Former state Sen. John Arthur Smith died early Monday.
The conservative Democrat, a Deming native, who earned a reputation as a fiscal pragmatist who bucked governors’ spending plans and believed in investing in the future, served in the Legislature from 1989 until 2020.
Shortly before leaving office, he teamed up with Rep. Doreen Gallegos, D-Las Cruces, to pass legislation creating a state early childhood trust fund. (Smith lost his 2020 primary.)
That fund has exploded in size since its creation — from $300 million in 2020 to a projected $9.8 billion balance at the end of the current budget year.
Terri Cole, Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, said Smith accomplished many things during his tenure.
“I’m deeply saddened by the passing of Sen. John Arthur Smith. He was truly one of the most decent and skilled people to ever serve in the New Mexico Legislature,” Cole said. “Sen. Smith was uncommon in many ways. In a state known for its revenues rising and crashing like the ups and downs of a rollercoaster, he had a backbone of steel that withstood enormous pressure to take actions that would have compromised the state’s fiscal health. He was the steady hand we needed so many times. As a small businessman himself, he respected and supported job creators, providing them a listening ear and representation that they deserve to have in Santa Fe. He never shied away from difficult issues; in fact, we worked together on everything from K-12 education policy to tax reform to landmark early childhood governance and funding changes.
“Sen Smith cared deeply for our state. With me, he was always fair and firm. And, he deserves tremendous credit and gratitude for how he worked across the aisle – providing an enduring example of what it means to bring people together, despite their political differences, to address our most serious challenges.”
Read the full Albuquerque Journal story here.