Missing GOP members could have killed Lujan’s tax bill
House Speaker Ben Lujan during debate on his bill. (Photo by Heath Haussamen)
House Speaker Ben Lujan’s bill to implement a temporary half-cent hike in the state’s gross receipts tax would presumably not have passed earlier today if two Republican members hadn’t missed the vote.
Ultimately, following drama on the House floor, Lujan’s bill was approved on a vote of 34-32, with two Democrats and two Republicans missing the vote.
The excitement began when Republican Rep. James White asked for a call of the House and the doors were locked to ensure no members left the floor. Democratic Reps. Danice Picraux and Karen Giannini – who had previously been excused – were absent, as were Republican Reps. Jane Powdrell-Culbert and Dennis Roch.
The sergeant-at-arms went searching for missing members. Though the two excused Democrats weren’t required to respond to a call of the House, both did return briefly to the House floor. Lujan got on the phone, and after a moment Picraux and Giannini quickly left again.
They weren’t required to return for the final vote, even following a debate between Minority Whip Keith Gardner and Rick Miera – the Democrat who was presiding over the chamber at the time – about whether they should be forced to come back and vote on the bill.
Meanwhile, the House did vote to excuse Powdrell-Culbert and Roch. It was never made clear why any of the four members were absent.
The House Republican caucus, minus Powdrell-Culbert and Roch, voted as a group against Lujan’s bill. They presumably would have been joined by the two missing Republicans if they had been present, and the vote would have been 34-34.
A tie vote kills a bill.
How Giannini and Picraux would have voted isn’t clear. Neither could be immediately reached for comment. Following the vote on the bill, Gardner put out a statement saying they “clearly… did not want to be on record as voting for the largest tax increase in recent New Mexico history.”
“These kinds of games are an outrageous abuse of democracy,” Gardner said.
Picraux and Ginannini returned to the House floor during debate on the next bill.
Nine Democrats did join the Republicans in voting against the bill. They were Elias Barela, Joseph Cervantes, John Heaton, Dona Irwin, Rhonda King, Andy Nuñez, Al Park, Ben Rodefer and Jeff Steinborn.
Here’s video of the debate between Gardner and Miera, taken by The New Mexico Independent’s Larry Behrens:
Updated, Feb. 7, 10:55 a.m.
The two Republican members were absent because they had to attend doctors’ appointments, the House GOP said.
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The excuse was the two missing representatives had to go to doctor’s appointments… Really? What a load of crap, we are talking about bills that raise taxes. How about you schedule those doctors appointments after the session morons. I’m sick of dirty politicians, I’m sick of the lies, deceit, and corruption. It’s time to through the bums out on both sides. You work for us, start showing it.
There’s really no way to know if those tax bills would have been killed or not. There were two Democrat members excused during that vote too – who magically appeared in the chamber and then left again before the vote – and one can only assume that the outcome would have been the same with two additional Democrats present.
I hate to admit it, but David may be right. We need make sure what few GOP legislators we have are in their respective chambers ready to vote for the important issues such as a badly misguided and unnecessary tax hike.
Keep thinking that way David and the conservatives will control the house this next hear.
Not certain which quadrant of the universe David is orbiting, but the vote indicates Lujan continues to lose his grip – if this vote had been take four years ago, it would’ve gone on straight party lines. Today, there were 10 Ds who crossed the Speaker. Had Roch and Powdrell been there, one of the tax hikes would’ve gone down. Too close for comfort for the Speaker – and he needs to retire and let someone who is smarter and more vibrant take over.
What took place today speaks volume.
Two major points:
1.) Speaker Lujan has a firm grasp on the House.
2.) The GOP is weak…
Oh please, Ben would have just pulled some other La Politica trick to get this through if these folks had been there and leaned to vote against it.