN
SHARE IN THE WINDFALL IF THEY FIND OUT SOMEBODY IS STEALING
MONEY OR MISAPPROPRIATING MONEY.
I THINK IT IS JUST ANOTHER BILL AND WHAT IT WINDS UP
DOING I FOUND OUT IN THE LEGISLATURE, IT CREATES A
PROBLEM WHEN YOU TRY TO BRING SOMEONE TO COURT OVER THIS,
THEN YOU HAVE FIVE OR SIX DIFFERENT STATUTES.
IF SOMETHING DOESN'T MATCH UP YOU'RE IN TROUBLE.
>> DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE THAT IT IS PUBLIC WORKS
PROJECT? >> THE LAW THAT IT IS TALKING
ABOUT IS THIS PREVAILING WAGE LAW THAT WE HAVE OVER LITTLE
DAVIS BACON. I THINK IT IS A HORRIBLE IDEA
THIS BILL. YOU NEED TO ENCOURAGE
CONTRACTORS TO PLAY BY THE SAME RULES.
YOU HAVE GOT TO HAVE A FAIR PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL
CONTRACTORS AND THIS ALLOWS SOME CONTRACTORS TO CHEAT MORE
THAN OTHERS. >> 15 SECONDS.
>> I THINK A VETO IS A TERRIBLE IDEA.
I AGREE WITH JOHN, SIMPLY BECAUSE ON THE PREVAILING
WAGE, YOU HEAR THE STORIES ALL THE TIME ABOUT CONTRACTORS
THAT ARE UNDERNEATH THE WAGE AND NOBODY WANTS -- ACTUALLY
WHISTLEBLOWERS, I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH PROTECTION THEY HAVE,
THEY TAKE A HUGE RISK. >> ABOUT FACE FOR THE FOREST
SERVICE AS NEW MEXICO GETS SET TO ENTER WHAT IS SURE TO BE
ANOTHER AWFUL FIRE SEASON. THE ORDER FROM ON HIGH IS TO
CONSIDER LETTING FIRES BURN IF THEY CAN BE RESTORATIVE AND
DON'T THREATEN HIGH VALUE AREAS.
LIKE LAST MAY, THE SERVICE HAD A DIFFERENT POLICY, ATTACKING
EVERYTHING WITH FULL FORCE UNLESS OTHERWISE DIRECTED.
JOHN, CONSERVATIONISTS GENERALLY LIKE THIS IDEA TO
CLEAR GROUND COVER AND SUCH. IS THIS GOING TO WORK OUT?
>> I THINK IT WILL. THE DEVIL IS IN THE DECISION
MAKING ON WHETHER IT IS GOING TO BE RESTORATIVE OR NOT.
SOMETIMES THE CONTROLLED BURN IS WHAT LED TO THE BIG FIRE IN
LOS ALAMOS. AND, SO, THAT IS GOING TO BE A
TOUGH DECISION TO MAKE, BUT OVERALL IT IS A GOOD IDEA.
>> YOUR THOUGHTS DAN? >> THEY SHOULD BE ALLOW TO
HAPPEN. SPENDING RESOURCES TO FIGHT A
FIRE WHERE NO HOMES ARE IN JEOPARDY, NOTHING IS IN
JEOPARDY OTHER THAN THE NATURAL CLEANSING, SHOULD BE
LEFT ALONE. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK, WE SPENT
A LOT OF MONEY NATIONALLY. >> I THINK GOOD FIRE
MANAGEMENT IS REALLY THE WAY TO GO.
WE TALK ABOUT THE FOREST AND STRUCTURES.
SOMETIMES WE PUT FIREFIGHTERS IN DANGER IN THESE HUGE FIRES
FOR NO REASON. SO, AS LONG AS WE'RE
PROTECTING LIVES AND IT IS RESTORATIVE, I THINK IT IS A
GREAT WAY TO GO AND I HOPE IT WORKS.
WE'RE ALL IN FOR A LONG SEASON.
>> UNFORTUNATELY. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK, TOM.
>> WHENEVER THE FOREST FIRE SEASON GETS STARTED, IT IS
GOING TO COME DOWN WHO IS GOING TO MAKE THE DECISION,
DAN, WITH REGARDS TO WHICH FIRES GET FOUGHT.
>> THAT IS RIGHT. >> BECAUSE WE SAW IN 1988 WITH
THE YELLOWSTONE FIRE SEASON, EVERYBODY WAS LIKE, GRANTED IT
WAS FEDERAL POLICY AT THAT POINT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY
DIDN'T FIGHT ANYTHING UNTIL IT CROSSED THE BORDER, AT THAT
POINT IT WAS GOING TO BE TOO LATE.
>> WE HAVE A NEW POPE, WHITE SMOKE, BLACK SMOKE, MYSTERY IS
SOLVED. LET ME STAY WITH YOU TOM.
A LOT OF FOLKS ARE EXCITED, SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, MOST
AMOUNT OF CATHOLICS IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.
GOOD MOVE FOR YOU? >> IT IS A GOOD MOVE FOR
CATHOLICS, I THINK, WORLDWIDE AND ALSO ST. FRANCIS, I THINK
IT IS, HE'LL BE ABLE TO SET POLICY FOR THE NEXT DECADE FOR
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. I KNOW THERE IS A LOT
IN-FIGHTING RIGHT NOW AMONG SOME OF THE JESUITS, BUT I
THINK IT IS A GREAT MOVE FOR THE CHURCH.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK, WHAT IS THE SYMBOLISM HERE?
>> AS A NON-CATHOLIC, I THOUGHT IT WAS RIVETTING, THE
WHOLE DECISION MAKING PROCESS AND THE GROUND BREAKING FOR
SOUTH AMERICAN, FIRST NON-EUROPEAN IN LIKE 1000
YEARS, NAMED AFTER ST. FRANCIS WHO IS BELOVED BY CATHOLICS
AND NON-CATHOLICS ALIKE. SO IT IS A GROUND BREAKING
EXCITING TIME. >> THIS IS A MAN, HE IS OUT
THERE WITH THE POOR, HE DOES THINGS WITH THE PEOPLE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS CHOICE?
>> HE IS A GREAT CHOICE, OBVIOUSLY WE CAN ALL SAY IT IS
A GREAT CHOICE. I AM NOT SURE WE WOULD STEP UP
AND SAY IT IS A BAD CHOICE. HISTORY WILL ONLY TELL.
IT IS INTERESTING HE IS GETTING A LITTLE FLACK FROM
HIS FELLOW JESUITS SAYING HISTORICALLY WE STAY IN THE
BACK AND DON'T TAKE LEADERSHIP ROLES.
>> THANK YOU ALL, VERY LIVELY, A LOT OF FUN.
SEE YOU NEXT TIME.