Santa Fe Budget Overhaul
Residents in Santa Fe won’t see tax increases, but
, passed by the city’s finance committee last night, calls for spending cuts and recreation, parking and land-use fee increases. City councilors are scheduled to vote on the proposal on May 25.
In Albuquerque, city councilors also approved
The city plans to borrow another $18 million for capital projects, including $6 million to complete financing for five baseball and softball fields, money for a Route 66 visitors center and funds for a memorial for West Mesa murder victims.
The state’s largest school district plans to cut
to help it address its $9.5 million budget shortfall.
The number of APS teachers will decrease by 82 from 5,646 to 5,565 and educational assistants will decrease by 73 from 1,527 to 1,454 – changes tied to steadily falling enrollment. With fewer students, APS needs fewer classroom employees.
Tomorrow, US Sen. Tom Udall, a New Mexico Democrat, will meet with Judge Merrick Garland, President Obama's nominee to fill the vacancy on the US Supreme Court left by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Udall has said Garland has an impressive record as a jurist committed to public service.
to examine Garland's record and to allow senators to cast a vote on his confirmation.
Attorneys for Tai Chan want a judge to
against the former Santa Fe County sheriff’s deputy. They’ve filed a motion claiming that “state prosecutors do not have evidence that Chan prepared, deliberated or planned the Oct. 28, 2014 killing of fellow Santa Fe County Deputy Jeremy Martin.”
“State Auditor Tim Keller says
– requiring $25 million from the state to plug the gaps later – and that it’s time to fix the situation,” reports Deborah Baker.
Secretary of State Brad Winter on Monday acknowledged the pattern of emergency grants, loans and special appropriations. But he said the problem is not the budget his office proposes but the funding it gets.
A poll commissioned by
shows that New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas and Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry have early leads in the 2018 governor’s race.
A 150-pound male mountain lion that had been spotted wandering around Santa Fe was
by some local dogs and then relocated to the wilderness after being tranquilized and having a paw injury checked out.
USA Today readers picked Blake’s Lotaburger’s
as the best in New Mexico.
Blake’s, with 75 locations in New Mexico and additional sites in El Paso and Tucson, Ariz., topped a geographically diverse list. Owl Cafe (San Antonio, Albuquerque) finished second, while Big Mike’s Grill (Belen), Sparky’s (Hatch) and Anaheim Jacks (Ruidoso) rounded out the top five.
Santa Fe Reporter