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.
The House passed the 2012 budget Wednesday afternoon on a 35-34 vote after the passage of just one amendment and the discussion of just two. Much of the time was spent discussing the second amendment, which eventually failed, and left the Republicans complaining that Democrats had wasted time to prevent amendments.
Rep. Thomas Garcia, D-Ocate, took up most of the time on the debate of HB 2, the $5.4 billion budget.
House Republicans said that “it appeared the majority party wanted to use up the three hour time limit rather than allowing a vote.”
“The people of New Mexico would be disappointed in this behavior and so are we,” said Rep. Tom Taylor, R-Farmington, in a statement shortly before the end, calling it “completely unfortunate” that “a single member of the majority easily took up over an hour of time in debate.”
One Democrat on the House floor during the debate on the first amendment to the bill argued that the amendment added $100,000 to the bill but did not take any money out of the bill. An argument many Democrats have made is that all members had a chance to work on the bill in interim committees.
But after the second amendment failed, the bill cleared through the House with no votes to spare.
Rep. Andy Nuñez, I-Hatch, was not present to vote, and Rep. Sandra Jeff, D-Crownpoint, voted against the Democrats and voted against the bill.
The bill will now head to the state Senate.
