![\"Susana](\"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Martinez-Susana-336x196.jpg\")
Heath Haussamen \/ NMPolitics.net<\/p>
Gov. Susana Martinez<\/p><\/div>\n
She also vetoed the Legislature’s funding\u00a0and a bill that would have raised additional money through a number of tax increases. And she reiterated her pledge to call lawmakers back for a special session soon.<\/p>\n
“In the coming weeks, I will call the Legislature back to Santa Fe to finish the job they were supposed to do in the first place,” Martinez said. “I believe that by working together, we can balance the budget \u2013 without tax increases. While I\u2019m disappointed in them, I am optimistic that we can come together.”<\/p>\n
Statements from Democratic leaders suggested coming together may be difficult.<\/p>\n
“Governor Martinez has chosen to play extreme political games rather than act responsibly,” said Senate Majority Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe. “Her attempt to use line-item vetoes to eliminate an entire branch of government and every higher education institution is outrageous.”<\/p>\n
House Speaker Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, said the governor’s vetoes of higher education and legislative funding “are beyond the pale” and “unconstitutional.”<\/p>\n
“Her action also eliminates the path to a brighter future for thousands of New Mexico children who want to go to college and gain a quality higher education,” Egolf said. He added that the governor\u00a0“is clearly not serious about fixing our state\u2019s budget problems or growing our economy” and is “turning her back on the bipartisan and responsible solution offered to her by the Legislature.”<\/p>\n
What\u00a0happens next isn’t clear. Lawmakers could meet to consider overriding\u00a0the governor’s vetoes. While many Senate Republicans went along with Democrats to vote to override a\u00a0veto of an education bill by Martinez, also a Republican, during the session, House Republicans refused to go along<\/a>.<\/p>\n Discussions about\u00a0a compromise could also take place. Martinez signaled that she’s willing to consider tax reform, but she’s likely to also want additional cuts that many Democrats have said they won’t approve. And Martinez\u00a0clearly doesn’t plan to approve the tax increases\u00a0proposed by Democrats.<\/p>\n The standoff\u00a0puts higher education institutions in the challenging position of not being able to plan for a fiscal year that begins in less than four months. Last week, the New Mexico State University Board of Regents put off voting on a proposed tuition increase because of uncertainty about state funding<\/a>.<\/p>\n Following Martinez’s vetoes, NMSU Chancellor Garrey Carruthers expressed dismay about\u00a0his institution and others being\u00a0“caught up in a political strategy.”<\/p>\n “Clearly, higher education in the state must be funded and we hope both sides will work expeditiously to resolve their differences,” Carruthers wrote in a message to the NMSU community.<\/p>\n With falling oil and gas prices crippling the state’s budget, the Senate worked in a bipartisan way to approve a budget and tax increases to help fund it. The House also gave approval to the bills, though without\u00a0GOP support. The legislation to raise new revenues, House Bill 202<\/a>, included take hikes on gas and diesel, hospitals and vehicle purchases. It also would have raised\u00a0the cost of permits for heavy trucks and started taxing purchases made on the internet.<\/p>\n