Counting Costs of Obamacare to New Mexicans

ATR - Next week, the U.S. House of Representatives will be voting on an historic repeal of the Obamacare law. While there are many reasons to oppose this flawed government health insurance law, it is important to remember that Obamacare is also one of the largest tax increases in American history. Below is a comprehensive list of the two dozen new or higher taxes that pay for Obamcare’s expansion of government spending and interference between doctors and patients. Individual Mandate Excise Tax (Jan 2014): Starting in 2014, anyone not buying “qualifying” health insurance must pay an income surtax according to the higher of the following: Read more details here:
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Chavez: Uniting Congress

Linda Chavez
Townhall - The attempted assassination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and the murder of six others in Tucson have transfixed the nation for the past week. But as horrific as those events were, Congress has little choice but to move on. There is little Congress can do about what happened in Tucson -- or ensure something like it won't ever happen again. It is hubris to believe otherwise. What members of Congress owe their fallen colleague -- and the American people -- is to return to the business of legislating. And few periods in recent history offered greater legislative challenges than those facing the 112th Congress.
The nation faces a mountain of debt, estimated at more than $14 trillion, or more than $45,000 for every person living in the United States today. The new Republican majority in the House has promised to cut spending in order to help close the deficit and keep long-term debt from rising. They'll have the chance over the next several weeks as they move to fund government beyond the continuing resolution that expires March 4. Republicans would like to cut $100 billion out of President Obama's 2011 budget, even before the president gets a chance to present his 2012 budget expected sometime in February. But doing so will require deep cuts in existing programs, and Republicans have already taken off the table those related to Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs. Read full column here:
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Where the Budget Cuts Might Come From

Capitol Report New Mexico - Last Friday (Jan. 7), the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) came out with its recommendations for closing the $250-$400 million gap in New Mexico’s budget. Then, on Monday (Jan. 10), new Gov. Susana Martinez came out with her administration’s recommendations. While both sides generally agree their respective proposals are in the same ballpark and hope legislators and the executive office can hammer out a deal in the upcoming 60-day legislative session without spilling too much political blood, Capitol Report New Mexico decided to take a closer look at the differences between the two proposals. Read full story here:
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News New Mexico on the Air in Artesia

Just in time for New Mexico's most comprehensive coverage of the upcoming 60 day legislative session, beginning Monday January 17, 2011 Pecos Valley Broadcasting's KVSP Artesia's Own 990AM will begin airing News New Mexico weekday evenings between 7:00pm and 11:00pm.

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Martinez Appoints Burt and Wooley to Legislature

Bill Burt
Capitol Report New Mexico - Gov. Susana Martinez filled the two vacant seats in the state legislature late Friday afternoon (Jan. 14) by announcing that Bill Burt of Alamogordo will serve as senator from Senate District 40, replacing Dianna Duran who had to resign her seat upon becoming Secretary of State and Bob Wooley of Roswell, who will serve as representative from House District 66 replacing Keith Gardner, who stepped down to become Martinez’ chief of staff. Read full story here:
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Property Tax Disparities

Santa Fe New Mexican - A Santa Fe couple recently became the first county taxpayers to challenge a property-tax law that has already been overturned by two judges in Bernalillo County. Nancy Udell and James Atwood, retired attorneys, filed a complaint in District Court Jan. 7 seeking a refund for part of the property taxes they paid last year and a reassessment of their home. They contend that a law that caps increases on residential property assessments to 3 percent a year — unless it sells — violates the state constitution. The law was passed in 2001 to protect longtime residents from experiencing swift increases in valuation — a phenomenon referred to as "tax lightning" — that can occur when values skyrocket due to sharp market upturns, speculation or new construction of expensive homes. Read full story:
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What Do You Think About the Market?

Jim Spence
Ahhhh, we miss the good ol’ days of cocktail parties; the days when fellow guests swirled their cubes in expensive scotch and asked us: “What do you do for a living?” And when we said “We manage stock portfolios,” their expression revealed varying degrees of fascination and awe. These days, the gathering is a much more practical one such as a coupon exchange or a visit to the gym and when people ask us what we do and we give the same answer, they look surprised- surprised that those sorts of jobs still exist. Usually the next step is to change the subject and look around for a banker in the room who can find them a C.D. that pays 1.5%. Read full column here: 

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