The Voter St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe, NM Phone: December Dear League Members:

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1 League of Women Voters of Santa Fe County The Voter 1472 St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe, NM Vol. 63, No. 11 Phone: December 2014 Officers President Donna Reynolds (Ed Fund) Vice President Patricia Hawkins (Public Relations & Fundraising) Secretary--Pat Pedersen Treasurer--Berit Leonard Past President Judy Williams (Program) Directors Marcy Litzenberg (Voter Services) Janet Lincoln (Membership) Chris Furlanetto (Action & Advocacy) Ann Coulston (Arrangements) Miriam Ries (Publisher, The Voter) Nominating Committee Julia Nathanson, Chair Nancy Chambers Lynn Gary Finance/Budget Committee (appointed by the board) Karen Heldmeyer, Chair Adair Waldenberg Neva Van Peski Berit Leonard Message from the President Dear League Members: We ve got a fun and entertaining program lined up for members in December. We ve asked for a political year end wrap up with two local media gurus Julia Goldberg, with The Voice of Santa Fe KVSF 101.5, and Julie Ann Grimm, Santa Fe Reporter Editor. The Holiday member meeting will also feature a Silent Auction, so please consider re-gifting an item you can t use and bidding on someone else s donated treasure during this season of giving. In November, we kicked off the national League s Campaign Finance Reform study and update with a knowledgeable panel to an interested audience of over sixty! The national study team is being formed, and our local League looks forward to participating in this effort. January will bring a legislative update as we head into another session. In this issue, you ll find a legislative update and League Day details hosted by LWV of New Mexico. There s never been a better time to get up to speed and even consider following an issue for our state League. Happy Holidays to you and your family! Best, Join the League or Renew Membership. See Page 11.

2 The Voter Page 2 Member Spotlight Jody Larson I guess I was destined for League of Women Voters: each of my parents took me into the voting booth when I was a little kid, explaining that voting was the most important thing I would ever do, next to raising my own family. My Dad, a first-generation Italian-American, was in awe of the power of his vote, and the fact that exercising it was free. Both of my parents insisted that we cast informed votes: we could not ever pull the party lever, but had to go down the ballot, all the way to the end, and vote for each individual on the basis of what he or she stood for. This, even if we ended up voting for members of just one party. No short cuts, no party lines. I don t think either one of them was aware of the League of Women Voters, but one of their good friends was. She was a judge in the East Bay area of northern California, and had been a deputy Attorney General to Earl Warren when he was California s AG. When I was 17, she advised me to join the League as soon as I was settled after college. She said I would learn a lot about my community, meet some very worthwhile women, and do some good. I followed her advice, joining the League there in 1966, when I was 22 years old. I was active in the League until the mid-1970s, when I was a single Mom working full time. I let my membership lapse (too bad in another two years I d be exempt from paying dues!). I never lost my love of League process, which I put to good use in my career in state government. Guiding people to consensus was an extremely useful skill, and I was often drafted by others to help in groups that had become contentious or had lost focus. After retiring, I came back to League, serving on the board for several years, working on several committees, and leading the Transparency project and study. League has been so good to me, allowing me to meet and work with some truly remarkable people mostly women, but several men as well. I m still having fun here, and plan to hang around as long as you all can put up with me. -Jody Larson

3 Page 3 The Voter Women s History Month Project 2015 Your local League will soon begin its work to host the second Women s History Month Project scheduled to take place in March The project s goal is to provide outreach to Santa Fe girls and women with a positive message regarding local career opportunities, women role models, youth role models, and positive contributions to New Mexico society made by women over time. The League of Santa Fe County partners with Santa Fe Public Schools to recruit 7 th and 8 th grade female students, pairing them with local career women for a mentoring session culminating in a breakfast where all the program participants and student s parents honor a New Mexico woman of history. Last year, the project attracted over 30 career women and students for the mentoring sessions and over 100 guests at a breakfast held to honor Adelina Nina Otero-Warren. This is a very rewarding and fun project! Please consider becoming a member of the League s Women s History Month Project this year. Committee meetings will start up in December. To join, send an to Donna Reynolds, President, at president@lwvsfc.org Santa Fe League members meet with Mayor Javier Gonzales, Nov. 5, 2014

4 The Voter Page 4 Buckman Road Recycling & Transfer Center Tour Notes A half dozen Leaguers met at the recycling center for a tour hosted by Adam Schlachter, Education & Outreach Coordinator. The recycling center is where all of the city and county collected recyclables are delivered, sorted, and shipped for reuse or sale. Many types of items are collected and recycled--from fluorescent lighting to manure. A rolling line machine helps sort the various types of paper and plastic waste. The center also maintains a household hazardous waste site. Adam shared that he believes the city/county can increase its recycling rate over the next few years. The city is currently considering moving to a single stream system of collection without glass. Glass would be collected at satellite locations throughout the city. The current rolling line machine cannot sort glass. Adam stated that cardboard such as tissue or cereal boxes and toilet paper rolls can already be added to the recycling stream to help increase rates. The city will shortly be making an announcement about the ability to collect and recycle these items. Adam was very knowledgeable and an enthusiastic supporter of recycling. -Donna Reynolds

5 Page 5 The Voter Sheila & Robert Siegel Ann Anthony Message to Current Members If you have not renewed your annual dues yet, please send them in with the new Renewal/Membership form (a copy appears in this newsletter). Your prompt attention is important to keep our records up-to-date in a timely fashion. Many thanks in advance for your attention in this matter! -Janet Lincoln, Membership Chair

6 The Voter Page 6 Action & Advocacy Committee November 2014 Santa Fe Public Schools: The 11/5 Board meeting included a presentation on the Parent Academy that began last year. The administration has made some data- and feedback-based modifications based on last year s experience. It was also reported that the program was presented at a national conference and was very well received. Santa Fe Board of County Commissioners (BCC): A small group of A&A committee members will meet with County staff 12/2 to discuss next steps in the completion of the Sustainable Land Development Code and the Zoning Map and their approval by the BCC. A small group, along with representatives of other concerned community groups, will meet with the County Attorney 12/3 to discuss ex parte communications. -Chris Furlanetto If you are interested in attending our meetings or in joining our list (to get meeting announcements and minutes) please contact Chris Furlanetto at action@lwvsfc.org. The next meeting is at noon on January 8, 2015, at Rio Chama Steakhouse. Watch this space in January for summaries of these meetings! City Government: A proposed ordinance to create a Citizens Redistricting Commission will have a final hearing before City Council on Dec. 10. Much of the discussion has been on criteria for excluding residents from eligibility criteria related to campaign contributions and/or lobbying activities. The League has provided feedback on the language of the ordinance as it has been revised over the past several weeks. Councilor Peter Ives plans to introduce an ordinance to create a municipal electric utility, but it has not yet been posted on the city website so specifics of the proposal are as yet unknown. Senator Peter Wirth addresses a sizable audience on the topics of campaign finance and ethics reform. See article on page 10.

7 Page 7 The Voter Nonfiction Book Club Corruption in America by Zephyr Teachout The League will hold its Nonfiction Book Club meeting on Thursday, January 22, 2015, at Collected Works Bookstore, beginning at 10:30 a.m. At the October Book Club meeting, members chose the January 2015 selection, Corruption in America: From Benjamin Franklin s Snuff Box to Citizens United by Zephyr Teachout, Associate Professor, Fordham University School of Law. In Corruption in America, an eloquent, revealing, and sometimes surprising historical inquiry, Teachout convincingly argues that corruption, broadly understood as placing private interests over the public good in public office, is at the root of what ails American democracy. * Get reading, and we ll see you in January 2015! *David Cole, New Y ork Review of Books, Donna Reynolds Highlights November 12, 2014, Board Meeting There is a new computer and printer in the office on which Donor Perfect software has been installed. President Reynolds will be scheduling a meeting to plan Women s History Month. Elizabeth Roghair has agreed to serve as the Investment Taskforce chair. Jody Larson, Martha Romero, and President Reynolds are working on bylaws changes to be presented to the membership at the next annual meeting.

8 The Voter Page 8 Pat Hawkins is working on a fundraising letter to be sent to area businesses. Julia Nathanson is chair of the Nominating Committee and will be working on securing candidates for the board to be presented at the next annual meeting. Janet Lincoln reports that there are 44 current members who have yet to pay their dues. She will be calling members in December to remind them of the deadline. Judy Williams reminded the membership about the forum on campaign finance reform to be held on November 13, at 5:30 p.m., at the Christus St. Vincent conference room. There will be a silent auction at the annual Holiday Luncheon on December 17. Donations are requested and may be left at the League office. -Patricia Pedersen Program Planning Plan to attend our Program Planning meeting to help set the Santa Fe League s issues/events calendar for the next fiscal year. January 13, :00 12:00 noon Santa Fe County Community Services Conference Room 2052 Galisteo Street, Santa Fe Please complete the form LWVSFC Study and Program Proposals enclosed with this issue of The Voter. completed form by January 9, 2015, to jkwilliams24@gmail.com or mail to: LWVSFC Attn: Judy Williams 1472 St. Francis Drive Santa Fe, NM Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln

9 Page 9 The Voter March 15-21: Sunshine Week, March 21, 11-3: LWVNM board meeting March 21, noon: Legislature ends Check the website for updates and information: December 17, 11:30-1:30: Holiday Lunch (Hilton) 2015 January 13, 9:00-12:00: Program Planning Santa Fe County Community Services Conference Room, 2052 Galisteo St. January 14, 11:30-1:30: Lunch - Legislative preview (Hilton) January 14 1:30-3:30: LWVSFC board meeting January 17, 11-3: LWVNM Board (Albuquerque) January 20, noon: Legislature starts January 22, 10:30: Nonfiction Book Club February 9 and 10: League Day at the Legislature March 28, 8:30-11: Breakfast - Women s History Month (La Fonda Hotel) April 1, New Mexico History Museum tour April 8, 11-1: LWVSFC board meeting April 23, 10:30: Nonfiction Book Club May 6, 11:30-2: Lunch - Annual meeting (Hilton) May 13, 11-1: LWVSFC board May 16-17: LWVNM Convention Check for locations and updates. Regular meetings: Action-Advocacy Regularly meets 1 st Thursday of each month at the Rio Chama Steakhouse, 414 Old Santa Fe Trail. New members are always welcome! January only: meet on January 8, 2015 LWVSFC board 2 nd Wednesday of each month February 11, 11-1: LWVSFC board meeting March 4, 10 to 12: Campaign Finance reform member briefing (Van Peski and Heldmeyer) March 11, 11-1: LWVSFC board meeting

10 The Voter Page 10 Campaign Finance Campaign Finance and Ethics Reform The League of Women Voters of the United States is undertaking a review of its campaign financing position with the goal of updating and strengthening it. As the local kickoff for the study, on November 13 the League hosted a very successful and well-attended panel discussion and dialogue about campaign finance and ethics reform needs and possibilities in New Mexico. More than 75 people heard a stimulating discussion by Peter Wirth, NM Senate; Viki Harrison, Common Cause Executive Director; and Stuart Bluestone, Special Counsel to the Attorney General. Peter Wirth said he started working on campaign finance and ethics reform in 1994, when they were bipartisan issues, and when he jointly carried bills with Republicans, such as Senator Cliff Hardin. It has been a long road, and just as the legislature was beginning to make headway on setting limits on campaign financing, Citizens United came along in That decision eliminated the possibility of setting contribution limits and codified anonymity of donations. The effects were most recently seen in November, when New Mexicans were bombarded with $13 million in TV ads alone, and $4 billion were spent nationally on mostly negative campaigns. Currently, efforts to address campaign financing include measures to require disclosure of the names of donors to advocacy organizations and disclosure of independent campaign expenditures. One such bill will be co-sponsored by legislators from both parties. In addition, efforts will be made to define coordination between candidate campaigns and independent advocacy groups. Federal law prohibits such coordination but New Mexico has not created a definition of it for the state. The Brennan Center for Justice at Columbia University recently released a new analysis of the effects on states of the Citizens United decision, After Citizens United: the Story in the States. The report highlights states efforts to address the results, and has this to say about New Mexico: New Mexico is the only state, among those we researched, that provides no state definition of coordination. Likely because of the lack of coordination law, there has been no known investigation of coordination. Ethics Reform The November 13 panel agreed that ethics reform is needed and that New Mexico needs an independent ethics commission. However, Senator Wirth noted that this is a bipartisan issue - many on both sides of the aisle are opposed to ethics reform! Also, Viki Harrison pointed out that there are good ethics commission models and bad ones. Stuart Bluestone, who has been working on ethics issues for more than 25 years, points out that the first federal ethics rules were enacted in 1867, to prevent politicians from "shaking down" workers in the burgeoning shipyards. The prime motivating event of our times was the Watergate scandal of the Nixon administration. This led to significant federal reforms, including contribution limits and campaign expenditure limits. We have had some improvements in the past several years, such as limits on gifts to legislators. Senator Wirth observed that an ethics commission could be useful as a sounding board for legislators before they do something, in addition to being a disciplinarian after the deed has been done. Harrison believes there is a lot of support for an ethics commission. Wirth observed that a commission would have to have "teeth," including subpoena power. The 2015 legislative session will see proposals for both campaign finance reform, mostly disclosure measures; and ethics reform, in the form of an independent commission. What can you do? Talk to your legislators. As Senator Wirth always says, the support of citizens means a lot in the Roundhouse. The more legislators hear from constituents, as opposed to corporate lobbyists, the better. -Judy Williams

11 Page 11 The Voter LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF SANTA FE COUNTY NEW/RENEWAL MEMBERSHIP FORM Date: Name: (please print) Address: (please include zip) Phone: DO NOT include my contact information in the annual Membership Handbook directory listing. Membership is paid annually between September 1 August 31 and includes state (LWVNM) and national (LWVUS) dues. Make membership check payable to LWVSFC for: Individual and Associate membership: $54 (Associate members are non-u.s. citizens, who cannot vote on League matters.) Family membership: $80 (Individual plus one family member) Student membership: $30 (For students 25 years or younger and currently enrolled in accredited institution.) Unrestricted general fund contribution (not tax deductible): $ Education Fund (tax deductible): $ (Make separate check payable to LWVSFC Education Fund.) Want THE VOTER newsletter delivery via ? It s faster and saves the League money. Snail mail The Action & Advocacy Committee is open to any member and currently focused on the following issues. Circle those of interest to you, and a League member will contact you for further information and discussion. Issues (check as many as apply or fill in blank): Healthcare Local govt. Ethics/Transparency Natural Resources Education Other LWVSFC success is based on the assistance of member volunteers. We welcome and encourage your help. Volunteer Interests (circle as many as apply or fill in blank): Work on Issues: Monitor public meetings Lobby government officials Study groups Other Voter Services: Candidate forums/meetings Voter publications Information tables Voter registration Other Organizational Support: Help at events Fundraising Membership Publication content Website Staff League office Other PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN TO THE LWVSFC, 1472 ST. FRANCIS DR., SANTA FE NM 8750 May 7, 2014

12 LWVSFC Study and Program Proposals To prepare for the 2015 LWVSFC program planning meeting on January 13, we are soliciting study proposals and suggestions of local issues you think the League should study during the upcoming year. We'd also like to know if you'd be willing to volunteer to help review and assess various aspects of local issues in light of existing local, state, or national League positions. IN addition, this is LWVUS convention year so we can propose national studies. Please limit your response to each question to a sentence. Proposed Study Topic? Why is it important? What is the expected impact? Who will chair the study? Time period? Resources needed? Anticipated cost? Other local issues LWVSFC should address in 2015: Can you volunteer to work on a study or help review and assess local issues and New Mexico League positions? YES NO Name: Telephone: completed form by January 9, 2015, to jkwilliams24@gmail.com or mail to: LWVSFC Attn: Judy Williams 1472 St. Francis Drive Santa Fe, NM

13 League of Women Voters of Santa Fe County 1472 St. Francis Drive Santa Fe, NM Don t Forget! Legislative Preview Lunch at the Hilton January 14, :30 1:30 Chose from regular lunch or vegetarian option ($19.00) and RSVP to rsvp@lwvsfc.org This year s legislative preview is especially important because of the sea change in House membership.