Diana Alba reports in today's Sun-News that Dona Ana County may lose $8.4 million in unspent capital outlay funds because of the state's budgetary woes.
Commissioner Scott Krahling is quoted:
"The Legislature and governor have put everything on the table to balance the budget, so if that means they cut all the capital outlay for the entire state in order to do it, they have to do it," he said. "I'm optimistic they'll have other options." Krahling referred to proposals that could consolidate state offices to save money and raise taxes to address the budget problems.
Kudos to Krahling for being so straight forward. We now know he supports raising taxes on all New Mexicans.
And the all wise Commissioner Oscar Vasquez-Butler is concerned about flood control projects:
County Commissioner Oscar Vásquez-Butler said he has sent a letter to the state, asking that three Vado projects —a flood control wall, improvements to Swanaack Road and the Presa Storm Drain — be exempted from the cuts. He said flooding in Vado indirectly led to two children's deaths this year, a reason the projects should be allowed to go forward. Also, he said he hopes appropriations for Hatch and other flood-prone areas remain intact.
Krahling also mentioned losing a flood control project in his district.
I could hardly believe what I was reading. Krahling led the pack in having the DA County Commission support the Bingaman bill to create wilderness all over the county and encircling Las Cruces. Vasquez-Butler actually traveled to DC to testify for the NM Wilderness Alliance in favor of the bill.
Both are ignoring the concerns of the local Flood Commissioner and the county soil & water district. There are no motorized vehicles or mechanical equipment allowed in wilderness areas, thus flood control projects are not allowed.
Krahling & Vasquez-Butler support federal legislation which would ban flood control projects on 560 square miles in DA County but go crying to the state legislature about losing similar projects in their districts? On the one hand Krahling would raise taxes on all of us for flood control and on the other hand bans flood control measures on a huge swath of the county?
Makes no sense to me.
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