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.
Veteran state lawmaker Rep. Mimi Stewart told Clearly New Mexico that the full extent of the campaign by Westland Development to pass the SunCal tax-increment development district, or TIDD, may never be known. Westland reported spending more than $230,000 on an advertising campaign promoting the TIDD.
“I think they spent a lot more than that. Because from what I’ve been able to see in the report, it’s very inadequate,” Stewart told the blog. “I think they spent at least twice that to try to get us legislators to buy a pig in a poke.”
So why does Stewart believe the full extent of the campaign may never be known?
Other expenses that Westland/SunCal paid out – but wasn’t required to report – include the money they spent mailing thousands of slick brochures to people’s homes, contributing to candidates and employing 11 lobbyists to convince legislators to vote for the lucrative tax legislation.
“Like all other entities who lobby at the Legislature, Westland/SunCal will have to file a report in May detailing how much their lobbyists spent on food and drink for legislators during the session,” Clearly New Mexico wrote, “but the total amount of the rest of the expenses will likely never be known.”
Either way, the TIDD failed in the House after two dramatic ties in late-night votes at the end of the session. But the TIDD may be back up once again in a special session, Gov. Bill Richardson hinted earlier this week.
The Clearly New Mexico blog is a project of the Center for Civic Action.
