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.
Sen. Tim Jennings, D-Roswell said Tuesday that broad-based cuts are a ‘very possible’ step to balancing the budget. But Sen. Eric Griego, D-Albuquerque, disagreed, saying ”When you say ‘across the board’ you balance the budget on the backs of kids. …It’s crazy to look at a kindergardener the same way as the state tourism bus.”
But with the budget situation this bad, accross-the-board cuts are appealing, Jennings said.
Of course, “How much?” is still the big question. Sen. Stuart Ingle, R-Portales, is bringing an amendment to the budget that calls for a 5.7 percent cut across state government. “Nobody likes to do it,” said Ingle, “but across the board (cuts) are the most fair.”
(Video of The Independent’s interview with Senator Ingle was captured by the Senate Republicans and can be found here.)
House bill 2, also known as the appropriations bill, passed out of the House followed by tax increases to fill the budget hole. Several Senators have said tax increases would face a large uphill battle in the Senate.
That’s the answer for some Senators who don’t support broad cuts. Sen. Eric Griego, D-Albuquerque said Tuesday that that approah is “inefficient and damaging.”
Griego pointed out that two thirds of the state budget funds programs for children, mostly in education.
The Senate Finance Committee is expected to approve the budget this week; then it heads to the Senate floor. After that the fight will be which version of the budget, the one from the House or the Senate, will be the final version passed.
When the clock strikes noon one week from Thursday, the Legislature will need to have a budget, and the the clock is ticking.
