var addthis_product = 'wpp-263'; var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true,"data_track_addressbar":false};if (typeof(addthis_share) == "undefined"){ addthis_share = [];}An article in Sunday’s Albuquerque Journal won’t win Sen. Mary Kay Papen, D-Las Cruces, any points with the governor, but Papen has always been one to speak her mind. She said she will reintroduce legislation next year that would let people with HMO health insurance appeal the state insurance superintendent’s decisions on coverage disputes to [...]" />

(5)

Papen speaks her mind, though it probably upsets the governor

By │ 7/03/06, 8:30 am │

An article in Sunday’s Albuquerque Journal won’t win Sen. Mary Kay Papen, D-Las Cruces, any points with the governor, but Papen has always been one to speak her mind.

She said she will reintroduce legislation next year that would let people with HMO health insurance appeal the state insurance superintendent’s decisions on coverage disputes to the Public Regulation Commission.

The bill easily passed the House and Senate this year, but the governor vetoed it.

It was Papen’s comment about why she believes he killed the bill that is certain to irk Gov. Bill Richardson. She said Richardson was a close political ally of then-Insurance Superintendent Eric Serna, who resigned recently amid scandal.

“I was never told why it was vetoed,” Papen told the Journal. “I assumed the governor was looking out for Eric.”

Naturally, the governor’s office disputes that, saying the legislation wasn’t needed. But an overwhelming number of legislators believed the legislation was needed.

Papen upset Richardson in this year’s session by fiercely opposing the proposal to raise the minimum wage. Many in Southern Doña Ana County fear raising the minimum wage would push businesses to relocate to nearby communities in Texas.

Richardson responded by treating Papen like a Republican and vetoing many of her capital outlay proposals.

Share
Advertisements

5 comments so far. Scroll down to submit your own comment.

  1. Anonymous
    July 5, 2006 • 10:25 am

    Richardson will not win re-election in Dona Ana county this year? Are you crazy? John Dendahl has absolutely NO qualifications to be governor of this state. He is a professional publicist, a smear artist and is only in the race to try and mudsling against Richardson in case he runs for Pres. He is a Karl Rove wannabe’s wannabe.

    What moron would actually vote for him?

  2. Anonymous
    July 4, 2006 • 12:12 am

    If Papen doesn’t want to be treated like a Republican, she shouldn’t vote like a Republican.

  3. Anonymous
    July 3, 2006 • 4:27 pm

    Richardson will not win Dona Ana county for race for re-election this year. I live here in Vado we are still waiting for our Flood Money he promised several years ago. I feel sorry for the folks in Alamogordo- he already created a press release thats all Richardson cares about.

  4. Team Puro Chile
    July 3, 2006 • 2:57 pm

    Not all of us agree with Papen and her stance on minimum wage, but she is right on going up against Richardson. If he thinks he can make a bid for the President he’s got a surprise coming. He lost this state in 2004 Dona Ana County stayed blue and it was because people split their vote supporting local politicos like Papen then voting republican for president. Richardson has upset a lot of us in Southern NM. And we do vote in rurual communities.

  5. Anonymous
    July 3, 2006 • 1:14 pm

    Sen. Papen is a strong voice against Big Bill and the voters of southern NM should be honored to have a person like Sen Papen to go against Big Bill and his bully ways

Leave a response

You must be logged in to post a comment.