Roundhouse freebies beg for attention

One legislator tallies a month of gifts from lobbyists

Steve Terrell | The New Mexican

2/13/2008 - 2/13/08

How many coffee mugs does a lawmaker need? How much candy does it take to make legislators think kindly toward a business organization or a charity or a city?

Virtually every day when legislators come to work at the Capitol, they find an array of snacks, knick-knacks and small gifts courtesy of lobbyists for a wide variety of groups. There are books about New Mexico places and personalities, artwork and music compact discs — including New Mexico music, Mozart and gospel music.

The freebies aren't in the same league with the upscale swag that, say, celebrities get when attending the Academy Awards. Typically New Mexico lawmakers receive items that fall well below the $250 annual limit called for in the Gift Act, which was passed by the Legislature last year.

And it's highly doubtful many votes have been swayed by a bag of peanuts or a teddy bear. Most legislators say they give away a majority of the desktop booty to staff members, friends and charities. Some say they donate caps and T-shirts collected during a session to youth programs or senior centers.

During the 30-day session that ends today, state Sen. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, agreed to keep a list of the gifts she found on her desk. She kept almost all the loot on top of a bookcase in her third-floor office — though some staff members admitted to eating some of the food for fear of it going bad.

"It's just like everyone has been saying," Feldman said this week, "it's mainly just minor things like coffee mugs and bags of candy."

The most expensive gift was a Philips Sonic electric toothbrush from New Mexico Dental Hygienists Association. These devices retail for around $100. Feldman said she plans to donate the toothbrush to a homeless shelter.

Perhaps the most controversial giver was Con Alma Health Foundation, founded by former state Insurance Superintendent Eric Serna. Serna has been investigated — but never charged — over possible conflicts of interest involving his roles with Con Alma and the Insurance Division. The gift the foundation left for legislators isn't all that controversial, however. It was just a calendar.

Other gifts on the list provided by Feldman:

• A box of cookies from Cibola Cluster Schools.
• Small penguin toy from a Rio Grande Zoo lobbyist.
• "Eco" light bulb and a checkbook cover from Jemez Mountain Electric Co-op.
• Sterling silver pin and art poster from Gallup and McKinley County.
• Teddy bear from the Primary Care Association.
• Coffee mug with candy and a book with bookmark from the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
• Travel mug and cap from Big Rock Casino.
• Chocolate candies from University of New Mexico Alumni Association.
• Small datebook from Casa Esperanza.
• Handmade coaster from New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum.
• Chili ristra plaque from Bueno Foods.
• T-shirt from Young American Football League.
• Mozart CD from Hartwick College.
• New Mexico music CD from Amigos Bravos.
• Pinto beans and peanuts from Eastern New Mexico counties.
• Nutrition pack (cereal and snacks) from Meals on Wheels.
• Coffee mug with candy from Keshet Dance Company.
• Pen set from the city of Las Vegas, N.M.
• Candy and novelty from Mind Research Network.
• Gift bag (with calendar, notepads, book, etc.) from the New Mexico Tourism Department.
• Book about Concha Ortiz y Pino and a CD of material from the Hispanic culture publication La Herencia from the state historian and State Records Center.
• Gift bag with pin and various novelties from Ruidoso Chamber of Commerce.
• Book and candy from New Mexico Consortium of Academic Libraries.
• Business card holder from New Mexico Tech.
• Grocery bag with crackers, cheese and other snacks from a grocer's association.
• Small snack bag with miscellaneous novelties from the National Dance Institute of New Mexico.
• A book about Valles Caldera from University of New Mexico Alumni Association.
• Lithograph by a University of New Mexico student from Tamarind Institute.
• Small gift bag with snacks and stuffed animal from the Alzheimer's Association.
• Cookies from the Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation.
• Vinyl portfolio from the Cancer Association.
• CD by a group called New Mexico Singing Churchmen from the Baptist Association of New Mexico.
  

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com.