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.
Four candidates for city council in Albuquerque qualified for public financing, according to the city’s website. The deadline for qualifying for public financing was May 31.
Incumbent city councilor Debbie O’Malley qualified in District 2, Bill Tallman and city councilor Brad Winter qualified in District 4, and Rey Garduno qualified in District 6.
Nicholas Niforos didn’t qualify for the financing in District 6, and Greg Payne withdrew from public financing in District 8. Both will still remain declared candidates but will not receive any public funds in Albuquerque.
In addition to this, Hank Cadena in District 2 and Trudy Jones in District 8 have obtained petitions from the Office of the City Clerk to appear on the Oct. 4 city election. The candidates must receive signatures from 500 registered voters in their districts by June 28 to appear on the ballot.
The candidates who received public financing will receive $1 per registered voter in their district. Garduno will receive a little less than $30,000, while Tallman and Winter will each get more than $35,000.
This is the third election where public financing will be used in Albuquerque municipal elections.
Earlier this year a report by the Center for Governmental Studies lauded Albuquerque’s publicly financed elections. The Independent attributed the public financing to the victory of Albuquerque mayor Richard Berry, who defeated incumbent mayor Martin Chavez and candidate Richard Romero. All three mayoral candidates took advantage of public financing.
Meanwhile, opting out of public financing hurt Michael Cadigan, the District 5 City Councilor who lost his election bid in 2009.
To receive the public financing the candidates must collect donations of $5 from 1 percent of registered voters in the district in which they’re running. Candidates are allowed to spend “seed money” during the time before public financing funds are distributed. The candidates can collect $100 from individual candidates and $500 of self-funding up to 10 percent of the campaign spending limit.
The seed money is subtracted from the financing distributed to the candidate.
