In a wide-ranging, sometimes heated press conference, today, Gov. Susana Martinez announced a new executive order backed by little in the way of statistics. Also, one GOP state Senator meets with Coca-Cola lobbyists.
Today, Gov. Susana Martinez made reporters wait 30 minutes before announcing, at a press conference on the fourth floor of the Roundhouse, that she was placing a moratorium on all new state vehicle purchases (except for law enforcement vehicles), "effective immediately."
Martinez, who said the use of state vehicles was "the number one thing" constituents have expressed concerns about through Martinez' online "cut waste tips" website. But Martinez offered no estimate of how much "waste" the moratorium would actually eliminate; to some reporters' apparent frustration, she could not even provide the total number of vehicles currently in the state's possession.
Martinez responded to reporters' questions on a variety of subjects ranging from global warming (which she declined to weigh in on, saying "the debate will continue") to communist environmentalists, the film expense reimbursement (I'm calling it what it is to avoid semantic warfare) and this morning's Supreme Court ruling requiring that already-approved environmental regulations, such as a greenhouse gas emissions cap, be published in the state register, contrary to an executive order that attempted to suspend publication for 90 days.
"We never had an intent to keep those regulations from being published," Martinez told reporters. She also promised that any other rules currently under suspension will be duly published after 90 days.
In other news, SFR also received a somewhat inexplicable press release from the state Senate Minority Office. Photo and text below.
Coca-Cola Reps Meet with Senator Rod Adair
Voice Opposition to Raising Taxes on Soft Drinks
Mario Picón and Ed Henry of Roswell and other representatives from Coca-Cola Refreshments, representing Coca-Cola’s bottling plants and distribution facilities in New Mexico met with Senator Rod Adair at the New Mexico State Capitol to voice their opposition to Senator Gerald Ortiz y Pino’s bill- Senate Bill 256. Senator Ortiz y Pino’s bill would mean that soft drinks are no longer defined as food, therefore, Coca-Cola and similar products would be taxed. There are an estimated 900 Coca-Cola employees in the state of New Mexico with an annual payroll totaling 14 million dollars. (L to R) Mike Slocum, Sam Bernal, Senator Rod Adair, Mario Picón and Ed Henry.
This raises questions.
For one, is Coke food? Should it be? Not to be overly philosophical, but ponder that one.
Two, would taxing Coke necessarily translate into layoffs...or public health savings?
Three, is this news?
If you've read this far, send an email to alexa@sfreporter.com and let me know how you feel about our non?-news reporting.
