The Rail Runner track that may cost NM big money

From Capitol Report New Mexico - You’ve heard of the “Bridge to Nowhere” in Alaska. Now, there’s fear New Mexico may have bought the “Railroad Track to Nowhere.” Members of the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) are alarmed to hear that the Department of Transportation has already spent $5 million on nearly 200 miles of track that has no plans for being used. And on top of that, the track — which was purchased from from BNSF Railway Company between Lamy and the Colorado border — could put the state on the hook for $6 million a year in maintenance because of 10 potential environmental “hotspots” along the line. The 200-mile stretch was bought in the hopes of extending the Rail Runner into northern New Mexico some time in the future. Department of Transportation officials spoke to members of the LFC Monday (Dec. 6) and, according to the Albuquerque Journal, the DOT rail manager admitted that “we have just started to do an environmental analysis,” which led LFC members to ask why the analysis wasn’t done before the purchase. Read more

The Rail Runner track that may cost NM big money

Report: Guantanamo Bay transfers return to terrorism

From the Washington Times - By Bill Gertz - Nearly one in four terrorists released from the detention facility at U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, resumed terrorist activities against the United States and the number is expected to rise, according to a report to Congress by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The report, made public Tuesday, stated that out of a total of 598 detainees released as of October, 150 were confirmed or suspected of "reengaging in terrorist or insurgent activities after transfer," the two-page unclassified summary said. The report's findings prompted a harsh response from Sen. Christopher S. Bond, Missouri Republican and vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, who criticized President Obama for ordering the prison in Cuba closed. "Unfortunately, these latest numbers make clear that fulfilling a campaign promise to close Guantanamo Bay is overriding what should be the administration's first priority — protecting Americans from terrorists," Mr. Bond said in a statement announcing the release of the report. "It is unacceptable to continue transferring these dangerous detainees when we know that one in four are confirmed or suspected of returning to the fight," he said. Read more

Report: Guantanamo Bay transfers return to terrorism

NM Education Dept. Seeks 8% Funding Increase

From kob.com A request to increase education funding is disagreed with by the legislative finance committee who say now is not the time to be asking for more money and that districts should begin dipping into their rainy day funds. The Secretary of Education Susanna Murphy told the committee on Monday that a 7.7 percent increase in next year’s budget would be needed to offset the loss of non-recurring federal stimulus dollars plus increases due to population growth and educational retirement plans. After hearing the request, lawmakers began to press Murphy on why many school districts are asking for more funding but threatening to layoff and furlough their staffs when millions of dollars are stored in reserve accounts. Economists with the finance committee report that districts across the state have more than $100 million in reserve cash balances. On Monday, a spokesperson for Rio Rancho Public Schools reported to KOB Eyewitness News 4 that their cash balance left over from last year was about 7.5 million.
More here

NM Education Dept. Seeks 8% Funding Increase

FCC Commissioner Wants Net Neutrality

From americanthinker.com The First Amendment forbids Congress from infringing on Americans' right to free speech. But the Federal Communications Commission is not Congress. And Michael Copps, one of four FCC commissioners reporting to Chairman Julius Genachowski, seems intent on ignoring that pesky part of the First Amendment about "abridging the freedom of speech" when that speech is sent out over the airwaves. In two American Thinker articles earlier this year, I discussed possible FCC attempts to force progressive programming into broadcast media. Now, in addition to a nasty Christmas present that Genachowski wants to give Americans on December 21 (Net Neutrality), Copps wants government to control private-sector broadcast content. In a December 2 speech, Copps proposed that the FCC conduct a "public value test" of commercial broadcast stations. If a station passes the Public Value Test, it of course keeps the license it has earned to use the people's airwaves. If not, it goes on probation for a year, renewable for an additional year if it demonstrates measurable progress. If the station fails again, give the license to someone who will use it to serve the public interest. More here

FCC Commissioner Wants Net Neutrality

The Pigford Shakedown

From biggovernment.com When the Shirley Sherrod saga erupted on the nation’s airwaves this past July, most people took the immediate firing and then rehiring of Mrs. Sherrod as a morality tale about the dangers of the media and race in America. But to an experienced politicahand like former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, the story had to be about more than that. As he wrote: “As an old pro, though, I know you don’t fire someone without at least hearing their side of the story unless you want them gone in the first place. This woman has been a thorn in the side of the Agriculture Department for years. She was part of a class-action lawsuit against the department on behalf of black farmers in the South. For years, she has been operating a community activist organization not unlike ACORN.” The full 29 page report can be seen here

The Pigford Shakedown

New Mexico's EIB - Job Killers

From Capitol Report New Mexico - One month after passing a controversial cap and trade agreement, the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) on Monday (Dec. 6) passed another sweeping measure aimed at lowering the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. By a 4-1 vote, the EIB passed a statewide, New Mexico-only plan that places a cap upon the amount of emissions generated in the state. The plan was headed by the environmental group the New Energy Economy (you can see some of the details of the plan here.) Read more here:

New Mexico's EIB - Job Killers

Commentary: Where is Martinez’s ‘new level of transparency?’

From NM Politics.net - by Heath Haussamen - Gov.-elect Susana Martinez’s “bold change” was supposed to include a “new level of transparency” not seen before in state government. In one of the first tests of that pledge, Martinez is coming up short. The Santa Fe New Mexican requested copies of applications for state police chief and head of the Department of Public Safety from Martinez’s transition team, which is working to set up the administration before Martinez is sworn in on Jan. 1. If Martinez had already been sworn in, the applications would be public. But because Martinez isn’t yet governor, her transition team claims, nothing about the applicants is public. “Gov.-elect Martinez takes her responsibilities in relation to open government and transparency very seriously,” Martinez spokesman Danny Diaz was quoted by The New Mexican as saying. “The reality of the situation is that these are not public records; therefore, there is no records custodian due to the fact that there are no public funds, employees or equipment dedicated to the matter.” N.M. Foundation for Open Government Executive Director Sarah Welsh disagrees. “Those people are applying for state jobs, not campaign or transition team jobs – their salaries will be paid with taxpayer money, and they will be managing large state agencies,” she said. “Their applications are being received, used and held on behalf of the executive branch by the transition team.” Read more

Commentary: Where is Martinez’s ‘new level of transparency?’

Deal for MORE SPENDING Made on Taxes

From the Washington Times - Brushing aside calls from his own political base to take a stand, President Obama last night announced a deal with congressional Republicans that will extend expiring Bush-era tax cuts — even those for the wealthiest filers — for two years in exchange for a 13-month extension of unemployment benefits. The fate of the tax cuts, due to expire Jan. 1, has dominated the lame-duck session of Congress and posed a difficult political challenge for Mr. Obama, who has long favored extending only the lower rates for "middle-class" households making $250,000 a year or less and individual filers earning less than $200,000. Read full story here:

Deal for MORE SPENDING Made on Taxes

Business Community Pleads with Bingaman

Jeff Bingaman with Senators Kerry and Reid

From the Westerner - Saying "We do not believe S. 1689 as currently written is in the best interests of the citizens of Dona Ana County", three business organizations have asked Senator Jeff Bingaman to remove the bill from "any last minute consideration by the Congress." The chair persons of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, the Las Cruces Association of Realtors and Building Industry Association of Southern NM stated in a letter to Senator Bingaman "our organizations continue to have significant concerns with S. 1689, especially in the areas of Border Security and Flood Control." Click here to read the complete letter.

Business Community Pleads with Bingaman

Time to Re-visit ANWR

Al Gore's Carbon Footprint

Now that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has long been capped and the dreadful ecological and economic consequences garner universal disgust it is time to revisit ANWR. So abhorent and disgusting are the images of unemployment lines and foreclosure signs in Louisiana been, one cannot help but be angry on some level. Let us use our ability to reason to direct our anger in the proper direction. Below is the link to a story written by National Review columnist Jonah Goldberg. It was written after he made a trip to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in 2001. Unlike 99.99% of all others that leave their carbon footprints while insisting on legislation that has pushed so many drilling rigs into 5,000 feet of water, Goldberg actually took the time to visit ANWR. If you are wondering about FACTS related to ANWR as it continues to remain off limits to develpment ,and why we should be pumping oil there instead of into the gulf click here for the archived report of his findings:

Time to Re-visit ANWR