NEW MEXICO’S 7-BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET PLAN HAS BEEN SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR LUJAN GRISHAM. THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL REPORTS THE STATE WILL FUEL THIS HUGE SPENDING INCREASE BY TAPPING INTO THE OIL DRILLING BOOM … A TREND THAT’S EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
THE PLAN INCREASES STATE SPENDING TO AN ALL TIME HIGH WITH MOST OF THE FUNDING EARMARKED FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THERE ARE ALSO PAY RAISES INCLUDED IN THE PLAN FOR STATE WORKERS … THE LARGEST RAISES THEY’VE GOTTEN IN MORE THAN 10 YEARS. LUJAN GRISHAM, HOWEVER, VETOED 42-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE BILL, TAKING FROM THE STATE ENGINEER’S OFFICE AND A PRIVATE PARTNER BILL.
