Education, health care took back seat in state budget

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By Sens. Dede Feldman and Cynthia Nava Voters hear a lot about the importance of education and health care during every election season, but the true test of our elected officials’ priorities can be found in the state’s recently approved budget. Ordinary citizens have been making extraordinary efforts to improve New Mexico this year by participating in town halls, task forces and the like. Yet, in spite of the Herculean efforts of hundreds of citizens who have come together to grapple with tough issues such as the state school funding formula, the inability of small employers to afford health coverage for their employees and the growing number of uninsured people in New Mexico, this year’s budget stops short of making the investments we need to assure a healthy, well-educated New Mexico, now and into the next decade. As chairs of the Senate Education and Public Affairs committees, which deal with two areas that are often played off against one another – schools and health care – we are very disappointed. Continue Reading

Most voters in poll say guv should OK vets museum

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The majority of those who voted in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site said the governor should sign a bill that would create a veterans museum in Las Cruces. Of 152 voters, 88, or 58 percent, said he should sign the bill, while 64, or 42 percent, said he should not. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll, located at the top of the right column on this page. Continue Reading

Guv signs bill providing alternate path to ballot

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Gov. Bill Richardson signed today a bill that will provide an alternate path to the ballot for Republican and Democratic hopefuls who fail to secure the votes of 20 percent of delegates at their party’s preprimary nominating convention. Under the previous law, Democrats and Republicans could get on the ballot by receiving the votes of 20 percent of delegates at their party’s preprimary nominating convention or, if they failed to do that, by submitting petitions containing enough signatures to qualify. A 2007 change, approved unanimously by lawmakers and signed by the governor, got rid of the second provision, and was designed to increase the power of those who control the major parties. The bill Richardson signed today, Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Majority Leader Michael Sanchez of Belen, takes effect immediately and reverts to the law that was in effect before the 2007 change. It was approved this year unanimously by the Senate and with one dissenting vote in the House. Continue Reading

Denish to campaign in Wyoming for Clinton

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Lt. Gov. Diane Denish will travel to Wyoming this weekend to campaign for Hillary Clinton, and may also travel to Texas to campaign there. Denish’s Wyoming visit comes in advance of the Democrats’ March 8 caucus in that state. She will promote Clinton at a dinner on Saturday and, at a Sunday breakfast, will “help educate Wyoming voters on the caucus process,” according to a news release from the Clinton campaign. “I am so excited to be on the trail for Hillary Clinton this weekend in Wyoming,” Denish said in a news release from the Clinton campaign. “Hillary Clinton is the candidate I want as our commander in chief – and she is the only one with the strength, experience and record to begin tackling the serious issues that face our country from day one in office.” Denish told me in an interview on Thursday that she may also travel to Texas before Tuesday’s vote there, but plans have not been finalized. Continue Reading

Lyons disputes AG opinion on Cruces land deal

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State Land Commissioner Pat Lyons is disputing a legal opinion the attorney general released this week that found fault with a Las Cruces land deal between the State Land Office and developer Philip Philippou. Lyons’ legal staff, according to a news release, believes that, unless there is a specific law prohibiting an action by the land commissioner, he is “vested with discretion in the exercise of his duties to generate revenue for public education.” That includes the discretion to determine how to market, lease or sell trust lands, the release states. “While I appreciate the attorney general’s input, this opinion attempts to constrain my authority and ability to perform my constitutional duties,” Lyons said in the release. “Consequently, I will continue to perform and execute my duties to the best of my ability, consistent with my oath of office, which is to generate revenue for public schools and universities. The lease in question stands to earn hundreds of millions of dollars for New Mexico’s school children.” Attorney General Gary King’s office has said he has no plans to try to enforce the opinion in court, but has said another party with legal standing could sue. Continue Reading

Guv signs bill to expand housing authority audit

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Gov. Bill Richardson has signed a bill to expand an audit of the state’s regional housing authorities, which have been plagued by scandal in recent years. “Now that the governor has signed this important piece of legislation, we can get to the bottom of the alleged unscrupulous financial dealings we all have been hearing about at the state’s regional housing authorities,” said the sponsor of Senate Bill 8, Minority Whip Leonard Lee Rawson of Las Cruces. “Scandal has plagued them and even resulted in closing of the housing authority in Las Cruces and elsewhere. An audit should reveal to the public what is going on.” The legislature, after much political wrangling, appropriated $200,000 during the 2007 session for the state auditor to perform an accounting of the housing authority system’s assets. That work is completed, and cost the auditor $70,000. Continue Reading

CD2 Dem race is ‘a lively, spirited contest’

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Lt. Gov. Diane Denish on Thursday correctly described the Second Congressional District Democratic primary as “a lively, spirited contest.” Her speech at the Democratic Party’s county convention in Las Cruces was followed by speeches from the four congressional candidates and selection of delegates to the state party’s convention. An enthusiastic crowd heard all four speak. Bill McCamley twice took shots during his speech at “wealthy oilmen from Hobbs.” Though he was speaking specifically about U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce the first time and never mentioned opponent Harry Teague, Teague is also a wealthy oilman from Hobbs, and the implication was clear. And Frank McKinnon, who is running in part because of his opposition to the spread of the nuclear industry in Southern New Mexico, accused McCamley and Teague, without naming them, of being in the pocket of the nuclear industry, and also pointed out that the fourth candidate in the race, Al Kissling, agrees with the others that the United States must increase its use of nuclear power. McKinnon said he wanted one of the other candidates to take on his issue, saying he would have exited the race if one had. Continue Reading

Former Mesilla town clerk to run for county clerk

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A former Mesilla town clerk has announced her candidacy for Doña Ana County clerk. Yolanda G. Lucero, a native of the area, owns and manages residential and commercial properties throughout the county. She was the Mesilla town clerk from 1978-1982. “Dona Ana County residents expect their elected officials to be fair and ethical; I too believe that government should serve the people openly and maintain integrity in the election process,” the Democrat said in a news release announcing her candidacy. “I will work diligently for the voters and residents of this county who look to the county clerk’s office for the many services it provides.” Lucero attended New Mexico State University from 1991-1993. Continue Reading

Mayor says city will discuss possibility of legal action

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Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima said this afternoon that the city will discuss the possibility of legal action after the attorney general said on Wednesday that a controversial land deal that could double the city’s size contains provisions not authorized by state law. “That’s something that obviously we’re going to at least bring to the level of discussion at the council,” Miyagishima said when asked if the city might sue. “We’ll definitely have to discuss it.” Miyagishima said he would also be interested in exploring whether the situation creates the opportunity to make any changes to the city’s May annexation and master-plan approval for The Vistas at Presidio. “I think it could be a good opportunity to institute some of the issues and concerns that were brought up before and, if applicable or enforceable, I would be interested in exploring that,” Miyagishima said. “I’m sure it will be discussed at the council meeting, but we just need to be cautious about it.” Attorney General Gary King on Wednesday released his long-awaited opinion that the lease agreement’s method of compensating Las Cruces developer Philip Philippou’s Solo Investments for developing The Vistas at Presidio is “not comprehended by and in conflict with” a statute that only allows developers who lease and improve land for the state to be compensated for the appraised value of the improvements. Continue Reading

Richardson won’t call special session until summer

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Gov. Bill Richardson announced today that he won’t call a special session for health-care reform until the summer. The decision comes following a meeting today with Senate leaders, Richardson said in a news release. He said he and the senators “agreed to form bipartisan, executive-legislative working groups that will develop consensus on all of the key areas of a universal health coverage plan.” “We all want a productive special session that results in affordable access to health care,” Richardson said. He called the meeting with Senate leaders “productive.” The news will come as a relief to many lawmakers who are focused on re-election and the June 3 primary. Most politicos believed Richardson would be making a mistake to call lawmakers back immediately. Continue Reading

Wiviott is the first House candidate on television

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Don Wiviott became today the first U.S. House candidate from New Mexico to air television commercials promoting his candidacy. The first of two 30-second spots currently running in Northern New Mexico is a humorous attempt to get people to remember the Third Congressional District candidate’s name. “How do you say this man’s name?” the narrator asks as Wiviott’s name appears on the screen. That’s followed by two people struggling to pronounce it before Wiviott appears and pronounces it. The ad goes on to show various people praising Wiviott, then reveals that he’s a Democratic candidate for Congress. Continue Reading

Feds tell tribe it shouldn’t open Akela Flats casino

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The National Indian Gaming Commission has informed to Fort Sill Apache Tribe that it should not open its planned casino at Akela Flats. The action comes a day after Gov. Bill Richardson ordered state police to block public access to the planned high-stakes bingo parlor because the federal government had not ruled on its plans and Richardson had information that the tribe planned to open the facility as early as today. You can read the commission’s letter to the tribe by clicking here. It states that the commission has not made a final determination but has preliminarily concluded that gaming will not be allowed on the land. The tribe plans to open a bingo parlor on land that was taken into federal trust in 2002 with the condition that it was not to be used for gaming. Continue Reading

AG says part of Cruces land deal not authorized by law

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The attorney general says a controversial land deal that helped spark a recent takeover of the Las Cruces City Council contains provisions not authorized by state law. Specifically, the method of compensating Las Cruces developer Philip Philippou’s Solo Investments for developing The Vistas at Presidio is “not comprehended by and in conflict with” a statute that permits compensation only for tangible improvements to the land, Assistant Attorney General Andrea Buzzard wrote in a formal opinion released Wednesday evening that’s also signed by Attorney General Gary King. The land deal was authorized by state Land Commissioner Pat Lyons in December 2006. The impact of the opinion isn’t clear, since it states that the issue of whether the agreement is enforceable will have to be determined by the courts. Potential plaintiffs could include the city or the Las Cruces Public Schools, which benefit financially from the land deal. Continue Reading

Guv orders state police to block access to bingo parlor

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Gov. Bill Richardson has ordered the state police to block access to a planned “illegal casino” that an Oklahoma tribe is planning to open between Las Cruces and Deming. Richardson took the action against the Fort Sill Apache’s facility at Akela Flats, according to a news release, after receiving no assurance from the federal government that it would act on the tribe’s plans.The action comes after the state learned the facility could open for business as soon as Thursday. “We have emphatically stated our opposition to what clearly would be an illegal gaming operation in the State of New Mexico,” Richardson said. “Because the federal government is abdicating its responsibility, I have no choice but to take immediate and forceful action to protect the citizens of New Mexico and the integrity of our gaming laws.” The tribe plans to open a bingo parlor on land that was taken into federal trust in 2002 with the condition that it was not to be used for gaming. State police will block members of the public from entering the facility but not tribal members and employees. Continue Reading

Community leader wants to replace Carraro in Senate

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Sander Rue, a community leader on Albuquerque’s west side, announced today that he’s running for the District 23 state Senate seat being vacated by Joe Carraro. Carraro is running for Congress and has said he won’t seek re-election to the state Senate. “I’ve lived in Albuquerque for 45 years and in District 23 for 14 years, and I understand the challenges that our neighborhoods face,” said Rue, 54 and a Republican. “As our next state senator, I’ll fight to improve our roads, cut taxes to create more jobs and reduce overcrowding in our west-side schools.” Rue, a small businessman, is the founding president and current vice president of the Rancho Sereno Neighborhood Association. He’s also a member of the board of directors for Petroglyph Little League. Continue Reading