Study finds health care overhaul would burden New Mexico
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — An analysis commissioned by the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty tallies the local financial effects of Republican plans to overhaul Medicaid health care.
Released on Thursday, the study found New Mexico state government would be compelled to pay an additional $3 billion from 2020 to 2026 to maintain current levels of Medicaid coverage and services.
New Mexico is one of the 31 states that expanded Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
Under the Republican plan, costs to the state would increase substantially for new expansion patients and those who drop out temporarily.
The analysis from University of New Mexico researcher Kelly O'Donnell says caps on per-capita costs also would burden state finances.
Congressional Republicans hope to vote next week on a revised health care overhaul bill.
BUDGET CRUNCH-TUITION
New Mexico universities seek tuition increases
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Student tuitions are on the rise at one of the nation's most affordable state university systems in response to New Mexico's state budget crisis.
Regents at New Mexico Highlands University were considering Friday a 7.5 percent tuition hike in anticipation of new state funding cuts. Fall tuition increases have been approved at a trio of state universities and a community college in Santa Fe as administrators grapple with major financial uncertainties.
All state spending on institutions of higher education has been vetoed for the coming fiscal year amid an escalating feud between Republican New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and the Democratic-led Legislature over how to resolve a state budget crisis.
The New Mexico Supreme Court is considering whether to overturn that veto with input from state university presidents.
STATE LAND INCOME
Income dips from New Mexico state trust lands
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico state trust lands generated $399 million in income during the first nine-months of the fiscal year ending in March — a slight decrease from the previous year.
The New Mexico State Land office said Thursday that income predominantly from oil and natural gas royalties and leases fell from $410 million.
New Mexico State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn says renewed activity in the oil and gas sectors is expected to drive an increase in state income from trust lands by the end of the fiscal year in June. He expects an additional $30 million or more.
The State Land Office oversees 14,000 square miles (36,000 square kilometers) of land and additional underground resources that are used to help fund schools, universities, hospitals and other public institutions.
NEW MEXICO-WISEPIES
New Mexico asks WisePies to give up naming rights to arena
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The University of New Mexico has asked WisePies Pizza & Salad to give up the naming right to the arena of the school's men's and women's basketball teams.
The school said Thursday it recently asked the pizza chain to abandon its naming rights of The Pit pending a new agreement with another company.
School officials say a new agreement will allow for multiple facilities to be named under one umbrella.
WisePies owner Steve Chavez says the company was happy to step aside since it knew how much the move would help the university. He says WisePies enjoyed its partnership with the school, and expects it to continue in a different capacity.
The Pit was renamed WisePies Arena in December 2014, drawing criticism from fans.
BUDGET CRUNCH
Martinez says she will add tax reform to a special session
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez says she will add comprehensive tax reform to a yet-to-be-announced special session aimed at solving the state's budget crisis.
The Republican governor made the announcement Thursday at the 14th Annual New Mexico Tax Research Institute Policy Conference.
Martinez is demanding lawmakers support a more ambitious tax-code overhaul designed to improve the state's business climate by eliminating hundreds of tax breaks, including long-standing exemptions for nonprofit organizations.
She says reforms will help avoid adverse impacts of the boom-bust oil and gas industry.
Similar reforms, which stalled in the Democratic-controlled Legislature this year, would lower standard tax rates on sales and services.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth says reforms have to broaden the tax base and lower rates, not redistribute taxes from one group to another.
SODA TAX FIGHT
New Mexico delves into soda tax fight
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — It's being pitched as an educational lifeline for impoverished preschool-aged children and condemned as the latest example of local government overreach sweeping progressive cities from coast to coast.
Voters in New Mexico's capital city have until Tuesday to decide whether to levy a new 2-cents-per-ounce tax on sugary soda and other sweetened beverages.
The citywide tax would provide Santa Fe an estimated $7.5 million in its first year to expand early childhood education to roughly 1,000 children whose families cannot afford quality prekindergarten and don't qualify for state programs.
If approved, the proposal would add Santa Fe to the flurry of U.S. cities that have adopted soda taxes since late 2014. Opponents question whether the tax can provide a sustainable source of revenue if it truly discourages consumption of sugary drinks.
ROAD RAGE-ALBUQUERQUE
Man convicted in girl's death pleads guilty to US charges
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A man already sentenced to 16 years in prison in the road-rage death of a 4-year-old Albuquerque girl has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking and firearms charges.
The U.S. Attorney's Office says 33-year-old Tony Derrick Torrez faces a multi-year prison term when sentenced and also will have to forfeit $64,000 in drug proceeds and guns and ammunition seized during the investigation.
Torrez apologized to the family of Lilly Garcia when he was sentenced in state District Court in Albuquerque in December on a second-degree murder conviction in the girl's October 2015 death.
The girl and her older brother were in the backseat of their father's pickup when police say a lane-change dispute on Interstate 40 between the father and Torrez escalated.
DOWNTOWN SANTA FE CONSTRUCTION
Santa Fe company closer to construction near historic chapel
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico family is closer to beginning construction next to the historic Loretto Chapel in downtown Santa Fe.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the city's Historic Districts Review Board gave conditional approval for Teme LLC's proposed four-story building on Wednesday. The board asked Teme to redesign two portions of the building before it can give the company final approval to begin construction.
A Teme representative says the changes are minor.
Chapel property owner Jim Kirkpatrick and his family have been trying to begin construction on the next door site since 1996. If approved, the proposed building will be designed in the Spanish-Pueblo Revival style. The building would have retail shops on the first floor, residential space on the second and third floors and a penthouse suite on the fourth.