State

Senator Introduces Legislation Eliminating Secretary of Education Post

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Sen. Michael Padilla

State News:

SANTA FE — Sen. Michael Padilla, D-Bernalillo, a member of the Senate Education Committee, has introduced Senate Joint Resolution 2 (SJR2), proposing education reforms that will, in Padilla’s words, “take politics out of public education in New Mexico.”

This legislation calls for: the elimination of the Secretary of Education position in the Governor’s Cabinet, implements a non-partisan State Board of Public Education, calls for the creation of a state superintendent of public education hired by the board, and places public education in the hands of education Read More

‘Flat Tax’ Legislation Would Increase Unfairness

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By New Mexico Voices for Children

ALBUQUERQUE—New Mexico’s state and local tax system is already unfair—with the lowest-income New Mexicans paying a rate double that of the highest income earners. A so-called ‘Flat Tax’ or consumption bill, such as the one introduced in the 2013 legislative session by Rep. Tom Taylor (HB-369) and Sen. William Sharer (SB-368), would make the tax system even more regressive. That’s according to a report by New Mexico Voices for Children.

Since similar legislation is already being discussed for the 2014 legislation session, staff members from the child advocacy Read More

New Mexico Nationally Recognized for Improved Tax Fairness

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Gov. Susana Martinez

STATE News:

SANTA FE – Gov. Susana Martinez announced that New Mexico has been recognized by the Council On State Taxation (COST), a national nonpartisan taxpayer watchdog group, for a dramatic improvement in state tax administration.

The group has upgraded New Mexico’s rating from a D to a B after the state adopted several reforms to simplify the tax code, making it fairer and more user-friendly. COST monitors and rates every state on tax appeal processes and administrative practices based on fairness of tax laws and regulations for tax administration.

“This new rating Read More

New Mexico Ranks Second Worst-Run State

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STATE News:

The online news source 24/7 Wall St. has ranked New Mexico as the second-worst run state in the country, scoring better than California by only a small margin.

One measure that helped put it above California was its credit rating. Standard & Poor’s rates the state AA+, and Moody’s gives it a perfect Aaa rating. The state’s debt load relative to its size was average, and its budget shortfall of 8.3 percent for going into fiscal 2012 was better than many states.

Outside of fiscal management, however, New Mexico performed poorly in several areas. The state was among the worst 10 nationwide Read More

Lujan Grisham Urges Extension of Federal Unemployment Insurance

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Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With 1.3 million Americans losing all of their federal unemployment insurance Dec. 28, Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, N.M.-01, is urging an extension of the program.

Friday, she announced that she is cosponsoring the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2013 (H.R.3546), legislation that would extend the current Emergency Unemployment Compensation program through the end of 2014. In addition to the 6,000 long-term unemployed New Mexicans who are slated to lose their unemployment insurance Saturday, Read More

Proposed Bills Require Oversight and Competitive Bid for Behavioral Health Contractors

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STATE News:

SANTA FE – New Mexico’s Legislative Health and Human Services Committee (LHHSC) has endorsed legislation, which requires more transparency and accountability of performing behavior health audits and secures avenues to keep in-state providers in business, while tightening up procurement policy.

Senate Majority Whip Tim Keller, D-17 Bernalillo, proposed the bills as a result of the behavioral health audit catastrophe this year, implementing a freeze of Medicaid dollars to 14 behavioral health providers throughout the state.

“It has become abundantly Read More

New Mexico’s Largest Wholesale Candy Warehouse Opens to Public in Albuquerque

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BUSINESS News:

Nationwide Candy, New Mexico’s largest wholesale candy warehouse, has opened to the public in Albuquerque with more than 9,000 items for any occasion.

Originally an online distributor across the globe, Nationwide Candy’s new location is open to the public with no minimums and no membership required.

Nationwide Candy is at 3901 Academy Parkway North NE 87109 or call 505.797.4089. Read More

Luján, Lujan Grisham Introduce Legislation to Protect Native American Seeds

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Courtesy/nativeseeds.org

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Reps. Ben Ray Luján, N.M.-03 and Michelle Lujan Grisham, N.M.-01, both members of the Congressional Native American Caucus, have introduced legislation to help preserve Native American seeds used for cultural, religious, medicinal, ceremonial and agricultural purposes.

The Native American Seeds Protection Act of 2013 (H.R. 3782) would allow tribes, working in conjunction with qualified research entities, to obtain grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct research, education and training Read More

New Episode Released of ‘The Udall Update’ Television Show

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U.S. Sen. Tom Udall

U.S. SENATE News:

  • Public Access Program Provides Information About Udall’s Work in the U.S. Senate on Behalf of New Mexicans
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Tom Udall has released a new episode of “The Udall Update,” a public access television program that provides the public an inside look at what’s happening in the U.S. Senate and how it impacts life in New Mexico.
 
The 30-minute episode, which airs on Udall’s YouTube channel and on public access TV throughout the state, includes interviews, in-depth stories and feature segments about the work he is doing in Washington
Read More

LANB Makes Regulatory Agreement Changes

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LANB President Steve Wells

Staff Report

In November of 2012, Los Alamos National Bank signed a regulatory agreement with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Bank’s primary regulatory. 

“LANB has been working toward compliance with the agreement and had made a great deal of progress since that time,” Bank President Steve Wells told the Los Alamos Daily Post. 

In a Bank SEC 8K filing Monday, the Bank, with its administrative offices at 1200 Trinity Dr. in Los Alamos, announced that it had entered into a Consent Order with the OCC Dec. 17 of this year. The filing goes Read More