Today, Governor Susana Martinez announced her Fiscal Year 2013 budget proposal, which continues the Governor’s commitment to responsible budgeting while calling for targeted and significant investments in important priorities for New Mexico’s children and families.
“I am proud to announce to New Mexicans that our fiscal house is back in order,” said Governor Martinez. “A year ago, we made a commitment to balancing our budget without raising taxes, while protecting core priorities like classroom spending and health care for those most in need. Thanks to responsible budgeting and an intent focus on cutting excess costs in government, we are now able to take another step forward by making important investments in the education of our children, as well as economic reforms to improve New Mexico’s long-term fiscal health and ability to compete for jobs.”
Just fourteen months ago, reserves for FY11 were projected to total just 3.5 percent of the state budget by the end of that fiscal year, and the state was facing a staggering structural budget deficit. After significant cost-cutting measures that included selling the state’s luxury jet, reducing the number and salaries of political appointments, placing a moratorium on state vehicle purchases, renegotiating state office leases, eliminating hundreds of unused or unnecessary cell phones, and passing a budget that critically assessed funding needs throughout state government, New Mexico closed FY 2011 with general fund reserves at well over 9 percent of the state budget, and FY12 reserves are also projected to finish at nearly the same level. Read rest of message here:
News New Mexico
Governor Releases Budget Message
© 2012 Michael Swickard, Ph.D. - This Centennial Year of New Mexico Statehood we must realize our history is primarily of people who made New Mexico what it is now. William McDonald was New Mexico’s first elected governor and owner of the Bar W Ranch outside of Carrizozo. His neighbor Bill Gallacher (pictured on left) provides an interesting insight into that era.In 1977, the 65th anniversary of New Mexico Statehood, I decided to interview someone who was living in the state that statehood day. I wanted to get an eyewitness view from someone in the middle of the statehood celebration. I thought of Bill Gallacher, a 1908 graduate from the college at Las Cruces. In January 1912, Bill Gallacher had been living for four years on his ranch 20 miles from Carrizozo as he was still in 1977. He died years later at age 98.Bill Gallacher was an interesting New Mexico pioneer. From living in White Oaks before the turn of the century, he lived to see the landing of the space shuttle 60 miles from his ranch. He was 35 miles downwind of the first atomic explosion at Trinity Site, July 16, 1945. He was also one of the few people who could look up in the sky in 1986 and say, “Halley’s Comet, what do you know, there it is again.”As I drove out to his ranch on a dirt road, that was dirt in 1912, 1977 and still is dirt, I pictured the celebrations; firecrackers going off, dogs barking, and people toasting statehood at the local bar while politician gave speeches. I was sure it was one big party to celebrate New Mexico statehood. Read column
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