Stuff you need to know, 4.29.24
Recent studies finding "forever" chemicals and plutonium in New Mexico's rivers and groundwaters indicate that our water pollution problem has reached crisis proportions.
Category Analyses
Political considerations, 4.26.24
Why did Las Cruces Democrat Nathan Small receive a windfall of political donations last year, and what other patterns can be discerned from the recently disclosed campaign contributions made to New Mexico legislators in the final quarter of 2023?
Second tranche of $3M in general obligation bonds goes the way of the first tranche
We don't know how the first $790,000 tranche was used and now the second tranche is to be issued. There was talk that the G. O. bond money would only be used to "leverage" or match grant/loan requirements. No reports, no follow-up.
T or C first budget workshop—baby steps
In 447 BC, when the Parthenon was built, they knew the value of fiduciary transparency in government. Athena's dress was made of gold, in sections, so they could be regularly weighed and recorded, since it was part of the city's treasury that was kept in the public's eye.
King Hechler alludes to his plan for water and sewer problems
The great artist Diego Velazquez painted royalty as they were, often blank-eyed and taken up with amusing themselves with court jesters instead of serious matters of state. There are Velazquez-like parallels with the supposedly democratic T or C city commission.
Stuff you need to know, 4.15.24
New Mexico places high for risk from consumer predation by private-equity investments in the state.
Stuff you need to know, 4.12.24
Why is New Mexico the only state that has seen a drop in its foreign-born population over a 10-year period?
T or C City Commission hands out more blank checks to city department heads
Another four years of 'on-call' contracts that short-circuit city commission and public oversight of capital projects. Department heads have carte blanche to hire architects and engineers behind closed doors.
Political considerations, 4.7.24
A how-to on voting in New Mexico's June 4 primary
Stuff you need to know, 4.3.24
A new study provides needed specificity about the uses to which the Colorado's irrigation water is put in the river's basin, which includes New Mexico.
Referendum means nothing to city commission
The city commission adheres to its practice of not considering criticism or learning from it, even when a referendum checks their power. More toxic positivity will be imposed and naysayers and truth-sayers will continue to be scapegoated and castigated.
Political considerations, 3.29.24
New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver is a leader of states' efforts to limit the threat posed by artificial intelligent deepfakes to fair elections.