Supreme Court Shoots Down Martinez Veto

Susana Martinez

From publicbroadcasting.net -The state Supreme Court has invalidated a veto by Republican Gov. Susana Martinez that reduced money for a housing agency.  The court said Wednesday it will issue a decision later in a challenge by lawmakers to a second veto that rejected a $128 million tax increase on businesses to pay for unemployment benefits. The court said the governor exceeded her powers by lowering an appropriation in a budget bill from $150,000 to $50,000. She did that by striking the "1'' from the $150,000. The money is for oversight of a housing program.  A lawyer for legislators argued that a governor can only veto an entire allocation of money accepting all or nothing. A governor can't selectively change the amount as Martinez did, the court was told. 

Supreme Court Shoots Down Martinez Veto