Washington/Idaho situation provides insight into New Mexico’s minimum wage increase debate

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As New Mexico’s Legislature prepares to debate a minimum wage increase proposal that died last year primarily because of a fight over concerns raised by Doña Ana County’s Democratic lawmakers, an article in today’s New York Times has some interesting insight into the topic. Lawmakers from this area, most of them Democrats, have argued that Doña Ana County is unique in the state because some of the towns in the southern part of the county actually span both sides of the Texas-New Mexico border. That doesn’t mean they opposed the wage increase, but they raised many questions and argued many points in an attempt to find compromise that meant the Legislature failed to resolve the issue in the 30-day 2006 session. Why would a business stay in Anthony, New Mexico and pay workers $7.50 per hour, some of the legislators asked, when it could move a few blocks and pay workers $5.15 per hour? Similar arguments were made almost a decade ago in Liberty Lake, Washington, when that state approved a phased minimum wage increase that means businesses now have to pay almost $8 per hour. Continue Reading

Richardson proposes 11 percent budget increase

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Gov. Bill Richardson, like the Legislative Finance Committee, is proposing a $5.7 billion state budget, but the two have some significant differences. Richardson’s budget has an 11 percent increase in spending and $125 million in tax cuts. The LFC is also proposing the 11 percent increase, but wants $75 million in tax cuts. Much of Richardson’s proposed increase, according to the Associated Press, would go to education. He wants a 9.1 percent increase in spending for the Public Education Department that includes 7.4-percent pay raises for public school teachers and 5 percent for other employees. Continue Reading

Denver picked to host 2008 Democratic nominating convention, boosting Richardson’s chances

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The Democratic Party will hold its 2008 nominating convention in Denver. The announcement, made today by the Democratic National Committee, is great news for Gov. Bill Richardson, who has worked hard to increase the West’s prominence in the nominating process as he prepares to announce what most expect to be his own presidential run. Richardson and others pushed to move Nevada’s caucuses ahead of the New Hampshire primary and won. Now they have succeeded in beating out New York City for the 2008 convention, which will be held Aug. 25-28. Continue Reading

Richardson, Save Darfur, pleased with ceasefire

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Gov. Bill Richardson says his efforts in Sudan “opened the door for the peace process to take hold and move forward,” according to the Albuquerque Tribune. Richardson made the comments during an early morning news conference upon his return to Albuquerque. Richardson succeeded in getting both sides in the conflict to agree to a 60-day ceasefire and peace talks, but could not get the Sudanese government to commit to allowing a U.N. peacekeeping force in the war-torn Darfur region. “On the U.N. issue, while we didn’t get everything we wanted, we made inroads,” the newspaper quoted Richardson as saying. “… It is now up to the leaders of the United Nations and the African Union to monitor and ensure implementation by the Sudanese government and rebels, and to use this opening to pursue the durable political solution that will end the tragedy afflicting the people of Darfur.” Richardson said the ceasefire and peace talks were more important than the allowing of peacekeepers in the nation. Continue Reading

N.M. delegation divided over Bush’s Iraq plan

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President Bush announced Wednesday night his plan to send 21,500 additional troops to Iraq despite widespread, bipartisan opposition from Congress and the American public. Bush called the current situation “unacceptable,” and said that, “Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me.” Bush did call for the Iraqi government to take more responsibility, but didn’t set in place anything that will force that, and the Iraqis have repeatedly ignored such requests. You can read Bush’s entire speech by clicking here. Most of New Mexico’s lawmakers in Washington, D.C. – Democratic Sen. Jeff Bingaman and reps. Heather Wilson, a Republican, and Tom Udall, a Democrat, oppose the plan. Continue Reading

Richardson to discuss Sudan trip Thursday

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Gov. Bill Richardson plans to hold a news conference early Thursday upon his return to New Mexico to discuss his Sudan trip. Richardson will be joined by David Rubenstein, executive director of the Save Darfur Coalition, and retired ambassador Lawrence Rossin at the event. According to a news release, Richardson will “outline the situation in Darfur and discuss his success in negotiating a 60-day ceasefire between the Sudanese government and rebel forces.” Because of the length of the flight home, the news conference is tentatively scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. at Seven Bar Aviation, 2505 Clark Carr Loop in Albuquerque. Richardson is scheduled to arrive there at about 7 a.m. I won’t be in Albuquerque to report on this event, but I’ll let you know as soon as I learn more about it Thursday morning. Continue Reading

Richardson announcement may not come before session starts, will come before end of January

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Gov. Bill Richardson may not announce whether he’ll run for president before the Legislature convenes on Tuesday, but he will make an announcement before the end of the month, his 2006 re-election campaign manager said. Richardson had previously told at least two state media outlets that he would make a decision before the start of the session. But Amanda Cooper said today that Richardson will make a decision “sometime in January.” “One thing there was no way to factor in was the whole trip to Sudan,” she said. “I think that changes a lot of things.” Noting that the national media has focused on Richardson’s trip in the context of his potential 2008 run, Cooper said it has nothing to do with that. She said Richardson has proven throughout his career that he is passionate about diplomatic trips, and said his successful mission to bring jailed journalist Paul Salopek back from Sudan in September caught the attention of the Save Darfur Coalition, which recently asked Richardson to return and try to improve the situation in the war-torn region. Continue Reading

Wife of former state representative dies

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Mary Taylor, the wife of Mesilla Valley political legend J. Paul Taylor, died today, according to the Las Cruces Sun-News. She was 84. Taylor was an author and historian who worked tirelessly, along with her husband, to preserve and promote the Mesilla area. Her husband is a former state representative who has been a champion of education and children throughout his life. The two married in 1945, the Sun-News reported. Continue Reading

Richardson helps start peace process in Sudan

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Gov. Bill Richardson’s press office issued a statement on the meeting with the Sudanese president indicating that Omar al-Bashir has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire and a March 15 peace summit that will be convened by the United Nations and African Union. Richardson also said al-Bashir agreed to: • not have national military aircraft painted in white markings normally reserved for international organizations. • attempt to improve security conditions in Darfur and provide protection to food and humanitarian convoys. • expedite procedures for entry visas for humanitarian aid workers and goods, and to end the exit-visa requirement for all aid workers. • to allow and facilitate travel by journalists from around the world to Darfur. Continue Reading

BREAKING NEWS: Sudan doesn’t want U.N. peacekeeping force but will agree to ceasefire

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Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has rebuffed Gov. Bill Richardson’s insistence that a U.N. peacekeeping force is needed in the war-torn Darfur region, the Associated Press is reporting. “Our experience with U.N. operations in the world is not encouraging,” al-Bashir told the news service. “There are sufficient forces in the Sudan from African countries to maintain order and they can provide order. All we need is funding for the African troops.” He said U.N. troops would be “colonialist,” but did not reject such a force outright. Al-Bashir apparently made the comments to an Associated Press reporter after the conclusion of his meeting earlier today with Richardson. Continue Reading

N.M. delegation shares views on Bush’s Iraq plan

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In case you missed the news, President Bush will address the nation at 7 p.m. mountain standard time today to announce a new strategy in Iraq that includes an increase of 20,000 troops. The move has become a focus of the new, Democratic-controlled Congress, and most Democrats, including Sen. Jeff Bingaman and Rep. Tom Udall of New Mexico, are expected to oppose it. Bingaman says Bush has not made the case for more troops. What do New Mexico’s Republican representatives and senator think of this? Sen. Pete Domenici, who has been briefed on the new strategy, said it’s much broader than a simple troop increase, and will more quickly push responsibility on Iraqis, but also said he hasn’t yet decided whether to support it. Continue Reading

Auditor Balderas wants help from investigators

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State Auditor Hector Balderas will keep a campaign pledge and ask legislators to fund two investigators to help his office took into allegations of public corruption, the Las Cruces Sun-News is reporting. Completing audits that reveal potential public corruption has never been a problem but, with three of four special audits of governments in Doña Ana County in the past several years, prosecutors didn’t have the resources to adequately investigate the complex, white-collar-crime allegations once they were handed over by the auditor’s office. So the audits were shelved. Balderas wants to change that. The new investigators would be able to do most of the leg work before handing a case to prosecutors that’s mostly complete. Continue Reading

Butler removed from controversial ETZ board

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Doña Ana County Commissioner Oscar Vasquez Butler, often the lone opposition to development projects in the unincorporated area around Las Cruces, was removed from the board that oversees such growth projects by his peers Tuesday. Butler will be replaced by new Commissioner Karen Perez on the Extraterritorial Zoning Authority. That body, composed of three commission members and two Las Cruces city councilors, approves or denies growth projects in a five-mile zone around the City of Las Cruces. For the past two years, Butler, a Democrat, has often been at odds with councilors and the other commissioners on the authority, Democrat Bill McCamley and Republican Kent Evans. The other four members usually approve developments, based on recommendations from city and county staff members assigned to work with what is commonly called the ETZ. Continue Reading

County treasurer accused of several improprieties

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Doña Ana County Treasurer Jim Schoonover stands accused of violating numerous state statutes and county ordinances following months of investigation by the county’s internal auditor, audit advisory committee and an independent law firm. Because of that, the county’s internal audit committee will ask the commission to take action against Schoonover that could include referring matters to prosecutors, censuring the treasurer or seeking restitution. The commission heard about the issues at today’s meeting, but Schoonover didn’t show up to defend himself, so commissioners, on a vote of 5-0, put off any decision until a meeting later this month to give him one more chance to respond. The commission also delayed hearing the committee’s recommendation until that meeting, so the wishes of the audit committee are not known publicly. A date for the meeting has not been set. Continue Reading

Richardson discusses cease fire with rebel group

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Gov. Bill Richardson asked rebel leaders in the war-torn Darfur region of Sudan today to agree to a 60-day cease-fire and engage in peace talks with the government, according to the Associated Press. Richardson also met in Darfur with local government leaders, the commander of the African Union forces and people who have been displaced, the news service reported. The commander of the troops told Richardson he desperately needs help. “The force is too small to do the job we are doing,” Maj. Gen. Luke Aprezi said, according to the news service. Continue Reading