Bill Payne |
State senator defends ALEC, the conservative group the left loves to hate
Posted by
AHD
on Friday, May 11, 2012
Bush official helps with NM health plan
Posted by
AHD
Michael Leavitt |
Bush official helps with NM health plan
Report sees NM economic impact from federal cuts
Posted by
AHD
Businessweek - A report by legislative agencies says future federal spending cuts could hamper New Mexico's economic recovery. The latest economic summary by the Legislative Finance Committee and Legislative Council Service says 2013 federal budget proposals call for substantial spending reductions or slowing the budget's growth rate. The agencies said "the negative impact of federal budget cuts will likely be broader and deeper in New Mexico than in most other states." That's because New Mexico ranks sixth in per capita federal spending -- nearly $13,600 per person in 2010. The report said "New Mexico's ability to continue its slow but steady economic recovery" will depend heavily on future federal spending. Revenues in the state's main budget account were up about 6 percent during the first seven months of the current fiscal year. Read More News New Mexico
Report sees NM economic impact from federal cuts
NM sees more white supremacist gangs
Posted by
AHD
KRQE - New Mexico's prisons have seen a rise in white supremacist gang membership as some inmates seek protection against largely Hispanic gangs, according to state officials. State numbers show that membership in white supremacist gangs has doubled in prisons during the past 10 years, and state officials worry the numbers may keep climbing. "Membership is increasing in white supremacist gangs affiliated with those in Texas and Arizona," said Dwayne Santistevan, administrator of New Mexico's Security Threat Intelligence Unit. "We think they're banning together for protection against Hispanic gangs." The start estimates there are about 160 inmates connected to white supremacist gangs like the Aryan Brotherhood and Nazi Low Riders. Ten years ago, state prisons had only around 60 to 70 members connected to such gangs, Santistevan said. "The gangs are getting their membership from inmates from Farmington, Carlsbad, Ruidoso and Alamogordo," Santistevan said. "It's kind of puzzling." Santistevan said at least two Hispanic inmates had been identified as belonging to a white supremacist gang. Prison officials can easily identify members of such gangs through tattoos of swastikas, Hitler's birthdate and other racist symbols. Still, white supremacist gang membership is small compared to the overall gang population in New Mexico prisons. Of the 6,500 inmates in those lockups, 40 percent are connected to mainly Latino gangs. Read More News New Mexico
NM sees more white supremacist gangs
Gov. Martinez accompanying NM goodwill ambassadors on weeklong trip to promote the state
Posted by
AHD
Susana Martinez |
Gov. Martinez accompanying NM goodwill ambassadors on weeklong trip to promote the state
Union Continues Political Attacks on Education Reform
Posted by
Jim Spence
Labels:
Spence Columns
0
comments
According to a report in the Albuquerque Journal union representatives of the Albuquerque Teachers Federation are continuing their political assault on Education Secretary-designate Hanna Skandera.
Union representatives, famous for claiming they support concrete steps to improve education, have never managed to give their approval of any plan that involves a teacher evaluation system.
Amazingly, in the Journal report ATF President Ellen Bernstein suggested that there should be criticism of Skandera for her support of charter schools. Charter schools have been a lone bright spot in New Mexico’s dismal education performance since 2003. Nearly ten years ago the state threw hundreds of millions of dollars at teacher and principal salaries only to see academic achievement continue to decline.
With this report it becomes even more clear that union officials, who purportedly "represent" teachers, continue to take positions that prevent practical solutions to New Mexico's education problems.
Union representatives, famous for claiming they support concrete steps to improve education, have never managed to give their approval of any plan that involves a teacher evaluation system.
Amazingly, in the Journal report ATF President Ellen Bernstein suggested that there should be criticism of Skandera for her support of charter schools. Charter schools have been a lone bright spot in New Mexico’s dismal education performance since 2003. Nearly ten years ago the state threw hundreds of millions of dollars at teacher and principal salaries only to see academic achievement continue to decline.
With this report it becomes even more clear that union officials, who purportedly "represent" teachers, continue to take positions that prevent practical solutions to New Mexico's education problems.
Union Continues Political Attacks on Education Reform
Pearce Votes to Restore Defense Budget Heinrich and Lujan Vote No
Posted by
Jim Spence
Yesterday, Congressman Steve Pearce voted in favor of H.R. 5652, the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012. Thd legislation stops the across-the-board budget cuts that resulted from the Super Committee’s failures in November 2011. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan voted against the bill.
In a press release Pearce said, “The failure of the super committee to reach an agreement under the Budget Control Act forces significant cuts to defense at a time when we are fighting two wars and defending American interests. I will not turn my back on our troops in harm’s way. When I served in Vietnam, we faced this type of situation—and we had to face a war without support. I made the commitment to our troops that I would vote to protect them, and I will keep that promise. The legislation passed today keeps the promise to our troops while cutting and reforming duplicative or wasteful government programs,” Pearce continued. “There is no reason we cannot cut .7% in federal healthcare spending over 10 years. It is also time that federal employees’ retirement benefits are brought in line with the private sector. Finally, we can eliminate $4.3 billion a year in tax fraud by closing the loophole which allows child tax credits to those who are ineligible to work in the United States.”
Heinrich provided no explanation for his vote. Ben Ray Lujan posted this comment on his website describing the bill. "Congressman Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District voted today against a measure aimed at implementing House Republicans’ budget plan that calls for deep cuts to vital services for middle-class families while protecting defense spending and tax breaks for the richest Americans."
In a press release Pearce said, “The failure of the super committee to reach an agreement under the Budget Control Act forces significant cuts to defense at a time when we are fighting two wars and defending American interests. I will not turn my back on our troops in harm’s way. When I served in Vietnam, we faced this type of situation—and we had to face a war without support. I made the commitment to our troops that I would vote to protect them, and I will keep that promise. The legislation passed today keeps the promise to our troops while cutting and reforming duplicative or wasteful government programs,” Pearce continued. “There is no reason we cannot cut .7% in federal healthcare spending over 10 years. It is also time that federal employees’ retirement benefits are brought in line with the private sector. Finally, we can eliminate $4.3 billion a year in tax fraud by closing the loophole which allows child tax credits to those who are ineligible to work in the United States.”
Heinrich provided no explanation for his vote. Ben Ray Lujan posted this comment on his website describing the bill. "Congressman Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District voted today against a measure aimed at implementing House Republicans’ budget plan that calls for deep cuts to vital services for middle-class families while protecting defense spending and tax breaks for the richest Americans."
Pearce Votes to Restore Defense Budget Heinrich and Lujan Vote No
Astorga Legal Team Fights Death Penalty
Posted by
Jim Spence
Labels:
New Mexico News
0
comments
KOB - Blood dominated the testimony Thursday in the death penalty trial of convicted cop-killer Michael Astorga. Astorga's defense is that he's the wrong guy, not the shooter. It didn't work in his murder trial two years ago but it might work now to keep him out of the death chamber. Astorga testified Wednesday. On Thursday it was his turn to listen to crime scene experts for the defense. They're trying to undermine the case against him for the March 2006 shooting of Bernalillo County Sheriff's Deputy James McGrane.
A major question - why weren't there any blood-spatters on Astorga's truck if he's the one who pulled the trigger?
"I'm close enough to the wall here, that if I get a through-and-through shot, or if his honor shoots me, we're going to get spattering occurring on this wall," crime scene analyst Lawrence Renner said as he explained bloodstain analysis for the mostly female Santa Fe County jury. "That's one of the things the bloodstain patterns can do in the reconstruction process." It's hard on McGrane's family and friends to hear and see the graphic evidence, but they endured it all the way through Astorga's murder trail two years ago that ended in conviction. Read full story here: News New Mexico
A major question - why weren't there any blood-spatters on Astorga's truck if he's the one who pulled the trigger?
"I'm close enough to the wall here, that if I get a through-and-through shot, or if his honor shoots me, we're going to get spattering occurring on this wall," crime scene analyst Lawrence Renner said as he explained bloodstain analysis for the mostly female Santa Fe County jury. "That's one of the things the bloodstain patterns can do in the reconstruction process." It's hard on McGrane's family and friends to hear and see the graphic evidence, but they endured it all the way through Astorga's murder trail two years ago that ended in conviction. Read full story here: News New Mexico
Astorga Legal Team Fights Death Penalty