Tipping Point New Mexico
584 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago - ★★★★ - 29 ratingsPodcast of the Rio Grande Foundation that addresses public policy issues facing New Mexico.
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Episodes
077 Economic Freedom of NM Metro Areas
March 14, 2019 16:50 - 37 minutes - 51.5 MBPaul interviews Dean Stansel, a professor at Southern Methodist University. Stansel is the author of the Fraser Institute's "Index of Economic Freedom of North America" which ranks US states (and Canadian provinces and Mexican states) on economic freedom. In this episode, however, Paul talks to Dean about his "Metropolitan Area Economic Freedom Index" which was recently published by Reason Foundation. Out of 382 areas ranked, New Mexico has four metro areas (Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Farmingt...
076 NM Legislative Roundup and more
March 12, 2019 21:15 - 45 minutes - 62.7 MBPaul and Wally discuss passed and pending legislation including HB6 (tax increases), HB85 (outlaws county and local right to work), HB489 (renewable fuel standard and securitization), plus marijuana, minimum wage and more. A new WalletHub report on looks at the tax burden in New Mexico on low and high earners. Paul takes a look at some problematic recent newspaper headlines and more.
075 SB489 Energy Transition Act
March 07, 2019 17:30 - 47 minutes - 64.5 MBAttorney and utility expert Germaine Chappelle returns to the podcast to discuss SB 489 the Energy Transition Act. This legislation just passed the New Mexico Senate (although it had not when we recorded earlier in the week) and it would mandate 50% of all electricity generated in New Mexico be "renewable." The bill would also shut down the San Juan Generating Station in the Four Corners area. Chappelle has spent decades working on utility regulation issues and shares some of her in d...
074 News from NM Legislature
March 05, 2019 22:20 - 44 minutes - 60.6 MBPaul and Wally discuss the 2019 legislative session including a tax bill (HB6), right to work preemption (HB85), the complex and massive electric industry bill (SB489), the tabling of HJR1 that would increase distributions from the Land Grant Permanent Fund for early childhood programs and more. Other topics include New Mexico's rank on Freedom Index, a recent Albuquerque Journal front page that "defines" New Mexico, plus a laughable State Land Office logo and state population growth over th...
073 Stanley Liebowitz - State Education Rankings
March 01, 2019 02:03 - 35 minutes - 48.6 MBOn this episode Paul sits down with Stanley Liebowitz, a professor of economics at University of Texas at Dallas. Liebowitz is co-author of a report which reconsiders the issue of state education rankings. Dr. Liebowitz shares why he sees the issue of education rankings as critical and how they often mismeasure the real impacts of education systems from state to state. https://reason.com/archives/2018/10/07/everything-you-know-about-stat/amp
072 Royalties, Janus and Electricity
February 26, 2019 20:54 - 42 minutes - 58.4 MBOn this week's podcast Paul and Wally discuss the Albuquerque City Council's action (or lack thereof) on its plastics ban and a defeat for New Mexico's new Land Commissioner on increasing royalty payments. Since Texas is the "model" for Commissioner Garcia-Richard, Gessing encourages New Mexico's political leaders to consider other policies in effect in the Lone Star State. Mark Janus (whose name is most associated with the Supreme Court's Janus v. AFSCME case) was in town for a rally...
071 Daniel Libit - NM Fishbowl
February 22, 2019 17:05 - 39 minutes - 53.7 MBPaul talks with Daniel Libit of NMFishbowl.com. NMfishbowl.com is Daniel's project that covers the University of New Mexico athletics department from a watchdog journalistic perspective. Paul discusses numerous issues related to Daniel's activities including lawsuits to gain access to UNM Foundation and Lobo Club documents under New Mexico’s Inspection of Public Records Act.
070 Amazon, Plastic Bag Bans, Minimum Wage and Rail Projects
February 19, 2019 22:51 - 47 minutes - 64.6 MBAmazon pulls the plug on NYC. What happened? How generous were those subsidies? How do they stack up compared to what New Mexico gives the film industry? Should young people leave New Mexico or stick it out? ABQ City Council is expected to vote on plastic bag ban on Wednesday. The Rio Grande Foundation is fighting yet another battle against those who wish to tax and regulate New Mexicans. RGF calls out APS maintenance freeze on KOAT TV Channel 7. Several items to discuss in the Legisla...
069 Trent England and Electoral College
February 19, 2019 00:43 - 45 minutes - 62.3 MBPaul Gessing sits down with Trent England to discuss efforts in the New Mexico Legislature to make New Mexico nearly irrelevant in US presidential elections. Paul and also discuss minimum wages and Trent's "bird's eye view" of the minimum wage hikes that happened in Washington State where he used to work. Trent is a newly-minted adjunct scholar at the Rio Grande Foundation whose full-time job is Executive Vice President and a Distinguished Fellow at the Oklahoma Council of Public Af...
068 APS Official -RGF is "Faux Think Tank"
February 12, 2019 19:33 - 43 minutes - 60.4 MBPaul and Wally give one more quick recap of the APS tax hike vote. Specifically, the APS bureaucracy has attacked the Rio Grande Foundation. What does it all mean? With everything else going on, the Foundation had an op-ed on Albuquerque's proposed plastic ban. Paul and Wally discuss the details. The Foundation put together a chart illustrating NM's per-capita personal income. Where does New Mexico stand with regard to its neighbors? Speaking of New Mexico's neighbors, his frien...
067 Dr. Edward Timmons - Barriers to Work in New Mexico
February 08, 2019 02:53 - 34 minutes - 46.9 MBPaul and Wally give a short update on the results and the Albuquerque Public School mil levy and bond election and what it may mean for future policy and elections. Paul then talks with Edward Timmons, PhD of the Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation about his published research that addresses how occupational licensing may be ending the dreams of citizens in New Mexico of entertaining a new career and climbing the economic ladder. From a policy insight document released ...
066 APS Election, Legislature and more
February 05, 2019 19:00 - 39 minutes - 54 MBOn episode 66 of Tipping Point New Mexico Paul and Wally discuss the APS tax vote which will be concluded on Tuesday. If people still haven't voted, they can do so by dropping their ballot off at the Bernalillo County Clerk's Office. One notable special interest group looking to cash in on the vote is contractors and architects. An opinion piece recently ran in the Albuquerque Journal from two prominent members of those industries. Center for Truth in Accounting gives ABQ a D grade for its...
SP2 Ken Starr at RGF Luncheon
February 04, 2019 22:11 - 50 minutes - 68.7 MBA recording at Rio Grande Foundation's Albuquerque Luncheon with Former Independent Counsel Ken Starr on January 23, 2019. Ken talks about topics related to his book, Contempt: A Memoir of the Clinton Investigation.
065 Interview with Kenneth Starr
January 31, 2019 20:18 - 31 minutes - 43.7 MBPaul and Wally have a very special opportunity to sit down with former independent counsel Kenneth Starr. Starr was the speaker at an RGF luncheon later that day. Paul and Wally ask Starr about his personal background and political philosophy in addition to the relevance of his work in the 1990s to so much of what is happening today.
064 Right to Work, APS Issues and Lottery Scholarship
January 29, 2019 21:19 - 39 minutes - 53.8 MBOn this week's episode Paul and Wally discuss legislation (HB 85) being put forth by Rep. Damon Ely to both stop local governments from adopting Right to Work ordinances and to allow forced union membership. Wally and Paul discuss issues with the bill and how it would undermine the efforts of RGF and others alongside with local governments to increase worker freedom. As Paul notes McKinley and Sierra Counties have adopted Right to Work ordinances. Paul and Wally then discuss the lates...
063 Carol Wight Battles for Restaurants
January 24, 2019 21:18 - 43 minutes - 59.5 MBPaul and Wally sit down with Carol Wight of the New Mexico Restaurant Association. Her organization represents the restaurant industry across New Mexico. Carol explains that her industry is battling big-government across New Mexico including mandatory paid sick leave and plastic bans in Albuquerque as well as the elimination of "tipped wages" as parts of efforts to hike the minimum wage across New Mexico.
062 Education Policy, Tax Hikes and Spending
January 22, 2019 18:51 - 40 minutes - 55 MBOn this week's podcast Paul and Wally start out with a discussion of education policy. First and foremost they discuss a state education rating that does not consider spending an inherent good that also includes poverty and ethnic backgrounds in the overall ratings. New Mexico scores a bit better on this ranking than it does in most (50th), but what does this mean? Paul and Wally discuss. Then, they address SB 1, legislation that has been introduced in the New Mexico Legislature to put...
061 John Foreman NM Assoc. of Non-Public Schools
January 17, 2019 00:50 - 35 minutes - 49.3 MBOn this week's interview show Paul Gessing interviews John Foreman of the New Mexico Association of non-public Schools. Paul and John discuss the important role filled by non-public schools in New Mexico. They focus significant attention on the recent ruling of New Mexico's Supreme Court that allows non-public schools to use textbooks purchased with taxpayer dollars for non-religious purposes. They also address legislation filed in the 2019 session that would essentially overturn that decisi...
060 Plastic Bag Ban, APS Tax Hike and More
January 15, 2019 19:49 - 41 minutes - 57.5 MBOn this week's podcast Paul and Wally discuss the prospects for a plastic bag and straw ban being put forth in the City of Albuquerque. Will such steps improve the environment? What has happened other places around New Mexico where they've been considered? The Rio Grande Foundation has filed a "friend of the court" brief on an important workers' rights case. Paul recaps the forum on the APS tax hike that he recently participated in. Finally, Paul and Wally discuss Michelle Lujan...
059 Conversation with Rep. Moe Maestas
January 10, 2019 16:51 - 36 minutes - 50.4 MBWith Democrats in firm control of the levers of power in New Mexico's Legislature and the executive branch, Paul interviews Representative Antonio "Moe" Maestas who represents a portion of Albuquerque's West Side. Maestas, a Democrat, is among the longest tenured members of the House. Among the many topics Moe and Paul discuss are New Mexico's poverty and why it remains relatively poor, the ideological makeup of the House and how that will comport with the more conservative Senate, an...
058 Government Shut Down - Impact on New Mexico
January 08, 2019 22:27 - 39 minutes - 54.6 MBWith 2019 now in full swing, the Rio Grande Foundation's Tipping Point New Mexico podcast is back as well. The federal government remains shut down. What does this mean for New Mexico? A new Wallethub report says New Mexico is the most dependent US state in the nation on the federal government. What other states are most/least dependent? A second report by Associated Builders and Contractors called Merit Shop Scorecard puts New Mexico 43rd among US states. Why is that? What has changed...
057 Issues and Predictions for 2019
January 04, 2019 00:35 - 39 minutes - 54 MBPaul and Wally discuss economic and fiscal issues facing New Mexico including taxes, spending in the upcoming legislative session, oil prices and the prospects for a national recession. Details discussed include the film tax credit, the gross receipts tax and possible reform, crime, education and marijuana. In the news segment, the return of the Albuquerque sick leave ordinance and the proposed APS property tax increase are the lead items.
056 The Legacy of Governor Martinez
December 27, 2018 22:39 - 47 minutes - 64.7 MBAfter eight years as Governor of New Mexico Susana Martinez is on her way out the door with Michelle Lujan-Grisham to take office soon. Wally and Paul discuss Martinez's legacy through the prism of the Rio Grande Foundation. Topics include: Medicaid expansion, her fiscal track record, educational reforms, civil asset forfeiture, occupational licensing reform, and her political legacy.
055 Government Transparency with Peter St. Cyr
December 20, 2018 21:46 - 32 minutes - 44.4 MBOn this week's podcast Paul sits down with longtime journalist and government transparency advocate Peter St. Cyr. St. Cyr is now leading a new government transparency startup called: OpenAccessNM.org. After briefly discussing the current status of government transparency in New Mexico Paul and Peter discuss the organization's efforts to take government transparency to the "next level" by empowering Citizens with government data to inform, shape and direct public policy, build smart ci...
054 The Year in Review 2018
December 18, 2018 17:09 - 40 minutes - 56 MBOn this week's podcast Paul and Wally review 2018 from the perspective of New Mexico's economy and economic policy in the Land of Enchantment. From oil prices to new discoveries and production, oil and gas are the most important private sector industries in our State. 2018 was an interesting and exciting year for this industry. 2018 saw both primary and general elections. The primaries in June were precursors to the "blue wave" that hit the State in November. How did electoral politic...
053 House Minority Leader James Townsend
December 13, 2018 16:30 - 31 minutes - 42.6 MBPaul and Dowd preview the 2019 legislative session with newly-minted House Minority Leader Rep. James Townsend of Artesia. They discuss whether the GOP can be effective given the significant minority that they represent in Santa Fe. More importantly Dowd and Paul discuss the budget situation, the role of oil and gas, potential anti-Right to Work legislation, and many other issues that will be discussed in the upcoming 60 day session.
052 Liberty Justice Center Lawsuit in NM, State Budget and Carbon Tax
December 11, 2018 16:34 - 30 minutes - 41.3 MBPaul and Dowd lead off by discussing a recent study on charitable giving from Wallethub. The report ranks New Mexico 45th. Dowd has some concerns about methodology, but no matter what it is an opportunity to urge podcast listeners to support the Rio Grande Foundation and its mission on behalf of limited government and individual liberty in New Mexico. Besides, supporters can help prove Wallethub wrong. The Rio Grande Foundation is working with the Liberty Justice Center which successfu...
051 Update on the Oil and Gas Industry in New Mexico
December 06, 2018 20:09 - 36 minutes - 50.1 MBPaul and Dowd talk to New Mexico Oil and Gas Association spokesman Robert McEntyre about the latest news from his industry. Specific topics include the recently-abandoned Sandoval County ordinance and how that compared with Colorado Prop 112 which would have ended the industry in that state. Also, prices in the industry are rapidly-changing. How will price/revenue situation impact New Mexico’s economy/Legislature? We get an update on the ongoing methane debate. Finally, we talk about N...
050 APS Property Tax Increase, Right to Work and More
December 04, 2018 16:47 - 32 minutes - 44.6 MBOn this week's podcast, Dowd and Paul briefly acknowledge the passing of the 50th episode milestone of Tipping Point New Mexico. Then they run through a litany of reasons why voters should be concerned about Albuquerque Public Schools' request for a 19% property tax increase. The tax will be voted on throughout the APS district by mail-in ballots in early 2019. Dowd then relays the latest jobs data on Right to Work. Paul outlines new data from the Congressional Budget Office showing th...
049 The Impact of PNM's plans on New Mexico
November 29, 2018 16:46 - 33 minutes - 45.3 MBPaul and Dowd sit down with attorney and utility expert Germaine Chappelle. Germaine is working with various stakeholders in the Four Corners area regarding Public Service Company's plans to shut down the San Juan Generating Station and foist both the "stranded costs" as well as the additional cost of new "renewables" onto the backs of consumers. This wide-ranging discussion focuses on utilities and how the electrical grid works, how changing market conditions have affected power generati...
048 Legislative Session 2019, ART Buses and More
November 27, 2018 20:00 - 38 minutes - 52.6 MBPaul and Dowd discuss some questions that Paul raised in a recent piece about the upcoming 2019 legislative session. With Republicans largely on the sidelines how will debates over spending, tapping the permanent fund, and marijuana legalization work out? Are Democrats serious about gross receipts tax reform? Dowd covers recent data showing that the Farmington and Santa Fe are still lagging in terms of overall job numbers from a decade ago. The Secretary of State has proposed s...
047 Thanksgiving reflections on life and policy in New Mexico
November 21, 2018 00:03 - 32 minutes - 44.5 MBIn the spirit of Thanksgiving, Paul and Dowd discuss what they are thankful for as citizens and residents of New Mexico. They examine some of the wonderful benefits of living here and even address some New Mexico public policy items for which they are thankful. Happy Thanksgiving!
046 Dean Stansel and the Economic Freedom of North America
November 15, 2018 17:40 - 28 minutes - 39.7 MBPaul and Dowd have a lively discussion with Dean Stansel. Dean is a research associate professor at the O’Neil Center for Global Markets and Freedom at Southern Methodist University. He is the is primary author of the Economic Freedom of North America 2018. This annual report provides an economic freedom index for states and provinces in North America. Hear how New Mexico fares in the report compared to our neighboring states, what are the best opportunities for improvement, and what imp...
045 Herrell Loses, APS Bond Election, Honeywell, Spending and Oil
November 12, 2018 22:21 - 37 minutes - 51.6 MBOn this week's show Paul and Dowd briefly discuss the results of the race in Congressional District 2 in which Yvettte Herrell lost after being ahead on election night. Also, Dowd and Paul provide a recap of the Foundation's event with transportation expert Randal O’Toole. APS School board is looking to raise property taxes by 19%. New Mexico’s economy finally has as many jobs as it did 10 years and 7 months ago. Oil prices are dropping. In a further blow to economic diversification Ho...