Talking with Rep. Patty Lundstrom
NM needs political balance and real investments in infrastructure
Editor’s note: The Journal Editorial Board is fortunate to get to meet with a diverse crosssection of people. Often the conversations, which are on the record, are wide-ranging and include information that may not make its way into news stories. This new feature is a way to share some of those discussions with our readers.
Rep. Patricia A. Lundstrom, DGallup, has represented McKinley County since 2001 and spent the last six years as chairwoman of the House Appropriations and Finance Committee. The selfdescribed moderate was removed from that committee on the first day of the 2023 session by the new speaker, who she says told her “I don’t meet his vision.”
In her half-hour meeting with the Journal’s Editorial Board, she repeatedly stressed her concern that the new committee appointments mean there are no “backstops” to the leadership’s agenda. Here are excerpts from our discussion on her vision of, and for, New Mexico:
Why that removal hurt
“I have self-identified as a moderate Democrat — you’ll see that in my voting record throughout the last 20-plus years,” Lundstrom says. “And I actually come from a fairly conservative area in New Mexico, you know rural New Mexico tends to be pretty conservative, particularly on things like gun control, abortion issues, spending, things like that. So I’m pretty representative of that group . ... Since 2003, when we went through that redistricting, I’ve always represented a Native American district.
“I think that’s part of what was so disappointing for me when I was removed from the chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee. ... I’m concerned (things are) not being balanced, that there’s not a backstop now . ... I’m hearing and looking through some of the bills that have been introduced about even raising taxes, which is unbelievable ... with the kind of funding that the state of New Mexico has today ...”
Why public-private partnerships
“New Mexico does not have authorizing language for a publicprivate partnership; we should. I think we’re one of the few states that does not have that available to us as an economic development tool ...
“But there’s also some public responsibilities. I take (the shuttered power plant) Escalante as an example: It’s a hard-to-get-to place. In other words, the road access is undersized for truck traffic. The P3 piece would be you have to show a public benefit if you’re using government money.”
Lundstrom has been an advocate for turning the old plant near Gallup into a hydrogen hub for electricity production and building an industrial cluster around it.
“Why couldn’t government pay for upgrading those roads that everybody can take advantage of, or wastewater and water systems or broadband systems that a new industry would need? ... Big companies don’t need our money. ... But we do need to make investments to make it more attractive.”
Why invest in infrastructure
When it comes to investing in public infrastructure to bolster the economy, Lundstrom says there’s no better example than I-40. “You’ve seen all the problems we’ve had out there; we need three lanes both ways east and west. The delays are incredible. How on earth are we ever going to attract a semi-truck industry into a hydrogen fueling station if they’re stopped for five hours at a time on the interstate? .. But what happens if through a P3 process, we build another lane that helps everybody ... and it helps us with safety?”
Why we need to get the word out on NM
“Where we are missing the boat is that I don’t think we have incentivized business to want to be here,” Lundstrom explains. “I’m not talking about giveaways; I’m talking about things like P3s, where it is a fair cost to everybody. I also think we’re a little light on marketing. I go to a number of trade shows throughout my year working in economic development. And most of the time I spend explaining where New Mexico is, and why should (they) come to New Mexico.”
Why improve education
“I do not believe that we should be reducing what we’re requiring seniors to take . ... When all the business interests (spoke) up and said that they didn’t agree with it tells me everything I need to know. ... I won’t vote for that on the floor. I just bet that I’m outnumbered and that bill is probably going to pass. But this is what I mean about a backstop. Where’s that? Where’s that going to come from statewide whether I’m there or not?”
“...What are we doing different that could be a game changer? ... Pumping so much money into it (education), if it was successful, why are we getting sued all the time?”
“So I’ll be looking for that when that budget comes to the floor . ... I do plan to ask a lot of questions.”