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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Jennings

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/10/08

HB

SHORT TITLE

Margaret Larragoite, in Honor

SM 61

ANALYST Shaya

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Memorial 61 declares that Margaret Larragoite be honored for her years of dedicated ser-

vice to the citizens of the state of New Mexico and to the elected officials for whom she so ably

served, especially her last seventeen years as chief clerk of the senate; and that the senate stand

to honor Margaret Larragoite and to pay tribute to her for her contributions to the workings of

the senate; and that copies of this memorial be transmitted to Margaret Larragoite and to her

family.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

No Fiscal Impact.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Senate Memorial 61 states the following about Margaret Larragoite and her service to the citi-

zens of the state of New Mexico;

•

Margaret Larragoite has long served the citizens of the state of New Mexico, having re-

signed as the chief of records control in the state bureau of revenue in 1965 to serve as

the manager of the Santa Fe office of United States Senator Joseph M. Montoya . . . and

this after having worked for the social security administration and the national park ser-

vice for thirteen years; and

•

Although Margaret Larragoite loved her husband, Philip, and her children, Philip,

Melissa and Marcella, her love of politics always ran a close second, having been active

in Santa Fe party politics, where she served as secretary of the Santa Fe county democ-

ratic party, national committeewoman of the young democrats and former president of

the national federation of federal employees; and

•

Margaret Larragoite served as assistant chief clerk of the house of representatives in 1961

and 1962; and

Senate Memorial 61 – Page

2

•

Margaret Larragoite was a legacy to state government from the staff of the late Democ-

ratic United States Senator Joseph M. Montoya, serving as the director of the social ser-

vices division of the human services department, where she perfected casework and con-

stituent services for which she was famous when she joined the senate; and

•

Margaret Larragoite was elected chief clerk of the senate in 1991 after serving as the first

staffer for the interim senate rules committee; and

•

She became New Mexico's first full-time senate chief clerk with full-time staff in 1993;

and

•

Margaret Larragoite was responsible for a myriad of tasks, both during the legislative

session and during the interim, making sure the operations of the senate were smooth and

professional and met the expectations of the members and the public; and

•

Margaret translated her broad experience and knowledge of services to constituents into

the development of a first-rate constituent services operation for the New Mexico senate;

and

•

During her seventeen years as chief clerk, the senators knew they could count on Marga-

ret to manage the senate's affairs with a firm hand and decisive demeanor; and

•

She remained faithful to the time-honored traditions of the senate and insisted on proper

decorum and dignity during all proceedings, but, although she succeeded with her staff,

she still had trouble managing the occasional unruly senator; and

•

Just the sound of her voice calling the roll in the morning had enough power to quell the

din of numerous conversations and bring stray members and staff into the chamber; and

•

Margaret Larragoite worked tirelessly to ensure that special occasions in the senate were

celebrated with all due pomp and circumstance; and

•

Margaret has left a lasting impression on the senate and everyone connected to it; and

•

The senate will not be the same without the annual spectacle of mariachis turning around

to serenade her with "Margarita";

RS/nt