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.
State Sen. Sander Rue, R-Albuquerque, has won a national Legislator of the Year Award for his advocacy for New Mexico’s “Sunshine Portal,” according to a news release issued today.
Rue carried legislation this year that cleared the New Mexico Legislature and was signed into law creating the portal, which is scheduled to go online next year.
The portal will give New Mexicans a centralized place to check up an online database to see how taxpayer dollars are spent, including the salaries and titles of all state employees, along with the names of political appointees and what they earn.
Rue will be presented the award August 7, 2010 at the annual meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in San Diego, the release said.
“The ALEC Board of Directors found Senator Rue’s work exemplary and his leadership on his government transparency legislation very effective,” Michael Bowman, ALEC’s Senior Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives, was quoted as saying in the release. ” We believe this critical legislation will improve government transparency in New Mexico as it has in other states where it has been implemented. We congratulate Senator Rue for his excellent work in advancing policies based on the fundamental Jeffersonian principles of free markets, limited government and individual liberty.”
Rue thanked the organization for the award and said he hoped New Mexico’s action will spur other states to do the same thing.
“I hope this national award will shed light on what New Mexico is doing to make state government more open and accessible to the public through our new Sunshine Portal Transparency Act so other states will take notice and hopefully follow our lead,” Rue was quoted as saying in the release.
