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.
District Court workers employed in Bernalillo County’s 2nd Judicial District learned today that they will be forced to take unpaid time off to make up for budget shortfalls — despite a late infusion of cash from the New Mexico Board of Finance, which approved a $68,487.55 emergency loan for the district on Wednesday. The 306 workers had not been included in the governor’s mandated furlough because they are employed by the judicial branch of government.
Employees were notified in writing after lunch that they will lose 18 hours of pay, or 1.5 hours per paycheck, between January 9th and June 25th, unless the Legislature appropriates more money for the court’s current fiscal year when it meets in January.
Executive Officer and Chief Clerk Juanita Duran told The Independent the court had asked for more money, but only got a partial loan, so it still faces a $131,130 operating shortfall to cover employee salaries and benefits in the 2010 fiscal year.
“We’ve had a 22 percent increase in caseloads, but the legislature has slashed our budget 8.1 percent over the last two fiscal years,” Duran said. “This loan only covers the shortfall through the legislative session next month, so we had to ask our hardworking employees to take the furloughs.”
The court, which received its first $142,700 emergency loan in September may have to ask the Board of Finance for a third loan in March or April if lawmakers, who convene in January, don’t quickly appropriate more money. Duran said in addition to asking for at least the forecasted shortfall they need the legislature to appropriate money to pay back the $211,187.55 they’ve already borrowed.
The director for the Administrative Office of the Courts Artie Pepin told The Indpendent that if lawmakers don’t approve the money and actually make more cuts to the court that administrators may have to shut down drug courts and other treatment courts because while money may be available to operate them from the general fund there may not be enough employees to run them.
Anticipating furloughs, Duran said her goal has been to cross train employees and find new ways of increasing efficiency.
“Now we’ve gone to work teams where we put everyone together. This is helping us stay above water. I think we’ve been very proactive very resourceful at looking anyway we could put in any type of efficiencies,” Duran said.
“…It’s very frustrating when people are standing in line and they want you to work faster. We’re doing the best we can with what we have.”
Criminal cases, Duran told the Independent, will not be affected by the furloughs because of court rules are specific regarding timelines — especially arraignments and pre-trail hearings.
Judges will not be furloughed because the state’s constitution prohibits publicily elected officials’ salaries from be adjusted during the term of service. But effective January 4 the clerk’s office inside the court will only be open to the public from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
“Employees will still be working, but we need the extra time to allow clerks to enter documents without interruption,” Duran said.
Staff will take their furlough time, three-quarters of an hour, every Friday. Employees in the other 12 judicial districts have not been ordered to take furloughs.
