The New Mexico Senate has approved a $6.2 billion spending proposal for the next fiscal year. Senators Monday night took up a budget bill largely unchanged from what the House approved last month. The spending plan includes pay raises for new teachers and state police officers. Most department budgets remain flat, but education, the state's child welfare agency and tourism department get more money. Governor Susana Martinez and lawmakers have highlighted education as a priority with low performing schools. The bill calls for a 37 million dollar bump for education initiatives. The Senate Finance Committee unanimously approved the bill last week, slightly rearranging appropriations for health and human services, public schools, and restoring cuts in higher education. Adopting a budget is a must-do assignment for lawmakers before the session adjourns Saturday.
Speaking of budgets, the City of Santa Fe is facing a budget deficit of more than two-million dollars in the upcoming fiscal year. City finance director Oscar Rodriguez tells the Santa Fe New Mexican that the city has been operating with about 10 million less each year in gross receipts tax revenue for the past several years when inflation is factored in. To keep from making cuts, the city dipped into reserves, deferred maintenance and tapped into bond money that was intended for brick-and-mortar projects. Rodriguez says that strategy can't be sustained. He says part of the problem is gross receipts taxes on retail purchases and services are a critical revenue stream, but they're volatile and fluctuate with the economy. City Councilor Carmichael Dominguez has suggested that Santa Fe begin talking about tax reform.
The New Mexico Senate has confirmed Governor Martinez's nominee to head the state's beleaguered child welfare agency. Secretary of the Children, Youth and Families Department Monique Jacobson's nomination sailed through with a 35-2 vote Monday. About two dozen senators voiced confidence in Jacobson, praising her organizational and leadership skills. Jacobson previously headed the Tourism Department with less than 100 employees. She now leads a 2,400-member department. Laying out her goals for CYFD, Jacobson told senators at the committee hearing that she was ready for the job despite lacking a background in social work. Several senators said Jacobson had made believers out of them.
It’s Saint Patrick’s Day--The day that marks the death of Saint Patrick and also commemorates the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, as well as celebrating the heritage and culture of all things Irish. But the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day is known to be a dangerous one for traffic safety due to drunken driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that from 2009 to 2013, almost three-fourths of the drunk-driving fatalities on St. Patrick’s Day involved drivers who were twice the legal limit. Santa Fe County’s DWI Program wants to remind those who plan to celebrate today and tonight of its five-dollar cab ride home effort. The County’s DWI Program Coordinator, Lupe Sanchez, says you can call 438-zero, zero-zero, zero to get a safe ride home. *****Sanchez-3 :28***** And that code is: “MADDNM.” The safe ride home is available from 5:30pm through 2am Wednesday.
Meantime, a bill that takes a new approach towards drunken driving is awaiting action before the State Senate. Rio Rancho Republican Senator Craig Brandt is the sponsor of Senate Bill 586. *****031715-Brandt-1 :25***** Brandt’s bill focuses on mandatory treatment for the first offense, along with current penalties in place for DWI. Under his bill, a first time DWI offender must undergo a 28-day treatment program. The type of treatment would be up to the judge, depending on the outcome of screening. A second conviction requires 28-days of in-patient treatment, plus 62 days of outpatient treatment. And a third conviction requires 90 days of in-patient treatment.
A 65-year-old motorcyclist was killed after a collision with a man riding a horse on County Road 45 Sunday. According to the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office, Edward Pinkard was riding his horse westbound on Bonanza Creek Road around 7 p.m. when he and his horse were struck from behind by a motorcycle. The impact of the crash threw the driver, Steven Mudge, and his passenger, 56-year-old Nancy Mudge, off of the motorcycle. The sheriff's office said Steven Mudge died from his injuries just after midnight. His wife was transported to Christus St. Vincent Hospital in Santa Fe, where she was treated for her injuries. Pinkard was treated for his injuries at the scene. A sheriff's office spokesman said the horse survived the initial impact, but ran off. The sheriff's office said it was recovered by the owner and examined by a veterinarian and is said to be doing well. The crash remains under investigation.
Santa Fe Weather: Mostly cloudy today through tomorrow, with highs both days in the low 60s. Tonight: Mostly cloudy with the overnight low, 34. There’s a 20-percent chance for showers and thunderstorms tomorrow afternoon.