Gallup sticks it to N.M. reps

By Kristen Davenport
For The Independent

SANTA FE — Call it one part schmooze, and one part pure business.

Gallup officials of all sorts city, county, law enforcement, hospital, Ceremonial met in Santa Fe over the last two days to push their agenda at the state legislature, as well as socialize, eat Italian food and drink wine.

"We tried to get our legislative agenda boiled down to one page," said Herb Mosher, executive director of the Gallup-McKinley County Chamber of commerce, who organized much of this week's Roundhouse activities.

"And we are trying to speak with una voce, as they say in Italy, one voice," he said. "That's our message, in one page, with one voice."

On that one page: $2 million for a technology center at UNM-Gallup, $250,000 for an economic resource center, a state minimum wage bill, $2 million for a new dialysis center at the hospital, nearly $2 million for road projects, $1 million for the public safety building, $5 million for Red Rock state park renovations, $250,000 for a meat processing plant, $175,000 in the state's recurring budget for the Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial and several smaller items.

Thursday was, officially, Gallup-McKinley County Day at the state legislature, and the Gallup contingent about 50 people in total started off with a legislative breakfast for lawmakers. Later, several Gallup citizens were honored on the floor of the House of Representatives. Officials later met with Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, standing in for Gov. Bill Richardson, who was out of town on business related to the United Nations.

A dinner Wednesday night at the Italian restaurant Osteria, where Sen. Lidio Rainaldi of Gallup spoke a flawless Italian with the restaurant owner, kicked off the Gallupians' festivities.

Also present was Gallup's police chief Sylvester Stanley, McKinley County Sheriff Frank Gonzales, schools superintendent Karen White, and Earl's restaurant owner and mayoral candidate Ralph Richards, who whispered over a spicy Caesar salad that he wished for Ranch dressing. Other VIPs included the chief justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court, Patricio Serna, and his wife Eloise, invited by Rainaldi.

"Tomorrow we'll speak with una voce, but tonight, mange, mange, with one mouth," Mosher told the diners.

Chit-chat over dinner centered on trips to Italy (Rainaldi and his wife went in October), possible money for Gallup at the legislature, a potential state-wide ban on cell phone use while driving that is under consideration at the Roundhouse, the high price of house boats on Lake Powell, and the cost of insurance for the Kiwanis camp near Gallup.

But social festivities aside, the Gallup contingent showed up Thursday to meet with Lt. Gov Diane Denish, who took notes and asked questions about Gallup's needs, promising to convey messages to Richardson when he returns to work in New Mexico on Monday.

In part, Denish who herself has said she plans to run for governor in 2010 promised she'd do what she could for Gallup's requests to make amends to Rep. Patty Lundstrom, D-Gallup.

"I have to redeem myself with Representative Lundstrom," Denish said.

"We're always arguing about payday lending; so I'd like to be on her same side in something."

Lunstrom's payday lending bill, which would limit the predatory lending practices of short-term loans, is being challenged by a separate bill, endorsed by Denish and others.

During Thursday's activities in Santa Fe, representatives from Gallup also handed out about 200 Gallup Day pins, which have apparently become valued items at the Roundhouse. This year's pin, a corn image in sterling silver, about the size of a quarter, was pinned to the one-page legislative agenda.