Quote:“The legislature in New Mexico is one of the most open, accessible legislatures of the country. You can come right down onto the floor of the state senate before we bang the gavel, and come visit with me or any other senator. I assure you that all the lobbyists are there. So I always tell my constituents I would rather talk to you than the lobbyists, so come meet with us.”– Sen. Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe)

January 25, 2017 -- This week's guest on REPORT FROM SANTA FE is the new Majority Floor Leader of the New Mexico Senate,Senator Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe). Wirth has served thirteen years in the Legislature -- four in the state House and nine in the state Senate.

In this in-depth interview the Senator discusses budget issues and the solvency bills, ethics and campaign finance reform, jobs and the economy, and the crisis in our judiciary system.

During his thirteen years in the legislature, Peter carried a variety of legislation signed by Governor Bill Richardson and Governor Susana Martinez. Some of Peter’s successful legislation include laws banning texting while driving, creating and then expanding the sustainable building tax credit, allowing local governments to enact water conservation ordinances, and limiting the use of domestic wells in subdivisions.

He is a champion for transparency, the web casting of legislative proceedings, and the archiving of those web casts. Wirth is also a leader in the effort to establish an Ethics Commission in New Mexico (there are only 9 states without such a commission) and create meaningful campaign finance reform.

Senator Wirth's New Mexico roots go back several generations on both sides of his family. His maternal grandfather, John Gaw Meem, was one of New Mexico’s preeminent architects and was known for what became Santa Fe Style. His paternal grandfather was a math teacher and camp counselor at the Los Alamos Ranch School before World War II.

Quote:“We have got a heavy lift this session. The budget crisis is severe but we are going to work together... we need all of you to participate and help us get to the other side of this and get ourselves out of the hole that unfortunately our great state that we love so much is dug into.”– Sen. Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe)

Topics:

· Budget Issues & The Solvency Bills· Ethics & Campaign Finance Reform· The Crisis In The State Judiciary System· Jobs & The Economy