{"id":326497,"date":"2017-04-17T12:14:36","date_gmt":"2017-04-17T18:14:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=326497"},"modified":"2017-04-18T18:55:31","modified_gmt":"2017-04-19T00:55:31","slug":"former-gov-carruthers-pushes-back-against-higher-education-veto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2017\/04\/former-gov-carruthers-pushes-back-against-higher-education-veto\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Gov. Carruthers pushes back against higher education veto"},"content":{"rendered":"

New Mexico State University Chancellor Garrey Carruthers had some advice<\/a> for Gov. Susana Martinez in 2013.<\/p>\n

\"Garrey

Courtesy photo<\/p>

Garrey Carruthers<\/p><\/div>\n

“I think maintaining a respectful relationship with the Legislature does pay off,”\u00a0Carruthers said at the time.<\/p>\n

“She\u2019s got the charm and the intellect to do that, and if I were to recommend one thing, I\u2019d turn that charm on,” said Carruthers, a former N.M. governor who, like Martinez, is a Republican.<\/p>\n

More than four years later, many legislators say Martinez has been anything but respectful. She has vetoed<\/a> a plan to balance the state’s budget that passed with bipartisan support. That included nixing all funding for the Legislature. These days she is repeatedly hammering the “do-nothing Senate,”<\/a> which she accuses of<\/a>\u00a0wasting time and shirking “their responsibility to do the good work of the people.”<\/p>\n

Lawmakers, in response, plan to sue over Martinez’z vetoes<\/a> and try for an extraordinary session, possibly to attempt an override of the vetoes. Though the governor and legislative leaders say they want compromise, there’s no clear path to resolve the situation before the new fiscal year begins July 1.<\/p>\n

Also included in the governor’s\u00a0vetoes was all funding for the state’s public colleges and universities — $745 million — in addition to tax increases to balance the budget. Now Carruthers is helping lead\u00a0a growing chorus of New Mexicans who are speaking out\u00a0against the governor’s higher education veto and the gridlock that threatens to leave colleges and universities\u00a0with no state funding on\u00a0July 1.<\/p>\n

Known for diplomacy, Carruthers isn’t pointing fingers. But he has complained about higher education being \u201ccaught up in a political strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClearly, higher education in the state must be funded and we hope both sides will work expeditiously to resolve their differences,\u201d Carruthers wrote in a recent message to the NMSU community<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Carruthers and other university presidents are also speaking\u00a0about the toll the standoff will take if it’s not resolved.<\/p>\n

“The message the veto sent to our 133,505 registered students and their families, while unintended, leaves them confused and wondering whether they should enroll in a New Mexico college or whether they\u2019ll be able to finish their degree and graduate,” Carruthers and the presidents of the state’s other four-year universities wrote last week in a letter to Martinez and lawmakers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“While we are trying to calm their fears, there is concern that many of our state\u2019s brightest students will move to other states to pursue their higher education,” they\u00a0wrote.<\/p>\n

The university presidents warned\u00a0that they could also lose professors and economic development opportunities from companies concerned about “quality higher education and strong workforce training.”<\/p>\n

Carruthers\u00a0sent talking points<\/a> to the entire NMSU community on Monday so\u00a0those who “are so moved could write to their own legislators and to the Governor.”<\/p>\n

Among the highlights:<\/p>\n