Column: How Will Sequestration Cuts Affect New Mexico?
Column by CATHY WIGET KING According to the information put forward on the White House website, Sequestration will cut funding to New Mexico by millions including providing fewer funds for everything from education and military bases to meals for senior citizens.
The total amount of cuts for the entire country is $85 billion.
Here are the details:
Primary Cuts:
MILITARY READINESS (Dept. of Def.): $42 million in cuts from Army base(s) ($32 mil.) and Air Force base(s) ($10 mil.) (National Laboratory cuts were not mentioned.)
EDUCATION CUTS: $6.1 million for primary and secondary Read More
I-40 Eastbound Closed Until at Least This Morning
NMDOT News:
SANTA FE – The New Mexico State Police has announced that eastbound I-40 from Tramway to the Texas state line will remain closed until at least sometime this morning. This is due to severe weather conditions in Texas and Oklahoma.
The roads in New Mexico are mainly clear and passable. State Police are keeping the closure in place to accommodate the requests from law enforcement and transportation officials in Texas.
For up-to-date road conditions across the state, call the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s toll-free road hotline at 511 and check on road conditions, Read More
‘Fair Pay for Women Act’ Clears House
STATE News:
SANTA FE – The “Fair Pay for Woman Act” sponsored by Rep. Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe-47) and co-sponsored by all the Democratic Women Representatives sailed through the House Monday, Feb. 26.
The committee substitute provides clear guidelines and remedies for wage disparity in New Mexico.
It also allows the employer to assert an affirmative defense of good faith and reasonable grounds for believing the act or omission did not violate the Fair Pay for Women Act to avoid treble damages.
The Democrats in the New Mexico House have been committed to equality in pay for women Read More
Luján: New Report Reinforces Need to Prevent Sequester
U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján
U.S. Congressional News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District highlighted a new report that was released by the Obama Administration that reinforces the need to prevent the sequester’s indiscriminate cuts from taking place.
The cuts are scheduled to begin on Friday, and threaten to harm the economy and result in significant job losses in New Mexico and around the country.
The sequester was part of the Budget Control Act of 2011, which Luján voted against.
“From education to public safety, the sequester’s Read More
Winter Storm Continues in New Mexico
Courtesy/NWS
NWS News:
Blizzard conditions continue to impact far east-central New Mexico early this morning, especially areas between Tucumcari and the Clovis and Portales areas.
Snowfall levels of 8″-10″ have been reported in these areas, but needless to say, measuring snow in 50-plus mph winds is extremely difficult.
Regardless, the impacts of this major winter storm have been widespread and significant. The I-40 corridor, as expected, appears to have seen the greatest impacts.
The latest indications are that the heaviest snow bands will shift farther east into the Texas Read More
Utility Assistance for Deployed Soldiers Passes House 65-0
STATE News:
SANTA FE – By a vote of 65-0, the New Mexico House of Representatives passed legislation Friday that would allow members of the military who have just been deployed or given a temporary assignment to discontinue and re-establish utility services without paying a penalty or reconnection fee.
HB 175, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Steinborn (D-Doña Ana-District 35), would affect utilities including water, gas, electricity, and telephone. It would also allow service members to selectively shut off services when a municipality bundles them together.
The inspiration for this legislation Read More
Valles Caldera Trust Awarded $545,000 For Solar Powered Shuttle System
VCT News:
JEMEZ SPRINGS—Valles Caldera Trust has been awarded a $545,000 federal grant that will allow visitors to tour the Valles Caldera National Preserve in the quiet comfort of a solar powered all-electric shuttle bus.
The grant is one of 29 awarded nationally by the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in the Parks Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Authority.
The grant will fund the purchase of an all-electric 26-passenger ADA-compliant shuttle bus to replace two gasoline-powered 12-passenger vans currently in use.
Construction of a solar photovoltaic Read More
‘YMCA Day’ Honors Organization at Legislature
Lt. Gov. John Sanchez, holds YMCA Day in New Mexico Proclamation with members of New Mexico State Alliance of YMCAs, from left, Youth Gov. Valeria Ojeda (YMCA Youth In Government Program); Lt. Gov. John Sanchez, CEO YMCA of Central NM Steven Paternoster, CEO of The Family YMCA Linda Daly, Family YMCA Board President John Wolfe, Family YMCA Board Member Sharon Stover and CEO YMCA of El Paso Kevin Pearson. Courtesy/Family YMCAUS, UK, Russian Federation Hold Trilateral Nuclear Security Best Practices Workshop
NNSA News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representatives from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence and Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) met this week in Vienna, Austria, for their Seventh Annual Nuclear Security Best Practices Exchange.
The two-day workshop focused on overcoming challenges associated with securing nuclear materials worldwide.
NNSA Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Anne Harrington.
These workshops grew out of commitments in a 2005 U.S.-Russian Joint Statement on Nuclear Read More
House Delivers $5.9 Billion Budget Now Headed to Senate
STATE News:
SANTA FE – The House of Representatives has passed a budget for the next spending year that begins July 2013. HB 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 would provide $5.907 billion in state spending, an increase of $255 million over this year’s budget.
That amount includes both recurring and non-recurring items. The total appropriations contained in the bills would leave the state with reserves of $589.2 million or 10 percent of fiscal year 2014 recurring appropriation levels next fiscal year.
The bulk of the budget would go toward education – 57 percent. Public education gets 44 percent and higher education Read More
