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.
In the one week since Lt. Gov. Diane Denish established a government efficiency hotline, over 100 calls have been received, her office announced today. The majority of those calls were about “double dippers,” retired employees who have returned to work and now collect a pension and a paycheck from the state. And the callers were unanimous, Denish’s office says, in their opposition to double dipping.Since 2004, public employees have been able to legally retire after putting in the required 20-25 years (depending on the job), then return to work with the state, collecting both a salary and a pension. About 9 percent of the state pension program’s retirees have gone back to work, the Associated Press reported earlier this year. That’s about 2,200 retirees.
Other suggestions that have come in on the hotline mirror legislation that was introduced, but not passed, during the October special session.
“Some callers suggested revenue raising approaches. One suggested corporate taxes on companies such as Lowes, Cost Co, and Sam’s. Another suggested tax increases on junk food, alcohol and cigarettes,” said a press release from Denish’s office Friday.
Although bills to require combined reporting and implement “sin taxes,” failed in October, they are expected to be reintroduced when the Legislature meets again in January.
A poll conducted recently by Research & Polling for New Mexico Education Partners showed that 70 percent of New Mexicans support an increase on tobacco and alcohol taxes and 61 percent support increasing taxes on out-of-state corporations.
