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Several people have inquired recently about the photographs I take and publish on this site. They are copyrighted by Haussamen Publications, Inc., but I do sell them for personal use, one-time reproduction or reproduction on a Web site. If you’re interested, check out the prices and guidelines by clicking here. Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici is going to report Monday that he has already raised $500,000 for the 2008 campaign, and his aides are touting the total in an effort to keep potential competitors away. The Albuquerque Tribune is reporting that Domenici has raised $393,000 this year and hopes to have more than $1 million by June. He plans to raise more than $4 million for the race. “It shows he’s running an aggressive campaign,” Domenici’s campaign finance director, Heidi Fuller, was quoted by the Tribune as saying. Federal reports, including those for presidential candidates, must be filed by Monday. Continue Reading
Gov. Bill Richardson’s coziness with donors continues to grab national attention as he runs for president. One of the top political stories across the nation today from the Associated Press is about Richardson signing a bill that will benefit a company that gave his gubernatorial re-election campaign $150,000. The bill authorizes up to $500 million in taxpayer-subsidized bonds for a massive real-estate development in Albuquerque being built by Forest City Covington. Richardson’s spokesman said what his people always say – “The governor makes decisions based on what is best for the state.” I’ve written before about how Richardson’s insistence that he isn’t influenced by massive gifts contradicts his assertion that state politicians, now that he has run in his last election in New Mexico, need to be subject to campaign contribution limits. You can read that by clicking here. Continue Reading
In recent days, there’s been a lot of controversy surrounding an application to the City of Las Cruces to annex more than 4,200 acres on the East Mesa as part of a planned 6,000-acre development that could double or triple the population within 20 years. The controversy mostly surrounds the fact that the public didn’t know much about the development until a little more than a week ago, even though final approval of the annexation and master plan is scheduled for April 23. If you haven’t heard about the proposal for The Vista at Presidio, you can find a lot of information by clicking here. My first opportunity to listen to a public presentation on the development was at today’s meeting of the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners. Their role is to make a recommendation to the city council on the annexation, but they have no actual say in the approval process. Continue Reading
The Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners today certified the results of last week’s spaceport tax election. On a vote of 5-0, commissioners approved the final results. Voter approved the tax by 270 votes, or a difference of 1.6 percent, out of 17,770 votes cast. The final count had 9,020 votes in favor of and 8,750 votes against imposing a 1/4 percent gross-receipts tax increase to help fund Spaceport America. The approval came only after Paul Borunda of Las Cruces alleged to commissioners that his daughter was denied the right to vote on Election Day. Continue Reading
Former state Treasurer Robert Vigil reported to prison Monday to begin serving his term, the Albuquerque Journal is reporting. Vigil began serving a 37-month sentence at a federal prison near Austin, Texas. He was convicted of one felony count of attempted extortion using his elected office, but acquitted on 23 other counts, and is appealing his conviction to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. The facility is a low-security prison that houses about 1,300 men in dormitories in two-man rooms. Continue Reading
Soon after I reported Monday that New Mexico Economic Development Secretary Rick Homans might run for Congress, I received a call from Albuquerque City Councilor Martin Heinrich, who said he is seriously leaning toward challenging U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M. next year. “I’m actually leaning very much toward moving forward and trying to get the pieces together to do that,” Heinrich told me. “I’m pretty serious.” Heinrich, 35, and his wife have two small boys, and he said he is trying to figure out whether he can juggle his family life and a run for Congress. Heinrich’s announcement sets up a potential Democratic primary between Homans and Heinrich. Both are employees of Gov. Bill Richardson. Continue Reading
Las Cruces city councilors decided today to proceed with the creation of a multipurpose aquatic and recreation facility. They decided at a work session today to build the multipurpose center, rather than a facility whose focus is a 50-meter, Olympic-sized pool, in part because of pressure from lawmakers who appropriated the funds for the facility. Several councilors favored using the $18 million from the state to build an initial facility that is primarily an aquatic center, but they agreed to begin with a multipurpose facility and plan for a future expansion that includes an Olympic pool after lawmakers pledged to help with funding for the second phase. Some lawmakers said they would provide such help only if the city honored their intent with the first phase – the creation of a multipurpose facility. “We want to touch as many lives as positively as we can with health and wellness,” Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, told councilors. Continue Reading
Fresh off securing approval of the spaceport tax in Doña Ana County, New Mexico Economic Development Secretary Rick Homans is seriously considering running against U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson next year. A source who has been directly involved in the conversations confirmed that Homans, 50 and a Democrat, is “very seriously considering getting into the race.” The source also said Gov. Bill Richardson has pledged to support Homans in a Democratic primary. New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District race was one of the hottest in the nation in 2006, with the Republican Wilson defeating Democratic challenger Patricia Madrid by 861 votes out of more than 211,000. Since then, Wilson has been dogged by her role in the burgeoning U.S. attorney scandal, and many analysts believe she is more vulnerable than ever. Though the district has a Democratic majority, Wilson has fought off strong challengers to keep the seat since she was first elected in 1998. Continue Reading
By Dr. James “Jim” Kadlecek “How small, of all that human hearts endure, that part that laws or Kings can cure.” – Samuel Coleridge The New Mexico Legislature – senators and representatives, Democrats and Republicans – have adjourned sine die. In other words, they are done with the people’s business for the year, unless our good governor should decide to call them back, as he has indicated he may. And what, pray tell, have they accomplished in their 60 days of hectic debate and discussion, social events and lobbyist luncheons, endless meetings and hearings, numerous communications with constituents, and hours actually studying the bills on which they are voting? This year, our elected representatives can certainly boast of having passed a number of bills into law and allocating significant dollars to state agencies and local governments, from a ban on cockfighting to medical marijuana to reform of regional housing authorities to literally hundreds of capital outlay and highway projects. There is a very long list of bills and projects. Continue Reading
I did an interview with Aero-News.net this weekend to discuss the politics behind last week’s spaceport tax vote and the funding for Spaceport America. It’s a news Web site for aviation enthusiasts. You can listen to the interview, which is about 30 minutes long, by clicking here. Continue Reading
Though Gov. Bill Richardson’s trip to North Korea is about securing the remains of U.S. servicemen, you had to know the impending deadline for the nation to shut down its nuclear reactor would come up. It did. North Korea’s top nuclear negotiator told the delegation today that it would let U.N. inspectors into the country as soon as $25 million in frozen funds is released, the Associated Press is reporting. Richardson is co-leading the official delegation of the Bush Administration. The nation agreed on Feb. Continue Reading
The majority of those who voted in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site say the governor should not call another special session for ethics reform. Of 98 voters, 60, or 61 percent, said Bill Richardson should not call a special session, while 38, or 39 percent, said he should. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll, located near the top of the right column on this page. Continue Reading
New Mexico State University Provost Bill Flores is leaving that job to work for Gov. Bill Richardson. “I’m very proud that, finally, Bill Flores is now going to work in the Richardson Administration as deputy secretary of higher education,” Richardson announced during today’s appearance at NMSU. Flores said he was looking forward to the new job. “It will be a great pleasure to work in your administration,” he told the governor. University President Michael Martin said he’ll miss Flores, who he said has been a friend and golf partner. Continue Reading
Gov. Bill Richardson’s sister Vesta made her first visit to Las Cruces today. Richardson’s younger sister sat in the back row of chairs in front of Hadley Hall at New Mexico State University while Richardson thanked voters for approving the spaceport tax and signed a number of bills. She wore dark sunglasses, and smiled and waved when Richardson pointed her out. State Rep. Joseph Cervantes welcomed Vesta Richardson to Las Cruces. “I hope you’ll come back,” he said. Continue Reading