Author: Podcast Producer

With New Mexico swimming in an oil and gas generated surplus, discussions are underway as to what to do with all the money. The idea of a new “permanent fund” to be put aside for early childhood programs is being raised. With powerful Sen. Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur-Smith endorsing such a scheme it definitely has a chance to become law.

Paul and Wally do a “deep-dive” into “sovereign wealth funds” like NM’s permanent funds. What are they? Are they exclusively good things or do they have serious problems? Could NM be doing more with its oil and gas wealth both past and present?

New Mexico has a unique opportunity to make game-changing improvements to its economy thanks to the oil boom. What is done with the surplus will determine whether we improve our State or let the opportunity slip away.
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On this week’s podcast Paul talks to Danny Seymour, a UNM MBA who has been working with the Rio Grande Foundation as a high level intern. Danny happens to have worked extensively in the New Mexico film industry but is critical of the subsidies. Danny and Paul talk a good deal about the inner-workings of the industry and the exceedingly generous government benefits given to this one industry. Seymour put his film-making talents to work by making a short Youtube video on film subsidies.

In addition to Danny’s film you can access the Tipping Point New Mexico podcast at the Foundation’s Youtube channel.

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Mandatory paid leave passes the Bernalillo County Commission with some small changes. What did the Commission do and did they improve the final ordinance or is it still full of problems? Also, the City of Albuquerque is already considering adopting its own paid leave proposal. Paul and Wally discuss the prospects for that and what it could mean for action by the Legislature.

Paul and Wally discuss the fact that Gov. Lujan-Grisham’s new Education Secretary sends 9-year-old son to a fancy private school in Philadelphia. Will he push MLG for school choice for those of us who can’t afford expensive private schools?

Former UNM AD Krebs indicted. Paul comments for KOAT Channel 7. Paul and Wally discuss the awkward marriage between taxpayer-funded institutes of higher learning and major college sports. While it appears Krebs may have broken the law, the marriage is problematic.
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On this podcast, Paul interviews Philip Ord, President of Americans for Nuclear Energy. The group advocates and educates on behalf of nuclear power in the United States. New Mexico is a “nuclear” state as the home of the A-bomb and two national nuclear labs. Storage is also part of New Mexico’s nuclear story.

Mostly Paul and Phil discuss nuclear’s potential for energy production and why it is better than either coal or so-called “renewables.” Phil believes that climate change is a clear and present danger to humanity but he’s also a supporter of free markets. The two of them discuss what policies need to be in place in order to bring about a nuclear renaissance. Finally, we talk about France and how it became such a pro-nuclear nation in the area of electricity generation.
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Most studies say vaping is far healthier than cigarette smoking, but a local filmmaker working with high school students called it “more detrimental than being addicted to cigarettes.” This story highlights both factual ignorance and the media’s complicity in spreading disinformation.

Activity continues to build at Spaceport America, but when will those manned tourism flights begin? No one knows at this point.

Oil is booming in New Mexico. New information shows just how big this boom is in terms of New Mexico’s budget. Other economic data shows that New Mexico’s major metro areas still lag in terms of jobs, but still more data shows that certain sectors within New Mexico (including, but not limited to the oil and gas sector) are doing very well.

The philosophically-friendly and high-performing Estancia Valley Classical Academy based in Moriarty has student spots available.
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On this week’s interview, Paul Gessing interviews Len Gilroy of the Reason Foundation. Len is an expert on public employee pension issues and New Mexico has plenty of them. You can read more about Reason’s analysis of New Mexico’s pension issues here and here. Also, Gov. Lujan-Grisham has proposed some pension reforms.

Len offers his take on those reforms and whether they will put New Mexico’s underfunded pension system on a sound footing.

Pensions may seem like a boring subject, but their impact on the New Mexico budget and taxpayers (not to mention the State’s credit rating) cannot be overstated.
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On this week’s conversation, Paul recently sat down with KOAT to discuss an audit of the 2004 public safety tax that the City of Albuquerque has had in place for 15 years. Citizens were supposed to serve a real oversight role, but is one of several ways in which the law has not been followed.

Mandatory sick leave could be voted on as soon as August 20 by Bernalillo County Commission. The Foundation has sued the County over an open records request. The Foundation has also been in editorial board meetings with the Albuquerque Journal and led the charge on an “open letter” that pointed out numerous flaws in the current proposal.

MLG names Ryan Stewart as PED secretary. APS can’t/won’t cool their buildings despite the fact that students were in school as early as late-July.

State employee pensions have been proposed by the Governor as well. What are the merits?

Finally, big changes may be coming to New Mexico’s PRC. Are they good, bad, or indifferent?
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On this show, Paul interviews Larry Behrens. Larry is Western States Director with the group Power The Future. The group is fighting against both the national and New Mexico versions of the “Green New Deal” and recently co-produced a study with the Competitive Enterprise Institute which found that the national plan would cost every New Mexico household more than $70,000 in its first year of implementation.

Paul and Larry further discuss New Mexico’s “Energy Transition Act” and the many well-funded forces arrayed against energy freedom and economic prosperity.

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Paul recently spent some time in Farmington for a few talks. He also attended another PNM meeting on Energy Transition Act. Rail Runner and transit ridership are declining.  Sen. Udall reintroduces a bill to overturn Citizens United. What has the ACLU said about this issue? William Perry Pendley who spoke at an RGF luncheon in 2017 has been picked to head up BLM. ABQ needs to address issues with its transparency site and Paul sat down with KRQE Channel 13 to discuss. Finally, lawsuits have been filed by Patriot groups on efforts to get referendums on the ballot.
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