The Albuquerque City Council rejected a proposal Monday night to limit short-term rentals, marking the third time in three years a version of the policy has failed. The 5-4 vote defeated Ordinance O-26-5, which would have required 100-foot buffer zones between rental properties. The measure failed despite last-minute changes to narrow the scope and delay […]
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Short Agenda, big decisions: ABQ Council to weigh rentals, Q&A and budget report
The Albuquerque City Council meets at 5 p.m. Mon. with a short agenda that includes final votes on two key ordinances: one affecting short-term rentals and another on how councilors question Mayor Tim Keller’s administration. The meeting also includes a report on first-quarter finances, which shows revenues $5.1 million above projections. The proposed short-term rental […]
Posted inNM Political Report
Vasquez joins Trump in push to limit Wall Street home buys
In a rare moment of bipartisan overlap, U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M., and President Donald Trump have both advanced similar proposals aimed at curbing Wall Street’s role in the single-family housing market. On Jan. 20, Trump issued his executive order, “Stopping Wall Street from Competing with Main Street Homebuyers.” One week later, Vasquez announced his […]
Posted inNew Mexico Legislature #nmleg
Democrats surprise with amendment to exempt doctors, but not hospitals, from punitive lawsuit damages
Addressing concerns that New Mexico’s unlimited cap on punitive damages deters doctors from practicing in the state, Democrats in a key House committee pushed through a surprise compromise, of sorts, on Friday morning. House Bill 99 emerged from the House Health and Human Services Committee with a cap on punitive damages for malpractice claims against […]
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Thousands flood Civic Plaza to protest ICE operations
Thousands of immigrant rights activists gathered at Civic Plaza Friday afternoon as part of a coordinated national protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations following recent fatal shootings during federal enforcement actions. The demonstration, which drew roughly 5,000 people by mid-afternoon, was part of the National Shutdown movement that called for participants across the country […]
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BernCo pushes $110 million compromise for $35 million PNM vs neighborhood substation fight
Bernalillo County commissioners unanimously delayed a decision Tuesday on a proposed $35 million Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) substation, directing the utility to study burying transmission lines, with cost estimates reaching up to $110 million. The commission voted to continue the case for 120 days and ordered three analyses: the cost of underground […]
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Sick of ICE? Skip work, school and shopping for national protest in ABQ
Immigrant rights activists plan to gather at Civic Plaza Friday afternoon as part of a coordinated national protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations following recent fatal shootings during federal enforcement actions. The demonstration, scheduled for 2 p.m., is part of the National Shutdown movement calling for participants across the country to skip work, school […]
Posted inNew Mexico Legislature #nmleg, NM Political Report
Democrats advance assault weapons ban through State Senate
Democrats advanced an assault weapons ban through its first legislative committee last night over the objections of Republicans, gun dealers and 2nd Amendment advocates concerned it would ban some of the most popular firearms sold and transferred in New Mexico today. “This bill represents perhaps the worst mockery of the Second Amendment in state history,” […]
Posted inNew Mexico Legislature #nmleg, NM Political Report
Momentum builds in New Mexico legislature to ban ICE facilities statewide
New Mexico legislators began hearings today on legislation to prohibit local governments from contracting with prison companies and the federal government to create immigration detention facilities. Members of the House Judiciary Committee kicked off a hearing on the bill Wed. afternoon as local elected officials from Cibola and Torrance County, where two of the state’s […]
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Scorecard for subsidies: BernCo looks to tie public subsidies to private company benefits
County commissioners reviewed new economic development policies Tuesday aimed at ensuring businesses receiving public subsidies provide measurable benefits to local communities. The Board of County Commissioners heard findings from a steering committee that conducted five community meetings and a countywide survey over the past year. Commissioner Barbara Baca, who led the initiative, introduced a resolution […]