ABQ may be facing special election
Posted by
Michael Swickard
on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
From KOB-TV.com - By: Chris Ramirez, KOB Eyewitness News 4 - Taxpayers may be on the hook to pay for a special election this spring with just one question on the ballot. A special interest group wants voters to approve a measure that would require candidates for mayor and city council in Albuquerque to win with at least 50 percent of the vote to be declared the winner. The group wants the new law to take effect before the next mayoral election.
In 2009, Richard Berry beat out Martin Chavez and Richard Romero for mayor with 40 percent of the vote. "It is not anti-RJ Berry, it is not anti-Martin Chavez or anyone else, it's pro-good government," said Paul Broome, a spokesman for the cause.
"It's in Rio Rancho's City Charter and they don't seem to have a problem with it,” said Broome. “They seem to like it and it should be in our charter as well." Broome brought pages of petition signatures to City Clerk Amy Bailey.
Bailey and her staff are going through each page, validating signatures. A little more than 12,000 signatures are needed for a special election. If there are enough signatures, the city must hold the election within the next three months at cost of about $750,000. Bailey said the office does not have funds at this point to run the election. A spokeswoman for the mayor said the city would be forced to cut city services if it is forced to hold a city election.
"The city spends about $33 million a year administering and defending itself on negligence cases. If we can't spend a half a million dollars to better government for our citizens, maybe there is something wrong here," Bailey said. The City Clerk has ten days to validate the signatures and determine if there are enough for a special election. Read more
In 2009, Richard Berry beat out Martin Chavez and Richard Romero for mayor with 40 percent of the vote. "It is not anti-RJ Berry, it is not anti-Martin Chavez or anyone else, it's pro-good government," said Paul Broome, a spokesman for the cause.
"It's in Rio Rancho's City Charter and they don't seem to have a problem with it,” said Broome. “They seem to like it and it should be in our charter as well." Broome brought pages of petition signatures to City Clerk Amy Bailey.
Bailey and her staff are going through each page, validating signatures. A little more than 12,000 signatures are needed for a special election. If there are enough signatures, the city must hold the election within the next three months at cost of about $750,000. Bailey said the office does not have funds at this point to run the election. A spokeswoman for the mayor said the city would be forced to cut city services if it is forced to hold a city election.
"The city spends about $33 million a year administering and defending itself on negligence cases. If we can't spend a half a million dollars to better government for our citizens, maybe there is something wrong here," Bailey said. The City Clerk has ten days to validate the signatures and determine if there are enough for a special election. Read more
Newsbreak New Mexico 5pm Webcast 12/12/12
Posted by
Vanessa Dabovich
Newsbreak New Mexico 5pm Newscast with Vanessa Dabovich
Listen here:
ABQ Health loses laptop with information
$9 million acquired in criminal and civil cases
Gov. wants sex offender clarification
SHARE system down
Visit spenceassetmanagment.com
Listen here:
ABQ Health loses laptop with information
$9 million acquired in criminal and civil cases
Gov. wants sex offender clarification
SHARE system down
Visit spenceassetmanagment.com
Newsbreak New Mexico 5pm Webcast 12/12/12
NM collected $9 million in criminal and civil cases
Posted by
Vanessa Dabovich
U.S. Attorney Ken Gonzales says
federal prosecutors in New Mexico
collected nearly $9 million in fiscal 2012 for victims in criminal and civil
cases.
Gonzales says the District of New Mexico collected $8.7 million related
to criminal and civil actions. Additionally, he says, the office collected $1.1
million in criminal and civil forfeitures. Gonzales says the collections are
more important than ever during these tough economic times.
Federal law
requires defendants to pay restitution to victims who have suffered a physical
injury or financial loss. Restitution is paid directly to the victim, while
criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department's Crime
Victims' Fund.
NM collected $9 million in criminal and civil cases
Newsbreak New Mexico 12pm Webcast 12/12/12
Posted by
Vanessa Dabovich
Newsbreak New Mexico 12pm Newscast with Vanessa Dabovich
Listen here:
Gov. wants sex offender clarification
Ben Shelly in Israel
Group sues Santa Fe National Forest
Reps want Rio Rancho investigation
Visit spenceassetmanagement.com
Listen here:
Gov. wants sex offender clarification
Ben Shelly in Israel
Group sues Santa Fe National Forest
Reps want Rio Rancho investigation
Visit spenceassetmanagement.com
Newsbreak New Mexico 12pm Webcast 12/12/12
Gov. and AG want sex offender law clarification
Posted by
Vanessa Dabovich
Gov. Susana Martinez and Attorney
General Gary King may ask the Legislature to clarify registration requirements
for out-of-state sex offenders who move to New Mexico .
Sex offenders are required to
register with law enforcement for certain New Mexico crimes or the equivalents of
those crimes in other states. The state Supreme Court last week overturned a Las Cruces man's conviction for not registering after
moving to New Mexico .
The court said there wasn't enough evidence to show the man's sex offense in California was the same as a New Mexico sex crime requiring registration.
Spokesmen for Martinez
and King said separately on Monday that their offices will consider legislation
to deal with issues raised by the court.
Gov. and AG want sex offender law clarification
Navajo Nation president in Israel
Posted by
Vanessa Dabovich
Shelly and his wife, First Lady Martha Shelly, arrived
Saturday amid Hanukkah celebrations and growing tensions between Israel and
Hamas.
But Shelly says he plans to stay out of the political fight, and instead
concentrating on Israel 's
agricultural and infrastructure strategies. He says he also wants to learn more
about Judaism and its history.
Shelly intends to visit a number of the country's
top leaders in agriculture, including members of the Ministry of Agriculture
and dignitaries of the Knesset, Israel 's
legislative body.
Navajo Nation president in Israel
Group suing Santa Fe National Forest
Posted by
Vanessa Dabovich
A statewide off-highway vehicle user group is suing the Santa Fe National Forest over its travel
management plan.
The New Mexico Off Highway Vehicle Alliance filed the lawsuit in federal court Tuesday. The group's president, Jim Tyldesley, says the complaint is being filed on behalf of all forest users. He contends the plan closes more than 70 percent of existing roads and trails on the northernNew Mexico forest,
significantly reduces camping options and makes it difficult for hunters to
retrieve game.
The plan was signed by Forest Supervisor Maria Garcia in June. After a flurry of appeals, regional officials upheld the plan in October.
The New Mexico Off Highway Vehicle Alliance filed the lawsuit in federal court Tuesday. The group's president, Jim Tyldesley, says the complaint is being filed on behalf of all forest users. He contends the plan closes more than 70 percent of existing roads and trails on the northern
The plan was signed by Forest Supervisor Maria Garcia in June. After a flurry of appeals, regional officials upheld the plan in October.
Group suing Santa Fe National Forest
Newsbreak New Mexico 8am Wsebcast 12/12/12
Posted by
Vanessa Dabovich
Newsbreak New Mexico 8am Newscast with Vanessa Dabovich
Listen here:
Methadone treatment at NM jail to continue
PNM to double solar power
Republicans ask for Rio Rancho investigation
Visit spenceassetmanagement.com
Listen here:
Methadone treatment at NM jail to continue
PNM to double solar power
Republicans ask for Rio Rancho investigation
Visit spenceassetmanagement.com
Newsbreak New Mexico 8am Wsebcast 12/12/12
NM republicans ask for Rio Rancho election investigation
Posted by
Vanessa Dabovich
The Republican Party of New Mexico
has asked the state Attorney General’s Office to assign an independent
prosecutor to investigate Election Day voting delays in Rio Rancho for
potential fraud.
Sandoval County
spokesman Sidney Hill said the county would comply with requests for
information by the Attorney General’s Office, but said he was unaware of any
inquiry.
The state Republican Party charges that Democratic officials
in Sandoval County ignored the potential for
insufficient ballot-printing equipment to result in hours-long voter lines at
several vote centers in Rio Rancho. The party has said those long lines for Rio
Rancho voters likely caused some voters in the Republican-leaning community to
choose to stay home.
Attorney General’s Office spokesman Phil Sisneros on
Tuesday said he was unaware of the Republican Party’s request for an
independent prosecutor’s investigation.
NM republicans ask for Rio Rancho election investigation
PNM to expand solar power to meet standards
Posted by
Vanessa Dabovich
State regulators have approved PNM's renewable energy procurement plan for 2013.
PNM, the largest electric utility
in New Mexico ,
says it plans to double its amount of solar power with new and expanded arrays
capable of producing 20 megawatts of electricity. It also plans to enter into a
20-year contract to purchase 10 megawatts of geothermal power from a plant
southwest of Lordsburg.
The procurement plan is aimed at helping the utility meet New Mexico's portfolio standards, which call for utilities to get at least 10 percent of their electricity from renewable sources. That will go up to 20 percent by 2020.
The procurement plan is aimed at helping the utility meet New Mexico's portfolio standards, which call for utilities to get at least 10 percent of their electricity from renewable sources. That will go up to 20 percent by 2020.
PNM to expand solar power to meet standards
Methadone treatment to continue at NM jail
Posted by
Vanessa Dabovich
Treatment
for substance abuse addictions at the Metropolitan Detention
Center will continue into
2013 after the Bernalillo County Commission decided to extend the contract
until it can vote on the matter.
Community activists flooded the public comment
portion of the meeting, blasting the county for discontinuing the program. Dozens
of people approached the podium to tell their elected officials that depriving
drug addicts’ methadone to kick the habit is inhumane.
MDC Chief Ramon Rustin
said he wanted to get rid of the methadone treatment program because programs
like these are uncommon for jails. Rustin said he believes the community should
look to non-profits to provide this kind of treatment, not the jail system.
The
commission made it clear Tuesday evening that ending the program is not for the
jail director to decide. Methadone treatment will continue at the MDC unless
the commission votes otherwise.
Methadone treatment to continue at NM jail