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.
Despite a unanimous vote on the House floor, Rep. Brian Egolf’s bill to move New Mexico’s money to local banks, HB 66, didn’t make it to the Senate in time for a vote during the regular session. Now Egolf says he hopes the bill will get a second chance.
On Monday The Independent caught up with Rep. Egolf to talk about his bill, which would have moved the state’s money out of big national banks, such as Bank of America, and put it into smaller community banks.
The proposal is part of a larger movement to move money from big national banks (considered “too big to fail“) into local banks.
Jerry Walker, a lobbyist for the Independent Community Bankers Association of New Mexico, told the Huffington Post last week that he wouldn’t bother asking the governor to add the bill to the agenda for the special session, saying he’d wait until next year’s regular 60-day session. Egolf doesn’t want to wait.
NMI: Is there a chance that your “Move New Mexico’s Money” bill will be heard in the special session?
Egolf: I don’t know yet. The Governor is at NGA [National Governors Association], he’s on his way back now. I would love to see progress made on this now, rather than next year.
Is there enough time in the special session for the bill to go through again?
I don’t know if it’s possible. The worst thing would be to try again and have time be the enemy. It wasn’t called up for a vote, but I don’t know the reason why. There was a Republican filibuster at the end; once the treatment bill had been brought up it was impossible.
It had a pretty good run though, with a lot of support, right?
It made it through the committee process. I think it was the third House bill to get out of Finance, but it didn’t appear on the Senate floor calendar until Thursday, the last day. I agree that it seemed like there was a lot of support for the bill though.
Will you have a change to speak with the Governor before we start back up on Wednesday?
Yes, I’m going to talk to him before. I know he really supported the idea. But I need to visit with him tomorrow.
Of course, the special session is about the budget and this isn’t directly related, though it does seem like something that would help the local economy.
I think the issue is if we come in and are close to a budget deal and we can run it through in days or not. It’s not up to me to demand attention for this if we’re only there for a few days. In the special session, if it really is about just the budget, we will only have two committees. If that’s the case it’s just not realistic.
So, it would have to go through the entire process again?
I believe we have to start from scratch to get new numbers. I’ve never heard of a bill … going through special session without committees.
If it doesn’t come up during the special session what’s the plan?
I’m super committed and super bummed out that it didn’t work. I’ll be trying again, definitely, I just don’t know when yet.
