Disqus - Latest Comments for norton73

Re: State faces up to $1 billion shortfall in January

AlbertoG — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:13:47 -0000

...particularly since the state’s budget was about $4 billion in 2003 and has grown by 50% over the last seven years, while the state’s population only increased by 6%.

Re: State faces up to $1 billion shortfall in January

norton73 — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:06:37 -0000

We're putting a band aid on a patient that requires major surgery. Take two aspirin and call me in January.

Re: State faces up to $1 billion shortfall in January

johnnyrayne — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:56:56 -0000

What's your point?

Re: State faces up to $1 billion shortfall in January

Samsell — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:12:39 -0000

fuck off

Re: State faces up to $1 billion shortfall in January

norton73 — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:35:57 -0000

Kicking the can down the road.

Re: Senator accuses colleagues of abusing per diem

norton73 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:55:45 -0000

I assume that when you say they should get a salary, they still get the per diem. That's the norm in most enterprises, government and private. Otherwise, what's the point?

Re: Denish challenges school districts to cut energy costs

norton73 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:52:17 -0000

Ten percent of $60 million = $6 million. Budget deficit approaching $1 billion.

Somehow, the phrase "rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic" comes to mind.

Re: It’s Complicated with Richard ‘R.J.’ Berry

norton73 — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:22:02 -0000

I think some of the pundocracy is giving too much credit to public financing for the outcome of the election. True, publicly financed candidates had to abide by spending caps. But before a privately funded candidate could spend $1 million or more, they would have to raise that amount. This was the first election with the new Election Code provisions banning "business" contributions. Combined with the current state of the economy, I have to believe that consideration is what drove all three mayoral candidates to public financing in the first place.

Re: Rael wants to expand lieutenant governor’s role

norton73 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:21:18 -0000

If New Mexico were a U S city, it would only be the 5th most populous (behind New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston). I think a more accurate statement would be that THIS governor has little time to be involved in day-to-day management.

Re: Member-to-member mail is an unavoidable loophole in Albuquerque’s public financing system

norton73 — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:19:01 -0000

I don't believe the word "individual" appears in the MFC definition. It uses the word "person" which defined later in the definitions to include individuals and businesses.

Re: Member-to-member mail is an unavoidable loophole in Albuquerque’s public financing system

marjorie — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:05:39 -0000

I asked about political party's and apparently they've been considered differently under federal case law. But the member to member criteria doesn't apply for them.

Re: Member-to-member mail is an unavoidable loophole in Albuquerque’s public financing system

norton73 — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:28:08 -0000

So then the Democratic Party of New Mexico would be perfectly within its rights to send anti-Berry mailers to every registered Democrat within the Albuquerque city limits without having to register as an MFC. According to the party rules, every registered Democrat is a "member".

Re: King pushes ethics commission, other reforms

norton73 — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:18:19 -0000

Heath,

I continue to be confused by one issue. What authority, if any, can a creature of the governor and legislature have over other constitutional offices? Yes, MannyGate involved the legislature. But other recent ethics issues have embroiled the Land Office, Treasurer's Office, and Secretary of State. Recently we saw the State Auditor and AG butting heads. The AG is already predicting this will be an "advisory" panel. Translation: Ethics Commission? Yeah, we got that.

What happens if there is an ethics issue within the AG's office. Do they turn it over to those genius' at the Santa Fe DA's office who can't even write a proper jury instruction?

I don't see any true ethics reform short of a commission created in the state constitution. But it appears that will never happen because it would require government to actually cede some power back to the citizenry.

Re: Throw enough money at Johnny and surely he’ll read

Leonidas56 — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:58:44 -0000

I'm sorry, but when the teacher's union and liberals, who got their hands on the New Mexican taxpayers money, they promised us that all that money would transmit into increased scores.

There were no conditions such as "well don't expect much due to the poverty".

It must be nice being a liberal and not having to be held accountable to their promises.

Re: SunCal targets Cadigan in election mailer

norton73 — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:40:10 -0000

I did look at those reports just yesterday. I know he has taken developer money in the past, but I question how you make that conclusion for the '09 election cycle. There are a lot of contributions from lawyers, but I'm not seeing money from the developer crowd in any meaningful amount. You'll find that money in the MFCs.

Re: SunCal targets Cadigan in election mailer

nmindependent — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:08:05 -0000

Hey, commando73—How would you like to scan that mailer and e-mail it to tips@newmexicoindependent.com? We're asking readers to help us keep up with the flood of campaign mail and we could use your help!

Re: SunCal targets Cadigan in election mailer

norton73 — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:17:17 -0000

A second mailer appeared today in the mailbox. This one attacks Cadigan as against schools because he doesn't support creation of a SunCal school district. Source, Westside Chamber of Commerce (i.e. Dan Serrano). By the way, who is Cabarello Farm?

Re: Throw enough money at Johnny and surely he’ll read

norton73 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:33:27 -0000

I think that is an excellent observation and very on point. I have no reason to doubt that poverty is a critical factor in school performance. My question is, does throwing more money at schools address the poverty issues that hamper school performance today? Certainly in the long run better educated children are less likely to end up in poverty. But I don't agree that the schools are the proper place to site poverty programs.

Re: Throw enough money at Johnny and surely he’ll read

benito_a — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:05:48 -0000

According to the U.S. Census, New Mexico's child poverty rate is 4th in the nation, with 1 out of every 4 children in the state living in poverty. Utah is 46th in the nation when it comes to child poverty. This has a huge impact on education statistics.

Likewise, Florida is ranked 26th in overall poverty and 23rd in childhood poverty... NM ranks 4th in both. There's a range of factors that play into this if your goal is to really probe the issue.

Re: Throw enough money at Johnny and surely he’ll read

Leonidas56 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:09:54 -0000

I'm not understanding how this works. Utah's per pupil spending is last or next to last and yet Utah manages a "C" grade for school performance. NM is spending more, but gets an "F. Seems like dollars spent isn't the correct correlation.

Commando,

How dare you ask the $64,000 dollar question!!!! Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! Just accept that the only solution to New Mexico's failing grades w/r/t education is to throw even more money, if that was possible, to the problem.

Re: Throw enough money at Johnny and surely he’ll read

norton73 — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:38:55 -0000

Re: Berry campaign mailer sews distrust among immigrants, advocates say

norton73 — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:34:25 -0000

"It has to only be on the pretext of a criminal investigation.”

Maybe APD should take some of that federal grant money and buy John Walsh a dictionary. Either that or hire a new PIO who actually knows what words mean.

Re: N.M. GOP Chairman Harvey Yates: Want less scandal? Vote Republican

norton73 — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:35:09 -0000

I live in the Albuquerque portion of Block's district. I voted for Rick Lass and would have considered voting for a Republican IF THERE HAD BEEN ONE ON THE BALLOT. You can't get elected if you don't run. Apparently this is a concept that has escaped Mr. Yates.

Re: Thousands of New Mexicans won’t receive unemployment insurance for days due to ‘unforeseen system error’

Insurancequotes — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 10:32:15 -0000

I agree mate! it wasn't indeed.

Re: ABQ’s election fund will meet demand, officials say

norton73 — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:35:39 -0000

Seed money is capped at 10% of the distribution. With the numbers we're using that would be about $32,800, 328 contributions of $100. Will be interesting to see if there is any pattern to each candidate's "seed donors". Like say, developer money or City employees.