Ingle to appear on PBS show

Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle, R-Portales, will be featured on the PBS show, “Report from Santa Fe,” this weekend.

The show, which includes Ingle and Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, is scheduled to air 6 p.m. Saturday on KENW-TV.

The two have a combined 60 years in the Senate, according to a release from New Mexico PBS. The topics discussed in the taped program include the current legislative session and the crisis in funding state government.

The Legislature is five weeks into its 60-day session, which ends noon March 18.

Ingle represents District 27, which includes Chaves, Curry, De Baca, Lea and Roosevelt counties. He was elected in 1985 and has served for 32 years.

“We are going to have to make some tough decisions this session,” Ingle said during a budget discussion in the program, “and see the best way we can to make New Mexico look like a forward-looking state that is not afraid to put its money where its mouth is.”

Smith represents District 35, including Dona Ana, Hidalgo, Luna and Sierra counties. He was elected in 1989 and has served for 28 years in the state senate, where he chairs the finance committee.

“Everybody has to be on board participating, rather than protecting their own backside,” Smith said on the show. “I understand trying to do that, but we are all going to have to either share in the wealth or share in the pain.”

The discussion was hosted by Lorene Mills.

Information: http://www.reportfromsantafe.com.