Jun. 25—At last there’s a purpose for the upcoming special session of the New Mexico Legislature. Those in power can right a wrong, though self-interest is sure to stop them from doing so.

The 112 lawmakers have spent the last four months building for the future. First they increased their pensions by 50%. They followed up by bestowing more patronage powers on themselves.

Every legislator will be able to hire an aide in a new field office to help with calls and complaints from constituents. Perhaps 10 more people will be added to the payroll at the centralized legislative office in Santa Fe. They will provide additional administrative support for lawmakers’ assistants.

The initiative carries a starting cost of $16 million a year for staffing, office space and furnishings. Legislators say it’s a smart plan.

If aides for state lawmakers are essential, a dubious claim, the 50% pension increase legislators voted to give themselves in February amounted to pure greed. It followed a 27% hike in pension benefits they handed themselves two years earlier.

The increases were excessive and presented dishonestly. Various lawmakers called the measure increasing their pensions by 50% “a cleanup bill.” They claimed they inadvertently shortchanged themselves in 2022 when they approved their 27% pension hike.

If legislators are really interested in serving their constituents, they can demonstrate that commitment by rescinding the 50% pension increase. The special legislative session starting July 18 would be a triumph in public relations if they did so.

Being a realist, I know that any legislator gutsy enough to sponsor a bill rolling back retirement benefits would become an outcast. That crazy-brave lawmaker would watch all his or her bills buried in committees run by unfriendly colleagues.

Various legislators have downplayed their pension increase, saying they deserve it because they do not receive a base salary.

Rep. Candy Spence Ezzell, told me she faced unfair criticism for increasing her benefits after she voted for the 50% increase.

“Who’s paying for that?” Ezzell asked. Showing a firm misunderstanding of the system, she answered her own question by saying legislators fund their own pension program.

Ezzell contributed only $500 or $1,000 annually toward her pension during her 20 years in the House of Representatives. Her pension today is worth more than $58,000 a year.

The Teamsters union would be jealous. No one working in the private sector contributes so little as legislators and receives so much.

The size of Ezzell’s pension is sure to grow. She recently won her primary for a four-year term in the state Senate, and she is unopposed in the general election.

Like all New Mexico legislators, Ezzell’s workload is heaviest during regular sessions. They last 30 days one year and 60 days the next year.

Legislators to different degrees then participate in interim committee hearings. They are paid mileage and a daily expense allowance of $231 anytime they are on official business.

Many lawmakers say they also work hard without compensation when they’re at home trying to solve problems for constituents. This led to the idea of creating jobs for legislative aides.

The party line — from Democrats and at least a few Republicans — is lawmakers are adding firepower to benefit 2 million residents.

At a glance, their plan seems extravagant. Do the 12 senators and representatives whose districts include part of Santa Fe each need an aide? If fiscal restraint were part of the equation, the number of legislative aides could be cut in half.

The Legislature’s venture will grow the public payroll. As for the private sector, a few dozen property owners who rent office space will profit from the additional public expenditures. To be seen is whether any of this will help constituents who are paying the bills.

Too often, state legislators are out for themselves. They become accustomed to free meals and drinks when one group or another is lobbying them. They talk about their selflessness as unpaid public servants while voting for extraordinary increases to their pensions.

All is possible when they’re making the rules for retirement benefits, and Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham goes along by signing the increases into law.

Real public servants wouldn’t hesitate. They would do the right thing. They would repeal their latest, exorbitant increase.

Too bad this is the unreal world of the 50% increase for representatives and senators.

Ringside Seat is an opinion column about people, politics and news. Contact Milan Simonich at msimonich@sfnewmexican.com or 505-986-3080.