Feb. 19 was Government Day for Leadership Albuquerque participants.
The group had a stacked day as it visited the Governor’s Office, Legislative Finance Committee, the New Mexico Supreme Court, the New Mexico State Capitol and Santa Fe City Council Chambers.
David Campbell, Leadership Albuquerque chair and Lobo Development Corp. executive director, told participants the goal of the day was to expose the group to several different vantage points of government in New Mexico.
“Our time together will take us to five different locations and allow us to hear from top leaders in the state legislative, executive and judicial branches – as well as from Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber, who will provide an important local government perspective,” Campbell said. “We’ll get to meet with the Legislature’s top budget official, meet the Supreme Court’s senior justice and tour the Court’s chambers and historic library, hear the unique perspectives of three influential state government lobbyists, see the Legislature in action, visit the governor’s cabinet room and talk with her chief of staff about the executive’s legislative priorities, explore the role of political appointees and advisors to high-level decision makers, and meet with the Albuquerque Journal’s most experienced government reporter about the relationship between the press and those in power.”
During the bus ride north, Scott Darnell, Leadership Albuquerque director, provided basic information about the Roundhouse, the legislative session, and what participants could expect to see throughout the day.
The group’s first stop was with Charles Sallee, director of the Legislative Finance Committee, who presented “Money Matters: New Mexico’s Historic Budget Surplus and Legislative Priorities.”
Jeremy Oswald, Leadership ABQ vice chair and Citizens Bank senior vice president, shared that the program included looking at New Mexico’s historic revenues and budget surpluses.
“We’ve never seen anything like it,” Oswald said.
For the past six years New Mexico has seen a surplus, thanks to oil and gas, and legislators have to work with how to save, spend, invest the funds.
“It makes for very difficult and important conversations,” Oswald said.
The group then visited the Supreme Court Chambers where Justice Michael E. Vigil spoke about the responsibilities and role of the Supreme Court and some of the court’s legislative priorities.
Vigil has served on the court since being elected in 2018 and was the chief justice from 2020 to 2022. He previously served on the New Mexico Court of Appeals for 15 years and practiced law for over 27 years prior to his judicial service.
Leadership Albuquerque participants then walked to the Roundhouse and met with Dan Schlegel, chief of staff to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
Campbell said the Cabinet Room is where many important meetings are held and decisions are made. Terri Cole, GACC president and CEO, joined the group inside the Cabinet Room. The group learned three things:
- The governor’s priorities and vision for the state, including her top legislative priorities
- How the Governor’s Office is structured and how the governor works with her team of advisors – here and across state agencies – to make decisions and oversee government operations
- The highlights and challenges that confront those who work at such a high level in state government.
During lunchtime, the group heard the presentation, “Understanding the Role of Lobbyists and Their Perspectives on State Government,” which was given by panelists Joe Thompson, Thompson Consulting’ JD Bullington, JD Bullington Government Relations; and Rikki-Lee Chavez, New Mexico Capitol Counsel & Consulting.
Leadership Albuquerque participants then had the opportunity to see democracy in action as they watched the House and Senate.
Early afternoon took the group to Santa Fe City Hall, where Mayor Alan Webber gave a presentation on “The Joys and Challenges of Leading a New Mexico City.”
Webber is Santa Fe’s 43rd mayor and the city’s first full-time chief executive. He was re-elected to the post in 2022 and has served as mayor since 2018. He built a career in business and journalism, once serving as the editorial director of the Harvard Business Review and co-founder of Fast Company Magazine.
The group then met with Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Dan Boyd, who talked about how the press works with government leaders on reporting about all levels of policymaking.
“We are very fortunate to have Dan Boyd with us today, one of the most experienced and knowledgeable observers of state government and of New Mexico’s political system,” Campbell said. “Dan is one of the most experienced government beat reporter in New Mexico. He has a reputation for fairness and thoughtfulness in his reporting and has been with the Journal for over 16 years.”
Thank you to all involved for an information-filled day in Santa Fe.
