Two federal judges on Friday ruled that the Trump administration must use a roughly $5 billion contingency fund to cover the cost of SNAP benefits to 42 million Americans, including 459,500 New Mexicans. Both judges, one from Massachusetts and one from Rhode Island, each ruled that the Trump administration could not withhold SNAP benefits in […]
Category: Beats
Posted inPolitics & Elections
Open seat, big money: What you need to know about the four District 1 council candidates
About this seriesIn addition to the citywide mayor’s race on ballots this Nov., five of nine city council seats are also up for grabs. Notably, all three Westside council seats – Districts 1, 3 and 5 – are competitive. (Races in Districts 7 and 9 east of the Rio Grande are contested but are heavily […]
Posted inPolitics & Elections
In District 5, Dems think Allen can flip a GOP seat. Lewis sees another chance to prove them wrong.
About this seriesIn addition to the citywide mayor’s race on ballots this Nov., five of nine city council seats are also up for grabs. Notably, all three Westside council seats – Districts 1, 3 and 5 – are competitive. (Races in Districts 7 and 9 east of the Rio Grande are contested but are heavily […]
Posted inNM State Gov.
State GOP legislators disapprove of Gov’s SNAP fix and unusual use of emergency powers to fund it
A day after Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that the state would use $30 million of its own funds to cover SNAP benefits for 459,500 New Mexicans, State legislative Republicans are questioning the decision and the unusual way the governor made the funds available. New Mexico Legislative Republicans contacted today by New Mexico Political Report […]
Posted inPolitics & Elections
Oops! City forgot to include a ballot question on ABQ ballots
Albuquerque voters won’t get the chance to weigh in on removing a decades-old restriction after a “clerical error” by the City Clerk’s Office left a charter amendment off the Nov. 4 municipal election ballot, despite City Council approval in March. The measure should have appeared on this year’s ballot alongside the city’s general obligation bond […]
Posted inPolitics & Elections
Mayor, council candidates spend big for final votes in final campaign days
With one week left before Albuquerque’s municipal elections, Mayor Tim Keller is spending down his taxpayer-funded war chest as he floods local airwaves with campaign ads and remains ahead of his opponents in last-minute spending. An analysis of city campaign finance reports by City Desk found that Keller shelled out $94,000 for television spots in […]
Posted inNM State Gov.
New Mexico allocates $30 million for food aid as federal SNAP benefits are set to be halted
New Mexico will provide $30 million in emergency food assistance starting Nov. 1 to replace suspended federal nutrition benefits for roughly 460,000 residents, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Wednesday at an Albuquerque press conference. The state funding will partially offset the loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture will […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov.
Heinrich, Lujan have beef with Trump over beef
New Mexico Democratic Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan are among the senators who have signed a letter urging the Trump administration to back away from its plan to increase beef imports from Argentina. Heinrich stated in a press release on Tuesday that he, Lujan and 14 other Democratic senators sent a letter to […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov.
New Mexico AG sues Trump administration over SNAP benefits freeze
New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez is among 24 state attorneys general taking the Trump administration to court over its plans to withhold Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in November if the government shutdown continues. A lawsuit, which is also joined by the governors of Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, was filed Tuesday in the […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
Candidates spend big in final weeks of city elections
With one week left before Albuquerque’s municipal elections, Mayor Tim Keller is spending down his taxpayer-funded warchest as he floods local airwaves with campaign ads and remains ahead of his opponents in last minute spending. An analysis of city campaign finance reports by City Desk found that last Keller shelled out $94,000 for television spots […]