Gov. Susana Martinez used her line-item vetoed over 150 projects and $8.2 million from the capital outlay bill (mainly from Democrats).
In her signing message, Martinez said that she vetoed any projects of less than $10,000 saying, it is “because I firmly believe that funding (and usually, under-funding) so many small projects flies in the face of how our severance tax bonds should be spent.”
Related Story: Eight bills Gov. Martinez vetoed.
There were 16 such projects vetoed; another 14 vetoed projects asked for exactly $10,000, while nine projects for exactly $10,000 survived.
However, she also vetoed some larger scale projects. She said that many projects were not fully funded and in other cases weren’t for things the city or county asked for.
The governor did not provide reasons for each individual veto.
Here are the top-ten projects (by money) vetoed by Martinez. As with countdown lists, this is from 10 to 1 (using data from the New Mexico In Depth spreadsheet).
- Eunice Animal Shelter—$150,000
This is one of the line-item vetoes that came at the expense of multiple Republican legislators. The funds would have gone towards the planning and construction of an animal shelter in Eunice.
Sharp-eyed observers may note that this list starts at 7; there are four line-item vetoes with identical values.
- Tularosa Community Ditch Association Pipeline—$150,000
This would provide $150,000 “to plan, design, construct and replace pipelines for the Tularosa community ditch association” according to the line-item-vetoed portion of the bill. This also was requested by Republicans, in this case Rep. Zack Cook of Ruidoso and Sen. Bill Burt of Alamogordo for the acequia infrastructure upgrade.
- Tooh Haltsooi Chapter Multipurpose Building Construction—$150,000
The Tooh Haltsooi Chapter won’t get the proposed multipurpose building that Rep. Sharon Clahchaschilliage, R-Kirtland, and Sen. John Pinto, D-Gallup, requested. The money would have been for the San Juan County chapter to plan, design, construct and equip the building.
- Chichiltah Chapter Wastewater Lagoon System—$150,000
Another Navajo Nation line item veto, this time for a wastewater lagoon system in McKinley County. This was requested by Rep. Eliseo Alcon, D-Milan, and George Munoz, D-Gallup. It would have went towards the planning, design and construction of the system.
- Bernalillo Economic Development Campus—$159,990
A bipartisan group of legislators requested this legislation, but Rep. James Roger Madalena, D-Jemez Pueblo, Rep. Jane E. Powdrell-Culbert, R-Corrales, Sen. Craig W. Brandt, R-Rio Rancho and Sen. John M. Sapien, D-Corrales will be disappointed that the Town of Bernalillo won’t have the money to plan and design renovations to “the Roosevelt complex for an economic development campus.” It would have been just west of the Town Hall.
- Cedar St. Connection Develop Deming—$185,000
On her way out of office, Rep. Dona Irwin did not receive the funding to “to develop a federal highway administration interstate access control request for the Cedar street connection in Deming in Luna county.” Irwin put in the request along with Sen. John Arthur Smith; both are Democrats from Deming.
- Zuni Pueblo Backup Generator—$190,000
As Sandra Fish wrote, Alcon and Munoz saw the most from line-item vetoes when it comes to money. This is the second of three that hit the top ten; Sen. Clemente Sanchez, D-Grants, joined in on this one, which called for the purchase and installation of a backup generator “for the main water well at the Pueblo of Zuni in McKinley County.” Another provision “to plan, design, construct and improve the facilities and water systems, including the purchase and installation of fencing and a generator, for El Prado water and sanitation district in El Prado in Taos county” did not get vetoed.
- Cibola County Government Complex—$225,000
Again, Alcon, Munoz and Sanchez saw something they pushed for get vetoed. Retiring State Rep. Ken Martinez, D-Grants, joined in on this one. It would have put $225,000 “to plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish and equip the county government complex, including the relocation and renovation of the thirteenth judicial district court, in Grants in Cibola county.”
- Bernalillo County New Mexico Civil Justice Center Plan/Design—$310,000
Last year, Martinez approved $11,000 for the planning and design of a civil justice center in Albuquerque. This year, the request for another $310,000 for the same purpose was instead vetoed. More legislators than it’s smart to list requested this, from both parties and both chambers.
- South Valley Commons Infrastructure/Utilities—$380,000
The biggest request that got vetoed again was from many legislators. This would have been “to plan, design and construct infrastructure and utilities at the South Valley commons in Bernalillo.”
