The Piercing Truth

This is right from the dictionary and seems to describe Albuquerque, Berry and Schultz. Fascism (f ash ,izem) noun An authoritarian right wing system of government and/or social organization. (in general use) extreme right wing, authoritarian, chauvinistic and/or intolerant views or practices. Fascism tends to include a belief in the supremacy of one group over another, national, ethnic, especially social strata or monetarily; a contempt for democracy, an insistence on obedience to a powerful leader, and a strong demagogic approach. Compliments of one of our Eyes

Jun 4, 2008

Separation of Powers?

Like our Federal Constitution the Albuquerque City Charter contains a separation of powers. The mayor exercises executive authority and the city council is the legislative body that among other things authorizes spending, taxation, and city indebtedness.

From a budget perspective, the mayor's job is to spend the money appropriated by the council for the uses approved by the council. The council's job is to create the legislation authorizing the expenditures and collection of revenue. The charter provides for very specific roles with the idea that each branch would work with the other.

Apparently, the mayor and the council have decided that their opposite coequal branch isn't fit to perform the duties assigned to by the charter and have jumped over the barrier separating the two. The council empowering Council President Brad Winter to purchase land on behalf of the city (ABQ Journal - Subscription) and the mayor signing a budget with specific spending instructions vowing to spend the money how he sees fit (ABQ Journal - Subscription).

We can almost understand the council's frustration with the Chavez administration. The Almighty Alcalde doesn't exactly have a sterling reputation for truth and his attitude toward the council has become increasingly hostile since his election in 2005. His most recent announcement that he intends to spend council appropriations without regard to council approved budget provisions is a direct violation of the city charter and can only lead one place... court.

What's going on here? What happened to separation of powers? Marty's arrogance may have frustrated the council but it doesn't justify their dabbling in executive authority. Likewise, The Almighty Alcalde has a legal obligation to implement the provisions of the council budget that he signed into law.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Marty will just change the city charter to fit his needs. He did with the term limits.

He could care less about the public. Too bad the media seems to only reports his cute little projects. Making him look like such a caring man. Have you ever seen his kids at his side? No! Only Dukes the dog that way he can tell the doggy how to chew the fat and Dukey just wags his tail. It reminds me of "Charlie Browns" teacher, whaa, whaa, whaa, whaa whaaa, whaa, wha!

ched macquigg said...

rules are for fools.

and for those whose have little or no power, no shyster lawyers, and no other way to skirt them.

In other words, all of the rest of us.

Anonymous said...

After reading about Marty's shenanigans in this regard (and the myriad of others) I am constantly amazed by the number of folk who support the idea of giving him yet another four years to totally FUBAR this city.

Since this blog seems to be a favored haunt of many of the APD officers, most of whom complain about his policies that he implements through his interloper Chief of Police Ray S., some of whom seem to imply that they effectively have the goods on many of the Almighty Alcalde's misdeeds, I'm surprised that in their own enlightened self-interest that they don't provide said evidence to either the Press (surely some are honorable and honest) or Marty's political enemies (which must be legion by now).

Sorry for the run-on sentence but really Guys; if you can stick it to him, DO SO!!!!

Anonymous said...

really, you have to wonder why all they ever do is talk about it.

Anonymous said...

Marty's shenanigins... It's not all cops that post on this site.

But FYI, when there is a Marty mishap the paperwork is never done, shredded, or the people that hold the paperwork against him end up in really cushy at-will employee positions. If not the scorn of Marty will come after them.

NM politics at its best.