I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
Gov. Bill Richardson plans to hold a news conference on Thursday to “take action on several ethics reform bills,” according to a news release from his office.
The release didn’t specify which bills Richardson will sign, and two staffers failed to respond to an e-mail about the news conference, but sources said Richardson plans to sign bills that will enact campaign contribution limits and require more frequent campaign reporting.
The contribution-limit bill is Senate Bill 116, sponsored by state Sen. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque. It will limit contributions to non-statewide candidates for office — including legislative candidates — to $2,300 per election from any entity except a political committee, which could give a maximum of $5,000 to non-statewide candidates. It will limit contributions to statewide candidates for office, political action committees and political parties to $5,000 per election from individuals and groups.
There are two elections — a primary and a general — in each election cycle.
The other bill is Senate Bill 128, sponsored by state Sen. Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe. It will require that candidates file reports of expenditures and contributions twice a year in off-election years. Currently the law requires that annually.
The news conference was scheduled for 11 a.m. in the Governor’s Cabinet Room on the fourth floor of the Roundhouse.
