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.
Gov. Richardson announced today that he will allocate $1.4 million in federal stimulus money to prevent furloughs in some courts and state agencies in the executive branch.
About a third of the money, $450,000, will go to prevent layoffs and…
Gov. Bill Richardson
As 2009 staggers into the history books, exhausted and a bit lighter in the pockets than when it first appeared on the scene, let’s acknowledge this: the year gave us plenty to write about.
Accusations of pay-to-play, former elected officials getting indicted, electoral surprises and an occasional David toppling a Goliath — 2009 produced it all, giving the year a healthy luster of newsworthiness despite its threadbare look.
The year showed incredible stamina, in fact, with a steady drumbeat of scoops, gotchas and revelations, exhausting many a political junkie and news professional. And 2009 didn’t take long to demonstrate its capacity to shock.
On the fourth day of 2009, an announcement in Washington landed in New Mexico with all the percussive power of a bombshell: Gov. Bill Richardson was withdrawing as President Obama’s commerce secretary, citing a federal corruption investigation into how his administration conducted business.
And the news kept coming.
Some 360 later, the year is ending the way it began — scrutiny, including from federal prosecutors, on how the state invested its money over the past half decade.
In between those two bookends, the state of New Mexico also came to the disturbing realization that it was broke, Albuquerque’s longtime mayor fell short of winning a third four-year term — knocked off by a long-shot two-term GOP state lawmaker — and two former elected officials found themselves on the business end of a criminal indictment.
It’s unclear whether what transpired this year will change the political dynamic here in New Mexico, or lead to more government transparency. But before The New Mexico Independent gets back into the daily grind, let’s take a deep breath and reflect on the busy year that was.
District Court workers employed in Bernalillo County’s 2nd Judicial District learned today that they will be forced to take unpaid time off to make up for budget shortfalls — despite a late infusion of cash from the New Mexico Board…
Because they’re part of the executive branch, and therefore subject to Gov. Richardson’s furloughs, public defenders are forced to take five days off without pay, as police continue to make arrests and prosecutors continue to work on cases.
Gov. Bill Richardson recently ordered five furlough days for state workers and said he wants to eliminate more than 1,000 vacant positions across state government as a response to New Mexico’s worsening financial situation. But next year’s budget likely…
Governor Bill Richardson took to his official blog to unveil a draft plan to implement the five days of furloughs he announced last week.
Gov. Bill Richardson on Thursday said he would order nearly 20,000 state workers to take five furlough days. He also pledged to axe 1,000 vacant state jobs and make cuts at the agencies under his control. But state lawmakers said he could have averted some of the pain by taking action earlier this year.
By now you know — or you should — that New Mexico has a big, fat budget hole.
Economists and other state officials estimate that weak tax revenue has left the state $440 million or so short of what it needs to cover expenses for the year that ends June 30. Gov. Bill Richardson and state lawmakers are negotiating over what to do about the shortfall, what to take off the table as an option and what to leave on. More …
State Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, offered KUNM a glimpse into the state’s financial future last week. It’s not particularly pretty.
