Budget Deficit Deepens
As the price of oil dropped to $26.19 a barrel on Thursday, Sen. Finance Chairman John Arthur Smith says the state
. To dig out from the deficit, Aubrey Dunn, the commissioner of public lands, suggests it may be time to raise taxes, beginning with gasoline taxes. Dunn, who won’t be popular with Gov. Susana Martinez or fellow Republicans, says royalty income from the oil and gas industry is off 37.5 percent, and some
to drill on state trust land.
Pot Taxes to the Rescue
While oil revenue falls, some people suggest lawmakers look to the huge revenue Colorado is collecting from taxes on legal marijuana. A proposal to
passed the Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday.
Most SF Council Candidates Support Tax Hike
Speaking of budget deficits, a majority of the candidates running for a seat on the Santa Fe City Council say they
to shore up the city’s projected budget deficit.
Udall, Heinrich: End Immigration Raids
The Associated Press reports, “New Mexico's two U.S. Democratic senators want President Barack Obama to
targeting Central American women and children.”
'Crisis in the Cold'
KOB is taking a long look at the reasons why community service aides are finding so many
this winter, including 17 in the last few months alone. Meanwhile, KRQE reports that a rescue mission in Albuquerque plans to use grant money to
to homeless people who enroll in drug treatment and job preparation programs.
Juvenile Justice
Nehemiah Griego, who pleaded guilty to killing five family members in Albuquerque in 2013 when he was only 15 years old, will be
and likely released from custody when he is 21. His family had mixed emotions about the ruling.
Other Legislative News
- There’s less than a week to go in the 2016 legislative session, and
- just one bill
- has been sent to Gov. Martinez’s desk.
- Sen.
- Howie Morales (D-Silver City) was named MVP
- after helping his Senate basketball team beat the House’s team in double overtime.
- A proposal that would have made the PRC commissioner seats
- appointed positions
- was killed by the House.
- GOP lawmakers block a bid to
- ax business tax breaks
- .
- The
- fingerprint requirement
- continue to snag the Real ID compliance bill.
- Meanwhile, the Senate has
- OK’d a series of crime bills.
- The New Mexico House of Representatives unanimously passed House Bill 142, Crimes Against CYFD Workers,
- creating criminal statutes
- that would make it a crime to assault Children Youth and Family Division workers.
Popular Pope
If you have a US passport and really want to see Pope Francis' Mass in Juarez next Wednesday, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe is
on Saturday at 9 am. Follow the link for details on how to get them.
That's it for this week. Have a romantic Valentine's Day.
Santa Fe Reporter