Roundhouse from New Mexico Independent

TODAY'S TOP STORIES: Santa Fe passes red light camera program

Trip Jennings — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:24:07 GMT

The Santa Fe City Council approved an ordinance that would allow for red light cameras, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. The Santa Fe Reporter has a story on an ongoing argument between the city and those who are homeless and those who feed them. The writer of the story notes that there is an "emerging argument that has the City of Santa Fe at odds with both the homeless and those who feed them. Officials point to a long-term plan the city set up to end homelessness within five years, while those who host weekend lunches say help is needed immediately."

Victims of the hazing incident at Robertson High School were told to "take it like a man" or get 10 times worse, the Albuquerque Journal reports.

Gov. Bill Richardson tells KOB-TV that you shouldn't discount a gubernatorial run by actor Val Kilmer. "I like the idea. Val Kilmer is a New Mexican, he was Batman. You know there have been successful actors going into politics. I haven't talked to him about it, I don't know how serious he is, but you know if he jumps in a race he's got name ID, so it can't be discounted," Richardson told KOB's Stuart Dyson.

TODAY'S TOP STORIES: Lawmakers go on a junket to the Big Easy

Trip Jennings — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:30:00 GMT

About 20 New Mexico lawmakers and 18 staff members attended the legislative summit July 22-26 in the Big Easy at a cost to New Mexico taxpayers estimated around $65,000, including airfare, lodging and registration, reports the Albuquerque Journal.

Bernalillo County's revived ethics board already has an issue and it hasn't even met, the Albuquerque Journal reports.

Three more buildings at Santa Fe Indian School are scheduled for demolition after 15 buildings already have been torn down, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. The demolition of the buildings generated controversy when it began in late July.

The city of Farmington will begin curbside recycling in January after the city's mayor cast a tie-breaking vote early Wednesday, the Farmington Daily Times reports. According to the paper:

Officials vow crackdown on predatory lending

Denise Tessier — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:42:43 GMT

This calendar year, more than 9.000 homes will have been lost to foreclosure in New Mexico neighborhoods. More than 151,000 homes will decline in value in New Mexico because of foreclosures in the neighborhood. With that as a backdrop, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish announced her own "comprehensive and strategic" legislative plan to correct flaws and gaps in state laws she said have contributed to the housing crisis and loss of home ownership at the state level.

Guv signs roads and health care bills

Heath Haussamen — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:25:08 GMT

Without ceremony, Gov. Bill Richardson signed today a $200 million highway-construction bill approved during the recent special session of the Legislature.

Richardson also signed the health-care funding bill the Legislature sent him, with a partial veto.

The highway bill will help fund 13 projects across the state that are part of Governor Richardson’s Investment Partnership (GRIP).

“With this money we can address critical highway projects in rural New Mexico,” Richardson said in a news release. “These rural highways are the lifeline for thousands of our residents who use them everyday to commute, visit families and conduct their daily business.”

The fox is guarding the henhouse

Stuart Ingle — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:23:02 GMT

Don't you just wonder at times what and who is thinking in our State Capitol- Santa Fe? Secretary of State Mary Herrera's decision to hire the son-in-law of Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Tom Udall and husband of Udall's campaign manager to be in charge of New Mexico's election has to be one of the biggest blunders in our State's history.

State agency says it is cooperating with federal investigators

Heath Haussamen — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:23:00 GMT

The New Mexico Finance Authority says it’s “cooperating fully” with federal investigators who are looking into the dealings between the state and a California firm that was paid almost $1 million under a state contract related to a $1.6 billion transportation program named for Gov. Bill Richardson.

Where's the line between issue advocacy and political campaigning?

Heath Haussamen — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:00:00 GMT

New Mexico Youth Organized (NMYO) has been a bad, bad nonprofit. At least, that’s the message from the attorney general and secretary of state. Attorney General Gary King is telling the group: You’ve walked like a duck. You’ve quacked like a duck. So you are a duck. And Secretary of State Mary Herrera is saying: Because of that, you have to formally register as a duck (political action committee or PAC).

Tax rebate outrage: Money goes to those who paid no taxes

Dan Foley — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Having just returned from what will probably be my last legislative session, I have to tell you I was amazed at how well the Democrats can stay on message nationally and locally. We finished a “special session” that was to deal with emergency issues. I was shocked to see that a proposal to give some people a small check had been labeled an “emergency.” This proposal was given the name “tax rebate.” Many people who will receive the so-called rebate actually paid no taxes at all. And many thousands of others paid very little.

TODAY'S TOP STORIES: Democrats rally behind a Green and it's not the presidential race

Trip Jennings — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:30:00 GMT

Democrats disgruntled with their own party's candidate in the Public Regulation Commission race are forming a political action committee to help Green Party candidate Rick Lass, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. Apparently a few Democrats aren't smitten with Jerome Block Jr., who is the Democratic nominee.

Journal investigative reporter Thom Cole takes on a Los Lunas Municipal Court Judge who denied him access to a public court file last week in a doozy of an open letter that's one part chastisement and one part defense of the state's Public Records Act.. Click here to read Cole's open letter. Give 'em what for, Thom!

New Mexico State University police issued a warning to returning students to not travel to Juarez due to the spike in drug-related violence in the Mexican city, the Las Cruces Sun-News reports.

Guv leaves with half a legislative loaf

Trip Jennings — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:30:00 GMT

The House and Senate broke up without giving the governor everything he wanted. But state lawmakers gave him more than $300 million for children's health, tax rebates and roads -- despite the repeated predictions of financial collapse from a chorus of legislative Cassandras who said the state couldn't afford some of what it ultimately passed.

Senate and House adjourn after passing tax rebates and road funding

Trip Jennings — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:43:36 GMT

The Senate and House adjourned around 4:30 p.m. today after completing a flurry of activity Tuesday afternoon.

Among those bills that were agreed upon Tuesday afternoon and are now headed to Gov. Bill Richardson's desk for his signature are those that fund $55 million in income tax rebates, and $200 million for road construction around the state.

Four days, three bills and $140,000 in taxpayers' money

Trip Jennings — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:42:00 GMT

OK, taxpayers. Four days and $140,000 into this special session, here's what you've gotten in return for your investment during this special session, which is entering its fifth day.

The House and Senate have agreed to three bills, which are now headed to the governor's desk for his signature: a general election bill; money for a child care program; and the bill that pays the Legislature to be here.

The hard work is still ahead on Gov. Bill Richardson's major priorities, which includes tax rebate legislation and a bill that would expand health care coverage to low-income children across the state.

The House passes money for general election

Trip Jennings — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:19:24 GMT

The House by a vote of 52 to 14 just passed legislation to appropriate $1.6 million for the Secretary of State to use toward the Nov. 4 general election. Click here to read an explanation of the legislation.

The money in the legislation fills a gap that Secretary of State Mary Herrera, has said her office faces in running the general election.

The legislation now goes to Gov. Bill Richardson for his signature.

House passes health care bill

Trip Jennings — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:05:40 GMT

The House just passed by a vote of 47 to 19 a bill that would appropriate $32.5 million to help put more than 17,000 more children under the age of 18 on the rolls of Medicaid, the government health insurance program for low-income people.

The legislation now goes back to the Senate for approval. If that happens, it will go to the governor for his signature.

The money in the bill is significantly scaled down from the original version of the legislation, which Gov. Bill Richardson has touted as one of the major priorities of the special session. The original bill had appropriated $58 million. But many lawmakers around the Roundhouse worry that the state doesn't have enough money. And the governor's office trimmed the amount of money in the proposal to appease them. The money for the expansion will come from what economists say will be a surplus in the state's operating expenses at the end of this fiscal year, or June 30.

Secretary of State to nonprofit: register as a political committee or face penalty

Heath Haussamen — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 02:25:26 GMT

Secretary of State Mary Herrera has told New Mexico Youth Organized (NMYO) to register as a political committee and comply with the state’s campaign reporting laws, but the group says it will contest that demand with legal action.

“After consultation with our legal counsel at the Office of the Attorney General, it appears that New Mexico Youth Organized is operating as a political committee,” Herrera’s letter, sent late today, states.

Eli Il Yong Lee, executive director of the Center for Civic Policy (CCP), the parent organization for NMYO, said both organizations “strongly disagree” with Herrera’s decision.