A Public Service of Santa Fe Community College
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Feb. 5 First News: Declining Oil And Gas Prices To Blame For Drop In Future State Revenues (Listen)

New Mexico legislators will have to pare down their spending plans because dropping oil prices have left the state with 60 million dollars less in new revenue than anticipated. State Finance and Administration Secretary Tom Clifford told a panel of lawmakers Wednesday the state will have just over 83 million in new revenue to use for spending increases on education and other government services in the next fiscal year. A December forecast had put that number at about 140 million dollars. The biggest reason for the drop is the decline in oil and gas prices. State finance officials say the drop has been mitigated by increases in revenue generated from gross receipts, motor vehicle excise taxes and personal and corporate income taxes in the first five months of the current fiscal year.

The State House Health Committee is set to debate a bill that would outlaw e-cigarette sales to minors. The health panel today will consider a proposal that would add electronic cigarettes to the state's Tobacco Products Act. Albuquerque Republican Representative Monica Youngblood is sponsoring the bill. Battery-powered e-cigarettes heat a liquid solution, usually containing nicotine, to create vapor that users inhale. Supporters contend the proposed ban is needed because e-cigarettes are growing in popularity and children may consider them a safer alternative to tobacco. Although the nicotine used in the devices is addictive, health officials have said the risks of inhaling nicotine remain unclear.

New Mexico's struggling lottery scholarship program is drawing the attention of lawmakers again this legislative session. But the independent think tank Think New Mexico has concerns about a proposal that would eliminate a requirement that 30 percent of lottery revenues be dedicated to the scholarship fund. That proposal would also clear the way for credit card purchases of lottery tickets, which supporters say would boost revenues that could be funneled to the program. Fred Nathan of Think New Mexico says revenues would have to increase 30 percent for that to pay off. While no permanent fix is on the table, Gov. Susana Martinez has called for infusing the scholarship fund with an additional six and a half million dollars to ensure students get nearly all of their tuition costs paid for over the next three semesters.

Health insurance companies would have to pay their share to purchase vaccines for privately insured children under legislation proposed by a bipartisan group of New Mexico lawmakers. New Mexico is among a handful of states that operate universal vaccine purchasing programs aimed at boosting immunization rates. But here, paying into the program is voluntary. Lawmakers say that needs to change to ensure the state has enough funding to cover the vaccinations needs of all New Mexico children. The director of the New Mexico Immunization Coalition, Anna Pentler, says the state has made strides in the last decade to pull itself from the bottom of national immunization rankings. Now, New Mexico is close to the national average.Pentler says the legislation would prevent a shortfall in funding for the vaccine program.

In Washington, New Mexico Senator Tom Udall is warning his U-S Senate colleagues about the risks if a bill funding the U-S Department of Homeland Security is not approved.  The Democrat says Republicans have proposed legislation with harsh anti-immigrant penalties and threatened to block DHS funding.  Udall is particularly concerned with what would happen to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, or FLETC, such as the one in Artesia.  He says if Congress fails to fund DHS, then FLETC training grinds to a halt. *****020515-Udall-2 :26*****   Udall added, quote, “I am appalled that a DHS shutdown is even being considered. We cannot risk our national security, our community safety, and our border commerce just so that Republicans can prove some sort of inside the beltway point about how angry they are about immigration reform.

Three New Mexico teenagers accused of beating two homeless men to death with cinderblocks will stand trial in October. In July, Albuquerque police arrested 18-year-old Alex Rios, a 16-year-old and a 15-year-old in the killings of 44-year-old Allison Gorman and 46-year-old Kee Thompson. Their bodies were discovered in a vacant lot. The three have pleaded not guilty. The Associated Press is not identifying the two younger defendants because of their ages. The victims were Native American, but police have said there's no indication the crime was racially motivated.

Santa Fe Weather:  Mostly sunny through tomorrow…today’s high, 55, it’ll reach 58 on Friday. Tonight: expect mostly clear skies with the overnight low, 30.