NEW MEXICO’S SPENDING BILL HAS GONE THROUGH SOME CHANGES. IT’S NOW ON ITS WAY TO THE FULL SENATE FOR A VOTE. BUT BEFORE IT WAS SENT, THE SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE ON MONDAY ENDORSED BOOSTING THE PROPOSAL BY 703 MILLION DOLLARS IN SPENDING FOR THE COMING FISCAL YEAR.
KOB TV REPORTS THOSE CHANGES PLACE MORE RESOURCES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBSIDIES. THEY ALSO ELIMINATE A REQUIREMENT FOR UNM TO REVIVE THE SPORTS TEAMS IT DROPPED RECENTLY. THERE WERE ALSO MINOR SPENDING ADJUSTMENTS THAT INCREASE SPENDING FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION BY 16 PERCENT OVER WHAT IS CURRENTLY SPENT.