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Lujan Grisham vetoes law enforcement recruitment bill, other measures

11 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

In the 2024 legislative session, state legislators passed over 70 pieces of legislation, all of which required the governor’s signature to become official laws. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the majority of these bills, especially those she had specifically requested lawmakers to consider.

Despite the high rate of approval, two bills were “pocket vetoed” by the governor, meaning she let the deadline pass without signing them. These were Senate Bill 129, aimed at enhancing the implementation and reporting of cybersecurity procedures within government agencies, and Senate Bill 175, which sought to establish a fund for law enforcement recruitment. S.B. 129 passed the Senate 37-0 and the House 58-0. S.B. 175 received a 39-0 vote in the Senate and a 64-1 vote in the House, with far-left anti-law enforcement Rep. Angelica Rubio (D-Las Cruces) being the sole vote against. 

Although Senate Bill 175 did not receive approval, the governor allocated $25 million through the state budget for law enforcement and correctional officer recruitment.

Additionally, Governor Grisham outright vetoed Senate Bill 217, which proposed transferring over $80 million from the state’s severance tax bonding fund to the severance tax permanent fund. The governor reasoned that a previous bill had already significantly contributed to the severance tax permanent fund, rendering Senate Bill 217 unnecessary.

The governor also made selective vetoes within the massive $10.2 billion state budget, mainly targeting language that she believed would restrict spending inappropriately. For instance, she vetoed a stipulation that tied $1 million allocated to the General Services Department to the publication of building use fees and removed restrictions on the state healthcare authority’s capacity to expand Medicaid eligibility.

One notable veto was against language limiting the New Mexico Public Education Department’s power to mandate a 180-day school year. Following this, on March 7, the Public Education Department announced it would implement the 180-day requirement, despite the Legislature’s firm stand against such mandates.

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N.M. city ranked among U.S. cities with smallest credit card debt increase

8 Comments / New Mexico, News / By

In a surprising move from the usual bad rankings for New Mexico, one city in the Land of Enchantment has been ranked among the top 10 cities with the smallest increase in credit card debt.

According to WalletHub, which did the study, “To determine the cities with the largest and smallest credit card debt increases, WalletHub compared more than 180 cities based on the latest consumer-finance data available from TransUnion and the Federal Reserve, adjusted for inflation.”

Las Cruces ranked as the city with the seventh lowest increase in the nation. The city’s residents had $11,452 in average credit card debt while the increase in this debt was only $351. 

Charlie Barks, Unsplash.

For comparison, the city with the largest increase in credit card debt is California’s Rancho Cucamonga, with a $3,360 increase and a $18,326 total balance.

Albuquerque was also ranked on the list with the 113th-highest increase in credit card debt. Residents had an average balance of $11,529, which increased by $1,116.

“Data used to create this ranking were collected as of February 16, 2024 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Federal Reserve and TransUnion,” WalletHub wrote. 

Source: WalletHub

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Dem NM land commissioner shakes down oil producers for more cash

9 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

The New Mexico State Land Office has announced a pause on leasing its most lucrative oil and natural gas sites in the Permian Basin after legislation during the 2024 Legislative Session to shake down oil and gas producers for more money via higher royalty rates failed. 

Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard highlighted the effort to increase the current top royalty rate of 20 percent to 25 percent, a move that has seen repeated setbacks despite the Democrats dominating both chambers of the Legislature.

The proposal aims to align New Mexico’s royalty rates with those of Texas, which can go as high as 25 percent for oil and gas extraction on state trust lands. The Permian Basin, a hotspot for drilling, spans southeastern New Mexico and parts of western Texas. Texas’ royalty rates haven’t risen since the late 1990s, so the sudden attempt to hike rates appears solely politically motivated.

Revenue from oil and gas royalties in New Mexico contributes to a substantial investment trust that supports public education, universities, and healthcare institutions. 

Garcia Richard emphasized her duty to optimize returns for the beneficiaries, stating, “I am a fiduciary on behalf of the school kids. It’s my job to make them the most money possible, and leasing these tracts below market rate means that school kids are subsidizing the oil and gas activity.” But with pauses on these leases, there will be no revenue coming in on the tracts in question.

The New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, through its CEO Missi Currier, expressed concern that halting new leases could disadvantage both the industry and the public who benefit from the revenues. Currier noted that New Mexico’s existing tax and royalty framework is competitive with neighboring states. 

The Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico’s Executive Director Jim Winchester wrote following the news, “The State Land Office has unilaterally decided to cut off future revenues to state beneficiaries and the general fund by suspending new leasing of premium tracts. IPANM strongly opposes this action especially considering the decision was abruptly announced without any consideration of the economic impact to all New Mexicans.”

The suspension of lease sales, starting with up to six leases in March’s auction, represents a small fraction of total transactions but signals a significant shift in policy. Garcia Richard re-elected for a second term in 2022, acknowledged the short-term loss of revenue from bonus payments due to the suspension but likened the strategy to a homeowner waiting for a more favorable market to sell property, emphasizing the long-term financial benefits. Time will tell if Richard’s shakedown will work. 

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Mom packs up family, flees NM over school’s woke ‘transgender closet’

29 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Rachael Hein made the decision to move her family from New Mexico to Missouri, prompted by her concerns over policies at her daughter’s school, Las Cruces Centennial High School, particularly a facility known as “the transgender closet,” according to Fox News.

Hein told the outlet about her decision, mentioning how a Facebook post led her to investigate the gender-inclusive closet initiative at the high school. “I had to verify it because I don’t immediately take everything on Facebook at face value,” she said. Upon confirmation, Hein felt compelled to act, citing discomfort with the environment her daughter was being exposed to and the potential for her children to be influenced by messages she didn’t agree with.

The controversy stemmed from a grant awarded to the high school by the It Gets Better organization in 2022, aimed at supporting trans and gender non-conforming students by providing a gender-inclusive space stocked with affirming supplies and clothing.

Jfullbright31, Wiki Commons.

Hein’s dissatisfaction with the educational system wasn’t new. The pandemic had already made her more engaged with her children’s schooling, leading her to experiment with homeschooling and online education. The decision to add 10 extra days to the school calendar for the 2022-2023 year, described by Hein as “party days,” added to her frustration, feeling they lacked educational value.

Hein was particularly disillusioned with the response from school boards and education officials, feeling her concerns were acknowledged but not genuinely considered. “It seemed like they were on a predetermined course, regardless of community feedback,” she expressed.

Cardozo School of Law. dyjpt, Wiki Commons.

The move to Missouri represented a significant shift for Hein and her family, who found the new environment more receptive to parental involvement and community engagement. “It’s a different vibe here; more communal and safer for my kids to just be kids,” Hein noted.

Despite her departure from Las Cruces, Hein encouraged those remaining to stay active and involved in the educational conversation. “Change only happens when people speak up and participate, rather than staying silent on the sidelines,” she advised.

Fox News Digital sought a comment from Las Cruces Centennial High School, which has not yet provided a response.

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See what Gov. Lujan Grisham vetoed from her massive $10.2 billion budget

12 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Democrat New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham enacted numerous line-item vetoes in the massive $10.2 billion House Bill 2 budget. Wednesday was the last day to sign or veto legislation otherwise it is by default pocket vetoed.

The governor’s vetoes, reflecting a strategic adjustment of the executive branch’s budgetary powers, axed several legislated spending specifics, reducing the Legislature’s prescribed utilization of funds.

She wrote in her veto message, “…I have vetoed parts of the Act that impermissibly intrude into the executive managerial function. I object to provisions in the Act that unduly restrict appropriations to specified types of expenditures. These restrictions on agency functions exceed the Legislature’s proper, constitutionally defined role, unduly constraining the Executive’s ability to effectively administer programs to meet the State’s needs.”

Governor Grisham also reduced various reporting obligations of executive agencies, continuing her trend of continuing her quest for less oversight from the Legislature.

In a turn that veered from her administration’s usual narrative, Governor Grisham removed numerous mentions of “evidence-based” services, an approach her office often champions for its program expansions.

Notably, the governor refrained from vetoing the $6 million allocated for legislative district staffing.

While only a single junior appropriation item was entirely eliminated, Governor Grisham revised numerous others, subtly redirecting the flow and application of funds.

The governor’s vetoes affected a wide array of appropriations and mandates, ranging from education, health, infrastructure, to cultural initiatives. This included the removal of restrictions on the Department of Education regarding the number of instructional days and school week configurations, as well as blocking expansions in Medicaid eligibility without legislative consent.

A significant $50 million destined for the unestablished Indian Education Trust Fund was struck down, alongside a $24 million earmark for a Paid Family and Medical Leave Act bill, which did not pass in the legislative session.

Other notable vetoes targeted special appropriations for health facilities in Taos County and Tucumcari, Quay County, with the word “construction” being specifically removed.

The Veterans Services Department faced a cut regarding a mobile unit meant to expand outreach services. At the same time, earmarks for the Navajo Nation and Zuni Pueblo, as well as for the University of New Mexico’s School of Public Health, were also scrapped.

Changes to junior appropriations spanned a spectrum from public-private partnerships to cultural events, highlighting the governor’s nuanced approach to budget management.

To read the governor’s full executive veto message, it is available linked here. The final version of H.B. 2 is linked here under “Final Version.”

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Jury delivers guilty verdict for armorer in deadly Alec Baldwin ‘Rust’ case

9 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter following the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust” in October 2021. Despite facing allegations of evidence tampering related to a supposed cocaine exchange, the jury acquitted her of this charge. 

The verdict came swiftly from a Santa Fe County jury after less than three hours of deliberation, leading to Gutierrez-Reed’s immediate custody pending sentencing, where she could face up to 18 months in prison.

As the film’s armorer, Gutierrez-Reed was responsible for the firearms used on set. The prosecution argued that her negligence in allowing live ammunition to mix with prop rounds directly led to the tragic incident, where a live bullet discharged from a revolver held by Alec Baldwin resulted in Hutchins’ untimely death. 

Baldwin, who faces similar charges, has pled not guilty, with his trial set for July.

The First Judicial District Attorney’s Office has expressed its dedication to seeking justice for Hutchins’ family, highlighting the thorough investigation that underpinned the prosecution’s case. The trial featured extensive testimonies and evidence, educating jurors on firearms handling in film productions. 

The defense likened Gutierrez-Reed’s mistake to a medical error, asserting her innocence due to the lack of willful disregard for safety. However, the prosecution countered by presenting evidence suggesting Gutierrez-Reed was the source of the live ammunition found on set, criticizing her professionalism and safety protocols. 

The jury also had the option to consider a lesser charge related to negligent firearm use, but ultimately convicted Gutierrez-Reed of involuntary manslaughter.

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Ex-BLM employee’s $10.7K fraud scheme included personal flight to NM

2 Comments / New Mexico, News / By

Adrian Anthony Aragon, a 52-year-old from Butte, Montana, and a former employee at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), acknowledged his involvement in a scheme in which he illicitly acquired $10,700 from government resources, utilizing a colleague’s forged signature for personal gains.

As an administrative assistant at BLM, Aragon had access to official financial tools, including a government travel card and a purchase card, which were meant strictly for work-related expenses. 

“The indictment in the case said Aragon used the government cards to pay for $2,500 in pottery, a $622 personal flight to New Mexico and cash withdrawals. The government alleged he attempted additional cash withdrawals and also tried to rent a car using the government card while on personal vacation. Aragon tried to cover his tracks by doctoring the statement on the card for the pottery and the flight, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” wrote the Daily Montanan.

BLM Field Office in Butte, Montana. DOI.

The misconduct came to light when an unnamed BLM worker, referred to as Jane Doe, reported unauthorized transactions totaling $10,700 on a government account under her name. Investigations revealed the funds were diverted to Aragon’s accounts at Wells Fargo and squandered on various personal expenditures.

Jane Doe indicated that Aragon manipulated office schedules to ensure he was often alone in the office, giving him the opportunity to misuse her financial documents. 

Further inquiries unveiled Aragon’s misuse of government-issued cards for non-official purposes, including a personal trip and luxurious purchases, with attempts to disguise these transactions.

Facing serious charges of government property theft and aggravated identity theft, Aragon now confronts the possibility of significant prison time, hefty fines, and a period of supervised release. His sentencing is anticipated on June 26, as he remains in custody awaiting further court actions.

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Extremist anti-gun group endorses Gabe Vasquez

14 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Tuesday, socialist Rep. Gabe Vasquez took to X, formerly Twitter, to announce he has been endorsed by the fringe anti-gun group, Giffords, run by Democrat ex-Congresswoman Gabby Giffords of Arizona.

Vasquez wrote, “Thank you [Giffords] for the endorsement!”

Ex-Rep. Giffords wrote, “With so much on the line, I’m proud to endorse Representative Gabe Vasquez, who’s committed to passing commonsense gun safety legislation.”

The far-left New Mexico Democrat added on his X post, “In Congress, I will continue to champion gun safety and provide the perspective of a hunter and gun owner. We can, and we must do more to keep our families safe.”

Vasquez backs extreme gun bans that infringe on New Mexicans’ Second Amendment rights. He obviously doesn’t understand that the Constitution’s provisions granting the right to bear arms were not written for the intention of “hunting” but rather upon the discretion of the nation’s citizens, which is why it writes, “… shall not be infringed.”

When asked in a forum about guns the first time he ran for Congress, Vasquez said, as reported by the Las Cruces Sun-News, “I think that I personally have to learn a lot more about different styles of firearms that can be used both for self-defense and for hunting purposes,” admitting he does not know enough about guns even to warrant having an opinion on the matter.

He added at the time, “I know for sure that an AR-15 is not a weapon that you should use for hunting, for example. But I want to be somebody that comes to the table and talks about these in a way that reflects both the values, the culture of New Mexicans, and at the same time keeps our kids safe.”

Vasquez faces a tough race in November against Republican former Congresswoman Yvette Herrell, who is leading in the polls in the Second Congressional District.

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New Mexico’s marijuana sales soar past $1 billion mark

9 Comments / New Mexico, News / By

New Mexico’s legal marijuana market sales have topped $1 billion in less than two years since the introduction of the adult-use market. Those figures include medical and recreational marijuana sales.

According to recent data released by the New Mexico Regulation & Licensing Department (NMRLD), this amount includes $678.5 million from adult-use cannabis across approximately 15.7 million transactions and $331.6 million from medical marijuana sales through around 6.5 million transactions.

The record-breaking sales figure is based on the latest monthly cannabis transaction data provided by the NMRLD, which also noted that February saw $35.7 million in recreational sales and $12.3 million in medical sales. 

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As of February, there are 1,050 retail marijuana outlets operational within the state.

December 2023 marked a record month for New Mexico’s adult-use cannabis market, generating $37.5 million in sales. A significant portion of the state’s cannabis market revenue is attributed to tourists, particularly those coming from Texas, due to its proximity and the legal restrictions in their home state.

Albuquerque leads in recreational marijuana sales with a total of $202.5 million. Following closely are Sunland Park and Las Cruces, both near the El Paso, Texas border, with cumulative recreational sales of $57.4 million and $45.4 million, respectively, highlighting the influence of cross-border shopping on New Mexico’s market. 

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After NM Court of Appeals overturns child porn conviction, high court steps in

8 Comments / New Mexico, News / By

The New Mexico Supreme Court has reinstated the conviction of David Rael, a Los Alamos resident, overturning a previous Court of Appeals decision that had annulled his conviction for producing child pornography. 

Rael had initially been sentenced in 2017 to a nine-year prison term on multiple counts related to the manufacture, distribution, and possession of child pornography, as reported by the Administrative Office of the Courts.

The appellate court had previously vacated Rael’s convictions on the grounds of insufficient evidence to demonstrate his intent to breach state law, with Rael maintaining that the downloading of child pornography was unintentional. 

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However, the Supreme Court’s recent judgment countered this view, highlighting substantial circumstantial evidence from the trial that suggested otherwise.

The justices pointed out that Rael’s claims of accidental conduct were not convincing, given the compelling evidence. They noted, “This evidence and reasonable inferences from the evidence are sufficient for a factfinder to reasonably conclude that Defendant intentionally copied these videos with the intent to copy child pornography because he knew they depicted child pornography.”

With the Supreme Court’s decision, the case will return to the district court to reaffirm the original judgment and sentence against Rael.

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