Morning Word: City Budget Approved

Budget Deal Reached in Santa Fe

Santa Fe City Councilors have agreed to

, and now you can expect to pay higher parking and recreation fees. “The budget does not address the pending sunset of the state’s 'hold harmless' payments, the effect of which will be to see another budget shortfall next year of $1.4 million, and $700,000 each year to follow until those payments fully taper off in 2030,” reports SFR's Elizabeth Miller.

First Lady to Deliver SFIS Commencement Speech

First lady Michelle Obama will give the commencement speech today at the Santa Fe Indian School. If you can’t attend the 1 pm ceremony,

.

Republicans Defend Martinez

Dan Boyd reports, “High-profile GOP figures, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and former presidential candidates Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and John Kasich, came to [Gov. Susana] Martinez’s defense after

and mused about launching a New Mexico gubernatorial run of his own.

Convention Preview

New Mexico Political Report’s Andy Lyman, who is getting ready to head to Florida, has a preview of this weekend’s

.

D'Antonio Files Ethics Complaint

Heath Haussamen has been covering the 3rd Judicial District Attorney’s primary campaign in Las Cruces and reports that incumbent Mark D’Antonio has

against his Democratic Party primary opponent, James Dickens.

Pearce Jumps Into Water Access Battle

US Rep. Steve Pearce, R-New Mexico, “has joined the fight between ranchers and the federal government over

saying the state can do more to protect the private property and water rights of its citizens,” according to an Associated Press report in the New Mexican.

PRC Hires Chief

“Nearly 10 months after the last chief of staff of the Public Regulation Commission suddenly resigned,

a top administrator at the state Department of Transportation, has agreed to take the job,” reports Steve Terrell.

The commission voted to offer Archuleta the job in a split decision earlier this month, with two of the five commissioners voting against him. Carlos Padilla, a spokesman for the commission, said Wednesday that Archuleta will be paid $128,000 a year, a substantial increase over the $90,000 that the previous chief of staff, Vince Martinez, was paid.
Capital Blunder

KRQE’s Larry Barker found

in the City of Albuquerque. The money was used to buy equipment for a 4-D theater at the International Balloon Museum, but it never got built. The equipment is still in storage.

Legislative Finance Committee Chairman, Senator John Arthur Smith tells KRQE News 13, “In my district a million dollars is a lot of money. I’d dearly love to have it for my streets and my local government whether it’s Lordsburg, Deming, T or C or Las Cruces.”

“It’s sort of a sad day in government when you hear about incidents like this. It’s not just a reflection on the legislature. It’s a reflection on all elected officials,” Senator Smith said.

In an effort to salvage its $1,000,000 investment, Balloon Museum officials have now decided to retrofit exhibit space and install portions of the equipment to create a 3-D theater. However, the decade old equipment is no longer under warranty and the Museum has yet to figure out how it will pay for movies to be shown on the big screen.
Sunport Escapes Long Screening Line Backups

We’ve been hearing about long security screening lines at airports around the country and a shakeup at the TSA, but

at the start of the summer vacation season.

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