LEGISLATURE BEGINS WORK

As New Mexico's 45th Legislature convenes today, a major question looms.

Will this be a more cordial, more productive session than New Mexicans have
seen in recent years - or will it be a rerun culminating in vetoes, special
sessions and acrimonious finger pointing?

Since the November election, both Democrats and Republicans in the state
publicly have been expressing a hope for cooperation between the
Legislature and Republican Gov. Gary Johnson.

After all, there is a large budget surplus this year - more than $400
million, thanks mainly to oil and gas revenues - and there is a major
change of Democratic leadership, since former House Speaker Raymond Sanchez
was defeated for re-election.

Also, because this is Johnson's next-to-last year in office, time is
running out if he is to make any lasting historic impact. This will be the
last 60-day legislative session before Johnson leaves office at the end of
next year.

Johnson, along with Senate President Pro-tem Manny Aragon,
D-Bernalillo-Valencia, and Rep. Ben Lujan - chosen by House Democrats to
replace Sanchez as speaker of the House - all have expressed guarded
optimism for a less-strident session.

"The governor is the governor," Lujan, D-Pojoaque, said in a recent
interview. "We have to respect that. If we can help him leave a legacy, we
want to do that. I think there will have to be some compromises. Both sides
have the best interest of the citizens."

Johnson has spoken of "a new beginning." Late last year - following a
meeting with Democratic leaders that both sides called cordial - Johnson
admitted his relationship with Aragon had changed.

But sounding a note of what could be described as back-handed optimism, the
governor quipped, "It can't get any worse."

Indeed, many close to the legislative process privately say they don't
expect much change this year.

Asked how long he expects the "honeymoon" to last after the Legislature
convenes at noon, one Democratic insider said with a laugh, "At least till
12:01."

Others noted there are still bitter feelings from what Democrats call
"personal attacks" in the last election. Last year, Republicans were
aggressive in trying to unseat some Democratic leaders - successful notably
in the close Sanchez race.

Johnson is scheduled to give his "state of the state" address to both
houses of the Legislature at noon today.

However, that could be delayed due to an expected battle in the Senate over
new rules Republicans say would give too much power to the Democrats.

Although most observers agree that Lujan is not as imposing or forceful as
Sanchez, Democrats say Lujan is no pushover.

"I think he'll have a different style of management," Rep. Luciano "Lucky"
Varela said in a recent interview. "He's low-key, but very effective. He's
a tough individual, but he'll be fair."

Although Republican Joe Carraro, Bernalillo-Sandoval, plans to challenge
Aragon for Senate president pro-tem, he is not expected to win.

The Senate has 24 Democrats and 18 Republicans. The House of
Representatives is made up of 42 Democrats and 28 Republicans.

Foreseeing fights over expenditures, Varela, D-Santa Fe, said "I think it's
going to be a tough session."

Despite the huge surplus, both sides expect battle over how much of that
will be available to spend.

"There is a perception out there that we have this huge pot of money, and
there is a huge pot of money out there" Johnson said recently. "But that
$400 million, when you factor out more of that going into the reserves,
when you factor in what ends up to be our Medicaid deficit for the year
that we're in, you're not left with that much money."

One sure-bet area of disagreement is teacher salaries. The
Democrat-dominated Legislative Finance Committee is proposing an 8 percent
raise for public school teachers. Johnson is calling for a 5 percent raise.

In general, the LFC is proposing an overall 9.3 percent increase in
expenditures, while Johnson's proposed budget calls for an 8.7 percent
increase. The difference is $18.5 million.

Democrats also have sounded warnings about budget limitations. After
Johnson unveiled his $75 million tax-cut plan, Rep. Max Coll, D-Santa Fe,
and others spoke about a similar surplus in the 1980s, which prompted a
major tax cut.

"The last time we did tax relief because of a surplus caused by oil and gas
revenues, it was a major blunder," Coll said. "The very next year the price
of oil went down drastically."

Coll and other Democrats say they would rather see most of the $75 million
go to the salaries of teachers and other public employees.

One of Johnson's other pet proposals is establishing a program in which
citizen could use government vouchers to help pay for private schools.

Johnson has proposed $24 million for vouchers. Under his proposal, students
would receive vouchers worth $5,200. The governor said he would accept a
more modest program.

Johnson and other voucher advocates say the program would create
competition for public schools, which would lead to major improvements.
Opponents argue that vouchers would hurt public education by draining off
money.

However, the proposal has not gotten anywhere in past sessions of the
Legislature. And Democrats say there is no indication this is likely to change.

Lujan in a recent interview said he is not opposed to a modest pilot
voucher program.

But he added that courts across the country have struck down as
unconstitutional voucher programs in other states. "I don't know why he
wants to spin our wheels," Lujan said of Johnson.

One of the most controversial and emotional issues in this session should
be Johnson's drug-law reform package.

Johnson's proposals include decriminalizing marijuana, lessening sentences
for first- and second-time drug possession charges and allowing suffers of
serious diseases to use marijuana to ease pain and nausea.

Most of the recent public opposition to the proposals have come from
Johnson's fellow Republicans. Rep. Ron Godbey, R-Albuquerque, recently said
any such measures don't stand, "a snowball's chance in Hades."

Some Democrats, including Coll and Sen. Roman Maes, of Santa Fe, have
expressed qualified support for the measures, including decriminalization -
on the condition Johnson support major expenditures for drug-rehabilitation
programs.

Johnson has not yet proposed a specific price for treatment. In the past,
he has vetoed expenditures for drug and alcohol treatment.

However, there is a chance that drug reform might never make it to a vote.
Aragon and other Democrats have called Johnson's proposals a "back burner"
issue. Aragon said the package should not be considered until other issues
such as education and health care have been decided.