By Rep. Christine Chandler
House District 43
Los Alamos, Sandoval & Santa Fe counties

With the end of Summer officially here, this seems like an opportune time to share a little bit about my legislative activities during these past spring and summer months. Although the actual enactment of legislation occurs during our official sessions (30 or 60 days depending on the year and occurring in the winter), our schedules post-session can also be very busy. Mine certainly has been.

First, many of us serve on interim committees. I serve as a voting member or an advisory member on several of these committees. Interim committees are composed of both House and Senate members, and provide an opportunity for members of the two chambers to be briefed on pressing state issues and to probe solutions collectively. Rarely does a week go by without a committee hearing somewhere in the state. We often travel outside the State Capitol to see and hear about local issues around New Mexico.

This year, I focused primarily on three important interim committees: the Revenue Stabilization and Tax Policy Committee, of which I am the Chair; the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) on which I am a voting member, and the Courts, Corrections, and Justice Committee, on which I am an advisory member. These committees dovetail well with my regular committee assignments as the Chair of House Taxation & Revenue and as a voting member of House Judiciary. The policy and status briefings we hear and discuss in these interim committees form the basis for many policy initiatives we consider during the regular sessions.

The Revenue Stabilization and Tax Policy Committee has conducted a high-level review of how the various components of our tax sources maintain the necessary revenues to support state programs and services.  How do we reach an appropriate balance between gross receipts, income, excise, and property taxes? Are there problems with administration of the tax system? We hosted a “tax summit” in August where we heard from national experts about how our approaches compare to other states, where we have strong tax policies and where we could improve. Next month we will focus on revenue stabilization with a large portion of our agenda discussing our various revenue leveling funds such as the Severance Tax Permanent Fund and the Tax Stabilization Fund. New Mexico is fortunate to have strong reserves that have helped us smooth out revenue streams when our economy is in a downturn.

The LFC is a hard-working, critical committee that meets monthly throughout the spring, summer, and fall, holding many of its hearings in communities around the state. It focuses largely on the budget, and evaluates how well our budgeted moneys are being utilized by state departments in their implementation of state programs. It also establishes budget guidelines for the upcoming budget to ensure responsible spending.

For me, the draw in participating on the Courts, Corrections, and Justice Committee stems from its wide scope: if the issue relates to the justice system the committee will likely discuss it. How well is the corrections system working? Are the courts appropriately staffed and funded? How can we lower the incidence of crime and recidivism? What role do substance abuse and behavioral health programs play in supporting crime reduction? The committee is centered on public policy and considers a whole array of policy options.

In addition to this committee work over the interim period between sessions, I have spent the summer talking to my constituents across Los Alamos County and parts of Sandoval, and Santa Fe counties, and consulting with local governments about their funding needs and challenges. Staying connected to the people I represent is a very important and very rewarding part of my job.

If you have a question or concern, I can be reached at christine.chandler@nmlegis.gov or 505.695.2646. It is my honor and privilege to represent our great community, and I’d love to hear from you.